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Muslims are neither new nor foreign to the United States. They have been a vital presence in North America since the 16th century. Muslims in America unearths their history, documenting the lives of African, Middle Eastern, South Asian, European, black, white, Hispanic and other Americans who have been followers of Islam.
The book begins with the tale of Job Ben Solomon, a 18th century African American Muslim slave, and goes on to chart the stories of sodbusters in North Dakota, African American converts to Islam in the 1920s, Muslim barkeepers in Toledo, the post-1965 wave of professional immigrants from Asia and Africa, and Muslim Americans after 9/11. The book reveals the richness of Sunni, Shi'a, Sufi and other forms of Islamic theology, ethics, and rituals in the United States by illustrating the way Islamic faith has been imagined and practiced in the everyday lives of individuals. Muslims in America recovers the place of Muslims in the larger American story, too.Showing how Muslim American men and women participated in each era of U.S. history, the book explores how they have both shaped and have been shaped by larger historical trends such as the abolition movement, Gilded Age immigration, the Great Migration of African Americans, urbanization, religious revivalism, the feminist movement, and the current war on terror. It also shows how, from the very beginning of American history, Muslim Americans have been at once a part of their local communities, their nation, and the worldwide community of Muslims.
The first single-author history of Muslims in America from colonial times to the present, this book fills a huge gap and provides invaluable background on one of the most poorly understood groups in the United States. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A well-written short history to whet your appetite for the topic
In the last 10 years, Muslims in the United States have largely been perceived as a foreign, "fifth column" community. For right-wing talk radio hosts, they are convenient cannon fodder. For the mainstream media and politicians, with some exceptions, they are largely the same, an inconvenient community to skirt around.

What is largely unknown is that Muslims have deep roots in the United States. Starting from West African slaves brought here through the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the 1700s, to modern-day figures like Malcolm X and W.D. Mohammed, Curtis offers readers a brief, but eye-opening introduction to the history of Muslims in America.

While this slim volume is meant to be, as its subtitle notes, a short history, it is a concise, well-written one. The book is factual, well-researched and presents an inside look at this religious community. By weaving facts with real stories of American Muslims of the past and present, Curtis successfully retains the reader's interest until the end.

He also discusses how other movements have influenced the American Muslim community, ranging from the Ahmadiyya to the Druze and the Nation of Islam.

However, this book should primarily be used as a starting point to learn more about American Muslims. It is not exhaustive or comprehensive. But it whets a reader's appetite enough to want to know more.

Muslims in America: A Short History should be required reading for any "Islam 101" type class in high school or college. It should be on the bookshelf of every library in the United States and on the desk of every AM radio talk show host.

A solid, short history
"Muslims in America" is the "first single-author history of Muslims in America from colonial times to the present", which is what the back cover proclaims. I have no reason to doubt that this sad statement is true and for that reason this book is a welcome addition to the shelf of any serious student of American history.

That being said, this book is not perfect. Since it tries to cover the entire spread of American history the first pages are about isolated Muslim individuals that were brought over as slaves, continued to follow their faith and were noted for doing so. It turns out that only a few people fit all those criteria so we end up with extended biographies of these people. This is not bad, per se, but it does make the last half of the book seemed rushed in comparison. The slow, extended style is put aside for a quicker, less detailed style.

That less detailed style in the latter half of the book was frustrating for me. I am not a Muslim but I am fairly well read on the religion. I can speak intelligently on the main teachings of mainstream Islam, but I will not claim to be an expert on the topic. Groups like the Nation of Islam fascinate me precisely because some of their teachings have differed radically from any other teachings in the "mainstream" , especially with the Nation of Islam's heavy emphasis on race and different stories about how each racial group was formed. I would have appreciated more discussion of how Muslims outside of the Nation of Islam view the Nation of Islam and their teachings, and vice-versa. I would have also enjoyed a more robust discussion of the origins of these "non-traditional" Muslim groups - which Muslim traditions did they draw from, which did they modify, etc.?

What the book does well is detail how Muslim slaves came into America (although actual numbers will have to remain guesswork) and tell how some completely maintained their faith while others saved just parts of it. Curtis also examines the multiple waves of Muslim immigration that have come into the United States. It is tempting to think that this is a relatively new phenomenon, but it is not. I was especially fascintated by the Muslim settlers in rural North Dakota. Can you imagine a place you would be less likely to find a mosque than in rural North Dakota in the 1880s?

