The False Divide: Islam vs. Islamism – A Linguistic Deception

Mar 22, 2025

We are hearing the terms ‘Islamist’ and ‘Islamism’ with increasing frequency— but what do these terms really mean, and why are they being used so often? As a new report from the UK Commission for Countering Extremism, ‘Sacred Violence’, makes clear, too little attention is being paid to the role of ideology. [1, 2] In it, the author speaks liberally of ‘ists’ and ‘isms’ – a closer look at these terms is therefore warranted.

The suffix "-ism" is typically used to indicate a system of thought, ideology, movement, or distinctive practice. It often signifies a set of principles, beliefs, or actions that define a particular group or philosophy [3].

When Is "-ism" Applied?

A word is given the "-ism" suffix when it describes:

An Ideology or Political System – A structured belief system or political framework.
- Examples: Communism, Fascism, Nazism, Socialism.
A Religious or Spiritual System – A doctrine or set of religious beliefs.
- Examples: Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism.
A Cultural or Social Movement – A trend or worldview shaping society.
- Examples: Feminism, Multiculturalism, Nationalism.
A Philosophical or Intellectual System – A way of thinking or interpreting the world.
- Examples: Rationalism, Existentialism, Postmodernism.
A Set of Practices or Behaviors – A repeated action or tradition.
- Examples: Hedonism, Consumerism.

For example, Nazism is classified as an -ism because it represents a structured ideology and movement with specific principles, doctrines, and practices. It encompasses political, ethnic, and economic theories that shaped a government system under Hitler—all of which are equally apparent in “Islamism” [4, 5].

In the U.K. report, the author lists what he calls “hugely popular” books favoured by “Islamists,” such as Milestones, The Book of Jihad, and The Life of the Prophet—but fails to mention the one book that would have been on every shelf and is extensively quoted by all the others: the Koran itself. All of these books can be found in virtually every mosque bookstore in the U.K., and the Koran in every Muslim home.

1. Why is “Islamism” Only Applied to so-called ‘Fanatics’?

Unlike terms like Catholicism, Buddhism, or Judaism, which describe mainstream religious practices, Islamism is generally used to describe political movements that seek to impose Islamic law (sharia) on society. However, this distinction is artificial because Islam itself naturally encompasses politics, law, and governance.

Islam vs. Islamism:
Islam is often depicted as the personal religion of a Muslim.
Islamism is marketed as a political ideology practiced by Islamists seeking dominance.

But this is misleading because Islam is inherently political, as seen in doctrines like al-wala’ wa-l-bara’ (loyalty and enmity — Koran 48:29), the obligation of jihad, and sharia’s role in governance, legal codes, and expansionist aims [6].

Koran 48:29 Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves…’

While only 6.5 of population ‘Islamist terrorism’ accounts for 85% of offences

2. The Catholic/Catholicism vs. Muslim/Islam Dilemma

This inconsistency in English is notable:

A Catholic practices Catholicism
A Buddhist practices Buddhism
A Muslim practices… Islam (not Islamism)

Why doesn’t ‘Muslim’ correspond with ‘Islamism’? The answer is political convenience. ‘Islamism’ is spun to separate the political and violent aspects of Islam from Islam itself — when, in reality, they are inseparable.

3. Who Defined the Term “Islamism”?

The term Islamism was originally used neutrally in the 18th and 19th centuries as a synonym for Islam. It wasn’t until the 20th century that Western academics and policymakers started using Islamism to describe a political movement separate from Islam itself [7]. This is advantageous to those who wish to disingenuously promote the idea of a peaceful, spiritual Islam (Islam) that has nothing to do with a dangerous, radical version (Islamism).

“Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, has ordered us to fight you till you worship Allah alone or give Jizya (i.e., tribute); and our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says: ‘Whoever amongst us is killed (i.e., martyred) shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as he has never seen, and whoever amongst us remains alive shall become your master.” (Bukhari 3159)

Yet, when you look at core Islamic texts, there is no distinction. Islamic law is inseparable from the belief, which is why groups that push for sharia enforcement are simply practicing Islam — not a new offshoot called “Islamism” — and they benefit greatly from the panaceas offered by apologists. What’s more, determining who does and who does not belong to, or supports, groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood is impossible, owing to the practice of taqiyya — deception in the cause of Allah, permitted till the end of time (Ibn Kathir, Koran 3:28).

