Until the advent of materialism and 19th c. dogma, Western Civilisation was superior to anything Islam had developed. Islam has not aided in the development of the modern world; in fact civilisation has only been created in spite of Islam. Proof of this resides in the 'modern' world and the unending political-economic and spiritual poverty of Muslim states and regions. Squatting on richer civilisations is not 'progress'. Islam is pagan, totalitarian, and irrational.
In post-modern, anti-Christian and anti-Church analysis, Islam is a religion because Moslems say so. The main platform of Islam, is a book named 'Recital', whose name reveals its purpose, and in which 30% or more of the text is openly racist or supremacist; and a further 10% discussing, embracing, and enumerating the concept of slavery. You have therefore a manual in which almost half of the text supports and expands upon ideals which are the anti-thesis of what a religion is supposed to teach, namely the freeing of the mind, body, soul and spirit.
Sura 38 or Saad, is a sad tract of hatred and intolerance. In cults, violence and some form of slavery or mindless ritualized devotion are always comingled. Out of the 88 verses Sura 38, 21 are hate-speech expressions against the Infidel pig and ape. Post-moderns and sophisticates call such pronunciations 'moderate' and 'civilized'. Declamations of violence against non-Moslems in Sura 38 include some lovelies such as:
This is so! And for the Taghun (transgressors, disobedient to Allah and His Messenger - disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, criminals, etc.), will be an evil final return (Fire),
Hell! Where they will burn, and worst (indeed) is that place to rest!
This is so! Then let them taste it, a boiling fluid and dirty wound discharges.
038:058
And other torments of similar kind, all together!
This is a troop entering with you (in Hell), no welcome for them! Verily, they shall burn in the Fire!
Such love and compassion. Surely the criminals in the Catholic church who defended free-will, rationality, and faith through reason, not to mention the Golden Rule; could learn a thing or two from their Moslem superiors.
Slavery trots very close behind violence and supremacism in the march of Islam. All 'prophets' including even the supposed drunkard Noah were Moslem. Job, David, Solomon and even Abraham's family were all in fact Islamic. Jesus and Mary were acolytes of the Al-Lah idol. All were slaves of the Meccan moon deity Hub'Al or Al-Lah;
038:045 URL And remember Our slaves, Ibrahim (Abraham), Ishaque (Isaac), and Ya'qub (Jacob), (all) owners of strength (in worshipping Us) and (also) of religious understanding.
038:017 URL Be patient (O Muhammad SAW) of what they say, and remember Our slave Dawud (David), endued with power. Verily, he was ever oft-returning in all matters and in repentance (toward Allah).
038:030 URL And to Dawud (David) We gave Sulaiman (Solomon). How excellent (a) slave! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)!
038:041 URL And remember Our slave Ayub (Job), when he invoked his Lord (saying): "Verily! Shaitan (Satan) has touched me with distress (by losing my health) and torment (by losing my wealth)!
038:083* URL "Except Your chosen slaves amongst them (faithful, obedient, true believers of Islamic Monotheism)."
You can strike your wife as along as you are penitent and humbled before the Al-Lah thing:
038:044 URL "And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath. Truly! We found him patient. How excellent (a) slave! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)!
Beat your wife lightly. The important fact in Islam is that the theology could care less how you treat non-cult members, women, Jews and Christians. The vital impulse is submission and recital. Recite your rituals. Memorize the words of the un-created Koran. Mindlessly follow what Koranic law stipulates and allows. Ignorantly assume that whatever Muhammad said or did was divinely sanctioned and appropriate – even in a modern society 14 centuries divorced from the pagan, barbaric origins of the cult of Hub'Al.