[rmlew]

When people say they want a Reformation in Islam, they show their confusion. Sunni Islam has had many reformations, all installing Salafist type groups. The earliest known to European were the Almoravid dynasty in Spain and Nothern Africa. Their name meant "ready for battle", ie Jihad. When they were seen as corrupted, they were overthrown by the Almohad Caliphate. The term Almohad, al-Muwahhidun, or Unitarians. I don't mean our unitarians, rather religious fanatics who saw the mere presense of Jews and Christians as corrupting the unity of Islam.

What well intentioned mean, but lack the historical knowledge to say, is that they seek an Islam, which abides by the terms of the Treat of Westphalia, which ended the 30 years war.

[Sherman Logan]

You are quite correct. The problem, of course, is that our history is not that of Islam. There is no particular reason they should follow the same path Christendom did.

It is also reasonable to point out that the T of W ended (more or less) 125 years of pretty continuous religious warfare in most of Europe. It was not due to a sudden outbreak of religious tolerance in Europe, it was the result of complete exhaustion on all sides. People were just tired of fighting over religion.

It is also notable that religious warfare is not a root principle of the Christian faith, in fact it is an obvious perversion of it, while it most definitely is a root principle of Islam.

BTW, “monotheists” is a better expression of what the Almohads were about than “unitarians.” They were extremist monotheists.

[Sherman Logan]

You are quite correct. The problem, of course, is that our history is not that of Islam. There is no particular reason they should follow the same path Christendom did.

It is also reasonable to point out that the T of W ended (more or less) 125 years of pretty continuous religious warfare in most of Europe. It was not due to a sudden outbreak of religious tolerance in Europe, it was the result of complete exhaustion on all sides. People were just tired of fighting over religion.

It is also notable that religious warfare is not a root principle of the Christian faith, in fact it is an obvious perversion of it, while it most definitely is a root principle of Islam.

BTW, “monotheists” is a better expression of what the Almohads were about than “unitarians.” They were extremist monotheists.