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Western secular thinkers have struggled over the ground of political philosophy to the point of despair, such that now the espousal of any particular belief is considered a crudity. Uncertainty and doubt are the post-modern virtues of Western culture and there is no moral compass other than that. Perhaps the only certainty is the certainty that political Islam should be opposed because of its unfashionable certainties! The result of this post-modern condition is self-interest, political intrigue, occupation of foreign lands, alienation, and communities in fear not of “Islamic terror” but of street gangs, muggings, rape and criminal vandalism. This is why I believe that the West finds it so difficult to build traction for its core beliefs within the Muslim world. Muslims see that values and principles are altered in the name of expediency and genuinely point out that if Western principles and values are so important and true, why are they not held firmly even in the face of inconvenience. As Will Hutton recently said “More than two years after 11 September, the tally of core Western values and beliefs that we have allowed to become corrupted as we respond is lengthening by the week. Equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial - all have been seen as expedients to be put aside.” He goes on “We are undermining our own civilisation”
The challenge for Muslims is to adhere to the fixed principles of Islam that while maintaining the right, even the duty, of resisting occupation – outlaw the targeting of civilians whether in Madrid or New York or elsewhere. There is of course a terrible logic that the utilitarian West is ironically slow to grasp. Namely, that as Western militant secularism under its ‘War on Terror’ has adopted the utilitarian doctrine of the “ends justify the means” this may also be invoked by some who have become impatient with the slow and difficult work for political change. Islam, however, rejects utilitarianism even if violence against innocent civilians were to lead to a desired goal such as the withdrawal of Spanish troops from the US led occupation of Iraq.
Islam is in conflict as you say but that conflict is not with humanity, but with the militant secularism of the West. Should this be viewed as criticism of Islam or the West or both? Islam’s political philosophy as you know is based upon submission to the creator and its values are defined. You called for the acceptance of criticism – well Islam can face that, Muslim scholars have been arguing and debating with each other and with other philosophers for centuries. The idea that Islam is some kind of monolithic series of texts which are the preserve of some coterie of clergy is incompatible with the nature of Islamic thought or even the historical record. However the dialogue and the debate that needs to take place has to be effective and here is the crux of the issue.
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