Book Description

In this brilliant look at the rise of political Islam, the distinguished political scientist and anthropologist Mahmood Mamdani brings his expertise and insight to bear on a question many Americans have been asking since 9/11: how did this happen? Good Muslim, Bad Muslim is a provocative and important book that will profoundly change our understanding both of Islamist politics and the way America is perceived in the world today.

Customer Reviews (50)

Essential knowledge on Islamism
Whoever wants to talk about Islam, its political and religeous implication on modern world should read this book
The reader learns much about the origins of terrorism, which often has been orchestrated and initiated by
US-Politics and by powerfull US-organizations. I have bought this at amazon.com in it's original english-language version as well at amazon.de in a very satisfying german translation. The german paperback-edition is even much "worthier". This important book shouldbe translated in other languages, also in arabic and hebrew.

A sound bite to counter a sound bite?
This is a tough book to review--while it does have some valid points to make, it descends all too often into polemics.And even polemics aside, the book has problems at times.Some problems that caught my attention were:

1) While Mamdani criticizes several writers for characterizing Muslims into the "good" and "bad" camps, he can equally be accused of not recognizing the differences in foreign policies between the Nixon, Reagan, Clinton and Bush administrations.

2) Mamdani takes stance that religion, politics and culture must be viewed separately and are not linked.While I would not disagree that politics can be separated from religion and culture, I have a hard time understanding his stance on separating religion and culture--the way many of us learned anthropology, religion is considered part and parcel culture.(But then again, Mamdani avoids defining culture and what constitutes it.)

3) The historical context of America's proxy wars is told in a very one sided fashion.Missing is the activities of the Soviets, and to a lesser extent the Chinese, in a variety of Third World countries.Furthermore, in terms of the rise of political Islam, terrorism and the modern concept of jihad, his account differs from Kempel's Jihad.

4) The section on the rise of al-Qaeda and the Taliban has a heavy reliance on newspaper articles from the Los Angeles Times and Rashid's book on the Taliban.Missing from his story is Burke's book on al-Qaeda (or his articles from the Guardian), and use of other American, and British or French newspaper sources.

5) The presence of endnotes gives the book a scholarly air, but the reader needs to realize there is a lot missing on a variety of topics.Not only are works like Burke's and Kempel's missing, Mamdani has the tendency to make statements, assuming that they arefacts as such and not opinions, need to be referenced and footnoted.One example is on page 92 dealing with how long the South African government could have supported Renamo without US support.

6) Mamdani contradicts himself at times.Probably the best example of this is his critique of co-existence/tolerance on page 173, and his call for it in the closing pages of the book.

While this book does make for compelling reading on America's proxy wars and America's selective use of terrorist groups against its opponents, it is far from a scholarly account.Mamdani's book ends up reading like a set of cobbled together sound bites that are trying to counter a sound bite.A much more nuanced and better referenced book on the topic is Richard Bonney's _Jihad: From Qur'an to bin Laden_.

Misleading Title
Labeled Good Muslim Bad Muslim and with an introductory chapter concerning the misconception between fundamental and political Islam in Western discourse, I ASSUMED this book would have something to do with that. Unfortunately, it dissembled as a genealogical history of modern Islamic terrorism which, undeniably, in Mamdani's case, has purely Western, and specifically, American and Israeli roots. In reality this book is nothing more than a indictment of American history, Israeli history, Spanish history, British history, Dutch history, French history, but never Afghani history, Nicaraguan history, Sudanese history. Nothing but diatribe, although, and why I give it three stars - it is incredibly well-written, engaging, beautifully cited, authenticated, and accurate (you know, on that scholarly level which though causes it to be a compact thesis and self-sustaining, doesn't really cover the whole truth).
student,
amherst college

Excellent Writing Deep Thinking Enjoyable Reading
Here is a book that will show you what is important about scholarship: not facts, but how they are interpreted and put in the right context. In explaining the roots of "modern" terrorism, Mamdani's main thesis is an anti-thesis to Huntington "Clash of Civilization" which has dominated Western and especially American scholarship. He develops this by using almost exclusively, secondary sources. The book goes above the journalistic approach of most writers who are influenced by the superficial and ideological (good versus evil) analysis of most in the media.

Throughout the book, Mamdani explains (as he has done it elsewhere as in When Victims Become Killers for example) that students of conflicts must learn how to put an emphasis on "political identities" and move away from the almost non-important cultural side of identities. This is important in understand conflicts and other political processes such as terrorism, but as in When Victims Become Killers, Mamdani fails to connect the political dimension of identity politics discourse to its underlying economic dimension. In essence, he overpoliticizes the events he discusses at the risk of forgetting economics and the global economic context in which those events occur. (May God protect us from the fear of being blanded "Marxists"?) For this failure, which is also prevalent in his When Victims Become Killers, I lower my score. But for his success in refuting the anti/a-historical culture and civilization-centered arguments in the discussion of terrorism and for his global perspective in his analysis, I am forgiving and give him a 4. Perhaps I should be a little more generous when I think about the book's scope. But at the same time, I am attempting to cure what I have come to identify as chronic absence in his analysis: economic analysis! The book could have been more important had Mamdani discussed deeper the dangers (or advantages if any) of political Islam. But to this he may answer that it wasn't his point. And I would agree with him because political Islam has been disscussed extensively (under different names) elsewhere.

What an interdisciplinary son Africa has given to the world!His books should be required reading for all students interested in a global perspective of global conflicts. The so-called "Third World" students of "international" politics will find his intellectual ability very inspiring. He shows how American education (Mamdani is a Harvard educated scholar from those early times when American education was serious, but seriously ideological, too--but is it different today?) can be good to Africans, Asians and other "developing" area students.

I recommend two more books from him, namely, Citizen and Subject and When Victims Become Killers (The first few chapters will be enough if you're not interested in learning about Mamdani's interpretation of the Rwandan history and genocide. It goes without saying that the later is perhaps the most important explanatory work you'll ever read on the Rwandan genocide despite its errors in facts!) for those who want to know where he comes from.

Of course the book and (sadly) the author have been and will continue to be attacked by those who are not ready to move way from the non-sense idea or ideology of "American Exceptionalism" and "The City Upon a Hill" slogans. Perhaps a reading from John Dinges' The Condor Years and Stephen Kinzer's Overthrow will help refute those who are not yet convincedabout the ideology behind the so-called goodness of America. Every good American patriot should learn that America cannot be helped by self-denial, self-congratulatory and crooked histories.

Every student who attempts to understand violent human events has always been attacked. It is as if we, human beings, prefer to keep those events obscure and classified among the "irrational" actions that are "demonic" in nature. However, without an attempt to understand what such violent events mean in the history of humanity, humans are headed towards distinction. Let Mamdani's work be critiqued and criticized, but let's refrain from using "uncivilized" attack toward this intellectual.

I highly recommend this book. It will revolutionize the way you study and more importantly the way you watch the news.

Yours trully from the Greatest City in America,

Student Forever

Good for stimulating intelligent debate but a little too biased for my taste
First I must say this book is very well written and easy to read.

The stated purpose of the author is to stimulate a deeper and more intelligent debate on how to tackle the problem of terrorism. To solve a problem, one needs to first understand it. The author explains why common presumptions often based on ignorance and racism should be dismissed since they are too simplistic and too inaccurate to provide a real understanding of the complex problem of radical political extremism. His thorough discussion of the various political and religious movements in the middle east (and in the US) helped me understand the various philosophies and alliances that have influenced politics in the middle east in the last few decades.

