In fact, Islam is all of these things, depending on the time, place, and circumstance. In essence, any action for the sake of Allah and Islam is part of Islam. Islam would not be Islam otherwise. It does all of these things because it is inherent in its nature to do so. See " The Frog and the Scorpion."
Here is an audio discussion between two Islamic experts,Daniel Pipes and Wafa Sultan from December 1, 2009. (It may take 10 to 15 seconds for this audio to download.) Daniel believes much of Islam of today is an extreme version, an aberration from the more moderate Islam that coexisted over several centuries of the past. He believes Islam can be "reformed" to a more moderate version. Wafa, an ex-Muslim, believes the more extreme and violent Islam of today is the real Islam, Islam coming out of decades of sleep and reforming itself to revert to the original Islam of Mohammad's day. They both seem to agree Islam could be reformed toward moderation, but it will not become the original Islam. It will become something different. Fact is, while there is some evidence of incremental and piecemeal reform toward moderation of some aspect of Islamic law, the overwhelming worldwide trend is reform in the opposite direction, toward a more supremacist and violent version mimicking the earliest centuries of Islamic conquest.
The characterizations described in the above table have been applied to both the defenders and critics of Islam in the Who's Who section of this web site.
Read conclusions about what we face from the real Islam in Dare to Speak: Islam Versus Free Democracy and Free Enterprise.
Islam is clearly different things to different people. This is no easier question than asking "what is true Christianity." Except in the case of Christianity, the debate is most often about the Godhead, who was Jesus, modes of baptism, and forms of communion. In the case of Islam, the debate is most often about the extent to which violence, terrorism, deceit, supremacism, and intolerance are tolerated, condoned, encouraged, or demanded. There is little or no debate about the ultimate nature and goals of Islam: A supremacist system which will dominate or erase the worlds other political and religious systems through whatever means necessary and appropriate. The means to the end is the only debate. The "end" is agreed.
So, to narrow the question "What is True Islam", we will ask "to what extent is Islam a religion of peace as opposed to a violent, deceitful, intolerant, supremacist religion?"
The quick answer is: Islam is whatever it needs to be to further Islam in the world, thus pleasing Allah. And Allah is pleased by whatever measures are taken in his behalf to further Islam in the world. If it needs to be a religion of peace at a certain time or in a certain place, it will be a religion of peace. If it needs to be aggressively politically involved at a certain time and place, it will be aggressively politically involved. If it needs to be violent or terroristic at a certain time and place, it will be violent and terroristic. These measures are all condoned if performed in the service of Allah to expand the scope of Islam. If there is no non-Muslim or less devout Muslim present to disturb their sense of propriety, Islam will be the religion of peace. If there is such a declared infidel or not-devout-enough Muslim disturbing them, Islam will be less peaceful to the extent necessary. Traditional (early) Islam was a violent, all encompassing ideology. This is called "dualism."
The answer to how Islam is can be called "the relgion of peace" at the same time it promotes violent Jihad, terror and deceit: dualism. See more HERE.
It is true that there are many Muslims who are non-violent toward westerners and appear to be good neighbors. But as one Islamic expert states: "..despite these variations, it is true that the majority opinion in Muslim states is very much impacted by traditional and Islamist [violent, supremacist, intolerant] concepts. Liberals ["moderate" Muslims] in Muslim states are a minority, cowed by the vehement drive against them which includes physical violence and the treat of being legally labelled as apostates with all that entails." from "Global Jiahad", by Patrick Sookhdeo, 2007, page15.
Various individual Muslims among the 1.5 billion have chosen different roles to play to advance Islam. Their role depends on their degree of devoutness to their "religion" and their depth of knowledge of what Islam requires of them. Some will be passive; nominally involved. Some will be socially or politically active to further Muslim interests. Some will donate funds to various Islamic groups. Some will be involved in demonstrations. Some will be involved in individual or more highly planned group terrorist acts. In a perverse way, this reminds me of the various gifts Christians are said to have: the gift of prophecy, the gift of teaching, etc. Well, not really.
Islam's distinction is that its foundational (traditional/founding) doctrine allows or commends any type of action up to and including indiscriminant killing and terror to demonstrate their faithfulness to Allah. While Christians are often criticised for knocking on doors when they evangelize, Muslims are often pardoned and congratulated for blowing things up when they "evangelize."
Here is a list of four categories you might consider when you hear someone speak about Muslims or Islam. What point of view of Islam are they coming from? These characterizations progress from "Islam is a religion of peace" to "Islam, at its heart, commends any form of terror and violence in the name of Allah to expand Islamic influence."