The case has been made, even by some conservatives, that the Moorish period in Spain was a golden period. Jews and Christians were treated with tolerance, but the Spanish people that pushed out the Moors, treated them with contempt and intolerance. I wonder, is this revisionism, or is there some truth to it?
Under Islam there have been varying high and low periods, also varying from place to place. For example, under the rule of Sultan Mulay Ismail in 18th Century Morocco, the hard labor was all done by black and white slaves who perished in droves in extreme misery, under conditions like those experienced by Jews under the Nazis. He was a Hitler who survived as absolute ruler for more than 60 years. Great miles-long palaces were built on the bones of slave labor.
Or an absolute ruler might turn out to be a gem, an enlightened gentleman for the age, yes, that happened and the hard edge of Sharia was sometimes blunted. But always and every time, in every century, the end of a ruler meant the high chance of a bloodbath, and the next ruler could be a blood brother of Mohammed, or al Queda, or IS.
It is always a danger that this 7th Century fanaticism will break out, it has happened over and over through history. Islam cannot have a reformation that “sticks” beyond an enlightened ruler or two, because there are always determined mullahs of the Khomeini or Bagdadi stripe ready to grab power as the new Sultan or even Caliph. Bagdadi is merely the latest in a long line. Eruptions of 7th Century fervor are always a risk in Islam.
I’ll give you a real world example. Morocco is presently very politely Westernized, insofar as any Muslim country can be. The hip young king even married a red-headed Berber wife who looks like Maureen O’Sullivan, God help me. She appears with him in Western dresses with flowing tresses. He is making a point. One wife, hair out, shoulders in dress like Paris. It is a signal, one of many. Surfers from Europe flock to Moroccan wavs, tourists flock along the promenades. European bathing suits and customs are tolerated along the beach strips. You can buy wine and beer at shops run by Christians, near the beaches.
But brother, it could turn on a dime, and the enlightened king can beheaded and replaced by a spiritual brother of Bagdadi, swearing allegiance to the new IS caliphate. Don’t rule it out, ever. Every century or two there is a new self-proclaimed Mahdi. Bagdadi is calling himself the Caliph, and all must swear loyalty to him. The black flag with the white ball logo is his personal mark, to distinguish it from generic Al Queda or Hamas black flag with the shahada all on one line.
Islam is unreformable. It’s blueprint always gives a handle to maniacs who can recruit armies of brainwashed killer zombie mutant humanoids.