This article is not about Islam as a religion or most of the world’s Muslims.  It is about combating an extreme version of Islam that is defined as Political Islam that claims to be the only true representation of the religion of Islam.

Political Islam and its hateful tentacles are as dangerous for the welfare of American Muslims as it is for non-Muslim citizens. Most global Muslim populations reject Political Islam as they are more apt to be victimized by its irrational fanaticisms than are non-Muslims. 

The distinctions between the religion of Islam and Political Islam must be made clear. Any action against Political Islam must not be interpreted as an action against the religion of Islam or world’s Muslims.

The situation is very similar to the 30 years of trouble between the Protestant and Catholics of Northern Ireland.  When the Protestant British government said it was at war with the Catholic Irish Republican Army (IRA), no one took offense.  Citizens of all faiths instinctively understood that the IRA was not one and the same as Catholicism; just as Political Islam is not one and the same as the religion of Islam. 

I am calling upon the Western democracies to Ban Political Islam.  Political Islam is incompatible with Western democracy.  The belief of Political Islam is that Islam is a religion and a state.  The ultimate goal of Political Islam is the submission of the entire world to Caliphate domination.  This demands Shariah Law as the law of the land.   If that becomes a reality, all citizens have some very difficult choices to make:  Give up their birth religion by converting to Muslim; or exit their homeland; or accept 3rd class Dhimmi status.  This status renders human rights practically nonexistent and penalizes with a prejudicial Jezya tax that must be paid.   The only other choice is death by the sword. 

There is no time to waste in uniting to identify the real enemy, because the various factions of Political Islam are getting more violently aggressive every day.  The news from Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri is the formation of a Jihadist organization intended to erase the borders drawn by the British in the 20th Century that divided the Muslims of South Asia from those of the rest of Asia. 

In the Middle East, the IS Movement is gaining new ground daily by barbarous leaps that are noted for beheadings, crucifixions and slave auctions of Christians, Yazidis, and Shia Muslims.   In many other parts of the world militant Political Islam organizations such as Nigeria’s Boko Haram are terrorizing Christians through mass rapes, kidnappings and by selling school age girls in sex slave markets. 

The implications of IS’s progress toward this end is at last registering on the radar of the governmental representatives of free nations including those of the USA.  The gruesome slaughters of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff has caught the attention of America’s, the UK’s and Europe’s  national leaders.  At last, they are seeing that their open society policies invited the infiltration of Political Islam’s extremists.  The justified fear is that the infiltrators will join existing sleeper cells that will strike with multiple coordinated attacks at the right moment to cripple their nations. 

Muslims do not have that choice under Political Islam and its interpretation of what is called the Islamic Umma.   It is the collective body of Muslims worldwide that demands loyalty to Muslims over loyalty to the nation of residence.   For Political Islam, the motto is, “Take your Muslim brother’s side whether or not you believe that his actions are right or wrong

Due to the Umma policy, after September 11, 2001 when the United States got involved in two wars against two Muslim countries, the service of Muslim Americans became complicated.  Muslim scholars in the United States were hesitant to issue a blanket statement accepting the notion that American Muslims could fight in a war where the USA is fighting a Muslim country. They issued a vague opinion approving the principle, but qualified it with the condition that the conflict must meet the Islamic standard of a “just war.”  This is actually another way of saying “no, it is not acceptable” for American Muslims to fight an Islamic country because Muslims are never allowed to raise weapons against a fellow Muslims.

This must have played a role in 2 major incidents committed by radicalized Muslims who were in the US Army.   On March 2003 two days after the United States invaded Iraq, American Muslim soldier, Hasan Akbar killed 2 colleagues and wounded 14 others.  Subsequently, on November 2009 at Ft Hood, TX, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire killing 13 high ranking military personnel and wounding 31 others. 

However, this should not be an excuse for a generalized condemnation of all American Muslims serving in the armed forces.  More than 3,500 US Muslims were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. As of 2006, 212 Muslim-American soldiers have been awarded Combat Action Ribbons for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 7 gave their lives for the USA.

With all of this considered, the governments in the West would be free to open investigations on any person, mosque, and organization that propagate incendiary speech and materials.   Those who enlist in the armed services could be thoroughly investigated to insure that they do not have Political Islam sentiments or any type of terroristic inclinations.   This would also apply to anyone filing for citizenship with automatic denial for ties with questionable organizations and contacts. 

The underlining fact is that Political Islam is on the move.  The IS threats to humanity that are now posed are greater than Nazism and Communism ever were.  The seriousness of the situation emphasizes the need for developing a strategy and enacting plans of action to deal with problem as soon as possible.   Delaying at this will put the West at a disadvantage from which it will be very difficult to recover.

Political Islam must be separated from Islam as a religion.  The seriousness of these political views are not just because they are against the ideals that the West holds dear, but also because the views are like cancer that can spread in every direction ruining everything in its way.

“BAN POLITICAL ISLAM” is my cry for America and the West.  The sooner it is done, the better.  If you fail to do so now, the cost later will be infinitely higher.

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Abdullah Al-Araby is the author of the best-selling book, “The Islamization of America.”.  He is the founder and president of the Pen vs. the Sword.