Characterization

Islamists are Muslims of all stripes, from extreme fundamentalist to moderates.  The militant are labeled (designated) Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, ISIS, Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, Bok Haram, Al-Shabaab, Grey Wolves, Houthis, CAIR, Taliban, Al-Nusra, and more (100 to 200 organizations in worldwide locations and countries).  

Estimates of Muslims level of belief are all over the place.  Here is a generality of a number of views. Of the 1.8 billion Muslims 15-20% are considered extreme (fundamentalists)(270-350 million), but the rest are not all moderates. A population greater than that of the United States wants non-Muslims gone. The extreme are the warriors, the jihadists. 

The most strident of Muslims give no berth to tolerance towards others.  Secularism is wrong. Oppose democracy, individual liberty and mutual respect.  They support terrorism and violence to achieve a global objective.  An Islamic State, governed by the dictates and tenets of Islam, combining politics and the ideology, favors an autocracy. 

Those with leanings towards the extreme, supporters and otherwise, the radicals, are in the 800 million range. Radicals support Sharia Law, honor killing, tolerate suicide bombing, approve of Hamas, react violently to cartoon depictions of Muhammad, and defend Islam as a superior ideology. They are globalists as are all Muslims. Where they differ from the extreme is in the need for an Islamic State. Large concentrations are in the middle east, in countries as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. But also Pakistan, Afghanistan, other ….stans, and a large part of India. 

It is obvious all Muslims are not on the same page when it comes to interpreting their ideology, the Rules, Quran and Hadiths. There has been ongoing internal strife since the birth of Islam.  Strife caused by the men that sought positions of leadership and control, applying their own interpretations, imposing new and modifying old rules, and claiming rights to the lineage or cause of Muhammad. Whatever claims to enhancing their power was justification.

Moderates, those Muslims seeking a modernization of Islam, attempts to adopt 21st century thinking, are mostly in western world nations. The moderates do not want a theocracy, prefer a political plurality, and are not militant. They oppose the idea of an Islamic State, prefer democratic elections.  They view Islam as an ideology that can live side-by-side with others, secular (separation of religion and state) or religious.  They are tolerant. They see a ‘truthful way,’ ascribed to the Quran. They denounce extreme violence by Islamists. 

Islamic leaders, the teachers and preachers, resist the term ‘moderate,’ saying it suggests Islam is not peaceful.  Or ‘moderates’ are not true Muslims.  Erdogan, Turkey’s President, is of that view, proclaiming, there is only one Islam.  So what is it?

Says an Imam, “‘Deradicalization’ denies the Islamic doctrine of jihad (holy war in the cause of Islam.) It is a failed approach but the West clings to it like a battered spouse to her abuser.”  In addition, “I am telling you that my religion doesn’t tolerate other religion… the only one law which needs to spread… has to be Islam.”

Immigration has increased the numbers of Muslim radicals and extremists moving into Europe, Scandinavian Countries, the United Kingdom, the United States and other democracies, diluting the number of moderates and raising the level of rhetoric in support of extreme fundamental Islam.  For the generations of Muslims in western cultures that have embraced the civil societies, efforts by new arrivals with radical and extreme positions are having an impact.  This radical and extremist minority is reminding the Muslim communities they are not sufficiently Islamic.  

I have read elsewhere too that in modern society radical and extremist Muslims develop less in mosques than in jails. Many are conversions. Those teaching in prisons are not scholars of Islam, but vocal supporters, often themselves extremists, choosing those sections of the Quran most in harmony with their own personal militancy.  That is the Islam they spread, and they are not alone. 

Trends

Open borders are problematic.  There are many unknowns as to the orientation of the arrivals such as in their ideology, education, and sophistication.  What is more known is Muslims from impoverished foreign entities, predominantly Islamic, do not embrace the same values as those of civil modernized societies.

The moderates are silenced, many out of fear of retribution from other Muslims who disagree with their views and their interpretation of the tenets of this ideology.  An increasing number of radicals and extremists has been the trend since early in the 20th century. Where the extremist views were moderating into the early 20th century, the upward curve began to increase at a decreasing rate, and in many areas decline.  

The trend towards greater extremism became evident with the presence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia. Many more have emerged since as named in the opening parargraph. Curbing this trend is an imponderable. Hamas is similar to the Muslim Brotherhood, and Palestinians tend to think accordingly. 

The trends and numbers do not favor a reformation for Islam. No enlightenment is anticipated. There is no Martin Luther in a long sleeve formal thobe, arms out wide, commanding crowds supporting a more peaceful and tolerant Islam. No list of changes to Islam being tacked on the door of a mosque in Saudi Arabia, or elsewhere.  But there are growing crowds of naive collegians, many non-Muslims, and others blind to over a billion radical Muslims, indoctrinated with fallacies, and campaigning on their behalf as if they are an enslaved oppressed minority.  Even gays and women protest in favor of sexually deviant barbarians as if they are the victims. They raise up those that would readily compromise their lives, toss many from rooftops, in the name of Allah. There are just too many ignorant to the reality, the history, and the truth of Islamic aggression, and occupation. They need to hear the cries of “death to the infidels” and believe what is being said means what they are saying.  All of these sympathizers would be treated as poorly as the kibbutz community raided by Hamas on 10/7. 

Against Reform

An Islamist would take offense at the suggestion Islam needs to be reformed. It would imply there are problems. What is wrong with a 7th century lifestyle, except for modern military equipment replacing swords, tanks for camels, and drones for, who knows what?  Just make no alterations to the ideology. Kill Jews. Kill Christians. Make women chattel. Impose Sharia Law. Control the people. Keep slaves. And watch terrorist atrocities committed on 4K televisions. All in the name of Allah. 

What Islamic history ignores are the facts, such as modifications being made in the Quran for over a century, and interpretations varying depending on many sects (such as Sunni and Shia) and schools of Islam (I believe there are 6 primary schools, 4 Sunni, 2 Shia). May I refer you to Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_schools_and_branches

The men behind the curtain create the almighty Allah. It is as the abaya, the black dress required of women in many strict radical Islamic domains, their heads enclosed, a cage like opening for sight and air, hiding the truth that Islam is not a religion at all, but a violent, aggressive ideology. But if Islam can get you to believe what is not true as true, then they will have succeeded in continuing what they have perpetrated for 14 centuries. Islam today is a lie. But it works for those enslaved, caged in sovereignties, reminded in their madrassas and mosques, and so deceived, who know nothing else. Of which there are far too many. Males dominate, the elite control. 

Immigration

Immigration by Muslims must be curbed.  Keep Islam contained in the deserts of its birth. This is a difficult position to take and subject to intense criticism.  How can you be so intolerant, I am asked?  It is what I understand after years of reading and research. Even Trump (45th President) suggested the influx of Islamists through open borders is “poisoning the blood of our country.”  He was immediately criticized as “putting every racial, ethnic and religious minority at risk….,” using “unhelpful rhetoric,” and “We’re all children of immigrants,” and as using “dehumanizing and fascist rhetoric,” and worse.  Yet he seems to understand Islam and its implications as a killer of innocents and incompatible in its extreme form with American society and values.  My view, he is more right than the progressives who oppose him. The critics are either hiding behind what they also believe, or are totally clueless to what Islam is really about.  They too have been indoctrinated and lost their independence. 

Islam by the numbers is not encouraging to the prospect for peace throughout the world.   Islam is the existential threat to world peace. 

by Thomas Balderston

Author and Blogger

Happy New Year 2024