Of course 9/11 and the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq need to be addressed and Curtis covers them well. He includes a fatwa against terrorism on pages 117-8. He also chronicles the challenges of being Muslim in America in a post-9/11 world and some data on Muslim Americans opinions.

I give this book a four star rating, ignoring the preface, which I will comment on below:

For me the entire book was marred by an unfortunate Preface that was intended to show the level of misunderstanding that the greater American public has about Islam. The controversy cited was the installation of footbaths at the new billion dollar Indianapolis International Airport. These baths cost about $2,000 and Curtis comments on those that protested against it. He notes one pastor was against it because it would forward "Islam's desired goal, which is to thrust the entire world under one single Islamic caliphate under sharia law." (p. x) I do not know about this pastor, but I did pay particular attention to these protests because I live near the airport and I live near the Halal markets and coffee houses these taxi drivers frequent on West Washington Street - their cabs are a constant part of the landscape of my neighborhood.

It seemed to me that most of the protesters were upset that the government was paying to install foot baths to facilitate one religion's practices (although it was noted that anyone can use them, will they? What other group engages in ritual footbathing?). Indiana has gone through a whole round of lawsuits to prevent prayers at graduations and to remove 10 Commandment displays on public grounds that were installed at no public expense. To many, it seemed mighty two-faced to have a government entity (the Airport Authority) play favorites by accomodating the wishes of one religion while other branches of government frustrate the wishes of others.

Curtis goes on to make comments about the pastor and how his deep prejudices would impair his ability to see his Muslim friends as people or even really knowing them - an ironic comment. Curtis shows his own prejudices in this snarky comment that is so unlike the rest of the book.

This whole preface left a bad taste in my mouth. It really is a pretty good book, but I had to force myself to look past this unfortunate part of the introduction.

An accessible and succinct history to a misunderstood yet important American minority...
The author of this book, Edward E. Curtis IV, Millennium Chair of the Liberal Arts and Professor of Religious Studies and American Studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), has dedicated his recent academic study and research to Muslim Americans; this is substantiated by his editing of the Columbia Sourcebook of Muslims in the United States (Columbia University Press, 2009), the Encyclopedia of Muslim-Americans in History (Facts on File, 2010), his studies in African-Americans and religion, and the current book under review. To compose a short history of any topic entails on the part of the author the challenging task of selection and at times to generalize, but Curtis appears to grapple with both of these challenges admirably; he includes all the significant personalities and particular issues faced by Muslim Americans at various points in history with little to no editorializing, unless it is to provide context. Curtis's Muslim in America: A Short History (Oxford University Press, 2009) provides a brief synopsis of an important minority of Americans with deep historical ties to their land since the 16th century up and through the tragic events of 9/11.

Muslim Americans, whether as explorers as Estevanico; slaves who transcribed the Koran by heart like Job Ben Solomon; converts, like Alexander Russell Webb, a U.S. Consulate to the Philippines near the end of the 19th century; immigrants, like sodbusters Mary and Hassin Juma that raised their family in North Dakota at the turn of the 20th century; African American social reformers, like Malcom X; or academics that are revolutionizing the horizon of their discipline like Amina Wadud, all indicate that Muslims have been and are a vital thread to America's heritage, and consequently dispels any notion that Muslims are a recent addition to the landscape of America.
Curtis's book is well organized into five chapters covering both indigenous and immigrant Muslim Americans, including pictures of Muslim Americans through the centuries, and with primary source selections from various points in history that provide intriguing insights in the words of Muslim Americans themselves. The book ends with a chronology of Muslim Americans--events and personalities that were fleshed-out in the text--a comprehensive listing of references for further readings, and an index. For non-Muslim Americans and Muslim Americans this accessible history portrays Muslims in a sympathetic light as a collective of peoples that have sought at various times and in various ways better understanding and respect in their particular American context. Hence, Curtis includes and mentions the narratives of a spectrum of Muslim American communities from the Sunni, Sufi, Shi'i, Ismaili, Ahmadiyya, Nation of Islam, and Moorish Science Temple members as perspectives within the diaspora of Islam in America and thereby contradicting any assertion that Islam is monolithic.

