Part of the problem with Islam is that it's a rather young religion, relatively speaking, and younger religions tend to be more doctrinaire and stricter than older religions which have gone through lengthy periods of liberalization.

On the other hand, the Islamic fundamentalists themselves do NOT represent the genuine spirit of Islam at all...though they certainly think they do. They are just as wacky as the wackier Christian fundamentalists...maybe even moreso.

The trouble with one set of old fuddyduddy nutcases is....they are usually replaced by another set of the same right around the time they die off, and you can hardly tell the difference! ;-) Thus are the sins of the fathers passed on to the sons, yea, even unto the 7th generation.