article_snippet: There have been other neo-religious movements in both Muslim and Christian history.
article_snippet: The "Assassins," for example, which began in the 11th century, was a radical, heterodox movement of Muslims, which eventually died out -- in its own time, similar to ISIS today, its was decried and depicted as deviant by Muslim religious authorities as well as most Muslims.
article_snippet: Unlike Christendom, Islam does not admit a hierarchical, ecclesiastical authority -- so,
article_snippet: no "Muslim Church" or "Islamic Pope" exists.
article_snippet: Having said that, nevertheless, there are systems of religious authority in Islam.
article_snippet: nevertheless, there are systems of religious authority in Islam are more akin to academic peer review structures -- indeed,
article_snippet: the concept of the modern university comes from the medieval Muslim seminary.