Answer to David (Russia)

Submitted by Carl Goldberg (United States), Aug 2, 2017 at 01:03

In response to my comment above "Reforming Islam? -- Mission impossible", David answered:

1) "By the way, it should be noted that Erdogan's comment on Moderate Islam is usually (deliberately) misinterpreted. When he said that there is no moderate or radical Islam, he was actually being apologetic and trying to imply that radical Islam is a myth, that "true Islam" is peaceful and that ISIS has "nothing to do with Islam".

I disagree. In my opinion, Erdogan was using the word "Islam" like most religious Moslems use it, namely to mean the belief system based on the Koran and the Sunnah, as opposed to the practice of Islam which may or may not conform to the sacred texts which are fixed and do not come in "moderate" or "radical" versions. They are what they are. When the word "Islam" is used to mean both the belief system and the practice of Islam, all manner of confusion results. Therefore, we should be careful to always separate those two concepts of "Islam" and "the practice of Islam" for, logically, the two cannot be the same.

2. David writes that "Islam has gone through a number of reformations (both good and bad) and will probably continue to do so in the future." Again, David is conflating the two concepts of "Islam" and "the practice of Islam". Islam, the Koran + Muhammad has not gone through any reformations, let alone, a number of them. Moslems pride themselves that the Koran is exactly the same now as it has always been. And, ever since the acceptance of the "authentic" hadiths over a thousand years ago, they have not undergone any "reformations", either. It is the practice of Islam which has varied from time to time and place to place, but even here, the word "reformation" is not appropriate because "reformation" implies an official change. So, Islam, the belief system, has been static, is static, and, in all probability will remain static because of the basic premise that the Koran is Allah's literal word -- perfect, complete, unchangeable and valid for all of eternity. It is the PRACTICE of Islam will continue to vary from place to place and time to time. This is important because it is ISLAM, the static belief system, with all of its commands to jihad, which is taught and preached in the mosques, and supported by the religious establishment. The mosques will always produce enough new religious Moslems who take the Koran seriously and who will make trouble for the world.

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