--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Islam, or any religion, will become…" description: "\"Islam, or any religion, will become totalitarian if it is made into an ideology, because that is the nature of ideologies.\" — Abdolkarim Soroush" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/abdolkarim-soroush-22299_any_islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totali_2571175.jpg" --- # Islam, or any religion, will become totalitarian if it is… ![“Islam, or any religion, will become totalitarian if it is made into an ideology, because that is the nature of ideologies.” quote by Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/abdolkarim-soroush-22299_any_islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totali_2571175.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/abdolkarim-soroush-22299_any_islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totali_2571175.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/abdolkarim-soroush-22299_any_islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totali_2571175.jpg) > “Islam, or any religion, will become totalitarian if it is made into an ideology, because that is the nature of ideologies.” [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When religion turns into a rigid ideology, it tends toward totalitarianism due to the nature of ideologies. **In simple terms:** Religion as ideology can become oppressive. Key Takeaway Guard religious belief against ideological rigidity. Themes religion ideology politics Mood concerned analytical Type theoretical political When to use this quote - political movements - faith communities - policy making Key Concepts totalitarianism freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can faith stay flexible? - What safeguards prevent ideology from dominating religion? A Different Perspective Not all religious expressions become totalitarian. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Ideologies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideologies/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Totalitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-totalitarian-562153/) [Totalitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarian/) [Totalitarian Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarian-ideology-1692113/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [Islam is according to me, my party, not so much a religion as well as it is a totalitarian ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/islam-is-according-to-me-my-party-not-so-much-a-religion-as-well-as/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [My view on Islam is that it is not so much a religion as a totalitarian political ideology with religious elements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/my-view-on-islam-is-that-it-is-not-so-much-a-religion-as-a/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [“Religion is a totalitarian belief. It is the wish to be a slave. It is the desire that there be an unalterable, unchallengeable, tyrannical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-is-a-totalitarian-belief-it-is-the-wish-to-be-a-slave-it-is/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Ideology on which the Kyoto Protocol is based, is a new form of totalitarian ideology, along with Marxism, Communism and socialism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-illarionov/ideology-on-which-the-kyoto-protocol-is-based-is-a-new-form-of/) [Andrey Illarionov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-illarionov/) > [There is only one Islam, and that is a totalitarian ideology that has no room for anything but Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/there-is-only-one-islam-and-that-is-a-totalitarian-ideology-that-has/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [Islamism is a monstrous totalitarian ideology that has declared war on our nation, on reason, on civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/islamism-is-a-monstrous-totalitarian-ideology-that-has-declared-war/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Some right-wingers, especially those who think of the entire Islamic religion as a totalitarian death cult, would likewise get a crash-course in reality if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-totten/some-right-wingers-especially-those-who-think-of-the-entire-islamic/) [Michael Totten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-totten/) > [“There is no discussing theology, sociology and politics when someone is under the spell of a self-enclosed totalitarian ideology. Intentionally or out of ignorance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/there-is-no-discussing-theology-sociology-and-politics-when-someone/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [France, land of human rights and freedoms, was attacked on its own soil by a totalitarian ideology: Islamic fundamentalism. It is only by refusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/france-land-of-human-rights-and-freedoms-was-attacked-on-its-own-soil/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Ideology on which the Kyoto Protocol is based, is a new form of totalitarian ideology, along with Marxism, Communism and socialism. We had doubts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-illarionov/ideology-on-which-the-kyoto-protocol-is-based-is-a-new-form-of-2/) [Andrey Illarionov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-illarionov/) > [Most of ideologies are not based on the individual - no matter what they say. There are these peoples' democracies, nationalism - they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/most-of-ideologies-are-not-based-on-the-individual-no-matter-what/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Ideologies are cultural memes. They are the most confining of the cultural memes. That's where culture gets real ugly. It is when you rub…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/ideologies-are-cultural-memes-they-are-the-most-confining-of-the/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Ideologies do not map the complete living processes of a World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-irwin-thompson/ideologies-do-not-map-the-complete-living-processes-of-a-world/) [William Irwin Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-irwin-thompson/) > [It seems that in the advanced stages of stupidity, a lack of ideas is compensated for by an excess of ideologies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/it-seems-that-in-the-advanced-stages-of-stupidity-a-lack-of-ideas-is/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## More by Abdolkarim Soroush > [One of the achievements of the reform movement is that people realize that they can be democrats and remain faithful Muslims. Democracy is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/one-of-the-achievements-of-the-reform-movement-is-that-people-realize/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [We no longer claim that a genuinely religious government can be democratic, but that it cannot be otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/we-no-longer-claim-that-a-genuinely-religious-government-can-be/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [Compromise has a negative connotation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/compromise-has-a-negative-connotation/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [People first concern themselves with meeting their basic needs; only afterwards, do they pursue any higher needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/people-first-concern-themselves-with-meeting-their-basic-needs-only/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [In many of the things that people do, they themselves are the centre of attention, but they inscribe some other name on their banner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/in-many-of-the-things-that-people-do-they-themselves-are-the-centre/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [Establishing an equilibrium between the Islam of truth and Islam as an identity is one of the most difficult tasks of religious intellectuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/establishing-an-equilibrium-between-the-islam-of-truth-and-islam-as/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [When I have an idea, I'm like a pregnant woman. I just have to deliver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/when-i-have-an-idea-i-m-like-a-pregnant-woman-i-just-have-to-deliver/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [Energy is a concept that has been coined by physicists. There is no observable thing known as energy anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/energy-is-a-concept-that-has-been-coined-by-physicists-there-is-no/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [We coin concepts and we use them to analyse and explain nature and society. But we seem to forget, midway, that these concepts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/we-coin-concepts-and-we-use-them-to-analyse-and-explain-nature-and/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [People should know what they want, not just what they don't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/people-should-know-what-they-want-not-just-what-they-don-t-want/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [As a result of the awareness and consciousness of decline, an awareness and consciousness of a national ethnicity or an Islamic identity also came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/as-a-result-of-the-awareness-and-consciousness-of-decline-an/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [God manifests himself in each historical period according to the understanding of the people of the era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/god-manifests-himself-in-each-historical-period-according-to-the/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [That President Mohammad Khatami's policies have been blocked is the bitterest incident in the contemporary Iranian history. This means that the wishes of millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/that-president-mohammad-khatami-s-policies-have-been-blocked-is-the/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [There are all sorts of cries that the leaders of the Green Movement should submit themselves to the supreme leader, but that won't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/there-are-all-sorts-of-cries-that-the-leaders-of-the-green-movement/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [It is impossible to advance new theories... when you are under the influence of a particular view, or under the pressure of a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/it-is-impossible-to-advance-new-theories-when-you-are-under-the/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) [Explore all 27 Abdolkarim Soroush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) ## More Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/) [Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/) [Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/) [Browse all 6,938 Any quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Islam, or any religion, will become totalitarian if it is made into an ideology, because that is the nature of ideologies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abdolkarim Soroush" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totalitarian-if-it-is-made-into-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Any" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totalitarian-if-it-is-made-into-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/abdolkarim-soroush-22299_any_islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totali_2571175.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/abdolkarim-soroush-22299_any_islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totali_2571175.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/abdolkarim-soroush-22299_any_islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totali_2571175.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Islam, or any religion, will become totalitarian if it is made into an ideology, because that is the nature…” — Abdolkarim Soroush", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abdolkarim Soroush", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Islam, or any religion, will become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totalitarian-if-it-is-made-into-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/islam-or-any-religion-will-become-totalitarian-if-it-is-made-into-an/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```