Rajabu Rashid (Australia), 11 March 2006

on Us against Them, by Robert Misik

The article was good for those who want to understand the real conflict of those two groups. But I, as a Muslim, have a range of questions which most Muslims are not able to find their solutions. Before that, I would like to call into question the following definitions which have been used for a long time to divide up Muslims in groups. Who are the fundamentalists? Who are the radicals? Who are the moderate Muslims? Who are the traditionalist Muslims? Who are extremists? These are the common notions they usually used to describe Muslims.

I don't even know which group I belong to. And I can tell you that many Muslims ask themselves the following questions and they never get the answers: Why do Westerners want to change Islam? Does the western way of life really fulfil the conditions of the Muslims' way of life? If every Muslim followed the western way of life, would Islam still exist? Is western democracy and its idea of man really better than the one taught in the Koran? Is western civilisation really compatible with Islamic civilisation? Why don't westerners allow us to follow Islam? Could Islam be reformed? And if so, by whom? Those who are not even Muslims? Who has the right to reform Islam?

The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us everything and the commandments of God are there to be followed. Only God knows Best. No matter what will happen, I don't think that the west will be able to destroy Islam.