If I may, I would like to say a few words.
First and foremost I have not read all 22 pages, but I read enough to get the tenor I think. If I am repeating what has been covered I am sorry.
A few issues people have when, contemplating Muslim integration in the west is in point form;
1-Cultural vs True Islam
2-Islamic reformation movements or lack thereof
3-Extremism and rates thereof
4-Are they loyal to the country of residence or not
Now I am not a scholar, but I have some small specific knowledge on a few of these topics.
1- This is by far, bar none Islam's biggest issue. In the early days of Islam, Muslims were raped, beat, tortured and Murdered. They had their possessions stolen etc, all this was done without repercussions during the early years. Even when fighting was made permissible, it was against the Quraiysh caravans arguably taking back what was stolen from them. Then the greater fights came and Quranic ayats came down regarding it, such as the oft quoted and misquoted one close to the meaning of "kill non-Muslims were you find them unless they convert", but those ayahs are widely accepted as only being applicable to that particular battle as any good exegesis will tell you (Google Tafsir Maariful Quran in english roughly $200 buy it, if you want for a great explanation of Quran). But now we start having issues, because Muhammad peace be upon him, took over Makkah with his army and no one died, yet alleged Muslims these days partake in wholesale slaughter. So it clearly says in our holy book to kill non-Muslims albeit out of context and yet thats not how our prophet acted.
So now enter Culture, wearing niqab/burkha is culture, slaughtering innocent people is forbidden in Islam, murdering religious priests nuns etc is forbidden, the second caliph of Islam made slavery forbidden etc... but yet you see Muslims doing all these things and more and that is culture. the mid east has been at war for so many years, that is all they know.
Our faith demands, patience, respect and love etc from us. But when you grow up and people claim that these cultural practices are true Islam, then you start to have issues. True Islam is not an issue, tribal and national culture can be.
2- Now my first point feeds into my second point. If Muslims are saying that Islam isnt the Issue and its just this culture crap that is, why is there not a reformation movement going on. Well there is and multiple ones at that, I will only speak to the one I personally know.
It is called the effort of dawa'h and tabligh (Calling to God and Propagating Islam). There are more then 3 million people worldwide and thousands of Islamic scholars working almost 24/7 in this effort ( ive personally spent 150 days away from my family in this effort). What we do is go house to house visiting every single Muslim, in every single community in the world. We talk to them about the importance of prayer, being conscious of god, being a good person and exhibiting a good character... but we also try to connect brothers and sisters, with scholars who teach proper Islam. which directly combats extremism in our communities. Because the majority of extremists in our views are self radicalized, via the internet or they are only nominally religious persons to begin with. So if a Muslim is learning from a proper scholar, instead of Mufti google, the chances of him wanting to Murder people is reduced to nil.
Also feeling like a part of a community is good for your mental health... and lets face it, only people who are sick to the head support daesh or whoever it may be.
3- extremism and rates thereof... well, in a Muslim.. and I support sharia law.. I must be a extremist right? No, because Sharia law does not accept extremism. A Muslim is neither an extreme left winger or right winger, he walks the middle path (thats a very loosely translated saying of our prophet.).
But many people look at the percent of Muslims who support sharia law or dissapprove of homosexuality, as they Must be extremist. which I think is absurd, I disagree with homosexuality and I want to implement sharia law.. but im not a machiavellian, i dont support terror, murder, kidnapping etc to achieve that goal (the machiavellian principle of the ends justiyfing the means, is clearly forbidden in Islam). So when someone supports sharia law and wishes to blow himself up (which is again forbidden in Islam) to obtain that goal... then he is an extremist and likely going to hell but that's up to God.
So yea, I supprt the sharia, but Ill lay down my life to protect yours gladly (just dont tell my wife.. she said something about killing me.. if i die on her #womenlogic).
4- A Muslim, who lives in a non-Muslim country is bound by Sharia law to follow the laws of that country. If we dont want to follow those laws, we are obligated to leave. We are only allowed to stay in a country, if we can do our obligatory acts of worship, if we cant then we must leave or try to.
We are not allowed to be... "fifth columnist" i think it's called, we have to respect the country that is offering us protection and sustenance etc. Now its not to say we are not allowed to work within the legal framework of a country, to propagate Islamic values. but the operative part of that statement is "within the legal framework". We cant go about causing riots, looting, hate crimes etc, we need to do it properly.
To conclude my rambling, Christian, Muslim and Jews have lived together before. They still do in Many places, but we all need to follow our religions properly to do it. we cant just follow anything blindly from any random nutbar, we need to go to our scholars and holy texts. (oh and for the atheists, I dont mean to exclude you, lets pretend your god is science and your holy texts are chemistry and evolution textbooks)
I feel safe knowing my neighbors are of 'xyz' background and my neighbors should feel safe knowing Im Muslim. Because they should know Muslims believe 1 life, one single solitary life, is worth more then this entire world and Muslims have love for all life no matter whose it is. But, these dang cultural radicals have ruined the name of Islam for us and thus people dont know this and they fear or hate us.
My point I guess, is we are trying to fix our issues. We just need time, our religion is 600 years younger then Christianity... so I ask for 6 centuries
Abdullah
p.s sorry for my grammar, always was my weak point.
