In the Path of God: Islam and Political Power
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In the Path of God: Islam and Political Power is a book written by American historian and journalist Daniel Pipes on "Islamic fundamentalism", or militant Islam. It was published in 1984.
[edit] Quote from the author
- Militant Islam is best understood not as a religion but as a political ideology. Indeed, it is the successor of both fascism and Marxism-Leninism in its nature (radical utopianism), its means (totalitarianism), and its goals (world conquest). Just as fascism was the ultimate enemy in World War II and communism was the ultimate enemy during the cold war, so militant Islam is the ultimate enemy in the war on terrorism. Fascism provided the motivating ideology behind its German, Italian, and Japanese manifestations; communism provided it for the Soviet, Chinese, and Vietnamese manifestations, and militant Islam provides it for the Iranian, Afghan, and Sudanese manifestations.
- Militant Islam is inherently incompatible with liberal values and no dilution of it can be made to fit into the modern world. There is, in other words, no such thing as a moderate Islamist. Islamist professions of democratic intent are false and need to be discounted.