In the second half of the book, Mamdani spends much time on the emergence of the jihadist movement in Afghanistan. He shows how an ideology that had gathered only marginal support since the 60's became so influencial as a result of the Russian invasion, and the involvement of Pakistan and the US. This section was very well written and very informative.

Up to this point, I found the content of the book to be extremely enlightening and it indeed fulfilled its goal of stimulating a more intelligent debate on terrorism.

When it came to discussing the post-9/11 period (namely, the US invasion of Iraq and Israel's policy in the occupied territories), I found more bias and partisan views than I found scholarly analysis. This disappointed me, it gave me the impression that the author finished the book in a hurry and just spoke with his heart instead of his mind... Instead of promoting rational debate, this section was more similar to the ridiculous partisan and self-interested debates we hear from our politicians! ... Read more

Book Description
A startling look at the Muslim world, through the eyes of a Western Christian in a Muslim family. For Christians who work with, live with, or minister to Muslims, this book helps explain the world of Muslim women. Topics include role models, segregation, restrictions, opportunities, family life, and unwritten rules. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

mini skirts review
This is another book I read last year.It was ok and showed a lot of opinion I thought.It was written well.I didn't agree with everything in there I believe was the impression I'd gotten from the book.The subject matter is,of course,of great interest to me because of my own experiences into Islam(and out).Nadia N.Rehmani-author of Sharper Than A Two Edged Sword-A True Story Of One Woman's Walk Into Islam And Out.

good book for missionaries
I enjoyed this book and appreciated hearing about this author's particular experiences in various Arab countries, however, it is definitely a book for missionaries.It seems like she is advocating respect for Muslims, but mainly in order to open the door for them to be lead to Christianity.All in all I did enjoy the author's stories, and it was thought-provoking.

Thought Provoking, Title Misleading
This book is meant to improve one's effectiveness at Christian ministry in Arab countries by teaching the principle that if you do not respect culturally established norms, you and your religion will not be seen with respect.If you're a non-Muslim who likes to (or wants to) see things from different perspectives, a careful reading of this book may give you some new material to wrap your open mind around.But it's important to note that Muslim is not synonomous with Arab, and this book almost exclusively concerns Arab countries.

Simplistic and unfair
I did NOT enjoy this book.I am a convert to Islam and find this book to be simplistically written and completely biased.

Excellent
I will be living soon in a muslim country and find this very helpful in understanding muslim culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (272)

not readed .. not rated
I did not read the book yet, but as a comment:
if you want a good idea about the Quran and Who's Mohammed.. why not going for the real thing?!!
I'm saying, why not reading verses from the Quran.. some of Mohammed's quotations.. surely there are some that is understandable, don't you agree?

Why I am not a Christian
Bertrand Russell's collection of essays and titled "Why I am not a Christian" should be part of a trilogy along with Ibn Warraq's "Why I am not a Muslim". I am still waiting for "Why I am not a Jew". Then the absurdity of religion would be fully exposed.

Critique of Islam
This is by far and away the best book I have read to date on the subject of political Islam. Ibn Warraq delivers a thorough analysis of the origins and development of Islam from the time of the prophet Muhammed right up to present times. Warraq specifically looks at the Salman Rushdie affair, and how this has awakened the West's awareness of the dangers of Islamic fundamentalism. This book has the added bonus of having been written by a former muslim. An absolute must for anybody interested in gaining a solid understanding of Islam in the twenty-first century.

Very well researched
My brother and I bought this book and we found it amazing to find out the prophet of Islam had a 9 year old wife, promoted camel urine as home remedie, and other very supersticious and vile acts.

However many of the reviews claimed that it was all false information designed to mislead people. So we decided to read the Quaran and Hadith, and surprisingly the passages quoted and all the facts were in these 2 books. It was all true, Ibn Warraq did a good job.

So it is really sad to read reviews by muslims who didn't actually read this book, they just cursed it and named it a lie before even reading and researching the facts in it.

Could do with a strong editor
Some time ago, I reached the conclusion that organized, proselytizing religions are primarily a structure to exploit the superstitious nature of mankind in order to enforce social control and facilitate cultural imperialism.For this, I started with Islam (a perfect example of both), since on its very face it is a farce.It wasn't until I read "Why I Am Not a Muslim" that I really understood how blatantly insane, irrational, and dangerous the entire Muslim religion is.The whole Koran, supposedly perfectly formed in heaven, was just the "Prophet" (piss be upon him) rationalizing, one surah at a time, his perverted and criminal behaviors to his gullible followers.

Islam (the word means SUBMISSION) itself demands that its followers filter every aspect of what they see or do through the irrationality of their faith, including that those who are not of their faith are less than human and must be converted or subjugated by any means up to and including deadly force.That's right, the ones that are NOT involved in terrorist activity are the ones failing in their duty.When all the thinking of an entire culture is based on an inherently irrational basis, the entire culture is insane, and when its goal is the destruction of all else, we have what we see in Islam: an armed and dangerous psychotic on the loose in the world.They hate us because we are not them, and they PLAN to make us surrender or DIE.Understand this.THEY SAY IT THEMSELVES if you would listen.It's us or them; there is no coexistence.

Even if the author had not made the reference himself, the title of this book invites comparison to Bertrand Russel's "Why I am Not a Christian".I've read both, and Ibn Warraq is certainly no Bertrand Russel, but I'd have to say he makes a fine Ibn Warraq.Anyway, I've deducted a star because the book would be well served by a strong editorial going-through.Among other flaws, he spends too much time telling us what he's going to be telling us in which chapters rather than just getting on with it, so things seem jumbled and repetitive.I'd still recommend it to anyone that needs a reality check. ... Read more

Book Description
In a Western world suddenly acutely interested in Islam, one question has been repeatedly heard above the din: where are the Muslim reformers?With this ambitious volume, Tariq Ramadan firmly establishes himself as one of Europe's leading thinkers and one of Islam's most innovative and important voices.As the number of Muslims living in the West grows, the question of what it means to be a Western Muslim becomes increasingly important to the futures of both Islam and the West. While the media are focused on radical Islam, Ramadan claims, a silent revolution is sweeping Islamic communities in the West, as Muslims actively seek ways to live in harmony with their faith within a Western context. French, English, German, and American Muslims--women as well as men--are reshaping their religion into one that is faithful to the principles of Islam, dressed in European and American cultures, and definitively rooted in Western societies.Ramadan's goal is to create an independent Western Islam, anchored not in the traditions of Islamic countries but in the cultural reality of the West. He begins by offering a fresh reading of Islamic sources, interpreting them for a Western context and demonstrating how a new understanding of universal Islamic principles can open the door to integration into Western societies. He then shows how these principles can be put to practical use. Ramadan contends that Muslims can-indeed must-be faithful to their principles while participating fully in the civic life of Western secular societies. Grounded in scholarship and bold in its aims, Western Muslims and the Future of Islam offers a striking vision of a new Muslim Identity, one which rejects once and for all the idea that Islam must be defined in opposition to the West. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Another excellent work by Mr Ramadan
Thanks again to Mr. Ramadan for keeping the door and the dialoge open on a very pressing and important issue for many of us "Western" Muslims.As a new Muslim woman from Latin America living in the USA I find each day many of the issues presented by Mr Ramadan, thanks to his inside, I am able to better undertand my role in this society while living and embracing the "true" Islamic identity and tradition. Thanks also for the great lessons learned with "In the Footsteps of the Prophet". Thanks for the loving and unsugared portrait of the Prophet you presented in this excellent book , it did touch my heart.

