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Customer Reviews (7)

Reaching Muslims for Christ
This book is very informative and helpful in understanding more about what Muslims believe and how we can try to relate to our Muslim brothers and sisters.I highly recommend this book.

Christian Outreach to Muslims--From a Pro!
William Saal writes from years of experience as U.S. Director of the very excellent Arab World Ministries (AWM), and it shows in both its tone (respectful, compassionate) and its insights.Besides the information chapters, there's the how-to section on communicating with Muslims, which evaluates 3 approaches:knock it down, build upon it, or walk around it.Misunderstandings are analyzed, such as Islamic and Christian use of the same words but with different meanings.Though primarily an evangelistic resource for Christians (like myself) who love Muslims, this book should also be helpful to the nonChristian interested in Islam.One thing that really struck me, considering the subject matter, was this book's kindness, the lack of any hint of us-versus-them, much less ridicule orindignation.(For evangelical Christians hesitant to buy a book from an unfamiliar author, note the publisher is Moody, "The Name You Can Trust," and that AWM has been around for 125 years!)

good book for beginning to understand Muslims
This book is very good at detailing some of the misconceptions Muslims have about the Christian faith, and then showing the fallacies in their concepts. One of the major concepts that Muslims have is that many of them think that the Trinity, when used by Christians, refers to the father Joseph, the mother Mary, and the child Jesus. That is one of the reasons they consider the Christian faith to be heretical. They do not understand that when orthodox Christians talk about the Trinity, Mary and Joseph aren't even in the picture, and that Mary was only a vehicle that God used to become incarnate, the second person of the one God clothed in human form. There are many other misconceptions also, but you need to read the book.
This book does try to refute some of these misconceptions, and it is very helpful in educating others as to the common misplaced notions about the Christian faith by Muslims. However, as a witnessing tool, another book is much better, "Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims" by Ron Rhodes, where there are some actual witnessing questions a person can ask, that cuts "right to the quick" of the matter, instead of getting bogged down.
To be fair, this book was very helpful in educating me as to some of the misconceptions of Muslims, and I would recommend it more as an educational tool for private reading by non-Muslims (and Muslims, too, although it is written for a Christian audience). There are questions in the appendix of the book for study, but the questions are meant more for study for Christians for educating them about the differences between Islam and Christianity, unlike "Reasoning". Buy this book as for your own education on Muslims, as I did.
Another book that I would recommend for private Christian study is "Answering Islam", if you want a deep, thorough theological read.

Great Resource:For Information or for Ministry
As a person who has a "special" heart toward those of the Muslim faith, I found this book to be an excellent resource.Rather than spending a lot of time explaining the basics of Islam, the book dives right into the more in-depth issues such as understanding the Muslim worldview and how terminology/thoughts/concepts have totally different meanings to Christians and Muslims.

This book is best understood by someone has already spent some time in dialoguing with Muslims.It helps the Christian to understand the problems in communication between us both.Unlike many other books, at no time do the authors go into a "bashing" session of Islam, but present it as fairly and accurately as possible.They DO NOT hide the fact that they do not believe Islam to be "the true religion", but they do not disparage Muslims as a whole or their prophet.

Questions for reflection & meditation are at the end of each chapter which are very useful in preparation for ministry to Muslims and an extensive list of sources is given in the book, as well, for further study.

Overall well-written and very informative.

Christ for Christians
I think a more accurate title may be "Muslims reaching Christians".

Haven't we been this direction before?After 1400 years of the Islamic doctrine, we should all be a little more informed that Christ (Messiah) is ALREADY known and revered by Muslims thru-out the world.In fact, Jesus has been around for Islam long before the evangelical right discovered him.

The author does little to enhance Christian intellect.May he also be reminded that Jesus had "other sheep" which "are not of (their) the fold". ... Read more

Product Description
"This is an excellent collection of essays on youth in a number of Muslim majority (and minority) societies in the context of globalization and modernity. A particular strength of this volume is its ability to highlight the multiple and contested roles of religion and personal faith in the fashioning of contemporary youthful Muslim identities. Such insights often challenge secular Western master narratives of modernity and suggest credible reconceptualizations of what it means to be young and modern in a broad swath of the world today."

-- Asma Afsaruddin, Professor of Islamic Studies, Indiana University

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of interest in youth issues and Muslim youth in particular. Young Muslims have been thrust into the global spotlight in relation to questions about security and extremism, work and migration, and rights and citizenship. This book interrogates the cultures and politics of Muslim youth in the global South and North to understand their trajectories, conditions, and choices. Drawing on wide-ranging research from Indonesia to Iran and Germany to the U.S., it shows that while the majority of young Muslims share many common social, political, and economic challenges, they exhibit remarkably diverse responses to them. Far from being "exceptional," young Muslims often have as much in common with their non-Muslim global generational counterparts as they share among themselves. As they migrate, forge networks, innovate in the arts, master the tools of new media, and assert themselves in the public sphere, Muslim youth have emerged as important cultural and political actors on a world stage. ... Read more

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Yasmeen, a seven-year-old Pakistani-American girl, celebrates the Muslim holidays of Ramadan, "The Night of the Moon" (Chaand Raat), and Eid. With lush illustrations that evoke Islamic art, this beautiful story offers a window into modern Muslim culture—and into the ancient roots from within its traditions have grown. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

The Night of the Moon
This is a charming story about the celebrations of Ramadan and brings into focus the universality of all fairh traditions.We read it aloud to our young people during church service to increase their understandings of Islam, an often misunderstood faith. This wonderful story should be a part of any library for those who want their children to understand and respect the spiritual pathways of others, as well as those who are Muslim.

South Asian Muslim observances beautifully depicted
The phrase "Night of the Moon" has more to do with a uniquely south asian tradition on the last night of Ramadan, which is the application of henna and purchase of girls' glass bangles for the next day's Eid celebrations.

However, this book does an excellent job of describing the entire month of Ramadan's events leading up to the last "Night of the Moon". It is a clear introduction to Ramadan and a family's way of life during that period.

Unfortunately it does not help the non-muslim reader distinguish clearly the differences between a "cultural" tradition (the Night of the Moon) - which Muslims may or may not observe depending on the region they are from - and a "religious" tradition (e.g. the Night of Power - an Islamic holy night - and the Eid day which all Muslims observe).

The story progresses smoothly.

The artwork is unique.

The book is a definite collectible.

Reading level: grades 1-4

Beautiful book, very well written - great for reading aloud to your kids' class to commemorate Eid
I have an autographed copy, which makes it so much more personal. That aside, this is a beautiful and very well written book. I bought the last 2 copies in our local kids store, and will get a couple more for my kids' library at school.

From a Persian-Indian-American-Muslim-Hindu-Unitarian Household
One of the best picture book on religion/culture/tradition I've seen.
Captivates young and older reader alike.
Illustrations as well as text/info draw you in and invite you to ask questions.
So glad our library brought it our attention.
I wish I could find one so inviting on No Rouz.

Wonderful story
"Night of the Moon" is a delightful story about how a Pakistani-American girl celebrates Ramadan and Eid with her family and community. I bought the book to help teach my children about the holidays of another religion (we are Jewish).The book gave my children and me a much better understanding of how Ramadan and Eid are celebrated and what the holidays mean to people.The book portrays the holidays in such a warm and caring way that when we finished reading my four year old wanted to celebrate it too. At one point, the story describes how the family eats their favorite foods when breaking the fast.Hearing that, my son said "I REALLY like Ramadan."I told him that we could each pick a favorite food to break the fast on Yom Kippur, which we did, so the book inspired a new family tradition in our house. My children also enjoyed how the book describes the changing stages of the moon over the month of Ramadan.At the end, the book says the moon looked like it was drawn in the sky with chalk.My son was very interested in this imagery and asked if he could ever see the moon when it looked that way. The pictures in the book are bright and colorful and very appealing to a child's eye.I highly recommend this book for children of all faiths who are interested in learning more about Ramadan and Eid.
... Read more

Product Description
"I have been able to follow a Bosnian community over a period of six years, during which it has undergone dramatic changes. In the late 1980s people were working hard against economic crisis. In 1990 they were full of optimism for the future. In January 1993 the village was in fear, surrounded by war on all sides. In April 1993 it was attacked by Croat forces. In October 1993 none of the Muslims in the village remained. They had either fled, been placed in detention camps, or been killed."

