'We Will Try to Form an Islamic Society': Hamas co-founder

Der Spiegel Online ^ | 06/22/2007 | Ulrike Putz

[Republicain]

Mahmoud Zahar -- a founder of Hamas, and one of its most militant hardliners -- has called for an Islamic state in the Gaza Strip. After the Hamas takeover of the territory last week, he's also threatened Fatah with more violence in the West Bank.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: After heavy fighting, Hamas won control over the Gaza Strip last Saturday. But it's not clear what your party now intends to do. The assumption in the Western world is that Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state in Gaza. Is this true?

Zahar: Of course. We want to do that, but with full support of the people. At the moment we can't establish an Islamic state because we Palestinians have no state. As long as we don't have a state, we will try to form an Islamic society.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How would a Hamas-led Islamic state look?

Zahar: There would be no difference from how it looks today, because our customs and traditions in Gaza are already Islamic. Marriage, divorce, daily business -- everything is Islamic. As soon as we have a state, then everyone will have their freedom. Christians will remain Christians, parties could be secular or even Communist.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: If an Islamic state is the ideal, why are there not more of them?

Zahar: If there were free and fair elections throughout the Arab world, Islamic forms of government would win everywhere. Islam is against the corruption, weakening, and materialism which have destroyed societies in Europe and America. Families are broken (in the West); there are AIDS and drugs. We don't have such things here.

[Biggirl]

Thats IF they even are able to have a government since Isreal is “itching” to go after Gaza in order to rid it of Hamas.

[Greg F]

but that is a small price to pay for the backwards squalor that Islam has brought to our land.

!

[R.W.Ratikal]

There can be no civilized Islamic society. The elements it takes to build a modern, hi-tech civilization is beyond the capability of Islamic nations as history proves.

They can only try and take or destroy what others have created.

[Travis McGee]

“It’s always worked so well everywhere else it’s been tried.”

[ken5050]

Question...has anyone ever seen a definition, or explanation, of what exactly is an “Islamic state?” I imagine that some Mullahs somewhere would have authored it..but what exactly is “it”...We read about it all the time, but no one ever calls them on it?