For a number of years, public debate has distinguished more clearly between Islam and Islamism than was formerly the case, and quite rightly so: Islam is a world religion with well over a billion followers, who live and experience their religion in a wide variety of ways. Sunnis differ in certain respects from Shiites, traditionalist Muslims from liberal ones; some seek a spiritual path to God, others want nothing to do with mysticism; some lead an ascetic lifestyle, others enjoy life to the full; many see politics as an important aspect of their religion, while others reject politics in the name of Islam. Different ways of understanding and living Islam stretch far back into history; in the present era, they have taken on distinctive, specifically modern aspects. Overall, Islam is certainly as plural and diversified as Christianity, and it has been so from the very beginning, particularly with respect to how Muslims have imagined community and society, the good life and good government. Islamism, which receives so much attention today, is therefore just one possible way among several of applying Islamic teachings to individual conduct and the social order. The boundary between Islam and Islamism is, however, not always easy to draw. In many fields, Islamists now dominate to such an extent that one might think that they are in fact the only legitimate representatives of Islam (and this is, of course, how they view themselves).