Thus begins Tone Bringa's moving ethnographic account of Bosnian Muslims' lives in a rural village located near Sarajevo. Although they represent a majority of the population in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Muslims are still members of a minority culture in the region that was once Yugoslavia. The question of ethno- national identity has become paramount in this society, and the author focuses on religion as the defining characteristic of identity. Bringa pays particular attention to the roles that women play in defining Muslim identities, and she examines the importance of the household as a Muslim identity sphere. In so doing, she illuminates larger issues of what constitutes "nationality."

This is a gripping and heartfelt account of a community that has been torn apart by ethno-political conflict. It will attract readers of all backgrounds who want to learn more about one of the most intractable wars of the late twentieth century and the people who have been so tragically affected. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent description of Bosnian Muslims
Over the past three years I've become close to a Bosnian Muslim extended family living in Central Texas. This past summer I was invited to spent almost 3 weeks in the Sanski Most area. About two years ago I read this book, and it has been invaluable in helping me understand customs practiced in Bosnia, and to some extent practiced in the U.S. when practical. I gave the book to one of the youth who is having a problem adjusting to U.S. life. She found some solace in having a snapshot of a life she never fully lived as she had to leave when she was 7 years old. The book is well written, engaging, and more importantly, reflects the life of these rural Muslim Bosnians very accurately.

an extremely useful work
Bringa provides here a very readable and accessible discussion of identity boundaries in a mixed Muslim/Catholic village during the period directly before the Bosnian War. Her chapter on the history and historiography of Bosnian identity is, I think, the best piece available on the subject. Her treatment of local culture and local boundaries is warmly written and scholarly... in the best tradition of anthropological literature.
I have used this course in an undergraduate seminar I taught to very good effect. The students enjoyed the book and seemed to get a lot out of it.

This book is not a primer on the Bosnian War, nor does it attempt to make a global explanation for why that war occurred. It is however a tremendous resource on Bosnian Muslim culture and a very important contribution to the literature on identity and cultural boundaries. For those interested in such issues, I can give this work a very strong recommendation.

A unique book that is well worth reading
Filled with observation of the Muslim and (to a lesser extent) Croat culture of a typical mixed Muslim-Croat village in central Bosnia. The author, a Norwegian anthropologist, had done fieldwork in Bosnia-Hercegovina during the five years preceding the 1992-1995 wars. She wrote the book during those wars and after the village that she had studied had been destroyed. Well worth reading.(I discovered Bringa as I was writing Untangling Bosnia and Hercegovina, a book about post-war Bosnia and Hercegovina.I found her book to be an absolutely unique and valuable resource.)

An excellent case study of interethnic relations
Bringa, a lecturer of social anthropology at Bergen University of Norway, conducted extensive fieldwork over a period of six years in a mixed Croat-Muslim village in Central Bosnia. Through careful ethnography she has observed the ways in which such concepts as "ethnos", "nation", and "religion" were understood by, and effected the Bosnians with whom she studied. She demonstrates the complexities of interethnic relations on a micro-level. This study helps question overarching theories of nationalism, which exaggerate the difference between different nations. This study is detailed, well-researched and well-written. Despite its detail, it can be highly recommended for anybody working on or interested in Bosnia, former Yugoslavia and interethnic relations. ... Read more

Product Description

World events won’t let North Americans ignore Muslims anymore. Whether those Muslims are villagers in Iraq or neighbors down the street, Breaking the Islam Code offers everyday Christians profound insight into the way Muslims think and feel.

J.D. Greear’s ability to communicate challenging heart truth, plus his expertise in Christian and Islamic theology and two years’ experience in a Muslim-dominated area, make him the perfect author for this empowering, insightful, reader-friendly book. It transcends traditional apologetics, focusing on helping Christians

• understand what is deep in Muslims’ hearts, behind their theology—which will lead to friendship and effective communication of the gospel
• respectfully turn many of the primary objections into opportunities to share the faith
• avoid unnecessarily offending Muslims they’re interacting with

Readers will be excited that sharing Christ with Muslims is something they can do—as everyday Christians in their own cities, campuses, and workplaces.

Customer Reviews (5)

Good read
Dr. Greear does a magnificent job of intertwining his academic study of church fathers, Christian theology, and Islamic theology, as well as his personal experiences living in a Muslim community in "Breaking the Islamic Code".The book is incredibly readable as JD uses common vernacular to explain deep and complex issues relating to what Muslims believe and how they can engage with the historical Jesus.Greear's stories and practical analogies help convey the similarities and differences in the two major monotheistic religions (Christianity and Islam) beyond the intellect.He shares key insights Christians should know as they engage with Muslims in topics such as Muslim felt needs, how the gospel can fulfill those needs and common misconceptions. Some highlights of the book I especially appreciated were the emphases of the bible and holy spirit in bringing people into his kingdom his approach of seeking transformation and renewal instead of "conversion".A novice or expert will find this book knowledgeable, enjoyable as well as challenging. A great read!

Good Overview, but....
1. What I liked...
In general, I'd agree with the positive reviews written about this book. It provides a comprehensive overview of Islam, while providing some ways to healthily respond and engage with our Muslim friends and neighbors. It really is a good introduction if you've not read anything on the subject before.

2. Some questions marks...
I wish I had read the back cover. In general, I like to read books by people who have considerable experience. The back cover says that J.D. 'lived and worked for two years among Muslims in Southeast Asia before studying Christian and Islamic theology.' While the book provides a good overview and is a good resource, I wish it had come from someone who had more experience.

I also think providing a critique for the C-5 and C-6 movements is not appropriate for a book like this. I realize I'm wading into church politics, but I found the critique of C5/C6 movements on the whole to be overly simplistic, especially when criticizing the Camel method. Greeson, who authored the book called The Camel Method, has been on the field in South East Asia for over 40 years doing evangelism and church planting with a considerable amount of success. I'm a practitioner in this field and I've found the Camel Method to be very helpful in starting conversations with my Muslim friends and I wouldn't consider myself someone who advocates C5 or C6 practices.

Wonderful Resource
"Breaking the Islam Code is a wonderfully helpful book for anyone who wants to understand their Muslim neighbors and to communicate the gospel to them in a winsome and accurate manner. Dr. Greear uses his personal experience with Muslims to provide the reader keen insight into Islamic theology, as well as the common misunderstandings and objections that many Muslims have with the Christian message. His book is a needed addition to the ongoing conversation about the relationship between Islam and Christianity because it helps the reader to view Muslims as people for whom Jesus died, and for whom the Gospel is indeed the `pearl of great price.'"
--D. Scott Hildreth, Director, Lewis A. Drummond Center for Great Commission Studies, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

I was very touched by the author's story
Scripture tells us that we are to go into the world making disciples. It also tells us that the only way to the Father is through the Son. If we are to fulfill our mission we must reach out to all people; this includes Muslims. To reach Muslims we must understand their beliefs and why they believe. We must reach out to them in love. "Breaking The Islam Code" offers insight into the beliefs and life of Muslims.

This book is easy to read and understand, yet this is more than surface information. I was very touched by the author's story. My first thoughts were "we must make them our friend if we want them to hear us." Sometimes our actions speak louder than words.

