The problem is that they're impossibly intertwined. Trying to make a distinction between Islam as a religious ideology and certain aspects of Arabic culture can be difficult at times. I see your point that traits of underlying cultures shouldn't necessarily be treated as Islamic. But there is an issue of cultural perspective to take into account. If you weren't circling at 30,000ft looking down at those "primitive cultures", but instead were brought up within one of those cultures, perhaps you would view the way Islam integrates into your life differently. For example, the patriarchal nature of Islam formalises men's roles within those cultures, giving them unchallengable power and providing cover against even the most heinous crimes. Also, when taking into account some of the horrible things from these cultures, you have to weigh them against some of the more barbaric practices which are acceptable within Islam. Perhaps if your religion proscribed stoning women to death, you wouldn't balk at murdering babies. Islam can present an impenetrable barrier to progress within some societies because of the immutable value (or lack thereof) it places on human life and humanity in general. It's easy for a Muslim to say, "oh, but that's not Islamic", without considering the complexity of human culture and the ways in which religion distorts its development or hinders its progress.
But you're assuming that Islam was introduced as like a big slab onto that society rather than piece meal where local customs and Islam were harmonised so that you ended up with religion and culture being intertwined - religion being used to legitimise cultural and social norms. How much of even Islam is Araba and how much is religion? how much culture was bundled in with Islam with the move to the Asharite position that talked about the primacy of tradition that inevitably resulted in Arab cultural norms being elevated as norms for Islam and Muslims to follow - which one could argue Muhammad might never intended to have occurred in such a way.
kaiwai counter questions me at
http://www.councilofexmuslims.com/index.php?topic=9879.msg253221#msg253221Dear kaiwai., I am asking you the questions., but what you are doing is counter questioning without answering me., That is unfair game., I call upon the moderators of the forum to take a note of this and ..and ban..ban..ban.. kaiwai., You know I always fought in FFI for that reason.
Anyways give me answers for the questions at that link dear kaiwai ., As far as "anyone following the 'authentic Islam of Muhammad's time'?".,
First of all we have to found what that Islam was and where do we find it or read it?? I posed the question in response and I answered it in the paragraph stating that there is no 'authentic Islam of Muhammad's time' given the nature on how Islam has been constructed and the influences surrounding it.
What is Islam? how about reading what I said in reply to freethinker.
Topic: Tarek Fatah on Tariq Ramadan