But what does a reformed Islam actually look like in your view?
Frankly, it looks like collapsed into non-existence by its own weight. The doctrine is remarkably bold in its insistence that it
must be right no matter what and that there is no difference between reformation and apostasy.
But if anyone can make it work, more power to them.
The main issues are, IMO:
Extreme theocentrism
Islaam actually has very little doctrine and, since I learned better about it, does not qualify as a religion at all by my criteria. It does not so much teach its own variation of the Golden Rule as it teaches people to be one of the Tribe of God and to watch out for those nasty Kuffar out there in the wider world.
In essence, the general message of Islaam is that you should forego of religious wisdom as well as of personal responsibility, third-party both to the God of the Qur'an, and spread your tribe mindlessly as if people were bacteria and trust God to sort the resulting mess.
Such a jaundiced doctrine can't really be saved.
Lack of course correction mechanisms
Islaam lacks Dharma, as well as the means to attain it within its own parameters. It relies way too much on the glorified bet of the incorruptible truth and wisdom of the Qur'an. It encourages a tribal mentality and social and political measures to curb any significant questioning, going all the way to violent inner conflict when the issues raise too much.
Far too much of what passes for Islaamic practice is wasted on ultimately pointless discussions about what the Qur'an says and what should be understood as the correct understanding of that text. And since it is indeed a text, those discussions can never be settled, nor would that even be a good thing without the backing of actual religious wisdom to validate it.
Far too many Muslims actually disapprove of that, with considerable scriptural support, for everyone's loss.
Emphasis on distinctions between believers and unbelievers
Another main reason why I don't even think of Islaam as a religion anymore is because it has very little to say that does not revolve around the all-important distinction between the believers, the members of the Islaamic tribe, and the misguided kuffar who ought to learn better for their own good while they still have the chance.
That makes for poor politics and worse doctrine.
What are the most significant steps that Muslims could take to show that they can genuinely change their religion for the better?
Learning to deal with religious wisdom constructively would be a very significant, quite possibly decisive, step.
Openly pursuing and valuing it would be the next, even better, step.
It would be very worthwhile for any Muslim to develop the skills of engaging on religious discourse and practice without feeling or being pressured into the need to quote from the Qur'an to supposedly validate their findings and beliefs immediately after.
Is this simply about changing perceptions of Islam
No, although that will be a necessary and very painful prerequisite. The general perceptions of Islaam are still not nearly as critical as they will eventually have to be.
or are there substantive changes that you feel need to come from from within the Islamic Community?
Those changes are indeed necessary.
E.g. Tolerance of homosexuality, changes in attitudes to women's rights, religious tolerance for non-muslims, apostates and atheists, etc.
All of those, although most are consequences of the important conquest of attaining better religious awareness and wisdom than a tribal mindset can sustain.
The core, decisive improvement - one that can conceivably save but is more likely to break Islaam instead - is learning to accept that there is indeed such a thing as a valid religious life that does not have to be validated by the God of the Qur'an.
It sure attempts to fix a lot of what is wrong in Islaam, and mostly succeeds.
Still, there is the significant issue that Muslims are just not very likely to convert into Bahais in very significant numbers, for the very reasons why Islaam needs reformation in the first place.
What would a reformed Islam look like?
It would be reasonable and peaceful as the Ahmadiyya Islam is. Right? Please
Regards
But significantly less obsessed with the Qur'an, IMO.