Foundational
JD's book is very easy to read and understand but it is very deep and informative.If you have any desire to understand the Islamic faith or minister to Muslims this is a book you need to read.I underlined something on virtually every page.It is both informative and inspirational.I am praying that I will be able to apply the truths very, very soon.I loved Timothy George's "Is the Father of Jesus the God of Mohammed" and I rate this book as highly.I am already looking forward to JD's next book. ... Read more

Product Description
Elijah Muhammad's Nation of Islam came to America's attention in the 1960s and 1970s as a radical separatist African American social and political group. But the movement was also a religious one. Edward E. Curtis IV offers the first comprehensive examination of the Nation of Islam's rituals, ethics, theologies, and religious narratives, showing how the movement combined elements of Afro-Eurasian Islamic traditions with African American traditions to create a new form of Islamic faith.

Considering everything from bean pies to religious cartoons, clothing styles to prayer rituals, Curtis explains how the practice of Islam in the movement included the disciplining and purifying of the black body, the reorientation of African American historical consciousness toward the Muslim world, an engagement with both mainstream Islamic texts and the prophecies of Elijah Muhammad, and the development of a holistic approach to political, religious, and social liberation. Curtis's analysis pushes beyond essentialist ideas about what it means to be Muslim and promotes a view of the importance of local processes in identity formation and appropriations of Islamic traditions. ... Read more

Product Description

This book is the first systematic attempt to study the situation of European and American Muslims after 9/11, and to present a comprehensive analysis of their religious, political, and legal situations.

Since 9/11, and particularly since the Madrid and London bombings of 2004 and 2005, the Muslim presence in Europe and the United States has become a major political concern. Many have raised questions regarding potential links between Western Muslims, radical Islam, and terrorism. Whatever the justification of such concerns, it is insufficient to address the subject of Muslims in the West from an exclusively counter-terrorist perspective. Based on empirical studies of Muslims in the US and Western Europe, this edited volume posits the situation of Muslim minorities in a broader reflection on the status of liberalism in Western foreign policies. It also explores the changes in immigration policies, multiculturalism and secularism that have been shaped by the new international context of the ‘war on terror’.

This book will be of great interest to students of Critical Security Studies, Islamic Studies, Sociology and Political Science in general.

Jocelyne Cesari is an Associate at Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies and the Center for European Studies, teaching at Harvard Divinity School and the Government Department, specializing in Islam and the Middle East.

Product Description
From reviews of the first edition:

"[An] extremely interesting and innovative study which, in its own way, successfully challenges the pervasive misperception of the Middle East simply as a conflict-prone region."--Journal of Islamic Studies

". . . provides useful background reading for introductory courses to everyday history of the Middle East."--Journal of Palestine Studies

" . . . presents a grassroots look at what it is like to actually live in the Muslim Middle East . . . from Aghanistan and Iran to Morocco.[It] shows how religion is an important part, but not the sole part, of these people's lives."--Middle East Insight

Newly revised and updated to reflect recent changes in Middle East politics and society, the 35 stories, poems, and essays in this anthology will engage students and scholars of this vast and complex region. ... Read more

Product Description
Islam is Americas fastest growing religion, with more than six million Muslims in the United States, all living in the shadow of 9/11. Who are our Muslim neighbors? What are their beliefs and desires? How are they coping with life under the War on Terror?
In Mecca and Main Street, noted author and journalist Geneive Abdo offers illuminating answers to these questions. Gaining unprecedented access to Muslim communities in America, she traveled across the country, visiting schools, mosques, Islamic centers, radio stations, and homes. She reveals a community tired of being judged by American perceptions of Muslims overseas and eager to tell their own stories.Abdo brings these stories vividly to life, allowing us to hear their own voices and inviting us to understand their hopes and their fears.
Inspiring, insightful, tough-minded, and even-handed, this book will appeal to those curious (or fearful) about the Muslim presence in America. It will also be warmly welcomed by the Muslim community. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Not a Comprehensive View - not even Close.
While this book does offer an interesting look into the Muslim community in Chicago, especially the generational divide, this book should *not* be considered comprehensive. It is, at best, a very introductory look into the Muslim communities within the USA.Ms. Abdo focuses solely on the Chicago Muslim community at the exclusion of the many varied Muslim communities throughout the United States.

Case in point: African American Muslims.When I began the book, I thought that Ms. Abdo was biased against African American Muslims. She portrays them as backward, unorthodox heretics that have little to offer to the wider ummah. I later realized that this is actually a by-product of her very poor sample; as someone who works with the West Philadelphia Muslim community, I can tell a prospective reader that not all black Muslims in America are throwbacks to the Nation of Islam, though Ms. Abdo would have you believe this. She devotes a chapter to the Latino Muslim Community (about 75k people) at the direct exclusion of the Black Muslim community, and explains why: "Despite the far greater number of African American converts [to Islam], I have chosen to write about the conversions of Latinos. I think the reasons they are converting - their attraction to the intellectual nature of Islam and their disillusionment with religions they feel are guided by blind faith - reflect powerful global trends that will continue, even accelerate, in the foreseeable future. African Americans, on the other hand, have converted for reasons that are particular to their history in America, often as recourse against their discrimination at the hands of white society" (176). Ms. Abdo apparently sees the Latino community as more intellectually inclined in terms of religion.She justifies this by saying that black converts begin their conversion process in prison, but does not mention that black *males* are incarcerated at an incredibly high rate, usually because of a lack of opportunity and education. Black females are also converts, but they are not mentioned in the chapter on feminist Islam. I find this statement and others slightly disturbing.

The beauty of Islam is how it can adapt to its surroundings, both in praxis and in substance, especially over wide geographical divides. One need look no further than Muslims on the fringes (Berber, Malaysian or Chinese Muslims, for example) to see examples of this. Ms. Abdo would have benefited from putting more effort into her examination of American Muslims in all their manifestations, white or black, rich or poor. The fact that this book passes itself off as a layman's guide to Muslim life in the United States excuses the lack of detail, but only to an extent; simultaneously, a layman would not understand the great diversity ofIslam within the United States. Go elsewhere if you're looking for that.

Much needed addition to the body of books about Islam
Because of the short sighted view of Muslims presented on, say, the evening news, far too many Americans are unaware of the diversity of the ummah
in this society. Mecca and Main Street provides a substantive glimpse of the aforementioned, and does so in a compelling fashion.

Best yet on American Muslims since 9-11
A previous study of "American Muslims" sketched examples simplified as an American reporter largely ignorant of Islam and Arabic and an outsider was not a bad introduction. Abdo ads knowlege of Arabic, years living in Egypt studying Islamist parties, and in Iran wearing Chador has much better depth and understanding and is better organized to analyse the issues anong Muslims: not just ptofiling and persecution, but also generational conflict, multicultul Islam developing from the universities, dealing with the real social and personal issues wihin the community itself. Better understanding the role of women and differences from integration in the US versus Europe are clarified. We still don't have a thorough study by a Muslim but the knowlege and empathy here achieves much credibility. Should be read and discussesd by interested Americans including student and Mosque reading groups.

She deserves lots of credit
It is seldom seen that a non-muslim has to say anything positive about muslims, specially in the Unites States. Lot of credit goes to Ms. Abdo for her fair and balanced view of Muslim life in America. Americans really need to open up their hearts and minds about muslims and stop judging through a tainted glass of hate and right wing brain washing. Don't judge the whole muslim "umma" due to the actions of 0.000001 %fanatics who think they are doing it in the name of religion.
The only complaint I have is that she didn't discuss much about muslims in America from the Indo-Pak sub continent, as they make up a substantial number in this country.

