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One way of assessing Islam it seems to us is to study the policies and programs persued in Muslim countries. Here we are talking primarily about modern countries, although historic Islamic societies is another interesting subject. A Pakistani reader, however, does not believe this is a valid approach. We do not entirely agree with him, but are pleased to present his point of view.
He writes, "You see Muslim countries as prime representatives of the religion of Islam. Tell me where is the Shariah Law implemented in full in any of these so-called Muslim countries? President Musharraf here in Pakistan has amended one of the Islamic Shariah Law on rape and adultery, throwing Pakistan further away from Islam."
One way of assessing Islam it seems to us is to study the policies and programs persued in Muslim countries. Here we are talking primarily about modern countries, although historic Islamic societies is another interesting subject. Can we look at Muslim countries to draw conclusions on how Islam has affected these countries. We tend to think that you cam and that this is a valuable exercise.
A Pakistani reader, however, does not believe this is a valid approach. We do not entirely agree with him, but are pleased to present his point of view.
He writes, "You see Muslim countries as prime representatives of the religion of Islam. Tell me where is the Shariah Law implemented in full in any of these so-called Muslim countries? President Musharraf here in Pakistan has amended one of the Islamic Shariah Law on rape and adultery, throwing Pakistan further away from Islam." Further he tells us, "You have to make a
clear-cut distinction between Islam and Muslims so as to not confuse whatever Muslims do as being Islamic. What Islam say is one thing and what Muslims do/dont is another. Let me give you an example. What if an unexperienced lame driver bangs a Mercedez car against a wall: who is to be blamed--the driver or the car? What these "Islamic Regimes" are doing i.e. enforcing/policing people to adhere to specific dress-codes like Taliban and Saudi governments is like banging Islam
against the wall. What Crusaders did to innocent Muslims, the Church to innocent scientists, or Hitler (a christian by faith[HBC note: Hitler was baptized and raised a Christian, but it would be incorrect to describe him as a Chritian by faith. In fact the NAZIs were engaged in e beginning phase of an effort to eradicate Christiamity in Germany.]) to the Jews canot be attributed to the teachings of Christianity! It will be tragic to say the least. Unfortunately the West have come to see Islam from the black sheeps of the Muslim community as drivers of the car of Islam."
Our reader makes an important point, as to who is responsible in Muslim countries, the car or the driver. I take his point and accept in in part. But like life, I think the issue is much more complicated. We also note the same arguments put forward by Scocialists.
Socialists and Communists today say that thet can not be blaimed for what Lennin, Stalin, and other Soviet rulers did, that the Soviet regime was an abberation of Communism. To an extent I agree, but there are also elements in the nature of Comminism and Marxist doctrine that allowed the murder of millions of people. After all the same occured in China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Eastern Europe.
Interestingly we note that our reader who maintains that you cannot evaluate Islam on the basis of the conditions in Muslim countries, is quite prone to criticise secular sociery on the basis of conditions in the West, especially America. It is true as he claims that there is no pure Islamic state, although the Taliban would come close. It is also true that there is not pure secular state. (And of all the princi[pal Western countries, America is surely the least secularized.) Yest our reader has commented on American society, decrying crime, rape, and poverty. This seems to us a basic intelectual inconsistency undermining his contention that the situation in Muslim countries can not be used to assess Islam.
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