Islam vs. Islamism

The difference between the two is simple, Islam is an Abrahamic religion similar to Christianity and Judaism, and Islamism is a set of ideologies that believes Islam is also a political system.

While Islam as a religion [practised by millions the world over] is founded on peace and harmony with others, it encourages debate openness and empathy to other monotheistic faiths and believes. Islamism tends to be mostly totalitarian and follows rigid doctrine, unsurprisingly similar to Communism and some Socialist politics. Whereas Communism is a sociopolitical structure aimed at developing a classless and stateless society with the communal ownership of property, Islamism is a religion based movement founded on a holistic version of Islam whose ultimate aim is the restoration of Sharia Laws and developing a classless, stateless society too!

Islamism could also be compared to Christian Missionary work in its quest to spread the religion – where Islamists is different is in the manner by which its message is being forcibly spread.

Understanding the difference is crucial in the battle against extremism. Muslims who are not Islamists out number those who are – they are less visible because they assimilate and embrace their new surroundings, they go on about their daily lives, with everybody else, busily making a living. Even though they don’t shout out their Islamic affiliation or try to stand out, it is still trying to mix the two!