Mildly interesting.
If Abdo wrote this book to increase non-Muslims understanding of, and empathy towards, American Muslims, her work is hardly a resounding success. Why would young people growing up in a free country want some religious figure to tell them how to organize the minute details of their lives: how much to sleep, what to eat, what to watch on TV? Reading this book made me wonder whether the differences between Muslims, Christians, and secular Americans aren't insurmountable after all. Abdo doesn't deal with the most pressing issues that non-Muslims have with Islam, but does provide a history of Muslims in America. Somewhat illuminating, but not a page turner. ... Read more

Product Description
In an era when the relationship between Islam and the West seems mainly defined by mistrust and misunderstanding, it is important to remember that for centuries Muslim civilization was the envy of the world. Lost History fills a significant void and is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the major the early Muslims played in influencing modern society.

Morgan reveals how early Muslim advancements in science and culture laid the cornerstones of the European Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and modern Western society. As he chronicles the Golden Ages of Islam, beginning in A.D. 570 with the birth of Muhammad, and resonating today, he introduces scholars like Ibn Al-Haytham, Ibn Sina, Al-Tusi, Al-Khwarizmi, and Omar Khayyam, towering figures who revolutionized the mathematics, astronomy, and medicine of their time and paved the way for Newton, Copernicus, and many others. And he reminds us that inspired leaders from Muhammad to Suleiman the Magnificent and beyond championed religious tolerance, encouraged intellectual inquiry, and sponsored artistic, architectural, and literary works that still dazzle us with their brilliance. Lost History finally affords pioneering leaders with the proper credit and respect they so richly deserve. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

A good introduction to the influence of the Muslim civilization on today's world
Michael Morgan has definitely done an extensive research when he wrote this book. Indeed, in today's turbulent world this book has more imporatance than ever. The notion that Muslims were and are a backward civilization who had not contributed anything good is a false and dangerous belief. When history is lost, so do our understanding of each other. As stated in this book, the Muslim civilization had translated thousands of previous civilizations work, innovated countless technological innovations and contributed to fields of science, starting from math and physics to ethics and economy. Cordoba, Cairo and Baghdad were considered "the intellectual center of the world" that attracted scientists from all over the globe. Universities, libraries and observatories were established in the Islamic world to contribute to its advancement in science and technology.

The only criticism I have is that the book has focused around two thirds of it on the expansion of the Muslim conquest. Only a third of the book talks about the scientists, artists and thinkers of that civilization. Regardless, it is still a very valuable book that I will probably read again.

Much Needed
I came across this book by chance, but read it with much interest. It's not academic and might not be suitable for people who are well-read in history or trying to accumulate facts.

It offers history lessons in a nice and attractive way. Showing at any point in time, the debates that took place, different parties involved, the location where this took place (great description of Baghdad for example as the most sophisticated city on earth at that time). Hence giving a comprehensive picture of the civilization at that time. Something rarely done with students even in the region where much of this history originates.

The book also demonstrates that the age under study was not only about some scientific and technical achievements with some literature that was all unrelated. It demonstrates that this was a true civilization with the full sophistication expected from people who played their role with great responsibility in leading the human civilization for hundreds of years.

It is great also to see that in many occasions the achievement was not only in science, literature or art. The great victory was philosophical! .. the debate between rationalist and traditionalists. That contradiction between science and religion was not to be avioded, needed, and understood considering the lack of complete understanding of either, and that it not only should be allowed, but it's a basis for continuous debate which was needed. An interesting example was Al-Khwarizmi's mathematics work presented as a great human philosophical achievement that is taken now for granted and went largely un-challenged for hundreds of years.

Again, even if this is not an academic reference, it does a great job education people who have interest in that period or the region. It works well as a list of the people who you would like to read about, or read their work.

It's extremely needed for general education. Even in an area where this history originates, students are not offered a multi-angle view of how politics, religion, culture, science, wars, geography and other aspects intertwined to create something great. It's equally needed at this time to answer those who promote that some cultures are inferior, and some religions are just uncivilized.

Finally, the book doesn't answer 'what went wrong?' and why did it end?'.. but who can provide a short answer?! .. many things went wrong and clearly the book offers a narrow explanation. It would be great to follow the thread of these thoughts; study all the things that were the critical ingredients of success and see what happened ot them along the way. A debate largely abscent in a serious shape.

All in all, a book badly needed at this time, presented in a light approach and offers a very interesting picture making it easier for us to teach the new generation to read the good and bad about their history. Also, to ask more questions and try to go and find answers elsewhere ... exactly what people at that age have done. 4 stars.

Good Facts but Poorly Embellished and Interpreted
This author was at his best when he trusted the reader and allowed the facts to speak for themselves, as in the earlier parts of the book where he describes the many achievements of the Moslem golden age.Only there did we also learn what contributed to the demise of that golden era: the hubris of the ruling classes and a veering away from democratic freedoms of expression and thought, suppressed by a rigidity of religious orthodoxy, and thus the eventual ascendancy of the West and Christianity, which, as rigid as it too was, nevertheless, proved to be much more flexible.

His attempt to bring this all alive as a didactic exercise for his own kids and a teachable experience for school children more generally, left me cold, because not only was the author forced to stray away from the facts but also had to add in his own post hoc interpretations. Perhaps it is as he suggested, but during these times when Christians and Moslems have so little trust of each other, better to stick to the facts and leave the interpretations for later. Plus there are some adults in his audience, who resent being "talked down to."

All in all we got his larger point without the foray into his self-styled history lesson: that cultures are always the result of cross-fertilization and inbreeding, and never due to some imagined notion of cultural superiority or inferiority. It is indeed a multi millennial (and always an ongoing) exchange of ideas. Three stars

Overblown and fanciful
I don't mind history light and there's a refreshing approach to the writijng of history and science these days that makes it more accessible to non-scholars. Morgan, however, has gone so over the top in a blend of fantasy and fact, it's no longer history. His writing is also overblown and fanciful to the point of irritation. I can't finish it. Frankly, I think he'd be better off writing travel books.

Excellent treatise of Muslim scientist, thinkers, and artists
I was captivated by reading this book, as if I'm taken back to times and living those moments. The book not only outlined the Muslim accomplishments but provided insight into the conspiracies and politics of the times. ... Read more

Product Description
Kaltner presents Islam as first and foremost a religion of orthopraxis, a set of prescribed practices - the five pillars of Islam. Showing the deep humanism of Islam and its most cherished commitments, Kaltner presents Islam through assertions that counter frequent misconceptions of the faith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Western Misconceptions About Islam Swept Away
The sub-title of this book, "What Non-Muslims Should Know" is what captured my attention.In the post-9/11 world where tolerance is threatened and there seems to be pervasive hatred simmering for what we don't understand, author Kaltner supplies what he promises.He provides a perspective that dwells on what Islam means, and has meant, historically to its followers and its place politically to the present."Questions for Discussion" are included after each of the six chapters, making it useful as a textbook as well as a way to dwell on the material.I found "Islam" enlightening and would recommend it highly.

Good for introduction
This is not a bad choice although I would rather prefer "Idiot's guide to Understanding Islam." by Emerick. It is an excellent book for non-Muslims.

Secondly, contrary to the review made below, Islam did abolish slavery using a very clever system. It did not suddenly prohibit slavery since the Quran is a very realistic book. It would be extremely difficult to abolish all slavery at once. Therefore, the Quranin a brilliant maneuver gradually abolished it by giving mothers and thier new born children complete freedom. BY this, little by little, slavery was soon abolished and those Muslims who chose to enslave were clearly against the laws.

Critics tend to act as if the Bible itself stictly forbids slavery. The Quran treats freeing a slave as one of the best deeds to do in one's life. Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) and his companion, Abu Bakr, used thier own money to buy slaves and then subsequently free them.

This idea that "oh Islam encourages slavery" is just another misconception intentionally brought out by self-centered egomaniacs who are hellbent on distorting the truth.

