Islam Is A Failure

[Rasputin]

Flea, now you are making some sense this is good. I agree with you that Islam is the total state of being. I was reading a book by Fuller 'Political Islam' - pretty good one - though he is a bit of an apologist for Islam. Fuller states that within Islam there are 'liberals' who want Western styled secularism and separation of powers. Most of these so called radicals are dead or in jail. He states that the Koran like the bible however, is rather inconsistent and you can pull out of the text many lines to support your point of view. He also makes the case that Sharia law is actually not a law but a flexible code that gets manipulated by whomever is in power.

From what i have read i would say you are right about the Koran - in so far as fundamentalists, and non liberals view it as being the total path and way of life and the 'word'. I have never read it, and have no intention of doing so - so i have no idea what it really contains. But in reading Fuller and many others it is clear that the text designed for living in the 6th century would be seriously rewritten and updated by Mohammad himself if he were alive today.

Islam needs internal reform - if not then exogenous factors will force it to recreate itself.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Rasputin,

I copied the Koran from the USC library, and with three translations for every verse it almost emptied my toner cartridge!

However, many people still seem to hang on to western thinking modes when dealing with this issue.

But in reading Fuller and many others it is clear that the text designed for living in the 6th century would be seriously rewritten and updated by Mohammad himself if he were alive today.

It is believed that it is the WORD OF GOD. Salman Rushdie had a bounty placed on his head for suggesting that Muhammed wrote it. All things are believed to pertain to it. If one is faced with choices, there are but two options. Do it your own way, or obey the word of Allah. The verses may sometimes be contradictory, but there is a 'law' that fixes these things also.

The Koran could never be 're-created, nor re-written', for that would assume falliability of god (or Allah) Himself. In some places, that would incur the death penalty. For Muslims believe that no injury nor insult done to man could compare to that of one done to God.

To quote my almanac, "...in Islam, the declaration of faith is not enough; one must also express it in one's actions. For all Muslims there are five essential duties: to know, "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammed is His Prophet"; to pray five times daily facing Mecca; to keep the fast of Ramadan; to give alms to the poor and to the community; and to undertake, at least once in one's life, the Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca."