What are the principal causes for islamic fanaticism? How to control it?

Answer 1

This question is not a simple question, or one that can be fully answered in a place such as this... suffice to say that it has much to do with the decline in muslim civilization, and the rise in western civilization in the 20th Century...

For thousands of years Islamic civilization was the dominant civilization on this planet. During the middle ages, while europe was mired in a dark ages, the civilization of the near east flourished, and experienced great advancements in all areas of knowledge, and prosperity. Their civilization quickly expanded over less than 100 years following the death of the prophit Mohammad to an area larger than the size of the Roman Empire at it's zenith! At it's peak the Islamic Empires streached from it's origin in present day Saudi Arabia all the way to Spain in the west, over Sicily and souther Italy, into the balkins, north to the Caucasis, down into India, accross Indonesia, and south through much of Africa... for a time it appeared that the entire world would come under the domain of Islam, as is the mission of Islam...

Things, however, begain to backtrack in 1529 after the Ottoman Turks were defeated during the "Siege of Vienna". This battle marked the so called "high water mark" of Islamic expansion into Europe. Slowly at first, then speeding up later the Muslims begain to loose many of the territories they had previously conquered... Spain, Italy, India, Greece, and many other areas under the domination of Islamic empires were one by one pushed out of their conquered territory... this would mark the end of Islamic civilization's role as an expansionist force.

By World War I the only major Islamic empire remaining was the empire of the Ottoman-Turks, who were by that time know as the "sick man" of europe... they were simply a shell of their previous glory, and the end of that War, on which they were the loosing side, marked the next era in the history of the middle east, the era of European domination.

The end of World War I saw the victorious european powers, namely Brittian and France, conquer the whole of the middle east, and turning the formerly formidable Islamic empire into colonies of europe. This action was a humiliating end for the proud people of the middle east, who knew of the former glory of their people, and the disgrace of domination. This begain to change the thinking of the middle east into the mindset of today... but more about that later.

Following World War II the world order changed yet agian. Though ultimatly victorious, the colonial powers of Brittian and France were no longer strong enough to maintain far flung colonies around the globe... this marked the begining of decolonization...

Once the French and Brittish left the middle east, the two new Superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, with the rise of the cold war, begain to assert their influence in the region in order to gain a leg up in the positioning of that "conflict". Despite a few new nations siding with the United States, most of the region instead sided with the Soviet Union, and set up their governments in ways that resembled the Socialism of the Soviet Union.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the subsequent end of the cold war, however, socialism had finally been discredited, and many of the formerly Soviet allied nations begain to rethink their largely socialist systems. This marked a time of great confusion in the minds of the common people of the middle east. They were as poor as ever, and disinfranchised as to the cause of their disgrace. As proud people the Islamic peoples needed a cause to explain the failure of Islamic society in recient years. The obvious answer to the strongly religious conservative muslim was obvious, in the past they were folowing GOD's commands, and had abandoned their principals, and now were justly suffering the consequences. If only they could return to following GOD's command they would enjoy dominance once again.

In this way the "islamic fundamentalist" sought to change their govenments away from the ways of the West, what with their unvirtuous lifestyles, with sin and vice everywhere. They saw it as their religious duty to expell the "infidels" from their land, to kill them where we went, and to by whatever means necessary to convert, or eliminate those who would not submit to Islam.

Islamic nations are gripped by fear at the rise of this new class of religious fanatics... they on one hand require the support of this class of people, who have considerable support in their part of the world, and likewise need the west to support them in terms of money, trade, and protection. Their balancing act, trying to balance both sides, leads these nations frendly to the USA to openly support the US, while funding schools and communities of "radical muslims" who openly seek the overthrow of their governments, and the USA. In this way the governments of moderate islamic countries hope to plaicate the islamic fanatics... This has lead to these forces becoming very strong, and enjoying vast and powerful support among the people in the middle east.

Islamic fanaticism is ingraned into the culture now... and the battle against it will not be short, easy, or without cost... but it is necessary, as these people see it as their religious duty to eliminate the Western heracy, to return to their former glory.

What is needed, however, is to convert these people from Islamic zealots into "classical liberals". We must show them that the best way to advance their culture, their nations, their faith, would be to pursue the advancement of "liberal principals". I am refering to "liberal" in the classical sense, the definition the founding fathers would recognise, not the socialist definition of people like Hillary Clinton. They must be taught that procedural liberalism, such as basic human rights, freedom of though, property, and religion are the best ways to promote the good life.

This will be accomplished in many ways... firstly openly hostile nations must be dealt with in the only way possible, with force. Nations like Afganistan under the Taliban, cannot be allowed to continue to exist... they are breeding grounds for fanaticism, and no amount of convincing would stop the terrorists there. Secondly we must confront our Muslim allies, like Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Pakistan, and most importantly Saudi Arabia, to stop supporting such fundamentalists, or loose our support entirely. We cannot allow these nations to talk out of both sides of their mouths anymore. Thirdly we need to lead by example. We must promote that which is great about liberty, and practice what we preach. In this way we will sap away the strength of the extreemists, and create a much safer and prosperous world. In this way we will win this new global war.

acsman123 -

I'd like to correct your inaccuracy, Christianity is the #1 religion in the world, it has 2.1 Billion adherents, or 33.06% of the world's population, and Islam has 1.3 Billion adherents or 20.28% of the world's population...

