Clarity: Islam’s Current Evolution

I have found one of the best explanations of the relationship between Mohammedanism and the West that I have ever read. Bernard Lewis brings extreme clarity as to how the West and Mohammedanism have evolved by mutual influences.

This is a must read!

Lewis explains the current politics in the Middle East is not how the original Mohammedanism existed or practiced. Rulers though autocratic were not despotic. Political leaders often consulted various levels of the community (Umma) to proceed with a decision.

Lewis says this changed with Western influence. Modern Mohammedan leaders were painfully aware that their society was backward compared to the West. Turkey led the way by abolishing the Sultanate and the Caliphate to merge a Western style political structure into their Mohammedan State.

World War II affected the political evolvement in the rest of the Middle East. Lewis cites the French loss to Nazi Germany.

France essentially developed two governments: The government that surrendered to the Nazis became Vichy France and the government in exile led by De Gaul.

France was a huge colonial power prior to World War II. Many of their colonial holdings were Mohammedan. These colonial holdings were left to make a decision on their own. Most were too far away for enforcement by Vichy France, France in exile or the Nazis.

Amazingly the French colonial holdings across the globe chose the Vichy government. Of Course Vichy France was merely a puppet of Nazi Germany.

Many of the Arab leaders thus became influenced by the Nazi political system. After Germany's defeat it was not much of a stretch to adopt the despotic system of the old Soviet system.

Thus the political systems of the Middle East are not comparable to the political systems of the Mohammedan past.

That is Lewis' postulation.

Frankly, my opinion differs a little. I am sensing if the Umma would of have been untouched by the West, would still treat non-Mohammedans with contempt. On the other hand I am uncertain if Mohammedans untouched by Western influence would be global in terrorism. That might be a different story today.

Lewis also factors in the emergence of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia. Really it is an awesome read. GO THERE!