This is of absolutely no value for the larger Islamic movement with respect to its external relationships. The umma has its own self-critical components but this is not an externalizing process. Islam simply does not have a long history of critical analysis particularly with respect to its history and the falsehoods of the treatment of Jews and Christians under Islam.
Radical Islam, however, resembles Inquisition-era Catholicism more than it resembles classical Islam. It defies self-analysis, and will meet critique with punishment and death. I prefer to call it Reactionary Islam.
Radical Islam resembles several historical processes and components of traditional Islam. Islam's central component has been the Jihad. This is how Islam spread fundamentally and how it maintained its reach. Radical Islam merely advances the continuation of this notion. To be sure,most of the Jihadic movements in contemporary Islam lack the material power to extend the Jihad as expansively but nevertheless these movements maintain the potential for this process and the ideological basis for same.
In the classical Islamic world view, each individual is directly accountable to God. This is given lip service in Radical Islam, but The Taliban have shown what they are really about, and they are completely antithetical to Islam. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph (632-634) said in his inaugural speech:
The Taliban believes fundamentally in the sacredness of the umma. They believe that Jews, Christians, and the infidels such as Hindus or Buddhists have merely a consticted "toleration" as the basis for their existence. This is no different than "classical Islam". All outside of the umma are dhimmi. Indeed, I would suggest they are a lot like the Abbasids since the identification or singling out of the Hindus for example was an Abbasid novelty (re the Jews and Christians then). They import quite consistently the pact of Umar. There are a number of similarities. It is arrogance to suggest that the Taliban are not true to Islam.
Islam, like Christianity and Judaism, is a beautiful religion, and one I've studied along with the other two. It breaks my heart that barbarians like The Taliban and Osama have hijacked its good name, and I hope they die quickly so we can rebuild this world under the Law of God, which Moses, Jesus and Mohammed are in agreement upon. Honor God, honor each other.
What is your view of Israel?
Hey ... don't go getting my Islam thread deleted, now ... =)
Seriously, though ... I'd really like to host a thread with you on the question of Israel and Judaism. I'll see if I can't find an appropriate post that touches on some questions I have (and have been asking ad infinitum).
Same rules as the "Political Murder" thread ... we'll just ignore any posters who try to start sumpin'.