Islam is not a religion in the accepted sense, nor is it simply a cult. It is an ideology based on the rudiments of governance of tribal people.
But the bulk of the population of this world is no longer simply clans or tribes. To the Muslim, the equation is simple - “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”, their basis for forming alliances, but conversely, it is VERY easy to suddenly “unfriend” another group, and reform the alliance with whomever USED to be the enemy. The Orwellian world of “1984” has always been a reality for these people, with heavily enforced strictures against “thought crimes”, a regular re-writing of history to suit the needs of the moment, a never-ending state of war against perceived rivals who shift almost moment to moment from enemy to ally back to enemy, and the need to inoculate everybody with an inpending sense of doom. The will of Allah seems to be expressed by lopping off somebody’s head, or bringing severe injuries or death to large groups of people by the simple expedient of sending in a suicide bomber.
It is like trying to domesticate or at least placate an animal in the later stages of rabies.
But why call it a religion or a cult?
This is one of the reasons why I question why it is a religion or a cult to begin with.