In Islamic societies, politicians can manipulate almost everything. But thus far, no fundamentalist leader has been able to convince his supporters to renounce Islam's central virtue - the principle of strict equality between human beings, regardless of sex, race, or creed.

Fatema Mernissi’s quote, “In Islamic societies, politicians can manipulate almost everything. But thus far, no fundamentalist leader has been able to convince his supporters to renounce Islam's central virtue—the principle of strict equality between human beings, regardless of sex, race, or creed,” reflects her critical perspective on political manipulation in Islamic societies. Mernissi, a prominent Moroccan feminist and sociologist, is known for her exploration of gender roles within the context of Islam and the sociopolitical structures of the Muslim world. In this quote, she highlights the inherent tension between Islamic principles and the political use of religion by fundamentalist leaders.

The central idea of the quote is that, while fundamentalist leaders may manipulate various aspects of society, they have not been able to distort the core Islamic value of equality. Mernissi points out that Islam traditionally promotes a profound sense of equality for all human beings, regardless of sex, race, or creed. This stands in stark contrast to the hierarchical social structures often imposed by political leaders who might exploit Islam to justify inequalities, especially those related to gender or ethnicity.

By invoking the idea that Islam's principle of equality has not been completely undermined by political forces, Mernissi offers a critique of the ways in which Islamic societies have been influenced by politics while still maintaining some foundational virtues of the faith. Her argument is that, despite the manipulation of religion for political ends, Islamic communities retain an underlying commitment to the ideal of equality that resists full corruption by fundamentalist ideologies.

Ultimately, Mernissi’s quote emphasizes the enduring power of Islam’s central tenets in shaping ideas of equality, even in the face of political agendas that may seek to distort or limit these values. It suggests that while fundamentalist movements may gain power, they have yet to fully erase the Islamic commitment to treating all people with equal dignity, regardless of their gender, race, or beliefs.