Pim Fortuyn Quotes

There is no possibility of change in Islamic principles, which have not changed in the last 1,400 years.

Much of the misgiving that Muslims feel for the West stems from our strong emphasis on freedom, always a risky enterprise. I've heard some say they would rather rear their children in a closely guarded Islamic society than in the United States, where freedom so often leads to decadence.

This is indeed a clash of civilisations, not between Islam and Christendom but between reason and superstition.

In the face of knowledge, science, and of the whole extent of radiant civilization, I cannot accept the presence in Turkey’s civilized community of people primitive enough to seek material and spiritual benefits in the guidance of sheikhs. The Turkish republic cannot be a country of sheikhs, dervishes and disciples.

The present crisis in the Islamic world may stem from too many loud and conflicting voices, all claiming religious authority.

The Middle East conflict has become the locus of the final war between Muslims and the West

It’s the confrontation with modernity that produces terrorism.

Medieval ways of treating women are introduced into a modern society and we’re just supposed to say “Aah, that’s really interesting, how ethnic.” No, it’s wrong and we want to fight it.

I was involved in an extreme or radical religious path from 1984-1989. I carried knives in the name of religious conflict. In point of fact, I felt something missing with the function of religion. I came to question whether Islam had truly commanded me to be exclusive and to isolate myself from other communities. There was a battle inside me…. I left that extremist group since it was impossible for me to survive in an exclusive community. Because Islam supports civilization, it should work for the betterment of human life. On the contrary, religious extremism and intolerance will destroy human civilization.

The Islamic world perceive Western nations as defending Judeo-Christian tradition against the spread of radical militant Islam.

The politics of religion pursued in a large number of societies called Muslim make too many concessions to the forces of traditionalism, while favoring the adoption of all the benefits of material civilization. This results in dangerous mental cleavages, increasing backwardness in the systems of education, fruitless self-censorship, and the impoverishment of creativity in various domains of intellectual and cultural life.

Islam and its tradition have until now encountered modernity as a cultural aggression (al-ghazw al-fikri), not as a historical phenomenon.

How effortlessly religious dogma has become intertwined with political ideology since September 11

Differences between Hindus and Muslims are so fundamental that there is nothing that matters in life upon which we agree.

There are many levels to Islamic rage. But what we're dealing with here is a view of the U.S. as a secular, sinful society that must be humbled, and this has nothing to do with any particular aspect of American policy. In my view, there can be no compromise with such a vision.

Moslem fundamentalist leaders are not mistaken in seeing in Western civilization the greatest challenge to the way of life that they wish to retain or restore for their people

We are living in the jet-age, but we are governed by an Edwardian establishment mentality.

We seem to be the victims of religious dogma, both from the Christian Right here and, of course, in the East with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

We represent the moderate teachings and principles of Islam.

I am a Muslim, because it's a religion that teaches you an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. It teaches you to respect everybody, and treat everybody right. But it also teaches you if someone steps on your toe, chop off their foot. And I carry my religious axe with me all the time.

I admire the Islam. There's a lot of good principles in it.

Many Muslim parents are authoritarian, which leaves young men and women with limited spaces to express themselves. Self-expression and autonomy are regarded as symptoms of 'Westernisation.'

If the Muslim is Sharia-compliant, that is in direct conflict with the U.S. Constitution.

In Islam, we believe Jesus is a prophet and respect him and follow his teachings and put him beside the Prophet Muhammad - a lot of people don't know that.

I study the Koran intensively, but I also study other religions, too. But it is in the Koran that the prophets are closest to me - there and in the mosque when I go to pray.