Islamist bomb attack on Sthlm, Sweden.

[gaelic cowboy]

Well, it's kinda sad, because he never actually called for violent acts. It's so bitter, because although they may know the Qur'an by heart, have the ahadith summarised in their heads and argue amongst themselves how long your beard should be before you can cut it off, doesn't mean they actually comprehend its message. When I talk to Muslims nowadays (especially those living in the US), they say that the literalists annoy them the most. They don't think they should take everything in the Qur'an as direct instructions on what you have to do in this life. What makes it even worse is that there have been serious attempts at reform, especially out of Egypt, but they've largely been ignored or overlooked.

Anyone who spreads the idea of Takfir like he did needs to think a bit more carefully in my view.

It has an explosive potential in the wrong hands literally and figuratively

[Beskar]

Well, it's kinda sad, because he never actually called for violent acts. It's so bitter, because although they may know the Qur'an by heart, have the ahadith summarised in their heads and argue amongst themselves how long your beard should be before you can cut it off, doesn't mean they actually comprehend its message. When I talk to Muslims nowadays (especially those living in the US), they say that the literalists annoy them the most. They don't think they should take everything in the Qur'an as direct instructions on what you have to do in this life. What makes it even worse is that there have been serious attempts at reform, especially out of Egypt, but they've largely been ignored or overlooked.

It is the same with Christian fundamentalism. It is probably to do with unable to find 'god' and frightened by this, they run in the opposite direction, back to the roots, going literal, in hopes that by doing so, they can find 'god'.

[gaelic cowboy]

It is the same with Christian fundamentalism. It is probably to do with unable to find 'god' and frightened by this, they run in the opposite direction, back to the roots, going literal, in hopes that by doing so, they can find 'god'.

I have always had a sneaky suspision it is to do with the fact that Islam is the only institution left to turn too, Arab Nationalism is discredited since Nasser plus Communism and Fascism are gone and democracy is to be suspected because it is the import of a foreigner enemy.

Plus does anyone else think the professional background of these AQ types rings a few bells, they tend to be science or engineering types not humanities etc.

[rory_20_uk]

I have always had a sneaky suspision it is to do with the fact that Islam is the only institution left to turn too, Arab Nationalism is discredited since Nasser plus Communism and Fascism are gone and democracy is to be suspected because it is the import of a foreigner enemy.

Plus does anyone else think the professional background of these AQ types rings a few bells, they tend to be science or engineering types not humanities etc.

Scientists or Engineers are able to think and act. Artists and those in the humanities are better at mindless demonstration as they don't have the discipline / knowledge mix to do anything more "constructive".

[al Roumi]

I have always had a sneaky suspision it is to do with the fact that Islam is the only institution left to turn too, Arab Nationalism is discredited since Nasser plus Communism and Fascism are gone and democracy is to be suspected because it is the import of a foreigner enemy.

Plus does anyone else think the professional background of these AQ types rings a few bells, they tend to be science or engineering types not humanities etc.

It is exactly this. At least the foremeost is behind the (last 50 years) wave of "islamisation" in Muslim countries and societies. Political Islam and a return to "pure Muslim values" (i.e. going back to the glory days of ~ 6-750AD) are very much a reaction to the disapointment, dissatisfaction and sense of defeat felt by Muslim societies. Look at Egypt, everything has been tried there int he last 100 years -monarchy, dictatorship, democracy, nationalism, socialism etc etc. Egypt remains a country which has yet to live up to its population's expectations in even the most basic of ways.

Among Muslims in the west (who can be somewhat dislocated from national and other cultural ties), it's about looking for an identity and finding a pan Islamic one.

On your last point, I think there is definitley something in the absolute world an engineer/scientist sees, and how this leaves them unable or unwilling to accept more complex shades of grey.

That many of the leaders of terrorist groups (AQ in particular) are middle class -if not priveleged, is also revelatory (or not) as the lower middle class traditionaly launch assualts on establishment because they are those who feel the ceiling to their ambition more acutely than working or more bourgeois classes.

[Fragony]

I have always had a sneaky suspision it is to do with the fact that Islam is the only institution left to turn too, Arab Nationalism is discredited since Nasser plus Communism and Fascism are gone and democracy is to be suspected because it is the import of a foreigner enemy.

Plus does anyone else think the professional background of these AQ types rings a few bells, they tend to be science or engineering types not humanities etc.

Not just you it's a common theory, the Islam is hauled into the 21th century and can't always keep up with such radical change. Extremists are losing and losing badly, there really is no turning back.