Hard thinking man arrives at refreshing vision
Ramadan is a serious thinker, devoted to making a difference. He takes both his faith and his Western homeland seriously, and this for him is a single commitment to God and his neighbors. His concern is the quality of life in the future world order. And his vision for the potential contributions of Western Muslims is refreshing.

Where many Muslims assume that the practices of other cultures are ungodly unless proven otherwise, Ramadan turns such logic around. Like Imam Malik, he argues that all customs (urf) or institutions which "seek the good" (istislah) are valid, and should not be rejected unless they specifically violate a moral prohibition of the Quran and Sunna. In that case the challenge to Western Muslims is like that faced by the first Muslims in mainly non-Islamic Mecca, or by the biblical Joseph in Egypt - how to inspire better human relations, and improve care for society's needs.

Ramadan sees a special responsibility falling on Muslims in the West. Working within Western institutions yet maintaining real ties to the non-Western world, these believers have a chance to serve as a voice of conscience. In a world order of profound inequality, many Western Muslims have both the hope and the opportunity to make a difference. And to grasp that opportunity they must act as full-citizens, taking responsibility for building better institutions in cooperation with non-Muslims of goodwill. As Ramadan explores the possibilities for economic, political and cultural life, the future seems ever more interesting.

--BG, author of "Different Visions of Love" and "The Gardens of Their Dreams"

Citizen Muslim
Islamic philosopher Tariq Ramadan asks a fundamental question. Is it possible for a devout Muslim living here to also be a responsible and loyal American? As a member of what Ramadan calls the Other, I find it disturbing it even needs to be asked. It isn't trivial and Ramadan doesn't ask it on behalf of Muslims. He asks it of Muslims because they ask it of themselves. We have people living among us who are unsure of the answer, millions of them apparently, some of them second and third generation Americans. More than a few have concluded the answer is no. Their devotion to Islam supersedes and is incompatible with any duty to their adopted country. The question cuts to the heart of what Americans have been asking since 9/11. What on earth are these people so angry about and what in heavens name does it have to do with us? In attempting to answer Ramadan directs his comments to those Muslims living in the West for whom religion is at the center of daily life, Muslims who are struggling with a very real identity crisis. Ramadan isn't proposing an interfaith dialogue, though he thinks one is important. He is proposing an intra-faith dialogue. He wants to reopen a debate that has been closed for a thousand years.
At issue is the long held Islamic view of a world divided into two parts, dar al-Islam and dar al-harb, the abode of submission and the abode of war. This view didn't originate in the Koran or with the Prophet. It was developed later by Islamic scholars to offer a code of conduct for Muslims living in or traveling through areas not subject to Islamic rule, places where any exercise of an alien religion was usually restricted and often prohibited. Muslims in these conditions were called not to compromise their faith, to remain apart, at all costs to avoid assimilating. Sometime around the 10th century it became pretty much accepted dogma throughout Islam. It still is. It is a view that has been noted with alarm by modern Western commentators. It is at the root of the attitude among many Muslims to reject as un-Islamic all things Western. Ramadan argues that the doctrine can and should be revised in light of changed circumstance. It is no longer an appropriate view of Europe or of North America because in the modern West the Muslim is free to practice his religion.
Ramadan draws an all-important distinction between faith and culture. Islam requires Muslims to dress modestly but exactly how that applies in different societies is open to interpretation. There is also a difference between what is required by law and what is permitted. That alcohol may be legal does not force one to drink. There may be occasions when civil law presses an individual to violate his conscience, to participate say in an unjust war, but those occasions are rare and there are ways for Muslims to deal with them short of outright rejection of the offending legal system. Islam has adapted to differing cultures before. Indonesians are very different from Pakistanis and they can both be authentically Islamic.
This all seems obvious to us, the Other. That it does not seem obvious to so many Muslims is incomprehensible. Americans are accustomed to immigrants. We expect them to become naturalized, take their citizenship seriously, participate fully in our society, make it their own, even take on leadership roles. Ramadan wants his fellow Muslims to do that too, and he believes they will. He certainly believes they can, and without compromising their religion.

Must Read for Western Muslims
It is a must read for muslims living in western countries. The book deals with the issues of BELONGING(specially immigrant muslims), EXTREMELY IMPORTANT concept of Darul Harb and Darul Islam and a thorough discussion of what is required of a muslim living/working/studying in non-muslim lands in general.

He mentions the CORE characteristics that makes muslim ummah, THE BEST NATION i.e. Telling Mankind the real purpose of life and conveying the message of the prophets. When muslims live amongst non-muslims they automatically are calling non-muslims to Islam by the way they act, they work or do any thing else whether they actually call people to Islam or not.

Tariq Ramadhan gives the western muslims confidence and encourages them to stop being isolationist and engage fully in the society around them to make the situation better for themselves as a community and also to fulfill their obligation of transmitting the message of the prophets to their fellow citizens. Even if these concepts are not new to you as a muslim, it is a must to read and reflect upon what brother Tariq says. Our reading, reflecting and then actually DOING DAWAH can make a difference of us entering HELL or entering PARADISE in the hereafter. No matter how bad the situation becomes for muslims and how bad the non-muslims treat muslims, muslims can NEVER EVER forget their obligation to save themselves and the non-muslims from Hellfire and Tariq makes an excellent case for that.

You would for sure like reading this book. I don't agree with each and everything in the book but I pray for him for writing about the core issues we face as muslims. And don't even once look at the price, reading this book is far better then eating at your favorite restaurant.

As the issues indicate the book is primarily for muslims but would help non-muslims too specially the ones interested to find out about muslims in the west in particular and Islam in general. If you are a non-muslim then I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND "What Everyone Should Know About Islam and Muslims" by Suzanne Haneef apart from reading the FINAL REVELATION to mankind, THE HOLY QURAN.

Great Book
I believe this is one of the best books I have read in a long time.It was the first time a scholar elaborates on what it really means to be both Western and Muslim.He tackles just about every issue facing Muslims in the West - and while obvously not everyone will agree with him - he is the first one to really discuss these issues as far as I know. ... Read more

Product Description
What does it mean to be a Muslim? Ask ten people, and you'll probably receive ten different answers. The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook is a positive, informative guide to Islam in America. Timely and engaging, it conveys the basics of the fastest-growing, most stereotyped and misunderstood religion in America from a progressive, teen perspective. Whether struggling to define themselves as Muslims in American society or simply curious about Islam, teens will find much to love about this entertaining book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Mixed Bag
This book takes a lively look at some of the questions that Muslim teens in America need answers to. The style of writing and the layout is engaging and accommodates readers afflicted or blessed with short attention span.

While the book is sprinkled with frequent quotations from the Quran, clearly it is not meant to be an in-depth treatise on Islam, either in the personal sphere or as an adequate source of history and facts with which the reader can maintain serious discussion with non-Muslims, or even with other Muslims. To its credit, the book encourages its young readers to learn more about their religion, but it doesn't guide them or warn them of things that they will discover.

Considering the large number of subjects covered, it is inevitable that this slender book leaves the reader short here and there. On the question for example of whether Muslim girls should wear hijab, one who does, says, "My religion tells me to - I have to wear one if I'm a Muslim.", and one who doesn't, says, "I don't feel that my religion requires it." While earlier in the book it is stated that most of the Quran is clear in meaning, and at the beginning of this section appears a quote (33:59) that suggests that women should "draw their wraps a little over them", the question is by no means cleared up. The naive Muslim girl is not prepared to defend herself in conversation with other Muslims, such as her parents, who may claim to know the correct answer, and can force the issue.