Answer 2

The principle cause, of course, is Islam. Can't have religious fanaticism without a religion, can you? And, any religion will have some fanatics in it's ranks. What has allowed the fanatics within Islam to gain such influence, however, is the failure of Arab Nationalism to 'deal with' Israel, in spite of overwhelming numerical superiority, and possession of a strategic resource (oil) so copious as to be the envy of the world. The repeated humiliating defeats at the hands of the tiny Jewish state (and, indirectly, it's powerful benefactors, like the Brittain and the USA), discredited secular movements in the region, leaving a vacuum that Islamism - radical, politicized Islam - has filled.

Answer 3

Basically, you have people living in poverty and feeling threatened by the U.S. They turn to terorists, because that is all they have to turn to.

Then you have Muslim leaders who have twisted the teachings of the Quran to fit what they want to do.

It's quite interesting to note that there is absolutely NOTHING in the Quran that says that a Muslim will receive 72 virgins if they blow themselves up.

I can't believe that both Muslims and Americans believe this crap.

Suicide is a sin in Islam and people who commit suicide will go to hell. Now that ladies and gentleman is written in the Quran.

Also, written in the Quran are the commands of NOT to kill people unless in self defense, women have rights and so much more.

All you have to do is learn about the Quran and you'll find out what the true religion is Islam is before it is interpreted by terrorists.



"....We first need to remember that extremists thrive on festering conflicts
such as those in the Middle East, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Kashmir.
They also flourish when economies collapse and when states fail to
provide basic services. In Afghanistan, for example, the literacy rate is
around 25%, the child mortality rate is among the world''s highest, and
only a few have access to safe water, sanitation, health care and public
education.

Education and economic assistance must be part of our arsenal. Pakistan''s
inadequate public-education system, for example, encourages poor
families to send their children to extremist religious schools, where they
are taught to view fighting in Afghanistan as a religious duty. And by
financing and training the Afghan mujahedin during its war with the Soviet
Union, the United States ended up leaving the region awash with guns,
drugs and mujahedin, who are still seeking new jihads to fight. It is in our
interest to help give these young men real alternatives in this world - not
just the next...."

Answer 4

the main problem is that the majority of fanatical Islamists are led by the clerics in a vastly undiversivied circle. religious tolerance is not something that is accepted. tolerance of ANY kind is not the status quo. and these clerics, who's education is primarily from the Koran... they learn to read using it... so, education is key in this discussion. education brings about tolerance which begats diversability. that is a fact. when you combine all this with the fact that radical Islam teaches you to do one of three things when faced with an "infadel"... 1) rule them and tax them... 2) attempt to convert them.. 3) kill them... you get fanatical Islam. so, the burden falls upon the leaders of peaceful Islam to have a louder voice against the evil that is Islamo-Fascism. on the same note, the free world, does NOT need to sit idly by to wait for this to POSSIBLY happen. we need to also be more proactive in this situation. passiveness is considered a weakness by the radicals of Islam. it will only feed the fire.

Answer 5

The term islamic fanaticism is false. The islamics who want to change the behavior of western people are not fanatics they are simply people practicing their religion as it was intended. In Europe and to a lesser degree in the US islamics are pushing for special treatment (they call it accomidation) for their primitive beliefs. The implimentation of shira law is the goal. In Minnesota muslim cab drivers wanted to denie passengers to carry sealed containers of alchohol in their cabs because it insulted islam. At Sage college in NY muslims are demanding prosicution of a person who flushed a koran down the toilet in direct contridiction of free speech rights. Some in the states are demanding to have their drivers licence photos taken while wearing a vail or going about in public wearing burquas(we in the west think going in public wearing a mask is rude and offensive(It is illeagle to do so in DC) In a way we in the west are to blame for much of this because rather than stand on the rule of law and demand that our own cultureal norms be obeyed we give into these barbarians in the name of tolerance, diversity, multiculturalisim, or any other suicidal idiocy that insures cultural death. As to the idea that poverty drives these nazi's, ask why the recent attacks in the UK were conducted by upper income doctors or why UBL a multi millionaire is part of this death cult. Rather than navel gazing, and blaming ourselves for the acts of savages see this for what it is, a clash of cultures. The west which represents human values against islam which represents the dark side of human nature

Answer 6

Like any kind of fanaticism whether Islamic or Christian, it breaks down to lack of education, and fear.

Answer 7

it somewhat is a mix of lack of wisdom and exploiting the lack of wisdom of others with a view to bigger one's very own very own time table. it is examined with the aid of the shown fact that many acts of non secular fanaticism stem from a misinterpretation of texts or teachings of that faith, such that they arrive to point something completely off the mark that would desire to certainly in basic terms benefit a go with team of human beings.

Answer 8

Causes:
1. Firm belief in God and the world hereafter by fanatic muslims.
2. Exploitation of Muslim countries by some Developed Countries.
3.Feeling of hatred by American Jews towards Muslims.
4.Hype created by International media ( due to religious bias)
5. Exploitation of young ignorant muslims by their paid preachers who are mere pawns in the hands of some agencies.
Control measures:
1. Developed countries should treat muslim world evenly.
2. Political exploitation should be stopped.
3.Islam originated from Jew strong hold some 1400 yrs back and todays muslims are not responsible for that........... Jews should accept it and like true believers should not be revengeful.
4. Like true believers muslims should recieve more and more
education so that they could not be exploited by their paid preachers.

Answer 9

Poverty, lack of education, lack of employment. All of these things create a populace willing to listen to the teachings of radical Islam.

Answer 10

I'll surely you tell you after you tell me the principal causes for Christian fanaticism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism

Answer 11

there is nothing called islamic fanatism. at this juncture it the christianity which is trying it's best to dethrown islam from it's number one position globally speaking.