Anyway getting back to the book. It does feature some important aspects of Islam. But doubt whether this, of all books, would be the most recommended. Get either "The complete idiot's guide to Understand Islam" or "Islam: The straight path" by John Esposito.

Great book for those with no Islamic background.
I took Professor Kaltner's Intro. to Islam class at Rhodes College.We used this text as brief overview of the Islamic faith and practices.This book would be very enlightening for those who have little or no knowledge of Islam and the Islamic way of life.

Omits a discussion of slavery and wife beating
The good professor omits a discussion of the passages in the Koran that give men control over women's lives and authorizes wife beating.He also omits any discussion of the Koranic privilege granted to Muslim men to marry as many as four wives and to sexually exploit any slaves he may own.Given the ease of divorce for men and the granting of nearly all post divorce rights to men, men have almost total sexual license, all approved by Islam.Lastly, slavery is as Koranic as daily prayers.The movement to ban slavery world wide began with Wilberforce, an English Christian.This movement was resisted by the Muslim east which permitted legal slavery through 1968 in Saudi Arabia and 1964 in Bahrain.Outside of Sufism, Muslim religion is one of abject and unthinking obedience to minute rulings on ordinary parts of life, clothing, hair, dress, eating and sleeping and washing customs. ... Read more

Product Description

Not since the Crusades of the Middle Ages has Islam evoked the degree of fear, hostility, and ethnic and religious stereotyping that is evident throughout Western culture today. As conflicts continue to proliferate around the globe, the perception of a colossal, unyielding, and unavoidable struggle between Islam and the West has intensified. These numerous conflicts, both actual and ideological, have revived fears of an ongoing "clash of civilizations" -- an intractable and irreconcilable conflict of values between Western cultures and an Islam that is portrayed as hostile and alien.

The New Crusades takes head-on the idea of an emergent "Cold War" between Islam and the West. It explores the historical, political, and institutional forces that have raised the specter of a threatening and monolithic Muslim enemy and provides a nuanced critique of much received wisdom on the topic, particularly the "clash of civilizations" theory. Bringing together twelve of the most influential thinkers in Middle Eastern and religious studies -- including Edward Said, Roy Mottahedeh, and Fatema Mernissi -- this timely collection confronts such depictions of the Arab-Islamic world, showing their inner workings and how they both empower and shield from scrutiny Islamic radicals who operate from similar paradigms of inevitable and absolute conflict.

Customer Reviews (6)

A must-read
As someone who is sick of the likes of Robert Spencer peddling fearmongering propaganda, this book is a breath of fresh air. If you have even a passing interest in Islam and its relationship with the West, read this book.

Nice Muslims
Muslims is nice.Don't smite me, please.I am good on Islam, yes?I vote 5 stars for this nice nice book!

An average book
The book is ok.Its well written, and raises some valid points, however the issue is presented almost totally in an 'America-vs-Islam' context.The main conflicts Qureshi deals with involve post 9-11 America v certain parts of the Middle East and Israel-Palestine.

Qureshi has missed a major oppertunity to investigate other conflicts which involve Islam.Why does he not discuss Kashmir, Chechnya, Southern Thailand, Timor, Ughur/Western China?All of these conflicts have a religous dimension to them, and all of them are often talked about by Radical Jihadists, yet none of them really involve the US or Israel.His lack of attention to this means his book has just become another generic study which simplifies the whole issue.

Overall it is an ok book, and from an academic point of view it does provide an alternative to Huntingdon's theory.But sadly it has a narrow scope and leaves too many crucial questions unanswered.

An impressive achievement
Distinguished intellectuals offer in this extremely important not to mention timely book a much needed analysis of islamophobia and its lingering implications for international peace and security. These leading political commentators explain why hatred towards Islam still pervades Western societies. Nowhere is overgeneralization so evident as when it comes to Islam. Muslims are frequently portrayed by mass media as intransigent extremists whose values are completely incompatible with those of the westerners. One of those who strongly assert that Islam poses a grave threat to the West is Harvard Professor Samuel Huntington, presumably best known for his "Clash of Civilizations" thesis. Huntington suggests in his book that a peaceful co-existence between the West and the Arab world is an impossibility. By describing Muslims as a homogenous entity, Huntington's analysis becomes seriously flawed because he fails to take into account a number of important factors such as the fact that there are over 1 billion Muslims worldwide who have different cultures and speak different languages. Needless to say, failing to even consider these factors is indicative of spurious scholarship. One of the principal objectives of this book is to offer a rebuttal of Huntington's thesis. Edward Said's contribution in this book is a devestating critique of Huntington's assertions. Unfortunately, as has frequently been the case in the past, there is a tendency in the West to award writers who defame and misrepresent the true messages of Islam, as in the case of Ivo Andric who was awarded Nobel Prize for his book The Bridge on the Drina. Andric depicted Bosnian Muslims as atavistic people and treacherous converts who did not belong in Bosnia. Clearly oblivious to the fact that the majority of Bosnian Muslims were secularized individuals for whom religion played a rather insignificant role in social life, I can corroborate that from personal experience, Andric claimed that Bosnian Muslims were a serious threat to Christianity. In point of fact, Bosnian Muslims were and still are much less religious than their Serb and Croat counterparts. Paradoxically, many western experts spoke of the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Bosnia and displayed a flagrant disregard for extremely well documented Serb nationalism and mythology which subsequently enabled the genocide of Bosnian Muslims. According to Michael Sells' and Norman Cigar's brilliant analyses, Serb mythology played a pivotal role in the extermination of Bosnian Muslims and yet no one talked of the Orthodox Christian fundamentalism and the other adjectives commonly employed for describing Muslims only. Christians who commit abhorrent crimes are rarely if ever referred to as Christian extremists but rather as lunatics in need of psychiatric care. Nonetheless, when a few extremely unstable individuals knowingly misinterpret the Quaran, they are immediately labelled religious fanatics. Note that the careless (in my view deliberate) use of the word Islam such as in the "Islamic fundamentalism" implicitly suggests that Islam condones terrorism and unjustifiable killing of innocent civilians. This unwarranted and unjustified use of the word Islam in similar contexts helps foster islamophobia in the West. There is and there always will be extremism on all sides but as long as we keep focusing on one side only, there will never be justice. I recommend this extremely well argued and extraordinarily well written masterpiece to all who believe that justice must apply to all. This is irrefutably one of the most important books ever published.

Necessary antidote for reading on Islam or the US "Crusade"
Serious readers about Islam and US policy should reflect on most of the essays in this book. It is a necessary antidote to all the simplifications and hidden agendas in the press, policy, and publications by "popular" writers on Islam who so often seem driven by hate, profits, or noteriety. Read here to reconsider the "Huntington Thesis" and it Lewis 'roots'. Reflect on the implications for Bush's "Crusade". The essay on Christian Serb terrorism and the manipulation of hatred is valuable for its general lessons as well. How think tanks and best sellers sway policy among those with limited depth of knowlege is worth considering -- especially when there seems to be an intellectual "Gresham's Law" of punditry. The continued importance of history and memory is highlighted. A variety of authors with considerable knowlege and depth offer valuable insights into where we are and how we got there - about myths and reality that are central to the what has been dubbed "the war on terror" and is often seen by Muslims with some justification as a "war on Islam" -- a Crusade. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

disappointing
I have been disappointed from this volume - I might have expected too much.
For its price, it contains a narrative interpretation of muslim heritage in a very wide sense: of transmitted and improved classical culture and science of Europe and the East. As muslim religion spred over a vast area, cultural and scientific heritage of preislamic and islamic times of a huge area are referred to in this book. However, with few details for my taste. I found f.ex. David C. Lindberg's "The Beginnings of Western Science" for USD 25 (paperback) much more detailed concerning science history.
1001 Inventions - Muslim Heritage in Our World is for me an album (many pictures) for young people. Not more. Sorry.

