Re: Have Muslims made a mockery of Islam?
^ It is indeed harsh. The literalist/Salafi point of view is often suffocating and dogmatic. It misses the entire point of Quranic injunctions, seeking to implement rules regardless of whether their application will enhance or undermine Quranic principles such as justice, equity, and mercy (e.g. God’s mercy is mentioned more times in the Quran than God’s wrath).
There are as many answers to your OP as there are Muslims. Most of us do not have a formal background in Islamic law or theology, so these discussions are often superficial. The few on GS who are deemed ‘knowledgeable’ about Islam and invariably dominate religious discussions are trained in puritan schools of thought, so you have to keep in mind the source of the response when you ask a question.
Depends on how you define educated. How well a ‘scholar’ approaches a body of jurisprudence that has been developed over many centuries depends on his ethical and moral predispositions and the depth of his inter-disciplinary training. Puritans will say this is Islam, and non-puritans will say it is a theft of Islam.
An illuminating book for anyone interested in theology, morality, ethics, or Islam in general. It’s easy to read, and you don’t need background knowledge of the religion. Should be mandatory reading for all Muslims : The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists: Khaled M. Abou El Fadl: 9780061189036: Amazon.com: Books