Is Sharia law the only "true" truth of Islam or is there room for a more "progressive" form of Islam that would be more compatible with a free Westernized democracy?
First of all we need to understand the real meaning of Sharia law, away from the claimed Sharia of the terrorist groups, and away from the Western media propaganda which gave people an impression that Sharia Law is mainly cutting hands of the thieves and killing the fornicators.
Real Sharia Law is the full comprehensive law which makes human life based on justice and equality to achieve peace and tranquility for individuals and societies.
Real teachings of Islam taken from the Prophet (SAWA) and his Progeny (Ahlul Bayt )(AS) are the most progressive, but unfortunately, most people look at Islam today through Western media propaganda which is misleading as well through the crimes of so-called Jihadi groups who want to hijack Islam.
Those who really want a progressive society need to read and understand the real teachings of Islam which came through Ahlul Bayt (AS). Let them read Nahjul Balagha and the statements of Imam Al- Sajjad on the Human Rights as examples. The United Nations has issued a statement on 2002 advising the leaders of Muslim world to follow the teachings of Imam Ali (AS) to Maalik Al-Ashtar.
Wassalam.