On larger issues - political aspects of Islam - page 90 shows a street rally poster reading "ISLAM MEANS PEACE". If a Muslim teen reader goes no further, he will not be prepared to hold his own in a discussion where someone informs him that "Islam" means "submission". And that someone could be a Muslim - say, a Jihadic recruiter - as well as non-Muslim. When confronted by the kinds of posters that sometimes appear in pro-Muslim rallies, such as "BEHEAD THOSE WHO MOCK ISLAM" or "ISLAM WILL DOMINATE", the teen will be helpless - not only uninformed, but misinformed, and he may realize that this book has let him down.

In summary, this book is about preparing Muslim teens to be able to make their way in America, to assimilate, and yet to retain their Islamic identity. It accomplishes parts of the task nicely, but sometimes it falls short of protecting its young readers and warning them of the dangers and complexities that they will face, from other Muslims in America as well as non-Muslims. Put aside all of the personal questions about dating - hamburgers (hold the bacon!), clothing, making friends, etc.; the essence of being an American involves the freedom to educate oneself, to question everything - including and especially authority - to speak, write, criticize freely and in safety, to pursue happiness and to choose representatives to express ones' political inclinations.

I rate this book 3 stars to balance its high intentions and accomplishments with its limitations and consequent dangers.

American Anyone Handbook!
This extremely accessible book is an easy introduction to Islam for those
who do not follow or are unfamiliar with the basic tenets of the religion. It also provides a much-needed divergent viewpoint about American Muslims from that provided by the mainstream media, often in attempts to heighten public anxiety and, unfortunately, leading to increased xenophobia.

American Muslims are, first and foremost, Americans. No one should differentiate between American Buddhists, American Catholics, American Jews, etc. Unfortunately, our society has tended to ostracize the general Islamic population in this country, primarily due to ignorance. This fine addition to any library's or bookstore's religion section fills a once-empty niche, allowing students of all ages to learn about the world's fastest-growing religion, also amongst the most peaceful, which many do not realize due to fundamentalist elements worldwide that stress their own skewed versions of what true Islam espouses.

The authors are dynamic speakers, well-versed in their faith, beliefs, and research concerning viewpoints from Muslim teens nationwide. If the
opportunity ever arises for them to speak to your organization, as it did
for the one at my school, you will be the recipient of three extremely
intelligent, open-minded and well-informed speakers.

I recommend this book to anyone, anywhere, of any religion, who wishes to understand more about the basics of Islam, the continued importance of fighting ethnocentricity within our society, and the challenges which American Muslim teens, as well as non-Muslim teens, face on a daily basis in a continuously changing political and global atmosphere.

Must Read
I highly recommend "The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook," a book written to give voice to the issues and concerns of Muslim American teens and to let them know they are not alone. It educates and stimulates all of us to learn more. It offers insight to the importance of charity in Islam, why Muslims perform the Hajj, how Muslims pray, answers questions about dating, dancing, drinking, drugs and dress, teaches us about the basics of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad and even offers Ramadan recipes. It is a book that presents to those of us unfamiliar with Islam a straight forward look and what it means to be a Muslim teen in America.Whether we are teenagers, parents, children or adults familiar or totally unfamiliar with Islam this book tells us about an enchanting, interesting world in an often hilarious and easily assessable writing style.In these days where there is so much misunderstanding about those we do not know and have been taught to fear this delightful, informative guide is a must read for all of us. It is time embrace our children, to listen to their questions, and to heal our world.I believe that it is books like "The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook" that offer us this opportunity and we can not afford to close our hearts or minds to the message it provides.

Warm, witty, and accessible
This book works within the reality that there is often a gap between the ideal of religious practice, and what people actually live up to.By dropping judgment and encouraging thinking about faith and building a relationship with the Creator while striving to do the best one can, this book holds out an open and helping hand for young people struggling to find their place in the world.

Succinct and informative, encouraging and funny, this is a must for anyone-- Muslim or not-- who wants to learn more about the reality of modern Islam.

A Much Needed Resource
The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook is a dynamic book for community leaders, teachers, counselors, parents and teenagers alike. The book can be read all at once, can be perpetually used as a reference, can be used as an activity book for groups, can be used as a resource for talking points for parents and teenagers and the list goes on and on...

I do not have teenagers, but interact with them quite often and have already found myself referencing the book on several occasions.The book is well written in a way that will keep it continually relevant. It is simple and complex all at once, which accurately reflects what a teenager can be. ... Read more

Book Description

The events of September 11, 2001, forever changed the world as we knew it. In their wake, the quest for international order has prompted a reshuffling of global aims and priorities. In a fresh approach, Gilles Kepel focuses on the Middle East as a nexus of international disorder and decodes the complex language of war, propaganda, and terrorism that holds the region in its thrall.

The breakdown of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in 2000 was the first turn in a downward spiral of violence and retribution. Meanwhile, a neo-conservative revolution in Washington unsettled U.S. Mideast policy, which traditionally rested on the twin pillars of Israeli security and access to Gulf oil. In Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, a transformation of the radical Islamist doctrine of Bin Laden and Zawahiri relocated the arena of terrorist action from Muslim lands to the West; Islamist radicals proclaimed jihad against their enemies worldwide.

Kepel examines the impact of global terrorism and the ensuing military operations to stem its tide. He questions the United States' ability to address the Middle East challenge with Cold War rhetoric, while revealing the fault lines in terrorist ideology and tactics. Finally, he proposes the way out of the Middle East quagmire that triangulates the interests of Islamists, the West, and the Arab and Muslim ruling elites. Kepel delineates the conditions for the acceptance of Israel, for the democratization of Islamist and Arab societies, and for winning the minds and hearts of Muslims in the West.

Customer Reviews (10)

Insights on Islam
Gilles Kepel provides an insightful, European perspective on relations between the West and Islam. As the title suggests, he does not see the two locked in intractable conflict. Muslims, like the West, are divided. The interests of the Saudi government are separate from those of the Wahhabite preachers; salafists can be distinguished from other Sunnis, and salafists themselves can be divided into pietists and jihadists. His description of the problems of the Muslims in Europe is particularly valuable and suggests issues that the American news media barely touches. His chapter on the dilemmas that face Saudi Arabia is also enlightening. The significance he places on the collapse of the Oslo agreement puts developments in the Middle East in an unusual perspective.

Unfortunately, his view of neoconservatives and the Bush administration is akin to Michael Moore's. It is somewhat more subtle, but hardly as profound as his understanding of the politics of Islam.

Nonetheless, that understanding makes the book invaluable, perhaps essential.

Triumph of Political Correctness over Facts
This book was a major disappointment after the author's brilliant work JIHAD.Jihad was published just as the US was destroying the Taliban, and I had hoped that this work would bring us up to date with the invasion of Iraq.I immediately noticed that Kepel did not bother to correct his characterization of US tactics in Afghanistan as "carpet-bombing", which it wasn't.Then he referred to photos of American "sexual abuse and torture" of Iraqi prisoners (which was more like hazing) while calling videos of the beheading of a screaming American youth as "mistreatment."Events have shown Kepel's earlier theory that Islamic fundamentalism is falling apart is quite correct, losing out to a rising tide of democracy in Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, and even Saudi Arabia, but he sort of goes off the rails to talk about the Islamic diaspora in Europe and elsewhere as the hope for the future.I guess he's afraid of not getting invited to the right cocktail parties in Paris if he endorsed anything to do with American policy.

