Why do the ‘progressive’ Left and Islam seem so comfortably aligned? Roger Dunsdon explores.
We might marvel that the Left/Communism and Islam appear to coalesce so easily around various causes – yet superficially live in different philosophical universes. What are their touch points and what does this augur for our collective futures?
‘Useful idiots’. Who is using whom?
‘Useful idiot’ is a perjorative description of a person, suggesting that they think they are fighting for a cause without fully comprehending the consequences and implications of their actions, and who does not realize they are being manipulated by the cause’s leader, or by other opaque political players.
The term was often used during the Cold War in the Western bloc to describe non-communists regarded as susceptible to communist propaganda and so useful political allies to communism’s basic objectives. Indeed there was often a suspicion that Socialists and ‘progressives’ generally were unwitting tools of communism. Traditionally attributed to Vladimir Lenin, the term ‘useful idiot’ was first used in the English language before Lenin was born. The idea is an old one!
‘Romance’ between idealistic communism and Islam might be said to fit this perjorative, given that a truly Islamic state would not uphold most of the ambitions of the communists, one of which is to live in a religion-free world. Remember the other perjorative that religion is the opiate of the people!
This is correctly attributed to Karl Marx, the great ‘prophet’ of Communism. It’s a metaphor used to describe how religion can be a source of comfort and escape for people in difficult circumstances, particularly those suffering oppression or poverty. The analogy to opium suggests that religion dulls the pain of real-world problems, and prevents people from seeking genuine change – in the shape of revolution! Marx saw religion as a tool used by the rulers to maintain the status quo and suppress resistance to oppressive systems.
Workers of the world – unite!
The radical Left/‘progressive’ stream of Western politics has long admired Islam for reasons that defy rational explanation. Think Hamas! The closest motive I can ascertain is that the proletariat (‘workers’) are seen to be a counterpart to the Islamic ‘umma’. As it were, ‘workers of the world unite’! The fact that all forms of Islam stand opposed to the treasured mores of the Left/‘progressives’ is something that appears to have escaped their notice entirely.
It was George Bush junior who opined “Islam is a religion of peace”, albeit he was only parroting what he had been told to say. This remains the treasured shibboleth for all Western politicians. If only we treat Islam aright, Moslems will come to love us and give up on their religious beliefs. Western politicians, knowing they have allowed a social (and increasingly a political) tiger into the living room, now hope that by continuously stroking said tiger, and occasionally by making big concessions to it, they will somehow ‘restrain’ and ameliorate it. They dare not acknowledge the true beliefs/objectives of Islam.
The progressives’ current demand to recognise, highlight, and provide a legal hedge around what they style ‘Islamophobia’, is surely indicative of this fear.
Roll with the punches
It is also true that whilst privately acknowledging that Islam cannot be controlled and that periodic Islamic terrorist outrages will occur, western politicians conclude that casualties caused thereby will always be relatively light – a few hundred here, and a few hundred there. And so the West can sustain these periodic human tragedies without losing too much sleep. Such politicians and ‘progressive’ elites may be due a truly uncomfortable awakening!
Touch points
What then are the ‘touch points’ that seem to unite the radical Left, Communism and Islam? This table suggests where mutual ‘recognition’ of coinciding interests and viewpoints may exist:
| Communism | Islam |
| Commune-ism – perfect society under the State apparatus | Caliphate – perfect society under Allah |
| Dialectical Materialism | Dar al Harb |
| Class struggle | Jihad |
| “Heroes” of the Revolution | Martyrs |
| Propaganda | Taquiyya |
| Proletariat | Umma |
| Revolution
(surrender to the State) |
Islam
(surrender to the will of Allah) |
| Grievance
(class inequality) |
Grievance
(Moslems superior to non-Moslems) |
| ‘Palestine’/anti-Semitism
(political cause, class struggle) |
‘Palestine’/anti-Semitism
(religious cause, religious struggle) |
| Splinter groups | Splinter sects |
| “white guilt”
(debt owed) |
“oppressed”
(debt collected) |
| Brotherhood of Man
(to be one proletariat) |
Destiny of Man
(to be one, under Islam) |
| Self loathing
(especially of the capitalist system) |
Infidel |
| Identity politics
(divide and conquer) |
Identity as Umma
(aiming at Caliphate as a perfect society) |
We will not explore these touch-points in any detail. Each might require its own separate article! Interested readers can do their own further research, and are encouraged to do so.
Cultural Marxism
It has been said “there is no such thing as a moderate Moslem”. There are Moslems who do not understand Islam, it is true to say, who may live more easily in the West. Indeed illiteracy remains high in some Moslem states, especially amongst women, so the ability to fully appreciate all aspects of classical Islam is often lacking in those countries.
Some Moslems have been raised under formerly light-touch Islam (such as Turkey in its secular period) and similarly do not understand essential classical Islamic beliefs and intentions. Finally, the classical-Islam doctrine of Dar al Islam versus Dar al Harb tends to come to the fore only once a Moslem population has reached 30% in any given locality.
The ultimate aim of classical Islam is to create a global Capliphate. The aim of Communism is to create a global community of workers (who are supposed to ‘unite’!). The aim of western political ‘Progressives’ is to create a brave new social-ist world using the tools and mechanisms of what is now recognised as Cultural Marxism, a quiet and unhindered revolution, one aspect of which (in the UK) is to legalise abortion up the birth. Readers who wish to understand Cultural Marxism might want to read Steve Maltz’s “Into the Lion’s Den” which remains one of the leading insights on the history, aims, development, and triumphs of Cultural Marxism. It was ‘secularised’ and shortened as “Noise” a few years back:
https://www.saltshakers.com/steve-maltz-store-books-events/p/noise-a-search-for-sense
Christian comment
We need say little. David Pawson’s book “The Challenge of Islam to Christians” remains a prophetic insight into the spiritual challenge of Islam and the likelihood that Britain will eventually become an Islamic society, and ultimately an Islamic State. If this happens it will be with the resigned acquiescence of the UK State apparatus, indigenous leadership, and with the active support of the radical (“far”?) Left. Pawson’s book:
https://www.davidpawson.org/resources/series/the-challenge-of-islam-to-christians
“When all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near”. Luke 21: 28. Praise God, indeed!
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Islamism and the Left. An essay – Sir John Jenkins : https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Islamism-and-the-Left.pdf
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