Apr 10, 2012 -- 3:13PM, Ibn wrote:

Apr 10, 2012 -- 12:56PM, rocketjsquirell wrote:

Perhaps this is "Political Islam"

'Every aspect of life is to be Islamized'

What was the point of them calling themselves "Muslims" if every aspect of their life had been unislamized over the last few centuries?

Perhaps it is a cry for 'back to basics'.

I thought exactly the same thing!  The only way for a society to be "Islamized" is to allow each person to decide for themselves what religion to practice, how to practice or whether to practice.  No compulsion in religion is Allah's way, but you'd have to know Islam to know that.

Apr 10, 2012 -- 4:21PM, rocketjsquirell wrote:

Miraj

No compulsion in religion may be Allah's way, but it is not the way of the Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood (a.k.a. whatever we are calling them today - yesterday it was "nut jobs") and it has historically not been the way of Arab Muslim ruled areas where forced conversions were (and still are) commonplace. If you look at the two main contenders for most "Muslim" country, KSA and Iran you will find that compulsion in religion and forced conformity to "Islamic" standards is the rule, not the exception. 

"Forced conversions" (an oxymoron if there ever was one) are not commonplace in Arab ruled areas.  Between the two of us, you're the only one that calls Iran and the KSA "Islamic".

The History of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia traces its roots back to the earliest civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula. Over the centuries, the peninsula has played an important role in history as an ancient trade center and as the birthplace of Islam, one of the world’s major monotheistic religions.
www.saudiembassy.net/about/country-infor...

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is located at 601 New Hampshire Avenue ... that of a modern industrial state while maintaining the kingdom's traditional Islamic ...
www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm

Apr 10, 2012 -- 7:07PM, rangerken wrote:

Apr 10, 2012 -- 4:41PM, Miraj wrote:

Apr 10, 2012 -- 4:21PM, rocketjsquirell wrote:

Miraj

No compulsion in religion may be Allah's way, but it is not the way of the Islamists such as the Muslim Brotherhood (a.k.a. whatever we are calling them today - yesterday it was "nut jobs") and it has historically not been the way of Arab Muslim ruled areas where forced conversions were (and still are) commonplace. If you look at the two main contenders for most "Muslim" country, KSA and Iran you will find that compulsion in religion and forced conformity to "Islamic" standards is the rule, not the exception. 

"Forced conversions" (an oxymoron if there ever was one) are not commonplace in Arab ruled areas.  Between the two of us, you're the only one that calls Iran and the KSA "Islamic".

The thing is both the KSA and Iran certainly do claim to be Islamic. So if a Muslim says that neither is 'Islamic' then the obvious question is, what exactly is 'Islamic'? My position is that if a Muslim country says that it is 'Is;lamic' then it damn well IS 'Islamic' BUT, it defines 'Islamic' in its own way.

And this is a great example of why political Islam most certaily does exist. And how 'political Islam' operates does impact the politics of the whole, Middle East.

Ken

Ken

For good or bad how "Political Islam" operates also impacts how Islam is viewed by both Muslims and non-Muslims, how Islam is practiced by Muslims, and how Islam interacts with other religions and belief systems.

Apr 10, 2012 -- 12:56PM, rocketjsquirell wrote:

Perhaps this is "Political Islam"

'Every aspect of life is to be Islamized'

Apr 10, 2012 -- 3:13PM, Ibn wrote:

What was the point of them calling themselves "Muslims" if every aspect of their life had been unislamized over the last few centuries?

Perhaps it is a cry for 'back to basics'.

Apr 10, 2012 -- 3:49PM, rocketjsquirell wrote:

Ibn

You would have to ask the Muslim Brotherhood about their motivation in naming themselves Muslim.

You did not understand what I had asked.

If the secular guys are moaning about islamization, why are they calling themselves "Muslims"? A Muslim cannot live outside Islam. If he wants to live outside Islam then it would be out of his mind for him to regard himself a Muslim. 

Apr 10, 2012 -- 3:49PM, rocketjsquirell wrote:

However, I would suspect the Muslim Brother hood named themselves the Muslim Brotherhood because they are Muslims and they are putting forth an agenda which they consider to be Islamic.

I am glad that you understand that bit about Muslim Brotherhood. What's wrong with Muslim Brotherhood having an agenda which they consider to be Islamic? I am sure creation of State of Israel was an agenda that was a Jewish agenda based on their religion. It is hypocrisy to blame Muslims for having an Islamic agenda.

FYI, we, Muslims, call each other "brothers". Several Muslims in a party would be "brotherhood". Obviously they are Muslims and, therefore, the party is called Muslim Brotherhood. Those who oppose them, including hypocrites who call themselves "Muslims", are doing so to divide the Muslims against each other. It's not going to work. Pendulum has started to swing in the other direction!