Is totalitarian Islam really one century old?

Submitted by Prashant, Oct 5, 2017 at 19:51

Dear Dr Pipes,

I completely agree with you that a philosophy dear to over a billion people should not be called evil specially if it is benign in some version of it. However, I disagree with you that totalitarian Islam is only one century old. I think the Islamic colonizers --why should be call European attackers colonizers and Islamic attackers nice people-- who invaded different parts of the world at different times during the last 1400 years were as totalitarian as Islamic totalitarians of the last century. Islamic history has been full of rulers who used politics to spread Islam and also resorted to violence when needed.

Also, if all other religions have also shown totalitarian tendencies at different time, that does not rule out that Islam has been totalitarian as well.

I contend that Islamic totalitarianism has become a worldwide phenomenon during the last 100 years so we are more willing to see it, recognize it and admit it.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".