To clear up some misunderstandings that many people have: There is no one Islam. There are shia, sunni, alavits, kurds, sufi and all kinds of sub branches. All with different interpreations of one scripture. Just like Christianity has catholics and evangelicals and orthodox branches and sub branches in each of these (besides the catholic branch) Now it is important to see that while Islam never was a 'peaceful' religion- even going back to the 15 century it was much more open towards different cultures and did actively engage in the scientific process and fundamental advancements of humanity espcecailly in medicine and literature. Much more than the medival christians who we can definitely view as some kind of bloodthristy barbarians in contrast to a scientficially advanced orient. Now in the late 19. century a branch of religious leaders in Islam attempted to reform islam, becuase they didn't feel the way that islam was taking was right. Thats wahhabism. They disapproved of all cultural aspects and of anything that is not fundamentally within their scripture. They are literal fundamentalists. This trend has been permeated through all of islam by now, through oil money and through efforts by rich saudi leaders who want to impose this radical view on all of the muslim world. The problem the arabic world is having with this is that the topic is so emotionally precarious that you cannot think about critizising this interpretation and this fundamental ideology in some places without literally risking to losing your head. This is a major problem for many Muslims in those countries who are brought up in a culture that doesnt permit you to think outside of a narrow box of ideals. It doesnt allow for interpretations of the holy scripture of Islam in any way besides the one set by high authorities of the wahhabi elite. Many primerely uneducated muslims can accept this because it doesnt have much of an impact on their intellectual abilities concering their thoughts just because they dont have these( just like many christians) dont really think about how one can critizise ones religion in fair ways just because they never thought about the possibility that one should be able to. But for the intellectual elite in arab states, who dont follow the radical ideology this is a major problem. Because it is dangerous speaking out about this. Because the authorties who are having the - frankly stupid rampaging masses behind them- do not allow for anyone to think for themselves in different ways about islam. At least on publicly. Thus many muslims in these countries do not experience the richness of pluralism of thought like we in the west do. Or how muslims in the west do. (and yes there are some muslims in the west who are attracted by this ideology, but Im not dealing with this small percentage) I don't mind if muslims here prefer conservative values that they find fitting. The only thing that concerns me as a 'liberal' is whether everyone is repsecting the choices made by other people. And right now with western Islam we need to enable muslims here to own up to the values that protects them and us alike. Yes they need to do it too, that cannot be denied, but generally speaking the fear you are having is not legitimized by one or two radical morons per 100.000 people. Otherwise you shouldn't be among people at all. Navid Kermani used the expression: The love of one’s own – one’s own culture, one’s own country and also one’s own person – manifests itself in self-criticism.[...] Self-love must be a struggling, doubting, constantly questioning love if it is to avoid falling prey to narcissism, self-praise, self-satisfaction. How true that is of Islam today! Any Muslim who does not struggle with it, does not doubt it and does not critically question it does not love Islam. The ideology of Wahhabism clearly lacks this ability. It's not about the holy scripture but what you make of it. If you take every word literally without context, like literallists and fundamentalists, you will have a bad time with other people with a centuries old book. Only if you try take the book for what it should be, you can really understand meaning. But thats something radical - reformed - ideology have largely exterminated in arabic islam. We don't need reformed Islam: we need diverse Muslims who are willing to ask hard questions about their faith. Who own up to important humanistic values that are compatible with it and who are not scared of repressions of people trying to dictate faith. Also if you want a nice text for this topic I translated the speech held by Navid Kermani concering the islamic world in 2015. here It's quite long. But I think its worth reading. fixing some spelling errors