Catholics have the Pope to set policy, even if some may differ on point of view. Protestants have established doctrine that defines the various sub-sets of Christians. To me, it looks like Muslims have nine thousand self-elected Indian Chiefs, each of which can make anything right or wrong "in the eyes of Allah" depending on which side of the bed they got out of this morning. I'm glad I don't need approval of the Mullah to know that gravity exists, it's wrong to murder, and that God has no opinion on what I ate for breakfast.
To me, it looks like Muslims have nine thousand self-elected Indian Chiefs,
Well yes and no [how's that for taking a frim stand. :-)] Islam is pretty de-centralized, and anyone who can get a following can start their own mosque, school..etc., BUT there are certain Imams and schools that are thought to be authoritative, and carry more weight than others. Sheikh Al-'Abikan is a pretty big wheel given who he advises.
Yup, and the rest of the masses are either varying degrees of illiterate, and/or the violent thugs that enforce the Mullahstocracy. Like becoming an 'activist' here, the way to a little power and paycheck in the Muslim world is to get some credibility as a religious thinker and start issuing fatwas to get your own little cult of personality going.