Good book, despite what some say..................
This book is an easy to read, somewhat easy to understand wrapup of what is currently happening with the Global War on Terror and the fight for Muslim hearts and minds.The author does a great job in explaining some of the differences in the Salafist community and also in pointing out that Wahhabists are Salafists, but not necessarily of the Bin Laden strain, something that many people in the West just don't get.

However, if there were any down sides for me, it was the part about the fight in Europe for Muslim hearts and minds.It focuses, somewhat understandbly, on France.There are fights going on all around Europe and I think the author could have done a better job bringing that to light.I also feel that although he demonstrates the conflicts within the Muslim community in Europe, one needs to realize that these issues trasncend national borders, although each government is trying to deal with its specific Muslim community, rather than getting that Europe needs to deal with this issue in a better fashion from Spain to Germany.

As for one of the poor reviews implying that the author is not facing the truth regarding the 2000 intifidah, she is incorrect.It did start when Sharon visited the Dome of the Rock (not sure if that was it) for the Arabs.Yes, other Knesset officials may have visited it, but none like Sharon.For the Palestinians, that was the event that triggered the uprising, regardless of whether this is superficial analysis or not.In the Arab world, as in all other places, perception is reality.This is something that too many Westerners fail to comprhend when dealing with Muslims...............there is not necessarily one truth.

Poorly argued
Gilles Kepel is a really bright person, but this is one terrible book.His idea is that Muslims may reject violence as counterproductive and instead achieve the acceptance of their wisdom by convincing us all.In return for accepting their wisdom, they will accept our advice to be non-violent about it.As for those who reject the truth of what they have to say, well, they'll simply shame us all into accepting their wisdom.Did I use the word wisdom a little too much?If so, it is because I think this book needs more of it.Much more of it.

Kepel never seems to get around to condemning Arab propaganda.And in an age where the international information supply has been seriously contaminated by arbitrary antizionist untruths, I think this is a serious oversight.

First we see Kepel misrepresent the 2000 Intifada as the work of Sharon, who clearly provoked the Arabs by visiting the Temple Mount, and Arafat, who clearly provoked the Jews by killing them in bunches.

But this is nonsense.Jewish members of the Knesset had been visiting the Temple Mount, which is Judaism's holiest site, on a regular basis.If non-Muslims were to start a war just because an Arab leader visited the Kaaba, we'd all regard this as an absurd excuse.Kepel just adds to the problem by pretending that this is reasonable.

This is a serious problem with the whole book, because truth is central to the theme.If Muslims are going to support truth, they may get their way without violence.If they are fighting truth, they will not be able to convince others or shame them into agreeing.The only options left will be violence or apology.

The author is convincing when he says that Israeli settlements do annoy some Arabs.Now, these settlements are on disputed land.They ought to be as legal as Arab settlements.But let's forget all that.Let us think only of justice and truth and human rights.Here is where Kepel falls apart.He keeps implying that in a just world, Israel would be trimmed down to size.And that even if the settlements are legal, if Israel had to fend for itself, without anyone supporting it or attacking it, the size of Israel would decrease to something more reasonable.

Kepel has it totally wrong.Israel has over 6 million people and over 5 million Jews.In a just world, all else being equal, Israel would be much bigger.And this is the core of the problem.The present size of Israel is not a crime against Nature.If anything, it is like low tide at the beach: one is making a big mistake if one expects the water to recede from it for the rest of the day.

The author admits that some folks support Israel here.But he blames this support on a few "neoconservatives," implying that they are fighting against reality.The truth is that the Arab side is fighting against justice and reality, and that such a war can't be won in the long run.

Once Kepel avoids saying that in a just world, Israel would be much bigger, it is easy for him to present Muslim violence as the wrong means for antizionist Muslims to convince others of their essential reasonableness.And in his discussion of Europe, he concludes that European Islam will emerge with a "universalist perspective, freed from the straitjacket of authoritarianism and corruption."Now, I do admit that the author is a learned and intelligent person.And he may be right!But as far as I am concerned, he could not have made a less convincing case.

Utopic.Islamic Insurrection is not imploding.
The author develops an original argument that the Islamic insurrection is imploding on its own.In other words,Osama bin Laden's Jihad is viewed as intolerable terror against innocent civilians by a majority of Muslims.Over time, the Muslim peace lovers will progressively dwarf the ranks of the Jihadists.

In the author's mind, this is especially true if the U.S. gets out of the way and stop waging an ill fated War on Terror that keeps throwing oil on the fire of the Jihad movement.He makes a case that the U.S. ongoing backing of Israel and its invasion of Iraq have strongly boosted Al Qaeda's ranks.

The author belongs to the camp that believe that the Islamic insurrection is almost solely a counter reaction to U.S. foreign policy.It certainly is a factor, but how can it be the main driver?9/11 was totally unsolicited.Also, prior act of terrorism were more often than not caused by the U.S. government becoming friendlier towards various Middle Eastern ones rather than the opposite.Thus, whether the U.S. supports or attacks a Middle Eastern state, it appears as justification for act of Islamic terrorism.What kind of rational is that.

The Pew Global Attitudes surveys and current events don't support any of the author's original arguments.Osama bin Laden's aura is ever increasing.Islam is becoming increasingly fundamentalist and violent throughout the Middle East and Africa.Wherever it overlaps with Christian population bloodshed results more often than not executed by the Muslims and suffered by the Christians such as in Somalia, Rwanda, and Sudan.

So, the main thesis of letting Islam extremism implode on its own just does not hold well to any reality check.Right now it is picking up steam big time.

Instead, I recommend a far more prescient book on the subject: Samuel Huntington's "The Clash of Civilizations."He has a far better understanding of Islam's extremism from a geopolitical and demographic standpoints. ... Read more

Book Description
Confronting such key contemporary issues as racism, justice, sexuality, and gender, this book offers a revealing insight into the real challenges faced by Muslims of both sexes in Western society. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

A worthy read
It seems that the book has polarised opinion. I would say that those who criticise the nature of the articles should practice what they preach; they should prioritise Seera and try and understand how things happened during the Prophet's times - certain facts bear repeating, such as the Shariah as we know it emanated from Shafi, a couple of centuries after the Prophet, that scholars were not given authority in the way they have now (how many scholars existed in the Prophet's times?) and Islam actually was a very liberal, people-sensitive religion - the Prophet always wished to avoid hud punishments wherever possible (and concubinage, slavery, polygamy were accepted norms of society albeit with restrictions). Even if you don't agree with the articles, it opens up a methodology of thinking about Islam which relies on re-analysis of scripture, hadith, historical reappraisal in order to contextualise hadith/scripture and sidestepping the supposed authoritativeness of scholarly rulings which have absolutely no deserved claim to be the 'right' interpretation, in fact the book highlights the fact that most Islamic scholars are nothing more tham memorisers of hadith/scripture and orthodox tafseer, without being versed in history, theology, philosophy, science, sociology, psychology and so on, knowledge one would expect to bear some influence in making scholarly rulings. The other facet of general human nature it brings out, is the tendency to render authentic and powerful religious norms simply because they are the more restrictive; it is a human urge to see rules requiring more sacrifice as being more worthy, and hence the absolute refusal to even enter into a debate as to whether homosexuality was really prohibited, for example. I would urge sincere Muslims to first open your mind, read scripture, allow yourself to raise ANY question, do you own historical analysis without relying on scholars, and continue and develop an independent line of thought without fear of going astray. Be brave.

A reality that unsettles fundamentalists and islamophobes alike.
Don't expect any conservatives to welcome any kind of a progressive.

