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If Islamism = Islam, as many on my pro-Israel / anti-Islamist side insist, some big historical facts make no sense. Let’s walk through a few…
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Take Iran.
Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran was already 99% Muslim.
If Islamism is just “Islam,” why was a revolution needed to impose it?
What exactly were they “revolutionizing” if everyone was already Muslim?
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Then look at what happened after 1979:
Millions of Muslims fled Iran to escape the new Islamist regime.
If Islamism simply is Islam, why would Muslims — practicing Muslims — risk everything to get away from it?
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Same story in Afghanistan.
The Taliban seized power in a Muslim-majority country and imposed Islamism by force.
Millions fled. Millions more resisted.
If Islamism = Islam, why do so many Muslims risk their lives fighting or fleeing it?
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5/
The reality: Islamism ≠ Islam.
Islamism is a political ideology that uses Islamic language and symbols to seize and wield power.
Islam is the faith. Islamism is the political movement.
Confusing the two blinds us to what’s actually happening.
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6/
The proof is simple:
~ Muslims are often the first victims of Islamism.
~ They’re also the first to resist it.
~ And, when they can, they’re often the first to flee it.
If Islamism were “just Islam,” none of this would make sense.