I think what makes it hard for Muslims to critique hard-line approaches to Islam is that we automatically assume that, because the spec is austere, that the nature of the religion is austere, when it could simply mean that the spec is *so* accepting because it, honestly, doesn't care.

Also, Salafis ignore criticisms to their poorly-thought-out mendacity buy simply saying, this is simply “Islam”, take it or leave it, ignoring scholars like Reza Aslan...

... who, incidentally, reminds us that interpretation plays a part in determining religious opinion, and that bias exists, all the time.

But tell that to the people who have, collectively, spent 150 years purging the religion of its “impure” elements, who then forget their own biases and positions, assuming them as defaults.

let's also not forget that the demand to make the religion austere and “rational” came at the same time that similar rationalist movements were convulsing other Big 3 Abrahamaic faiths. This was an era where all of us were purging “superstition” from our faiths.

Which leads to reification of bias, erasure of agenda, thinking that there is only one narrative on religion...

and this is why i get suspicious when progressives cite “culture” as the defining issue with how Islam is practiced. because it misdiagnoses the problem, it's the same poor argument that takfiris use, AND, it was something we did when white people — including some prominent white converts! — started mocking Muslims as “superstitious” and “uncivilised”.

like, the problem isn't that we're mystical, superstitious, have varied cultures, or irrational! own that shit, fellow Muslims.

the problem has always been ignorance, bigotry and cruelty. let's focus on that, why not?

the spec is austere because it's permissive, not because it demands you root out deviation or variation! already the Qur'an says why God makes the diversity of peoples so that you can know them.

revel in that diversity can or not??

@tariqk this is an extremely thoughtful, excellent thread.

I think, while arguing against Islamophobes irl, I've used this 'culture' argument, and I'll not use it again.

@fireh9lly I think it comes from a really good place? But I really started questioning it when I was younger, thanks to works from people like Karen Armstrong and Khaled Abou-Fadel.

@tariqk thank you for writing this. It was very informative and thought provoking to read.