or on political domination over any land or people,
an Islam which would gladly take its place honorably
among all other religions, those with visible Scripture and without,
whatever form their service or house of worship.
Show me an Islam which so much as embraces and celebrates
its co-existence with variety in faith - with Alawite, Baha'i, with Copt and with Sikh.
Show me an Islam free of Sunni and Shi'a,
allowing for freedom from Shari'a,
an Islam free of every form of girl-mutilation,
of forced marriage or even arranged ones,
of any coercion or manipulation or intrigue,
an Islam entirely free of Hijab and Burqa.
An Islam show me, where countless churches and synagogues and temples
are happily frequented among the mosques,
and the spirit of intelligent appreciation reigns.
Show me an Islam of joy, rather than of gloating,
one which unmistakeably demonstrates God's unconditional love -
and leaves pork and politics out of the equation.
Show me an Islam with a sense of humor,
a mature capacity for reflection, for self-criticism,
an Islam which doesn't foment strife and division -
while claiming to preach peace and harmony!
Not an Islam without teeth, but without the thorns.
This would be something closer to the Islam whose
intimacy I have in-joyed for four decades,
the Islam of dervishes, who foment joy and not jihad,
for they belong to God whom they know, and no ideology.
That would be an Islam I could really live with, and welcome.
The Islam we have, I have to live with, but need not welcome.
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