A piece printed by Code9, Paris-Brussels, in September 2023, from the pen of Philippe Liénard, honorary lawyer, former Justice of the Peace, historical past fanatic and creator of greater than twenty books referring to currents of thought.
The topic is meant to be a piece of historic analysis which highlights the variations between legend, prejudices and actuality, insofar as historians, anthropologists and philologists have been ready to make sure this highlighting past theology. It has two elements, the one which takes up the historical past of Islam, and the second, which underlines what Islamisms are and identifies them, warns and goals to awaken vigilance or much more, as a result of dwelling freely collectively has a value, that of acceptance of the non-liberticidal ideas and beliefs of others, with out anybody desirous to impose their very own on others. Everybody stays free to stick, or not, to a faith, however their proper doesn’t embrace the suitable to power others to embrace their views, or these of socio-political-religious strategists, who manipulate people by their weaknesses or their youth. , to create a brand new world order that may ship liberal democratic values overboard.
Philippe Liénard doesn’t hesitate to make use of, within the subtitle, a barely mischievous and provocative with “All sails out”a maritime metaphor that means “at full velocity” referring to the scenario the place all of a ship’s sails are unfurled to go as quick as potential. Nonetheless, the time period “veil” additionally refers back to the completely different clothes worn by some Muslim girls to cowl their heads or our bodies, based mostly on various interpretations of Quranic injunctions and timeworn traditions. The Koran doesn’t require it, apart from the personal elements.
Islam is each the faith of Muslims, and, on the similar time, encompasses the Muslim world, that of Muslim peoples, designating as an entire, “a set of sturdy and identifiable materials, cultural and social traits” and, on the similar time, -beyond faith correct with its religion and worship, a political energy and a basic motion of civilization. Briefly, it’s the Umma imagined within the time of Mohammed. This Group has no imposed nationality. It’s open to anybody who needs it, offered they’re transformed.
There’s cause to not not confuse Islam and Islamism, a chapter of the e book can also be entitled “Temporary Historical past of Islam and Islamism”, two phrases which confer with distinct ideas, though they’re generally used interchangeably or misunderstood in public discourse or any amalgamation by ignorance, or anger of sure analyses, for a similar cause, or by the bias of retrograde, fundamentalist, literalist currents, whose goal shouldn’t be dwelling collectively freely.
Islamism, and extra precisely Islamisms, is a time period describing a political ideology which seeks to ascertain a type of authorities or system based mostly on a strict interpretation of Islamic legislation, Sharia legislation., an meeting of guidelines from varied backgrounds, to not be confused with religion or non secular observe in itself. This hegemonic radical political motion was invested, partly, in supporting decolonization, as was the case with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt from 1928, a secret society, which opposed modernity, emancipation in equality for all outdoors of a textual content whose retrograde and “uncivilizing” evaluation for the West seems an increasing number of in contradiction with its values. It already took the type of a flashback effectively earlier than this era, however within the gentle of a previous about which little is understood, that of the primary so-called pious companions of Mohammed. Let’s take into consideration Salafism which can carry out through Wahhabism. Goal: institution of a worldwide caliphate. And extra not too long ago, allow us to consider Madkhalism, which has the pretty easy doctrine of doing every part to fulfill and obey the leaders of the Gulf. We all know little concerning the underside of those currents, which have been described a thousand instances.
Islam and Islamism generally appear imprecise. It’s not a monolith. Islam has developments, the overwhelming majority being Sunni and having notably given rise to Salafism and Madkhalism. The minority is Shiite and makes noise. In all instances Islamism fuels terrorism in varied aspects, a retrograde imaginative and prescient the place one should obey Allah as a result of Allah needs it. A small minority, Babism, advocates equality between women and men. Inside Islam it’s needed to differentiate between completely different intervals and the historical past of an ancestral patriarchy, between faith and traditions, between perception and religion, and a fanaticism which doesn’t embrace a message of affection.
The creator additionally offers with the situations of girls in Muslim societies, the query of “home” animals, not hesitating to offer a social and societal overview (justice, Islamic police, Muslim legislation, blasphemy, caricature ).
This e book is described as enlightening by the press. However who does it enlighten? Not these satisfied that they’re proper as a result of they’re proper as a result of the imam mentioned so or as a result of a clever exegete interpreted in his personal method a hadith with hateful content material.
The query stays the identical for some: ought to we modernize Islam or Islamize modernity? Intellectuals plead for an Islam of Enlightenment, however Islamism extinguishes them, other than the truth that this idea is particular to the historical past of the West, regardless of the so-called Golden Age of Islam. Its intellectuals have for half been muzzled.
Philippe Liénard intends to work for the progress of humanity within the freedom of beliefs, religion and adherence to this or that god, however to not the liberticidal proselytism which proliferates through Islamisms which reassure nobody, not even the troops who’re loyal to him. Removed from an Islamophobic examine, this e book is a device of fraternity meant to keep away from a sure spirit which could possibly be Islamophobic. Nonetheless, we should dare to say issues, look within the rearview mirror of historical past, and communicate the reality, even when there are truths that disturb and gasoline fatwas.