The Golden Days of Islamic History
A great book to read and communicate knowledge with others. The information it has was never heard of before. A good teaching tool for young people. A best gift item too. A great job for promoting this kind of knowledge.

Excellent Reference and Insight into History of Science
This is a very well written book, I enjoyed and learned tremendously from it. It discusses many key inventions developed by Muslim Scientists and Scholars of knowledge in the various domains (math, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, engineering, etc..)

Great book as a gift, excellent for teachers, historians and other involved in science, the history of science, or people who like to think outside the box

The uniqueness of the book, is that is among the few written in English which describe the history of modern science and how the Muslims were major contributors to it. ... Read more

Product Description
The Arab tradition of al-furusiyya is defined by principles of horsemanship, chivalry, and the mutual dependence of man and horse. This publication presents half of the Furusiyya Art Foundation’s entire collection, which includes Islamic art relating to the Muslim chevalier from the eighth, ninth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. The collection includes a number of cane shields, archery material, armor for man and horse, sword pommels, guards and sabers, as well as daggers and belts carried by the courtly chevaliers. Describing the artistry and beauty of the antique pieces, the focus narrows in on the use of decoration and great craftsmanship, the technological innovations that were developed, as well as looking at the different cultures of the Islamic world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Highly recommended!
One of the best books ever produced on the subject. Its very well written and photos of the weapons are one of the best I have ever seen. I suggest anyone interested on the subject should have a look, its a must read without a doubt!

Marvelous resource
This is a beautifully illustrated tome depicting the various arms and armor used by Muslim knights throughout the centuries and over vast geographic regions.I saw a portion of the arms depicted in this book at an exhibit in Paris, France at the Institut du Monde Arabe in 2007.I am pleased that this volume is written in English, so I do not have to struggle with translating as I did in the museum.

This book is a marvelous resource for anyone interested in medieval weaponry. ... Read more

Product Description
This book explores the character of the political transformation and democratic transition in the Asian Muslim world. It asks whether democracy is appropriate and desirable as a political system for non-Western societies, and assesses the extent of actual democratization in each of the countries studied, namely, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Caged Islamic Woman
1984 paperback in English, Pergamon Press Inc.; Elmsford, NY, by Fatna Sabbah; translated by: Mary Jo Lakeland.(orig.: 1982 in French: La femme dans I'inconscient Musulman, by Le Sycomore Pub., Paris, France.)Even though written from a feminist perspective, this old male chauvinist recognizes the soundness of the author's contentions.To quote from the book's conclusion: "The ideal of female beauty in Islam is obedience, silence, and immobility, that is, inertia and passivity....Any manifesta6tion of will by the believer, any attempt to change the existing order, to create alternatives is bida (innovation), as this is errant behavior.Man must invest his energy, not in attempts to express himself, but in attempts to decipher the discourse of the almighty [Allah].This is the objective of religious science.... (A)t the level of economics, nature has been created for him according to precise divine plan, and all he must do in this earthly life is pray to God, to worship him day and night in order to receive the goods which he [man] needs.Contents: Relationship between sex, politics, and economics in dependent Islam; Woman as Satan's representative;Sex in the context of peripheral capitalism; The religious erotic discourse: the female body as the product of male pleasure;Genesis of the erotic discourse; The omnisexual woman: a voracious vagina; The houri; The female body as a field of sacred writing; The ecological field: universal inequality and sexual inequality."For legal Islam, pleasure is the generating force of subversion, and Muslim civilization is defined as an attempt to control pleasure" (p. 4)."The official statements on political and sexual matters in the Muslim societies are distressing, not simply because they are meager and lack substance, but above all because they are mechanically repeated" (p. 5).[The veil] "represents the denial of the economics dimension of women, who, according to the tenets of Muslim orthodoxy, are exclusively sexual beings" (p. 5)."This woman is depicted as an omnisexual woman, a creature whose most prominent attribute, which determines her whole personality and behavior, is her sexual organs" (p. 24). "Islamic polygyny gives a man the right to divide his favors between four legitimate wives besides innumerable concubines" (p. 32).This 132-page paperback explores how the Quran, and the hadith, curtail women's sexual desires to serve the religious needs of the husband."Pleasure, the temple of peace and quite, idleness, and relaxation, becomes a genital prison where man, reduced to his sexual organ, can exist only when it is ...able to satisfy a woman who is herself reduced to being a vampire-vagina" (p. 58).The author analyses how man strives to achieve Paradise in order to conquer the sexual delights that await him there. The author places great emphasis on the Islamic concepts of predetermination:"It is not possible for the believer to acquire material or immaterial wealth except through the intermediary of the divine will" (p. 79). The author explains why Mohammad had to eventually discredit and physically destroy the "Banat Allah" : the three stone godesses: Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Al-Manat.The houri is "the paradisal woman, the ideal, example, and model of femininity" (p. 90).This feminist-oriented author castrates the male-dominance theology of Islam; the best I've read anyway.

The Muslim Caged Woman
1984 paperback in English, Pergamon Press Inc.; Elmsford, NY, by Fatna Sabbah; translated by: Mary Jo Lakeland.(orig.: 1982 in French: La femme dans I'inconscient Musulman, by Le Sycomore Pub., Paris, France.)Even though written from a feminist perspective, this old male chauvinist recognizes the soundness of the author's contentions.To quote from the book's conclusion: "The ideal of female beauty in Islam is obedience, silence, and immobility, that is, inertia and passivity....Any manifestation of will by the believer, any attempt to change the existing order, to create alternatives is bida (innovation), as this is errant behavior.Man must invest his energy, no in attempts to express himself, but in attempts to decipher the discourse of the almighty [Allah].This is the objective of religious science.... (A)t the level of economics, nature has been created for him according to precise divine plan, and all he must do in this earthly life is pray to God, to worship him day and night in order to receive the goods which he [man] needs.Contents: Relationship between sex, politics, and economics in dependent Islam; Woman as Satan's representative; Sex in the context of peripheral capitalism; The religious erotic discourse: the female body as the product of male pleasure;Genesis of the erotic discourse; The omnisexual woman: a voracious vagina; The houri; The female body as a field of sacred writing; The ecological field: universal inequality and sexual inequality."For legal Islam, pleasure is the generating force of subversion, and Muslim civilization is defined as an attempt to control pleasure" (p. 4)."The official statements on political and sexual matters in the Muslim societies are distressing, not simply because they are meager and lack substance, but above all because they are mechanically repeated" (p. 5).[The veil] "represents the denial of the economics dimension of women, who, according to the tenets of Muslim orthodoxy, are exclusively sexual beings" (p. 5)."This woman is depicted as an omnisexual woman, a creature whose most prominent attribute, which determines her whole personality and behavior, is her sexual organs" (p. 24). "Islamic polygyny gives a man the right to divides his favors between four legitimate wives besides innumerable concubines" (p. 32).This 132-page paperback explores how the Quran, and the hadith, curtail women's sexual desires to serve the religious needs of the husband."Pleasure, the temple of peace and quite, idleness, and relaxation, becomes a genital prison where man, reduced to his sexual organ, can exist only when it is ...able to satisfy a woman who is herself reduced to being a vampire-vagina" (p. 58).The author analyses how man strives to achieve Paradise in order to conquer the sexual delights that await him there. The author places great emphasis on the Islamic concepts of predetermination:"It is not possible for the believer to acquire material or immaterial wealth except through the intermediary of the divine will" (p. 79). The author explains why Mohammad had to eventually discredited and physically destroy the "Banat Allah" : the three stone godesses: Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Al-Manat.The houri is "the paradisal woman, the ideal, example, and model of femininity" (p. 90).This feminist-oriented author castrates the male-dominance theology of Islam; the best I've read anyway. ... Read more

