The False Dichotomy: Moderate Muslims vs. Radicals

April 4, 2014 by Majid Rafizadeh 16 Comments

 The liberal mainstream media has long portrayed a picture of moderate (“good”) Muslims versus extremist Muslims. This narrative has been institutionalized in the thinking of Western Muslim scholars, who advocate for Islam as well. This has led to the thought that Islam is an ideology and religion of peace, because a majority of Muslims fall in the category of moderate or good Muslims.

If we analyze this dichotomy in depth, we can see how this understanding of Islam develops. Besides analytical and theoretical frameworks, I will also draw on my own experience growing up in the Muslim world…… The problem in the Middle East isn’t a lack of democracy. It’s the lack of anything to be democratic about.

Everyone in the Middle East (who isn’t a Jew, Christian, Kurd, Bahai, Zoroastrian, Armenian, Circassian, Druze, etc.. ) agrees on the importance of Arab and Islamic unity and that their specific flavor of it, their clan, their tribe and their Islamic interpretation should be supreme.  It’s not surprising that the Middle East is constantly at war. It’s only a wonder that the fighting ever stops.…..To Read More….