The Shifting Sands: Why the Progressive Left and Conservative Islam's Alliance is Finally Crumbling
By Bobby Darvish - darvishintelligence.blogspot.com
In a recent conversation, a friend from Michigan expressed a hopeful observation: he believes the 2024 election could mark the beginning of the end for the alliance between the progressive left and conservative Islam in America. According to him, this election brought an unusual split in the voting patterns of Muslim Americans in his community. Many Muslim men cast their votes for Donald Trump, while a surprising number of Muslim women chose Jill Stein. Such voting diversity within Muslim communities reflects a significant shift. It also reveals the complexities that are beginning to fray the edges of an ideological alliance that has always been, at best, an uncomfortable marriage of convenience.
This emerging split is not only fascinating but also deeply encouraging. It suggests that Muslim Americans are increasingly questioning their political affiliations. While I would rejoice if this shift were indeed fully realized and widespread, I know from my own past experience with Islamic institutions that such transformations are not straightforward. Islam, as it was taught to me and practiced by many within these alliances, incorporates principles that prioritize the end goal above the methods used to achieve it. The principle of Taqiya, or “deception for Allah,” is a significant example of this. Taqiya allows for deception when necessary to protect Islam or its followers. I saw firsthand how this doctrine influenced the community, from quiet acceptance to strategic alliances with non-Muslim entities.
Throughout my time as an Islamic leader, both as an Imam and as an executive director of CAIR-Columbus, I observed the ways in which such alliances were leveraged for Islamic interests, especially in political spaces. When I served as President of The Muslim Forum of Utah, it became evident that aligning with the left-wing agenda was seen as a means to gain greater influence and acceptability within American society, especially among progressive circles willing to overlook or misunderstand the conservative, often contradictory, values upheld within Islamic doctrine.
In Islam, “War is deception.” This phrase is more than just a tactic for warfare; it underlines a mentality where the end justifies the means. Within political alliances, this perspective has often translated into tactical support for left-wing policies that, under normal circumstances, contradict traditional Islamic values. The progressive left, keen to gain minority support, has largely ignored Islam’s stance on women’s rights, LGBTQ issues, and personal freedoms, areas where Islamic and progressive values are not only misaligned but starkly opposed. However, this alliance appears to be growing more tenuous, particularly as younger Muslim Americans and Muslim women begin to question whether the progressive left truly represents their cultural and spiritual beliefs.
I believe there is a deeper spiritual and ideological awakening happening among Muslims in America today. More individuals are beginning to see that their faith is not synonymous with unwavering support for progressive causes. For some, this recognition has even led them to conservative values, which better align with their views on family, tradition, and morality. My own journey out of Islam and into the conservative Christian faith reflects a similar realization: that Islam's reliance on flexibility and political opportunism contradicts the grounded, immutable principles found in Christianity. As a member of the LDS Church, I have found clarity in the teachings of Jesus Christ—truths that stand firm without needing political compromise or deception.
This split among Muslim voters, particularly between men and women, could signal the start of a larger shift within the Muslim community as it re-evaluates its values and loyalties. Muslim men voting for Trump and Muslim women voting for Stein reveals internal tensions, but it also reflects the dissonance that occurs when a group tries to align itself with ideologies that inherently conflict with its own. The progressive left's values of radical inclusivity and moral relativism are becoming harder for conservative-minded Muslims to reconcile with Islamic tenets.
As more Muslims choose to reevaluate their political alliances, I am hopeful that we will see a new wave of Muslim Americans embracing values of freedom, individuality, and accountability—ideals that resonate more closely with conservative principles and ultimately the teachings of Jesus Christ. Although I once worked to advance the influence of Islam in American institutions, today I advocate for truth, transparency, and the foundational values that make America strong. I pray that this election is indeed the beginning of the end for the left-Islam alliance, and that it opens the door for Muslim Americans to seek alignment with the values of freedom and faith that this country was built upon.
Citations:
Qureshi, Nabeel. Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward. Zondervan, 2016.
Spencer, Robert. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS. Bombardier Books, 2018.
Darwish, Nonie. Wholly Different: Why I Chose Biblical Values Over Islamic Values. Salem Books, 2017.
Kepel, Gilles. Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam. Harvard University Press, 2002.
Pipes, Daniel. “Muslim Americans in the 2024 Election: A Complex Voting Bloc.” Middle East Forum, 2024.
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