Why is Islam Backward?

He says; in bold:

“Muslims do in fact have a substantial body of both historical as well as contemporary thinking that they can draw upon to help improve their political and social structures and create more just, inclusive societies”. 

But  Rumi - underlined -  fails to tell us why it is that they do not "draw upon" this historical & contemporary literature & knowledge?  . Could it be that the so called “islamists’ are following the Quran to the letter and simply refuse to “draw upon” anything that appears to contradict the Islamic book and Hadith? Or Simply because they believe, as he says “the view propagated by Islamists of all varieties is that Sharia law is “divinely ordained” ?

 He goes on to say  islam/Shariah" cannot be questioned. Sharia, therefore, must be understood literally, and Islamists are driven by their belief that the Sharia represents a comprehensive political and belief system".

As I said earlier, you will be itching to say how much it's different this time from the race-based issues of decades ago. You bet it is! 

The problem is how to avoid civil strife without capitulating to the theocrats. 

I think we have no choice but to be very clever in how we promote moderate - or tame! - forms of islam (which do exist) and make extreme forms unattractive.

I'm not a political scientist (obviously!) and I haven't pre-prepared a spiel so this post is very much a ramble, not a thought out manifesto.

"WE" shouldn't be promoting Islam at all!

What concerns me is that if 'we' don't promote moderate Islam it gives the extremists a free hand. 

 It is down to Muslims to put their own house in order, but creating or exacerbating social tensions can only help the extremists and hinder the moderates. 

I doubt you love this country more than I do,

but what do you want to happen here in the next 5, 10, 20 years? 

What are you trying to achieve with your posts?   

Given that we can't magic Islam from the planet, what are the prospects for the future? Those are some of the issues I'd like to explore in this thread.  

I think the Salafists are far more worried that Muslims will adopt more western values than we a should worry about an Islamist take over. 

Could be. So what do you think those muslims becoming "westernised" should do about it? 

 Mr Islam

I doubt you love this country more than I do,

@ keithprosser I think we have no choice but to be very clever in how we promote moderate - or tame! - forms of islam (which do exist) and make extreme forms unattractive.

@ keithprosser What concerns me is that if 'we' don't promote moderate Islam it gives the extremists a free hand 

@ keithprosser moderate - or tame! - forms of islam (which do exist)

Yes you keep banging on about this but never have explained what "moderate Islam" actually is despite many, many requests to do so. You haven't told us what "tame islam" is , either.

It's even simple enough for someone like you to understand. 1.5 billion Muslims.

Are you saying those educated muslims are backward because they follow a "backward religion" of Islam?  

Are you saying those educated muslims are backward because they follow a "backward religion" of Islam?  

the islamic world a narrow, fundamentalistic attitude to scripture developed centuries ago is still going strong.

I'm saying western societies are more liberal and progressive now than in the middle ages 

The problem is that you continually bring up a literal interpretation of Muslim scripture as the explanation of what is wrong with islam

but you do not fully address why that applies to Islam but not to Judaism or Christianity.

The point of the OT quotations is to illustrate that if literal interpretation of scripture explained things then Judaism and Christianity would be just as bad as Islam.

the islamic world a narrow, fundamentalistic attitude to scripture developed centuries ago is still going strong.

For instance if a educated white westerner was to  become a Muslim and take up Islamic fundamentalism would he be "backward"?

So in plain English; of those 1. 5 billion + muslims who do not have the "learning difficulties" and are  educated and still have a  "fundamentalistic attitude to scripture developed centuries ago"  are also backward?

But that is not true is it. The teaching in the Christian New Testament for instance is entirely different. Tell me;  what does the Christ of the New Testament say about stoning? 

i'd like to meet such a person because i don't understand the attraction of religion, especially in its fanatical forms.  it is self-evident that islam is open to hard-line interpretation - that is not open to dispute.   What concerns me is identifying the socio-political forces that seem to be strenthening the hand of the hard-liners and making the prospects of reform within islam retreat.

Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam, 

For instance if a educated white westerner was to  become a Muslim and take up Islamic fundamentalism would he be "backward"? 

i'd like to meet such a person because i don't understand the attraction of religion, especially in its fanatical forms.

What concerns me is identifying the socio-political forces that seem to be strenthening the hand of the hard-liners and making the prospects of reform within islam retreat.

just like fundamentalist any religion (christianity) are backward. 

> @Stephen Muslimsborn with a religion  were created muslim are according to muslims,Muhammad the prophet and Allah the god of islam.

-> @disgusted It's a fact that nobody is born witha religion, anybody who claims otherwise hasserious mental health issues. 

It seems we have some common ground - neither of want to see the west dominated by theocratic Islam! 

Where we differ - correct me if i am wrong - is that you want to see no Islam in the west and whatever they like in Arabia. 

My ideal is close to a 'tame' form of Islam everywhere, as I see no prospect of eradicating religion in the foreseeable future.