I find it interesting that the only two groups panning Mr. Safi's text are dogmatic 'Muslim' conservatives unnerved at the thought of any kind of Islamic Renaissance and right-wing Orientalist neocon and/or neocon sympathizers squirming and jerking for any way they might rationalize their Islamophobia. Both right-wing groups have and will continue to fail and cast darkness on the Islamic world.

It seems to me that Mr. Safi certainly hit the mark he was aiming for. Here's to a future of hope! Insha-Allah. =)

A big disappointment
1. The essays seem like they were written by those from American college who were primarily trained in approaches like deconstructionism and multiculturalism rather than schooled in Islam. Quasi-postmodern tools like deconstructionism and multiculturalism tend to be anti-rational and lead to fruitless discourse, which has been a problem in U.S. collegees in recent years, as good intentions about social injustices get lost when addressed thru half-baked intellectual tools.In fact, the information from this book on contributors shows that most are at U.S. colleges, so given the suspect "postmodern" flavor, the danger here is that Islam is being subjected to such postmodernization.

2. Little of the Quran is referenced.

3. A great deal seems not to have been thought thru. Capitalism, for example, is criticized but apart for appeals for justice, almost nothing is said about what a practical economic system informed by Islam might be.

4. Islam seems too malleable to these essayists. Although there is some appeal to early Islamic history, often in these essays you might think you were reading U.s. Green Party literature and not even realize that Islam played a part.

5. One gets no feeling for why these essayist's are Muslims: why not Jewish, Christian or Buddhist, all of which also concerns about social justice. Even humanists seem to share the significant concerns covered in this book. Pluralism may be fine, but if one has a commitment to Islam, can't one make it clear why and what Islam offers that other ways don't?

6. If you aren't familiar with Islam, you're probably better off reading an introduction to Islam first. Reading the Quran first would be a good step. You might also read a survey of Islamic history, to appreciate how powerful an influence Islam has been. But after reading some other material on Islam and/or the Quran, you may be as disappointed as I was by "Progressive Muslims", which seems to owe more to recent, ineffective and faddish Western intellectual sources.

7. Just because this book doesn't seem to well represent progressive Islamic views and provide some substance, doesn't mean that others don't. Progressive hardly needs to mean postmodern (at least in the sense these essays are postmodern). An American-based Muslim might have significant thoughts on a progressive Islam, but I'll be looking for writers from countries that have been Islamic for centuries, expecting they will have a deeper background in Islam and more constructive insights into what progressive Islam means.

8. Given that the essayists in this book seem well-intentioned, it seems likely that if they would abandon the use of unproductive postmodern forms of argumentation, they could find constructive ways to share their concerns. There has been enough exposure of the weaknesses within postmodernism in recent years that hopefully the essayists will recognize this problem.

Your better off tossing your cash onto a lit stove
I think theres pretty much two themes in this book:

"Hey guys, we are just like you!!Please be our friends!"

Look, I was born and raised in America, and one thing these people (for the most part immigrants) fail to understand is that people here respect a person for being true to themselves.Its called being a man's man.Why do people insist on lying to the American public just out of fear that they won't be accepted?Hey there are things I beleive in that a lot Americans probably won't but it would be spineless of me to drop those beliefs just to impress other people. Come on....this isn't high school.There's a million different viewpoints in this country and thats part of what makes the American experience so great.Hey, to each his own right?I can respect it if it were a book about personal convictions, but it is trying to pass as a book related to broad Islamic acceptance of all these various viewpoints. Islam, though flexible in some respects, is very rigid in other respects (i.e. - killing civilians, homosexuality, alchahol, fornication, etc.)So what do these losers do?They attempt to change the religion (just like Osama tried) just to suit their own agenda. Islam is about GOD'S agenda and how a person who beleives should submit unconditionally to it.


Don't expect this to be a representation of the muslim community in America in general.This is just a small group of pathetic spineless, gutless, friendless people dying for acceptance. I impore the readers here to google an image of the author of this book and see for yourself.


2. "Hey, maybe we can convince people that homosexuality is permissable in Islam"

Get real. It seems that ever since September 11, Islam has been viciously attacked from all angles. Either its homosexual people trying to "reform" the religion so that it accepts homosexuality, or its terrorists finding loopholes to justify terrorism,or its the media making a quick buck off of the public paranoia over Islam.It just never ever ends with these people.




Save your hard-earned money, folks. Gas prices are going up everyday and its quite foolish to spend your money on a book that represents the thoughts of a few hundred muslims (out of the several million in America.

I would think that what the readers here really want to know is accurate, unbiased, unapolagetic information related to Islam and Terrorism.My recommendation:

"Unholy War:Terror in the name of Islam" (John Esposito)


In a nutshell, "I pity da fool" who buys this book.Adios.

progressive minds
i have been meaning to write a little "review" on this for the book lovers ever since i read it a while back. the book brings some intelligent, progressive muslim minds from all over the world-- or so it seems.

the subjects in the book -- from women's own interpretation on the qur'an to compassionate theology towards queer muslims and all in between -- are all, well, lets just say some of us have been waiting for them for so long :-)

i'm glad to have a book that i can now recommend to friends and family about progressive discussions in the muslim community.

in the mean time, i hope some of the non-Muslims who are dying to define us will just let us define who and what progressive muslim is... all by ourselves. thank you.



... Read more

Book Description

This work presents in English translation the largest collection ever assembled of the sayings and stories of Jesus in Arabic Islamic literature. In doing so, it traces a tradition of love and reverence for Jesus that has characterized Islamic thought for more than a thousand years. An invaluable resource for the history of religions, the collection documents how one culture, that of Islam, assimilated the towering religious figure of another, that of Christianity. As such, it is a work of great significance for the understanding of both, and of profound implications for modern-day intersectarian relations and ecumenical dialogue.

Tarif Khalidi's introduction and commentaries place the sayings and stories in their historical context, showing how and why this "gospel" arose and the function it served within Muslim devotion. The Jesus that emerges here is a compelling figure of deep and life-giving spirituality. The sayings and stories, some 300 in number and arranged in chronological order, show us how the image of this Jesus evolved throughout a millennium of Islamic history.

Customer Reviews (11)

A good collection of Jesus' sayings from Islamic sources
This book contains over 300 sayings of Jesus from ancient Islamic sources. One has to remember that Christianity in its original form spread to Arabic areas also, and I think its actually fascinating to get a small glimpse of the Jesus that was preserved up to the present time in those areas. In my opinion most of the sayings in the book refer to the Gnostic Christianity, but many of them are new to gnostics also.

An Excellent Collection
In the Muslim tradition there are many sayings and stories of Jesus which cannot be found elsewhere. Khalidi collects about 300 of these and presents them in a clear translation. The introduction and notes are not very exciting, but they provide a general background to the sayings. Although Khalidi's is the largest collection, Robson's Christ in Islam contains many other sayings and stories, including the stories about Jesus from the Qur'an, and is a good complement to this book.

Islam's reverence
Mr Khalidi brings us a superb and definitive collection of sayings and actions attributed to Jesus in Islamic legend. Sharing with the Gospels a view of Jesus as a paradigm of piety, humility and compassion, this superb collection is spiritually uplifting and informative. Buy this and learn another faith's respect for Christianity's Messiah. Excellent.

Proverbs & Gospels
This is an informative text and can only strengthen your knowledge of Jesus & Islam.There is little comment in the book and some passages will remain a mystery.There are several parallel stories to Gnostic texts in the text.
It shows that Jew-Dao-Christian & Islam are so closely related.Well worth a read for a seeker of understanding & knowledge and some challenges to your view of Jesus Christ.