Curtis mentions in his preface that he desires to portray a "sobering and well rounded" view of Muslim Americans--this is in contrast to the Islamophobic works that litter the bookshelves--and though he achieves this objective in content and tone, he seems to side-step the Salafi/Wahhabi perspective which despite not considered mainstream has still played an important role in American Islam in the past decades with the rise of Political Islam. Curtis's overview also ignores the efforts of Mark Hanson's grassroots efforts to revitalize and engage a traditional Islamic discourse with contemporary American society by establishing a higher learning institution in the United States. Aside from these two oversights, Curtis's book is a welcome addition and should probably be considered the first reference for those interested in an introduction to the diverse and historically rooted community of Muslim Americans. In a succinct and accessible narrative Curtis's Muslims in America will aid in assuaging the deplorable misunderstanding surrounding Islam, especially as it pertains to Muslim Americans, and cause Muslim Americans, who largely do not know the history of Islam in America, to reflect carefully on their identity as being Muslim and American, and assist in overcoming any apparent paradoxes between the two. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Concise Summary of Islam
Great reading for a very concise summary of Islam from a native scholar of the Middle East.Very clear and very easy light reading.

What Do Muslim's Believe
This has to be a book many more Americans need to read. While a faithful Muslim, Sardar gives a very enlightened view of his faith and points out that in a sense Islam is not much different from Jewish and Christian faiths. I have always been told that the Koran is violent and preaches violence. Having read The Bible and The Koran, one might make the same argument for the Old Testament.

The three faiths have the same founder, Abraham, yet went off in different directions...but at heart never leaving behind their belief in God, someone greater than themselves and that it is the duty of all followers to help their fellow man. Read this book. Hopefully he and others that believe like him will lead the faith to a Renaissance of new thought. Not one based on revenge but on one that tries to help the condition of all men (and women) and achieve what we all want in this world - peace and a modicum of prosperity.

A good starting point for learning about Islam
In this short and very readable introduction, Sardar covers all the well-known traditions of the Muslim faith (praying, fasting, etc) but also offers an overview of more complex issues like Islamic philosophy, Islamic attitudes to science, and the origins of fundamentalism. This book would be a great starting point to a general reader who just wants to see what islam and Muslims are all about-- and the book especially shines in its discussion of key concepts like khalifa (guardianship of the earth) and the driving force of social justice and fairness that lie behind many Muslim practices. (For example, who knew that early Muslims established zoning laws in their cities to protect the environment?)

But Muslims have often failed Muslim values, and Sardar is not afraid to admit it. It sounds ironic at best to talk of fairness and social justice when we see images of jailed dissidents in Iran, or of the Taliban's gruesome tactics in Afghanistan. But, Sardar argues, the faith itself is not at fault, nor are those images representative of Islam as a whole. He points to a liberal Muslim network in Indonesia or to the work of female Muslim theologians who are able to reread the holy texts in a different light. And really he'd only need to point to the vast Muslim majority, who might be more or less orthodox, but who only want to live in peace. Muslims now are asking critical questions, Sardar argues, and breaking with some of the fossilized traditions to create a way of living that's more in tune with how Islam was originally intended: "Liberal humanism is not a Western invention; rather it has deep roots in Islamic history."

At barely 120 pages, you can't expect this book to go too deeply into the complex issues it discusses. I understand that. Still, no matter how much I liked Sardar's message, I felt frustrated at times by the lack of source material: no footnotes, no sources cited, nothing except a very short suggested-reading list at the end of the book. This seems like a shortcoming to me, and it means that if you really want to learn about any of the topics he discusses, you'll have to do some further study. But maybe that's the point of a short introduction like this: to give just a little bit of background and then encourage the reader to look deeper.

Concise overview of Islam
A very good introduction to Islam.This book, or another on Islam, should be required reading for all high school students.Clears up many misconceptions of what Muslims believe. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Amazing book.
This is a really wonderful book that presents ethnographic research in a compelling, yet straightforward manner.

Excellent Book
Professor Katherine Ewing, one of the foremost contemporary anthropologists working on Muslim societies and a pioneer of employing psychoanalytic theory in both cultural anthropology and Islamic studies, brings her honed skills of reading the social text to evaluate the almost ignored connections between the modern and post-modern German social imaginary and Muslim immigrants in Germany. She does this focusing on the theme of "honor," a much misunderstood and manipulated term in contemporary Islamophobic literature, and treads on muddy political grounds with impressive and exemplary ethical sensibilities.

