moderate Islam

Submitted by Merl F. Kimmel (United States), Sep 23, 2003 at 17:33

Dear Dr. Pipes: Having just read the article dealing with moderate voices within Islam, I still had to wonder how non-militant Muslims can reconcile the requirement that religious law (sharia) eventually become the law of the land in every nation on earth. How can one be a devout Muslim and a good American at the same time? As a Muslim, you must want to see sharia replace all other constituional and legal systems; as a good American (or Canadian, German, Japanese,etc.) you would never want to see your constituion and legal system replaced by sharia. How does the so-called moderate Muslim reconcile this? And what about the Muslim concept of dhimmitude? How does the mainstream Muslim treat with non-Muslims as equals and yet preserve the Islamic institution of dhimmitude? These and other questions about the only faith that sanctions the use of force to spread its religious doctrines must be definitively addressed by Muslims across the world who wish to live in peace and understanding with those who will never accept their faith. Thank you.

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