Obsession

[Skunks]

On the first day of a class I took several years ago, Intro to Islam, the professor began by saying that there really isn't an Islam, so much as a lot of islams; beyond the Sunni/Shi'ite split, there are dozens of schools of jurisprudence, and dozens of sects within those, almost to the point that there is one islam for every Muslim.

He went on to present a version that I love; one where things are rational and sound, where it is more about god & humanity -- living rightly, living well -- than anything else. There are islams that are amazing; there are islams that are horrible, so much so that I cannot understand what, beyond the name, connects them.