Extremely relevant and thought-provoking book
I agree completely with the positive review below. Ms. Ewing's book represents a new and much-needed perspective on the topic of Muslim identity, one that brings into focus issues facing Muslim men that are often overlooked or overgeneralized. By identifying and deconstructing the stereotypes that these men face--both those stereotypes imposed from the outside media and those that have evolved within the community--Ms. Ewing reveals the complexity of the male Muslim identity (a complexity that is too often ignored or lost by the outside world). Furthermore, Ms. Ewing's thoughtful inclusion and analysis of interviews with members of the German-Turkish community give a powerful voice to that complexity. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a deeper undestanding of this subject--her analysis is invaluable.

a great book and important read for people interested in muslim minorities in europe
i usually do not write reviews, but am spurred to do so by the only other review, which i feel is unduly harsh and disregards what this book accomplishes.
this book is an important one, addressing a vexing and necessary issue given our contemporary political climate, and doing so in a manner (with little jargon, fluidly written) so as to be accessible to many.
the author draws on a series of texts (written, films, newsmedia reports) to discuss and demonstrate the pervasive stereotyping of Muslim-Turkish men in German society and popular consciousness, stereotyping that the author ably demonstrates has a long-standing historical genealogy.these issues are necessary and legitimate issues for anthropologists to address.

misunderstood everything
This is the worst book you can find on topics such as Turkish migrants in Germany, gender relations and migration in contemporary Europe, and more specifically, Turkish masculinities in Germany.
The author, a tenured professor of anthropology, does not present an original research throughout the book, instead she talks about the discourses circulated by the German mass media about issues such as the migrant family in Germany, honor killings and Islam, and the conservative 'German Leitkultur'. But, basically, why do we need her translation-interpretation of media appearings of these issues? What is her point of engagement, what is her connection to Germany, Turks, or the subject specifically? What is her critical-analytical contribution to the subjects she tries to address?
You can not find answers here to these very basic, essential questions for an anthropology book.
The book is marketed, and consciously put a make-up, as if it is about masculinities. The thing is, Ewing does not know anything about the whole field of masculinity studies and she did not read any of the works that lead this field since its inception. She even does not understand or employ the very basic Connellian concepts and analysis.
Very simple: This book is not about masculinities! Furthermore, Ewing does not have a decent interest in the subject in the book except some 'tags' she purposefully put in certain sections of the book in order to entrap the curious reader.
If you are interested in masculinity studies and well-researched, well-written ethnographies you need to search for other books than this. Let's forget it.

... Read more

Product Description
Muslims in American History: A Forgotten Legacy confronts the prevalent myth that Islam in America is a relatively recent phenomenon.In reality, there is a centuries long history of the Muslim presence in America, which is all too often overlooked or misidentified.Written documentation, linguistic evidence, and reports of early Spanish explorers of the New World suggest Muslim contact with the Americas prior to Columbus.Muslims and Moriscos sailed with Columbus and were part of many of the Spanish explorations of the New World.Muslims comprised a significant percentage of the enslaved Africans who were brought to the Americas, and many Islamic residuals have found their way into contemporary African-American life and culture.At least one Muslim fought for American independence during the Revolutionary War, and many other Muslims were prepared to fight to keep American independence during the War of 1812.Another prominent Muslim was part of the taming! of the Wild West.Beginning in the late 19th century, successive waves of Muslim immigrants enriched America, and the phenomenon of Americans converting to Islam became increasingly widespread.In reviewing this history, the author presents a series of brief biographies of individual Muslims to illustrate the Muslim presence at each stage in American history.These biographies provide valuable role models with which Muslim youth in America can identify as they search for their identities as both Americans and Muslims. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Familiar History with a Muslim Twist
The history written about here is familiar to many of us but, I was not fully aware of the Muslim connection.

Mr. Dirks has organized the book in a chronological format starting with the first recorded voyage in 889 CE of Khashkhash ibn Saeed ibn Aswad, who sailed West from the same port that Columbus launched his 3 ships, to Muslims in modern day America. The topics covered are Muslims in the Americas in the pre-Columbian period, the European explorers, the slave trade, Muslims in Native American tribes, the Melungeons, Islamic residuals In the West and Muslims in 20th century North America. The first four chapters covering the pre Columbian period to the Slave trade were the most interesting and surprising.

I found the most interesting accounts were related to the Slave trade. Mr. Dirks writes about the approximately 20 million Muslims who were taken as slaves from Africa. The vast majority of these were highly educated individuals such as the Ulema (religious leaders) Hafiz-ul-Quran (those who memorized the Quran) and military and political leaders. As a result Muslims were responsible for many of the slave revolts that occurred in the European Colonies in the West, so much so that Spain passed a law forbidding slave traders from enslaving Muslims from Muslim parts of Africa.