Koran 8:65 “O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence”

4. The fabricated distinction between Islam and Islamism serves to protect the primary doctrine — the Koran and Hadith — from scrutiny and accountability by Western authorities.

By describing “Islamism” as an extremist offshoot rather than the natural outcome of Islamic teachings, the mainstream narrative creates a false sense of separation between so-called “moderates” and those who take Islamic doctrine to its logical and supremacist conclusion — whether through jihad, legal enforcement, or political action against the ‘unbeliever’.

Koran 61:9 “It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religion, even though the polytheists dislike it.”

This linguistic sleight-of-hand benefits Western politicians and media because it allows them to avoid confronting the full implications of Islamic doctrine. It reassures people that Islam itself is not a problem — only the “bad actors” who ‘misinterpret’ it. But as the foundational texts themselves confirm, it is those groups labelled as “Islamist” who follow the doctrine most faithfully [8].

Koran 33:27 ‘And He caused you to inherit their land and their homes and their properties and a land which you had not trodden. And Allah is ever, over all things, competent.’

The fundamental issue is that Islam is not just a belief system; it is a total civilizational model — social, legal, political and military, partially financed by a compulsory Islamic tax that is a pillar of Islam (Koran 9:60). By calling those who fully implement the doctrine “Islamists,” the West conveniently ignores the fact that they are not deviating from Islam at all. They are Islam in its fully realized form.

Mohammed said: “I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish prayer, and pay zakat. If they do that, their blood and wealth will be protected from me — except for the rights of Islam — and their reckoning is with Allah.” (Muslim 155)

Conclusion: “Islamism” and ‘Islamists’ are Political Constructs that Distort Reality

The use of Islamism to describe the many undesirable features of Islam is a modern invention, created to avoid confronting the full nature of Islam — including its incentive of material over spiritual rewards as seen in Koran Chapter 8 (The Spoils of War) — and to dismiss the warnings of non-Muslims who possess a clear understanding of its foundational texts. This distinction is not doctrinal but political, designed to make Islam appear non-threatening while denying association with those who fully apply its legal and political components.

Koran 8:41 ‘And know that out of all the booty that ye may acquire (in war), a fifth share is assigned to Allah,- and to the Messenger, and to near relatives, orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer,- if ye do believe in Allah and in the revelation…’

By today’s definition of Islamism, Mohammed, the Abbasids, Ottoman sultans, and others are all Islamists — but no one dares to say that. Instead, the term is selectively applied to modern revivalist movements like the Muslim Brotherhood and contemporary jihadi groups, even though their ideology is entirely consistent with the goal of Islam ordained by Allah through the Koran and the example of Mohammed (Koran 45:18).

Koran 8:67 “It is not for a prophet to have captives until he inflicts a great slaughter upon the land. You desire the goods of this world, but God desires the Hereafter. And God is Exalted in Might and Wise.”

In reality, the so-called Islamists are simply those who apply Islamic law (sharia) as it was intended. The methods may differ — some focus on violent jihad, others on infiltration (stealth jihad), while others work through political lobbying and litigation — but the goal remains the same: the supremacy of Islam over all other systems. This is true notwithstanding the public expressions of outrage by Islamic sheikhs and Imams, while behind closed doors a very different message is conveyed [9].

There is nothing shocking about a jihadi committing an act of violent terror while shouting “Allahu Akbar” — it’s predictable. This is not an Islamist performing Islamism; this is a devout Muslim obeying the core tenets of Islam. The source of ‘extremism’ is not the believer, but the belief — Islamic doctrine itself — a juggernaut of submission, enacted by those who bow before it. It is the juggernaut that must be caged; the rest will follow.

“Allah’s Messenger said, ‘I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with terror, and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand.’” (Bukhari 6924)