Product Description
In a world torn by religious antagonism, lessons can be learned from medieval Spanish villages where Muslims, Christians, and Jews rubbed shoulders on a daily basis--sharing irrigation canals, bathhouses, municipal ovens, and marketplaces.Medieval Spaniards introduced Europeans to paper manufacture, Hindu-Arabic numerals, philosophical classics, algebra, citrus fruits, cotton, and new medical techniques. Her mystics penned classics of Kabbalah and Sufism.More astonishing than Spain's wide-ranging accomplishments, however, was the simple fact that until the destruction of the last Muslim Kingdom by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1492, Spain's Muslims, Christians, and Jews often managed to bestow tolerance and freedom of worship on the minorities in their midst.
A Vanished World chronicles this panoramic sweep of human history and achievement, encompassing both the agony of Jihad, Crusades, and Inquisition, and the glory of a multi-religious, multi-cultural civilization that forever changed the West.Lowney shows how these three controversial religious groups once lived and worked together in Spain, creating commerce, culture, art, and architecture.He reveals how these three faith groups eventually veered into a thicket of resentment and violence, and shows how our current policies and approaches might lead us down the same path.
Rising above politics, propaganda, and name-calling, A Vanished World provides a hopeful meditation on how relations among thesethree faith groups have gone wrong and some ideas on how to make their interactions right.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Thought-provoking, well-written, and remarkably balanced
I read this book not as a scholar of Andalusia nor one of the history of monotheistic religions.I read this book becuase I was curious to learn more about about both the dynamic between Christians, Muslims and Jews in Spain during Moorish rule and how that might relate to how we can better understand the impact that fundamentalism in religion is having on our present-day inter-connected world.

We all read books through the lens of our own life experiences, so I find it interesting to read the points of view expressed in other reivews.I found this book to a much more balanced take on what happened (and the context in which it happened) than the other books that I have read on this subject.He is neither an aplogist for the Muslims nor does he carry the torch of martydom for the Jews.He helps to put into context what is not so easy to do. He explores subjects in a way that both informs the reader but does not over-romanticize the subject matter.Yet, to me, it was a fascinating read.He succeeded in striking a balance between retelling the countless and at times mind-numbing military scirmishes that often define our sense of what history is and discussing how religious thought was influenced by such events.More importantly, he showed me the link between how such great minds as Maimonedes, Moses de Leon, Averroes, and El Cid hailed from the same soil and how each had such a profound influence on reason, religion and its practice and the relationship between the two.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an intellectual curiosity to learn about religion, culture and history in Moorish Spain. I think we all would benefit from reading such books, particlularly ones that are so well written, organized and presented.

History
This book of course is a text book for a History and or even Humanities classes.I have only read the first two chapters because I'm not a fan of reading text books, however, based on what I have read.I have learnt a lot especially in the area where all three warring religions Muslims, Jews, and Christians used to exist in peace at some point in time.In a few countries today that's still the norm where all three religions get along in harmony.I had no problems with my order arriving on time, the price for small items however, could have been a little lower.

Narrow Focus, Excellent Results
This book is an excellent entry into the study of Medieval Spain and highlights key interactions between the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish factions within Feudal and Medieval Spain.This book avoided getting mired in the minutiae of Spanish history not relevant to the title subject.Modern historical comparisons are logically inserted.A respectable bibliography/Suggested Reading list is included. The book is very readable and enjoyable.

An approachable good read
Menocal's "The Ornament of the World" is a romanticized account of the Moors eight-hundred year presence in Spain. Lowney's "A Vanished World" is a bit more realistic. Where Menocal sees her subject with the gloss of nostalgia, idealizing the realm of her historical figures with commemorative essays, Lownney places the subject back into the world, revealing a world with ambiguity, passion and chaos. Menocal likes to hide some of the darker human elements of Moorish Spain; Lowney is a bit more straight-forward, not letting his historical text get too cramped with ideals.

The two books might complement each other although neither might be a seminal work.

I still prefer Menocal's work because it was sheer pleasure to read her text. Lowney is a solid writer but he lacks Menocal's enthusiasm, melancholy and sympathy. But Lowney offers a bit larger picture, looking at Christian, Jewish and Moorish lives and cultures within Spain of the Medieval Era. His chapters are brief, he engages and moves on. Menocal focussed mainly on the Moorish and Jewish characters, and paid due attention to the Christian historical figures only when discussing the Reconquest. Lowney is great in that he gives due attention to all the main historical figures and events: i.e. Isisdore of Seville, Santiago, al-Tariq, Pope Sylvester, Abd Al-Rahman, Almansor, Ferdinand III, Moses Maimonides, Averroes, Ibn 'Arabi, etc...

My one gripe: I wish he had spent more time discussing and elaborating on the importance of the philosophers and mystics of Spain. His discussions were far too brief and I'm still hungry to learn more. In this, Lowney doesn't satisfy, offering bread crumbs instead of a good intellectual sandwich.

All in all, a satisfying introduction. It is very approachable as a history book, surely one, like Menocal's, to inspire further reading.

A Vanished world
A vanished world tells the true story of the medival times where Muslims, Jews and Christians lived together in peace and harmony. This was a time of religeous tolerance. ... Read more

Product Description

African American Muslims and South Asian Muslim immigrants are two of the largest ethnic Muslim groups in the U.S. Yet there are few sites in which African Americans and South Asian immigrants come together, and South Asians are often held up as a "model minority" against African Americans. However, the American ummah, or American Muslim community, stands as a unique site for interethnic solidarity in a time of increased tensions between native-born Americans and immigrants.

This ethnographic study of African American and South Asian immigrant Muslims in Chicago and Atlanta explores how Islamic ideals of racial harmony and equality create hopeful possibilities in an American society that remains challenged by race and class inequalities. The volume focuses on women who, due to gender inequalities, are sometimes more likely to move outside of their ethnic Muslim spaces and interact with other Muslim ethnic groups in search of gender justice.

American Muslim Women explores the relationships and sometimes alliances between African Americans and South Asian immigrants, drawing on interviews with a diverse group of women from these two communities. Karim investigates what it means to negotiate religious sisterhood against America's race and class hierarchies, and how those in the American Muslim community both construct and cross ethnic boundaries.

American Muslim Women reveals the ways in which multiple forms of identity frame the American Muslim experience, in some moments reinforcing ethnic boundaries, and at other times, resisting them.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great read!
If you want to understand the complexities of the Muslim community, there is no better place to start than with this book. Ms. Karim did a wonderful job of capturing the nuances of race, class and gender in the Muslim community. ... Read more

Product 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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

The Muslim Jesus
I ordered this book to do research for a class paper. I found the book well organized, very interesting and informative. I saw Jesus through a different
set of eyes. This is a must read for religion majors at university, and people
who wish to have an open mind.

What every Christian should know
As it turns out, careful control over the creation of the Bible centuries ago meant that many of the orally preserved stories about Jesus were lost to the Christian tradition.Islam, however, preserved a number of these, as one of the Abrahamic religions whose adherents shared a common theological background with Christians and Jews. This book collects a number of sayings and stories concerning Esa, as Jesus is known to readers of the Qur'an. Some are quite similar to stories and sermons familiar to us from the New Testament, but many are delightfully new and enrich the legacy of Jesus without in any way diminishing his contributions as a teacher and advocate for the poor. Muslims do not believe that Jesus was the son of God, but they do revere him as a prophet. In many ways this book explains and illuminates that reverence for Esa.

