Book Reviewed: The Challenge of Modernizing Islam: Reformers Speak Out and the Obstacles, by Christine Douglass-Williams, Daniel Pipes

Islam is a political ideology, therefore it cannot be reformed

Islam is a political ideology that uses god’s name to impose its will and authority on non-believers. It contrasts the political philosophy of Marxism, Leninism and Capitalism that is based on social, economic and political concepts. Enforcing a belief using god’s name is a powerful tool and perhaps lasting than economic based ideologies. Muslims hide behind a notion of being the followers of a faith. In the 21st century, we don’t see many people screaming Jesus Christ, Moses, Krishna or Buddha with hatchets, guns or literally running over innocent people on the streets with an automobile. Recently, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn called “It’s like cancer, and it’s like a malignant cancer, though in this case that has metastasized.”

In a world of political correctness, the race, ethnicity, class and fear of being labeled as Islamophobic has manipulated the system to the full advantage of Muslims and their application of sharia law. The political leaders and the media are too willing to submit to the will of Muslims. The lack of knowledge of Muslim values and their culture in western World have been manipulated by Islamists. They are a population that believes that god wants women to wear hijab, niqab, or burqa. Progressively the West has adopted sharia blasphemy laws. In July 2017, Muslim terrorists targeted Jews in Israel, Hindus in India, Christians in Egypt, and Buddhists in Thailand. According to the Jihad Watch Report of Jul 08, 2017 - Jul 14, 2017, there were 37 attacks; 207 killed; 196 injured; 8 suicide blasts, all in 37 countries. The Quran contains at least 109 verses that speak of war with nonbelievers, usually on the basis of their status as non-Muslims. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding. Quran 5:51, says "O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people." In Quran 5:82, we find “You will find the most violent in enmity to the (Islamic) believers are the Jews…” Quran 5:44, “Indeed We revealed the Torah to Moses, in which there is guidance and light: By its laws, all the Prophets, who were Muslims, judged those who call themselves Jews and so did the rabbis and jurists of law….”

Speaking in Warsaw, Poland, President Trump challenged that whether the West has the will to survive, and do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost? Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our borders? Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it?

The author of this book has interviewed several Muslim leaders to find ways to overcome the oppression of Sharia law, but this is a futile attempt. Most Muslims like to defend their faith and the privileged use of Sharia law. The religion comes first in all their arguments and the common-sense comes last; whereas for most non-Muslims, common-sense comes first. The evidence is all around us. For example, in Indian Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq and other Islamic countries, women followed Western traditions and wore Western cloths, but they have changed and progressively moved back to medieval age.