Islamic Fundamentalism

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These are some of the words that Lake Superior University in Michigan chose as words to be banned from now on due to overuse and incorrect usage. The students come up with this list every year and it is fun and does not mean anything more than it is - some young people coming up with words that they are sick of hearing. They do not propose that the words actually be banned.

This week the President of the United States, who promised to protect and defend the Constitution, decided that free speech had its limitations when it came to the terms 'Islamic Fundamentlism' and 'Islamic Radicalism.' He has banned them - banned as in never hearing or reading them in the media or from his office staff. Now I do not know how he plans on enforcing this, but as an ex professor of Political Science he should know better. Both phases have been used historically in Universities, at the United Nations, in the media...basically everywhere to explain the difference between Arab Nationalism and Islamic Fundamentalism.

As a former student of Political Science one of my favorite series of lectures was an attempt to explain the thinking among the Arab community with regards to the Qu'ran and Sharia's Law. The series of lectures was given by a Professor from the Middle East. Basically he said there were two types of interpretations throughout the Muslim world of the Qu'ran and Shariah's Law. Depending on how a person did the interpretation they fell into the category of an Arab Nationalist or an Islamic Fundamentalist.

What is the difference between Arab Nationalism and Islamic Fundamentalism? Based on the lectures a very simple explanation is: Arab Nationalism is a celebration of the glories of the Arab civilization, the language and literature of the Arabs, and calling for rejuvenation and political union in the Arab world. At the core of the ideology is bringing certain Western concepts into the Arab world - Modernity, Progress and Socialism. The term Arab is chosen by the Nationalists to replace the word Islamic to separate them from the more radical fundamentalists.

One of the most defining characteristics of Islamic fundamentalism is the belief in the re-opening of the gates of Ijihad. Fundamentalists are not interested in Modernity, Progress and Socialism, and not interested in associating with non-Muslims. Fundamentalists hold that the problems of the world stem from secular influences and that the path to peace and justice lies in a return to the original message of Islam with a rejection of religious innovation. Finally, any Muslim that does not follow the Fundamentalist's interpretation of the Qu'ran or Sharia's Law should be killed, and it should should be considered justified and not considered to be a crime.

I should clarify that these interpretations are mine and based on lectures that impressed me so much I still think of them whenever I hear the words Islamic Fundamentalists or Islamic Radicals. If the President of the United States chooses not to hear those words, for whatever reason, that is certainly his right - a right guaranteed to him in the Constitution. If he tries to prevent others from hearing those words then his oath of office to 'preserve, protect and defend the Constitution' has been violated.