What problem?

Submitted by Pied Piper (Saudi Arabia), Mar 6, 2015 at 10:45

This article advances a 3-pronged solution to the problem of "radical Islam". Muslims should 1- adapt moderate Islam and reject radical Islam. (Pipes) 2- adapt secularism (the separation of church and state doctrine) (Yetkin) and 3 – become "irreligious" and even "atheists" and either convert to another religion or simply reject all religions.

There is another "solution" to the problem of radical Islam not mentioned in the article. It is the stance taken, it appears, by the US government and associated liberals of one stripe or another. Under this world-view, radical Islamic terrorism is really the fault of Western domination of the world in general and the Muslim world in particular. It is the triumph and vindication of Edward Said's Orientalism thesis. It is the politics and sociology of mea culpa supported by the entire panoply of diversity, inclusion, identity and so on that has a choke-hold on contemporary discourse up and down the fruited plain. That is to say, radical Islam will be tamed if only we agree with it that "it" is all our fault. Once we can accept that, the lion will lie down with the sheep and we can all go back to living a normal life.

In my view, all 4 approaches are simplistic, unworkable, unpalatable and unrealistic. They all grasp at straws to no avail. They all share an erroneous view on the origins of the problem in that they portray "Islamism" as a modern manifestation of Islam whereas it is really a nearly 1500 year-old movement.

In other words, there is no solution to radical Islam, anymore than there is no solution to heart disease or earthquakes. That is to say, there is no problem. Certainly, the world of Islam does not see itself as a "problem". It is in fact, so it is beleived, the solution. Islam has always been "radical". It didn't suddenly "turn bad" – it has always been combative. If this fundamental aspect of Islam ceases to exist or is transformed, on that day, Islam will no longer be Islam.

But this is not going to happen. Not a chance. If we can accept this fact, realistic approaches to the problem and how to contain it can perhaps be undertaken.

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