Reader Ahmad exhibited the microcosm of the entire problem.

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Jul 12, 2013 at 02:21

Dear Dr Pipes:

In one sentence your reader Ahmad inadvertently described the entire cause of problem in the Islamic world.

Ahmad said, "If somebody misinterpreted islamic teachings fault lies on those who misinterpreted".

Ahmad believes that there is ONE perfect and unique interpretation of Islam and everyone who differs from that perfect interpretation is at fault. In this little belief lies the whole microcosm of problems that we see in the Islamic society. The fact of the matter is that any written code, is subject to interpretation and no two interpretations can be the same. And when two interpretations differ, neither of them is at fault. They both are eligible to exist and worthy of respect.

In the Islamic societies every person believes that his/her version is correct and since there is only one right interpretation every other interpretation must be blasphemous.

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