Peace

Jesus Shines Through
While it is obvious that Islamic writers have co-opted some of Jesus Christ's wisdom and have deliberately tried to recast Christ in an effort to have Him conform to their religion, many of the sayings attributed to Christ are still quite transcendent and, in fact, prophetic. A saying attributed to Jesus Christ in this book clearly rebukes the lies coming from Islamic extremism, it is saying 17, from page 61:

Jesus was asked, "Spirit and Word of God, who is the most seditious of men?" He replied, "The scholar who is in error. If a scholar errs, a host of people will fall into error because of him."

... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent anthology revealing the ideas of Muslim Women
Excellent anthology of essays, poetry, short fiction, and artwork which showcases the voices of Muslim women living in the West. The issues they discuss are far ranging but at the heart they are all questioning their identity and the perception of their identity by the Western media.

An Empowering Book!
This is a great book for anyone who wants to teach or learn about the powerful literary voices of Muslim women. I will certainly teach it next year. Thank you for making this work available to the world. ... Read more

Book Description
A fresh look at the origins and development of Islam, this is a fascinating reconstruction of the formative era of the Muslim community.Using a wealth of classical Arabic sources, it chronicles the lives of the Prophet Muhammad, his Companions, and the subsequent two generations of Muslims, together known as the the Pious Forebears. This accessible book takes a close look at the embryonic Muslim communities and explains the impact of the earliest converts on the development of Islam and its current beliefs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Eloquent, Timely!
This is a fascinating, accessible book for the general reader who wants to know the importance of the Islamic past for contemporary Muslims.Afsaruddin deals with amazing clarity how burning issues like the meanings of jihad, women's rights, and democracy are dealt with by both fundamentalists and modernists as each constructs the past in different ways.Not your typical work of punditry - the author is widely read and grounds her analysis in primary sources, often challenging established stereotypes.Check out p. 127 where the author takes down neo-con Bernard Lewis a peg or two.Highly recommended; eloquently written! ... Read more

Book Description
First published in 1969 as part of a series edited by renowned Islamic scholar Albert Hourani, this book has been the standard source for the history of the revivalist Egyptian movement--the Muslim Brethren up to the time of Nasser. The Muslim Brethren are now well-recognized for their foundational role in the Islamic revival which has now taken on new, and perhaps dangerous, life in recent times. After having been out of print for over a decade, this reissue of the classic work makes it accessible to a new generation of scholars and students interested in the Muslim revival--a group whose numbers have increased dramatically in the past decade. The new paperback edition has a foreword by John Voll, a leading American Islamic scholar, discussing the subsequent history and continued significance of the Muslim Brethren. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A classic
This is the sole book that needs to be read in order to understand the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt from its founding until the 1950's. Richard Mitchell presents a balanced coverage of their history and ideology. It's only limitations is it does not cover modern movements within the brotherhood, but an array of other books do (although they are not all unbiased and balanced like this). This book is definitely the primer for anyone hoping to understand the Muslim Brotherhood. After reading this you can get into books focusing on modern movements of the brotherhood.

dated , interesting, but overcome by recent events
In many ways the examination of the founding of the Brotherhood is a parallel to the founding of Islam itself. What Mohammed actually said about many issues will never really be known since the Koran as we know it today was not written for many decades and even centuries after his death. al-Bannah and the founding of the Brotherhood did not have the problem of contemporaneous recording of what he said, but it most certainly had the problem of what he really meant since there were many who had their own views of what he meant, and became prophets in their own right. Qutb's idiotic rantings in "Milestones" are really an expansion of al-Banna's preachings. It is really almost irrelevant as to who was Socrates or Plato in this relationship since they both rejected modernity in the search for "true Islam". Admittedly the socialist governments in Egypt provided a fertile feeding ground for a demand to return to the "roots" of Islam, even before the British were kicked out, but what the various players in the founding of the Muslim Brothers really intended is as irrelevant as what Marx and Engle's wanted Communism to be; it became what it became, a blight on humanity. From a historical perspective, this is an interesting book since it introduces many of the founding players of the Brotherhood to us. From the perspective of what the Brotherhood has become, and what it has started, it is not really very good since Qutb and his followers such as bin Laden have made it the modern-day equivalent of Nazism, regardless of its original intent. Admittedly Mitchell would not know what the movement would become writing 35 years ago, but it was pretty easy to see where it was headed, and it was much more insidious than Mitchell reports. This is a book worth reading, but it should be done as a companion to many others which have been written since.

First of Its Kind
This work still remains one of the best ever written on modern Islamism; it also happens to be one of the first.John Voll's preface to this reprinted edition is excellent and gives the work its due place in the history of the development of scholarship on Islamism.

Mitchell's work preceded the sensationalism so characteristic of the field today and, therefore, lacks many of the vices present therein today.In particular, one notices his consciousness that he is studying a *religious* group; therefore, his work doesn't suffer from the rampant reductionism that seeks to explain Islamism merely in terms of market fluctuations and changing birthrates.As Richard Mitchell wrote just before his death, "So deeply ingrained is secularism as to make even the most sympathetic observers floundering for meaning in simplistic explanations such as `Mahdism,' `Messianism,' `religious obscurantism,' `fanaticism,' `nativism,' `cover for power grab,' etc.All of these things exist in the Islamic movement.But it would not be a serious movement worthy of our attention were it not, above all, an idea and a personal commitment honestly felt."

Mitchell's works shows how Islamism began as a relatively conservative movement without any explicit aims for revolution at the governmental level.Rather, they desired a religious revolution that was later protracted into a larger arenas of social reform.Political opposition and activism-of the potentially seditious kind-actually came relatively late and in the atmosphere of despotic monarchy.

The books ends with the imprisonment of the Brotherhood by Nasser-ironically after the Brotherhood provided the major popular support for the Free Officers to enter into power-and thereafter the history of the Brotherhood was chronicled mostly by francophone authors such as Olivier Carré and Gilles Kepel.

Objective, direct, accurate: Excellent
In The Society of the Muslim Brothers, Richard P. Mitchell addresses the ideology of the organization. He takes the reader from the birth of the movement that would eventually challenge the Egyptian government to it's greatest and worst moments. He writes with an amazingly objective style, neither apologizing for the members who committed crimes, nor minimalizing the excellent social welfare contributions of Hassan Al-Banna, the leader. Of particular interest in this discussion of dualities is the point made about the dual legal systems. Al-Banna felt that the Western laws "corrupted and perverted the nation's thought, mind and logic."Mitchell's point on this seems to hold vivid clarity in the idea that manmade laws and shari'a are innately incompatible. The inharmonious combination of this dual legal system "served to shatter the `unity' of the nation." Mitchell's writing really catches the essence of a group of people struggling to come to terms with a rapidly changing society in flux in a rapidly changing world. His book was translated into Arabic and Arab scholars agree that his portrayal of this politically powerful religious movement is academically sound.

A classical work on the Muslim Brotherhood from 1928 to 1954
Mitchell's book is obviously dated by now, published in 1969 and has been republished in 1993. At first, I wonder whether it is still worth a reading given that there are a lot more recent works in the field as a result oftheproliferation of literature on the Islamist movements in recentdecades. Having read this book, I must admit that Mitchell's book continuesto be a significant contribution in our understanding of Islamism.

