[Nonstatist]

The idea of equality is unacceptable to Islam. For the non-believer cannot be the equal of the believer

Then you need to secularize the country and shove Islam into the background, like theyve done in Turkey. Say goodbye to the 10th century, for starters.

[BenLurkin]

The idea of equality is unacceptable to Islam. For the non-believer cannot be the equal of the believer

[rageaholic]

if islam is incompatible with democracy is practicing islam not treason? At the very least is islam not an enemy ideology? And if so, why do we allow immigration of people who are our enemy?

[neutrino]

The idea of equality is unacceptable to Islam

No, per the article, the situation is far worse. Equality is not merely unacceptable, it is inconceivable. The words to discuss, to consider, to imagine equality do not even exist.

Can one think of a concept without the words to do so? No. Changing such cultural blindness is a multi-generational task.

Or, one could accomplish the same ends more quickly by compelling the abandonment of the limited belief system which is-slime represents.

[Klaus D. Deore]

Not that I disagree with the overall premise, but:

Even then the Greek word entered Muslim vocabulary with little change: democrasi in Persian, dimokraytiyah in Arabic, demokratio in Turkish.

is a rather weak argument, given that the Greek word entered the Anglo vocabulary equally unchanged.

[dr_who_2]

Turkey.

[PGalt]

Islam is very compatible with mob rule (democracy). Islam is not compatible with individual freedom.

[TheCrusader]

"There was no word in any of the Muslim languages for democracy until the 1890s. ~ Nor do we have a word for politics."

That's because Islam is a bunch of undeveloped neanderthals. The development of language signifies the development of human concepts and ideas. In fact, thinking, inventing and creating forces the development of new words. It's the bowing and scraping to a 'religion' of violence and oppression that keeps Islam stagnant. They simply cannot develop intellectually, emotionally and spriitually while paying reverence to the devil.

[taxesareforever]

On the one hand we have Islamophobia

They had to have reached into liberal U.S. to come up with this word. Now if they will just keep reading maybe they will also find the word "democracy".

[eladamry]

Borrowing from Laroui, statements such as, “Islam and democracy are incompatible,” or, “Islam is intrinsically, while any other religions are only occasionally, fundamentalist,” mean nothing more than “Liberalism contradict Dogmatism,” which is true and trivial. A pure idea, potent as it might have been in the past, influential as it may still be at present, cannot by itself prevent a people from adopting liberalism (in respect to conservative Islam) and democracy.

Actually a significant part of Islamic Law is derived from the consensus of the Islamic community called Ijma. I don’t know about you, but making laws based on community consensus sounds pretty democratic to me.

Another part of the Islamic law making was called Ijtihad, or analogy. According to Wikipedia: ijtihad (Arabic, original meaning "struggle") is a technical term of the Islamic law and means the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the sources of the law, the Quran and the Sunna. The opposite of ijtihad is taqleed, imitation. The person who applies ijtihad, the mujtahid, must be a scholar of Islamic law. Think of ijtihad as of debate, only religious:)

Both Ijma and Itjihad went out of practice between 10th and 13th centuries. There has been much talk in the liberal Islam circles of opening up the “Gates of Itjihad” to easy Democracy and Liberty into Islamic countries.

[F14 Pilot]

Islam is not compatible with DEMOCRACY! That is a fact that no one can ignore!
Islam is a very political religion and it wants to meddle in POLITICS. That is why It is dangerous!

[dufekin]

How did overwhelmingly Hindu India, with its rigid caste system, develop into a thriving, free, and relatively peaceful republic? Certainly if the Indians could accept equality, so can the Muslims.

[tkathy]

Freedom of information via the internet will eventually revolutionize Islam, and a lot of other ideologies as well.

[azhenfud]

"The word siassah, now used as a synonym for politics, initially meant whipping stray camels into line."

That stray camel, Richard Morgan, just received a nice siassah, didn't he?

[Zack Nguyen]

Nor is there mention of such words as government and the state in the Koran.

Very interesting. I wonder if that is because there is no difference in function between "church and state" in Islam. Amongst Islamists, the state is expected to enforce Islamic purity amongst the populace. Thus we have vicious persecution of Christians in virtually every Islamic state.

[carton253]

Crap!

I was going to read this article until I saw that you were the one who posted it - excerpted and all.

Maybe you could put the following in your title.

"Posted by quidnunc who would rather excerpt than paste the full article."

That way I could just avoid all your posts.

[FrankR]

"Islam cannot embrace western liberalism because our notions of equality are antithetical to its the basis. "

There they go...the liberal media just can't get over the fact that NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE US...and liberals ESPECIALLY feel that way over people they FEAR.

But, for the record...I can't embrace western LIBERALISM either...

[steve-b]

There was no word in any of the Muslim languages for democracy until the 1890s. Even then the Greek word entered Muslim vocabulary with little change: democrasi in Persian, dimokraytiyah in Arabic, demokratio in Turkish.

All right, class; who can point out the problem with this argument? Don't all raise your hands at once....

[bilrak]

In addition to equality, Democracy also implies that the people's representatives are empowered to make laws by which the country will be governed - this is not acceptable in Islam as only Allah's laws are valid - man is NOT empowered to make his own laws.