Sometimes, you're too optimistic

Submitted by B Michael Madany (United States), Sep 11, 2002 at 16:20

Dear Dr. Pipes,

I have been recommending your web site on many occasions whenever I speak on the problems of the M. E. I consider you on par with Bernard Lewis, the greatest teacher I ever had. However, I find your disconnecting "Islamism" from Islam rather unrealistic. For unlike any other major world religion, Islam is, according to Philip Hitti's booklet, "Islam: A Way of Life," religion+politics+culture."

Isn't "Islamism" a logical growth of Islam? Have any Muslim leaders ever disavowed the division of the world between "Daru'l Islam" and "Daru'l Harb?" Isn't the Arab/Muslim rejection of Israel since 1948, another sign of their inability to jettison the political component of their faith? And wasn't the partition of India in 1947, a proof that Muslims cannot live as minorities, and must have their own territory?

I do not want to dampen your hope about the future, but I still believe that Samuel Huntignton's "Clash..." is a realitic forecast of the 21st century.

Keep up the good work.

---

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".