Thebook covers periods of Ikhwan foundation in 1928 till its secondsuppression in 1954. The focus is on Egypt without dealing with variousmanifestations of the movement outside of the country. The book can bedivided into three parts. The first and largest is history of the movement.It sheds interesting light on al-Banna, the founder of the movement, andthe roles the movement played in political events including its attitudetoward the 1952 revolution. The second part deals with the details of theorganizational aspect of the movement while the third part concentrates onits ideology with special reference to its world-view as regards the West,Egypt, capitalism, communism, and Zionism. The final chapter assess theplace of the movement in Egyptian social and political life. The mostimpressive aspect of this study is Mitchell's utilization of the sources.Through his field works in Egypt in 1953-5 Mitchell was able to witness thedevelopment first handand to conduct interviews with many of the Ikhwanmembers and other Egyptians. Furthermore, Mitchell uses Arabic languagesources, including the writings of the prominent figures of the movementsuch as al-Banna and Muhammad al-Ghazali, and Qutb along with the writingsof other Egyptian unconnected with the society as well as Ikhwan's ownpublications and documents. In addition, the author also utilizes Egyptiannewspapers and numerous Western studies on various aspects the subject.

One common (distorted) image of the movement according to the author isassociating Ikhwan with violence. Mitchell dismisses the common viewattributing the movement as revolutionary, and terrorist. Mitchell arguesthat the revolutionary image of the movement is misleading because whateverthe(revolutionary) view of certain groups or members, the leadership had nowish to seize power either in 1948 or 1954. As a matter of fact, Mitchelladds that Al-Banna always emphasized that the movement primary roles wereeducational and to influence the policies of those in power in establishingthe Islamic pattern of behavior in the society rather than to achieve powerfor themselves The revolutionaryimage of the society apparently derivedfrom its semiautonomous "secret apparatus" which advocatedviolence, but this attitude was confined to this group and not theorganization as a whole. In addition, Mitchell argues that tendency towardviolence was not confined to some segments of the Brothers, but it wasalmost a universal tendency in the national politics as a result of disillusionment with parliamentary government which characterized Egyptianpolitics between 1942-1952.

Mitchell also debunks the common viewthat the society was dogmatic, static and reactionary organizationdedicated to restore the seventh century concept of the Muslim state. Hestates that despite its aspiration for the implementation of Islamicprinciples in the society, Ikhwan demonstrated its open-minded attitudetoward the interpretation of Shariah as reflected in their readiness toopen the door of Ijtihad. Although there is a tendency toward Hanbalistrict uncompromising attitude in the movement, the author argues thatthere was also a strong consciousness among the brothers that they werepart of Islamic reformist tradition of Abduh, Afghani, and Ridha and sharedthe same intent of adaptation of Islam to meet modern challenges. As amatter of fact Banna and Hudaybi are depicted as promoting a reformist rolefor the society. The society's dynamic commercial and welfare activitiesand to a lesser degree its effort to form an auxiliary Muslim sister"wing" demonstrate the"modernized" and pragmaticaspect of the society.

The success of the society can be attributedto al-Banna himself, whom Mitchell repeatedly refers to as a charismaticleader. In chapter one, Mitchell provides a brief account of al-Banna'searly years regarding his gifted ability to communicate, to inspire and toinfluence. Furthermore, Mitchell presents considerable amount of evidencethroughout the book demonstrating the charisma in Banna and his "brothers" relationship. However, the death of al-Bannaandascendancy of Hudaybi as the General Guide of the movement posed a seriouschallenge for the movement. Without a charismatic leader and effectiveleadership, the society failed in dealing with problems associated withleadership- succession, discipline, consensus and even the loss of controlover secret apparatus.

My impression from Mitchell's account is thatthe relative success of the movement under Banna can be attributed to theleadership quality. However, the author's treatment of leadership isinadequate; primarily emphasizing the personality of Banna and leaving outthe roles of elite members of the movement such as the Guidance Council andthe Secretariat. In light of my own understanding that a good number ofIkhwan prominent figuresare not (strictly speaking) the graduates ofIslamic studies, It would also be desirable to learn something about thesociety's elite such as their educational training and class background. Inthis regard Mitchell's book is less helpful.

Despite theproliferation of literature on the Islamist movement in recent decades,Mitchell'sbook continues to have a class of its own, especially for thoseaspiring to learn about the development of the movement in Egypt from itsfoundation to 1954. One wish that the author could have also covered theinfluence of the movement outside Egypt, most notably in Palestine, Jordanand Syria. ... Read more

Book Description
Historically, Christians have taken a confrontational or missionary approach toward Islam, leading many Muslims to identify Christianity with the cultural prejudices of Westerners. On the individual level, Christ-followers within Islam have traditionally been encouraged by Christians to break away from their Muslim communities. Chandler boldly explores how these two major religions--which share much common heritage-can not only co-exist, but also enrich each other. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Innovative, readable and timely
Reviewed by Linda Benninghoff for Reader Views (10/07)

In "Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road," Paul Gordon Chandler is writing a book that may help bridge the gap between Eastern and Western faiths--using the life-story of Mazhar Mahlhoui, a novelist who grew up a Sufi in Syria, but who became a follower of Christ, whose novels interpret Christianity in a way to make it understandable and acceptable to Muslims.Gordon heightens the difference between true and false Christianity, and outlines the difficulties of Muslims who embrace the way of Christ.

When Mazhar first comes to believe in Christ, his family rejects him.His uncle tries to kill him.What Mazhar has done seems unthinkable, a rejection of their way of life.Christianity has become associated with the west for Arabs, and the West's attempts to achieve hegemony.Western Christianity is not the same as the way of life practiced by Christ--and too often is accompanied by materialism and violence toward Arabs. Mazhar feels that the Bible is a book of Eastern culture, and can be better understood from that point of view.

After Mazhar leaves Syria he makes a long pilgrimage through various countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, the U.S. (where he is educated and marries) and eventually settles in Beirut.When he attempts to return to Syria he is put in jail and deported.He does see his family, and they accept him.His attitude toward the Muslim faith is by now less hostile and his family welcomes him.

The book clearly demonstrates the hostility of Arabs toward Christians, although Christ is recognized as a prophet by Mohammedans.Western violence and dominance in the Middle East seems to have turned Arabs completely against Christianity.The book suggests Ghandi was a true Christian, although he did not convert, but was a follower of the life of Christ.Mazhar, who attempts to share his Christianity with the Muslim world, also figures as a true Christian facing many life-threatening situations in the pursuit of his faith.

While Mazhar and his community retain their Muslim culture but follow the life of Christ, this will not be easy for all Muslims.Yet it is up to the west to reexamine its attitudes toward Muslims and to rethink its own Christianity.What is the true Christianity?"Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road" helps answer that question.Innovative, readable and timely, it also suggests a way that East and West can be bridged.

Jesus in an eastern robe...
I'm glad to say that I know Mazhar, the focus of this biography/study/journey. When I first heard that Paul-Gordon Chandler was writing this book, I was concerned that it would be hagiography rather than a realistic portrait.However, as I read this book I found myself nodding at the portrayal, remembering many of Mazhar's challenging sayings and enlightening stories that Chandler reports.There is plenty of detail here that fills in things I was unaware of from Mazhar's past.But the overall picture is clear, the picture of a devotee, "a lover of God" on the path of Christ, seeking to live out his life in true freedom in spite of the misunderstandings of some of those around him.

There are readers who may misunderstand the picture being presented here, seeing it as a universalist, everyone-will-go-to-heaven sort of thing. Mazhar is very clear in presenting the incredible value of knowing Jesus as Messiah and Lord, and following him through the joys and challenges of life.He is also strongly committed to his Arab Muslim culture and civilization.Some Westerners will find it hard