Hmmm that has a ring to it "Phong Liberation" I like that
Well yeah considering Icarans don't speak English I guess translations from terminology may not even carry over into English.
As far as Islam "slipping" in well Icara took generations to reach the Mideast so the locals had plenty of time to get into the "swing" of things with Islam before Icara showed up and quashed the local governments.
As far as the "freedom" to beleive in the state religions well like I said as long as you stay under the "religious radar" your not messed with, but if you run around spouting fundamentalist Islam (as is currently seen in the extremeist arabs) you'd end up on the wrong side of a stun batton before being dragged in to have a chat with a shadow dagger. Cults are just plain hunted down by the local authorities and it's pretty much up to the Provincial government what they do with the members, though Imperial law dictates the immediate execution of the leader.
[edit]Oh and forgive my ignorance but who is Orwell? is he the guy who wrote Animal farm?[/edit]