A sad analysis of the Muslim JESUS
Thank you for a monumental research which I will use personaly for my upcoming book. However, please read my criticism with an open heart and an open mind. Wishing that you would hit the best seller list from my heart, I also hope you would observe the following.
The author while using truly impressive English in his first section failed at the heart of the message. To start, his overall argument tends to satisfy one objective and that is "Jesus is not a Muslim". Was Jesus a Christian? Or a Jew? Was he a prophet or a God? Tarif failure at addressing these points while solely shedding light on the Muslim claim of the Prophet-Hood of Jesus is a clear intention of wanting to satisfy the audience of the book, or unfair period. Further, Tarif fails to follow the respect needed when addressing Muhammad Peace be upon him, Jesus & the reminder of the Prophets peace be upon them all. While attacking the claim of the mere Islamization of Jesus, he fails to address the authenticity of the Bible itself or the Gospels of Luke, John, Mathew -- etc. I would offer Sir tarif $100,000 if he can authenticate the Bible writers without conflict of origin. Who are they? and how many Gospels erased or destroyed before arriving at this version of the Bible.He also failed to mention that the jewish doctrine refuses Jesus completely and reject him as a whole that he is neither prophet nor god. The book is intended to accumulate and preserve the saying of Jesus peace be upon him so why didn't the writer keep it at that. This book reminds me of the "Arab Conquests" written by Kennedy which was a grand attempt at belittling the achievement of the Islamic expansion. I would also challenge Tarif to prove the false-hood of the sayings. His book also offers a hidden attack on the narration of prophet Mohammad PBUH himself expressing that they are fabricated, changed and suited to serve groups, political parties and situations.
While I respect the writer and his efforts, I am shocked to see the extent to which he went in saying in so many hidden words "Here is the Muslim Jesus, and most of it is lies". He also fails to confirm or deny that the Quran is the word of God, and he speaks as an impartial non-biased intellect and observer. If that is the case, you need to express your beliefs first, and then attest to the fact that this is a purely scientific work influenced by no personal faith or beliefs on your part. Further as a non-biased researcher, you should express the faults of the other side of the coin.I cannot believe that two Palestinian Patriots would be contributors to such attack waiting impatiently to see the fruits of their aiding such a stripping of the nobility and authinticity of Muslim Jesus.
I believe the greatest triumph in your book is the work of your son who truly flexed his English muscles forcing me to hit the dictionary, and for that I am grateful.
In my second upcoming book, I will pluck 15 saying from the Muslim Jesus authenticated and write my ascend in my upcoming second self help book. tarif said on page 4 "Other Students of this Gospel will no doubt be able to unearth parallels and thereby enrich our understanding of these sayings and stories"
I will do just that ignoring of-course those influenced by...... In conclusion I should thank you nevertheless for the effort, and it would have been an exceptional piece of research had you not chosen to be the judge of the authinticity of the saying's and left that to more qualified scholars.
Yet take this not as an attack, but a reminder for future work. I thank you again and wish you the absolute best.
Loay Ragheb
Author "The Higher YOu"

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 it's actually fascinating to get a quick glimpse of the sayings attributed to Jesus that were preserved up to the present time in those areas. In my opinion most of the sayings in this 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. ... Read more

Product Description
A powerful critique of the popular western notion that the veil is a symbol of Muslim women's oppression. In postulating a positive theory of the hijâb, the author challenges with great sophistication both the commonly held view of Muslim women being subjugated by men, as well as the liberal feminists’ who criticize the choice of women to cover themselves as ultimately unliberating.

The author argues that in a culture of consumerism, the hijâb can be experienced as a liberation from the tyranny of the beauty myth and the thin "ideal" woman.

In dispelling some widely held myths about Muslim women and the hijâb, the author introduces respectability to the voice of believing Muslim women, claiming that liberation and the equality of women are fundamental to Islam itself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

You think you're modern?
Read this book.

To observe, you must look. To look, you must have an object at which to stare. But what if an object refuses to be seen? Worse, what if an object can see you AND refuses to be seen?

Fascinating, fascinating book. If you think of yourself as a feminist, as modern, as progressive, as tolerant, etc. READ THIS BOOK. And learn how to think again.

interesting and thorough
This book is very much needed in America today. There are so many misconceptions about Muslim women who wear hijab, and this book does a wonderful job of explaining the complex reasons why women choose to wear it. Of course there is opression going on in some areas of the world, but that doesn't mean that every Muslim women who covers is forced to! Bullock explains in great detail the politics, cultural relativism and individuality that is expressed in the veil without the bias of ethnocentrism. However, if you are not ready to accept that you cannot generalize about all Muslim women, this book is not for you.

A Fresh, Intelligent Approach to a Complex Topic
Rethinking Muslim Women

Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil by Katherine Bullock is a valuable addition to the voices of Muslim women writing about the issue most immediate and peculiar to their life: Veil. Broadly, we can divide the recent literature in English about Islam and women into two categories: first, that produced by Muslim activists and scholars in the West who defend or present the Islamic position, and read primarily by the activist or traditional Muslims; second, that produced by the Western academicians, intellectuals and feminists or Muslims who are thoroughly Westernized. The two types of literature remain almost mutually exclusive and isolated. The first kind of literature only marginally or very generally addresses the challenges, threats and questions posed by the second kind of literature to the Islamic position about women. Some of it is apologetic, compromising and adaptationist, but largely it is straightforward and simple, and at times, even simplistic.

While innumerable books about Islam and women have mushroomed in the contemporary Western as well as Islamic world, lately, a new tradition of Western Muslim women writers has emerged that attempts to combine the two traditions. Some of these works could be regarded as academic and scholarly from the Western viewpoint, and Dr. Bullock's present work is one such work. According to her self-description, she writes "as a practicing Muslim woman," who embraces a certain kind of "feminism" (p. xvii). Her aim is to defend Hijab in the Western intellectual world and "to break the equation: `modernity equals unveil'"(p.xxi).

The book first presents and analyzes different views about Hijab among the Muslim women from different backgrounds, all of whom are in one way or other concerned about women's rights and want to transcend the traditional house-bound image of women. On one hand, in order to present the real inside story of Hijab, she interviews several Muslim women in the West, most of whom practice Islam and wear Hijab. On the other, she presents an in-depth critique of the infamous books of Moroccan secular feminist Fatima Mernissi whose pernicious condemnation of Hijab as well as the Islamic tradition is hailed and quoted widely in the West as an authority. In the end, the author synthesized these viewpoints and concludes with an alternative theory of Hijab that challenges the unfair stereotypes in the West as well as what she calls the "oppressive tradition" in the Muslim world.

In an insightful classification of the Western views about the Muslim women, she divides them into three types: the pop culture view of oppressed Muslim women perpetrated by the Western politicians and demagogues for the consumption of popular ignorant culture and that serves to justify interventionist and imperialist policies every now and then. The second is the dominant trend of "liberal feminism" prevalent in the liberal academia and among the feminists. The third trend within the academia is a fresh approach embraced by some historians and anthropologists who emphasize understanding the Muslim culture in its own terms and seek to avoid the Western Orientalist prejudices and labels. The author calls this third approach the "contextual approach" and claims to belong to it (p. xvii).

The author hails a new Hijab movement among the Muslim women across the Muslim world that is growing and resisting against the backdrop of both oppressions of modernity as well as tradition. On one hand, the Muslim women are withstanding the bans of Hijab and violations of basic rights in Muslim countries like Tunisia and Turkey and in the West like in France, and on the other they are seeking to eliminate the erosion of women's rights in the Muslim world at the hands of rigid tradition, extremist clerics and the ignorant masses. "There are those, including myself," she says, "who see the Quran and the Sunnah, and the first community as equality and justice for women and men" but she laments "the way of life distorted by the cultural accretions over the last 1400 years." She sees the kind of complete seclusion of women that keeps them from participating in the society, workforce, politics and education as an "oppressive tradition of the past." ... Read more