Mr. Dirks also gives considerable attention to individual biographies of Muslims who were captured as slaves, and since I enjoy reading biographies, I felt the savage human cost of slavery in general and the impact to Muslim slaves in particular.

All in all this is a well written book that gives some very interesting insights about Muslims in the history of the Americas. Much of what is written here is familiar but it's the Muslim connection that gives this book an interesting twist.

Muslims in American History
A great book and a great history of Americam Muslims. I think This is the first scholarly work That I have read so far about this topics.

U.S. History Fascinating and Informative
Provides fascinating facts and historical references on Muslim contributions to America.A must-read for everyone. ... Read more

Product Description
This book compares Judaism, Christianity, and Islamusing seven common themes, which are equally relevant to each tradition. Provoking criticalthinking, this book addresses the cultural framework of religious meanings. It exploressimilarities and differences among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as it explains the ongoing process of interpretation in each religion.A comparative view of monotheistic religions showing the manor in which each has influenced and responded to the others. Provides readers with an opportunity to appreciate how religious change takes place and how traditions are shaped and reshaped including popular religion. Combines a focus onspecific themes (scripture, ritual, ethics) with a strong narrative about the historical developments of these themes. Lets the reader see the enduring aspects of eachtradition alongside of the changes. A discussion of material culture is presented.. Including ananalysis of art and architecture, food, dress, and the organization of space. Written in crisp, clear prose, with a non-technical, casual approach. Includes illustrations, maps, timelines, and glossary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A layman reads about monotheism
A worthwhile book for those seeking information on this subject. The best sections by far are those on Christianity. They are written with an honesty not shown in most of the Muslim parts, and with style and humor missing from the rest.

Excellent place to start
Several years ago I was introduced to this book in a college course on Judaism.I was very impressed with how helpful the book was in terms of providing articulate and insightful overviews of the subject matter.Finding the book so helpful in expanding my understanding of Judaism, I returned to it a few years later to learn more about Islam; I was not disappointed.Overall, the book is very good at providing the student with a solid foundation of knowledge on a wide variety of issues germane to studying each of the Western traditions - issues like how each tradition articulates its unique form of Monotheism, how each views its scripture,and how each approaches issues like ethics, religious law, authority, religious politics etc.In sum, the book is a great place to begin one's study of Western traditions because its very organization makes the unique contributions of each tradition, and its relation to the others, easier to comprehend.

Some books are not hight quality when they say they are.
Most of the books I have purchased from Amazon are of high quality but one of them in particular was rated high and said it was in great condition and it is terrible. The book is missing it's cover and losing pages when I open it. I is of terrible quality and I was very disappointed about being tricked and thinking I was buying a good book when it's of very poor quality.

Agenda-driven bantha fodder
This book sucks.It's poor writing.The authors think they are novelists.They write in circles and make far-fetched claims about religions.They come in not only with presuppositions, but also with biased agendas.They want to talk poorly about the religions they write on; they're not respectful at all.There is next to no valuable information in this book since one cannot distinguish fact from opinion.

A gem of a book
A tour de force. Corrigan manages to provide literary, historical, mythological themes and contexts that illuminate current practice and belief.I found the details of this book enlarged my understanding of whyand how these religions have many common strains and where they depart fromone another.It also explains how the traditions of each,along with thepractice,ethics and politics keep each vital enough in different countriesand changing times to keep them going. A very weighty and multidimensionalsubject written with much grace. It's not only excellent as a referencebook, it also holds up as a fascinating read. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

The Tent of Abraham
This is book that everyone could benefit from reading and that is espically true for Christian, Judaism, and Islam believers. Althought this is a dificult subject, the author writes in an easy to follow style that explains the beliefs of the three religions.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in comparative religion study.

the Tent of Abraham
i am looking forward to this read. we were supposed to read this one in a group at my church but that hasn't happened yet. i will give it a little more time and then start it myself. i have read a little bit and am excited to finish it

A RABBI, A MUSLIM AND A NUN WALK INTO THE TENT OF ABRAHAM AND EACH ONE DISCOVERED THEMSELVES AT HOME
Please notice the reading regarding Abraham receiving the three travellers is this Sunday's First Reading in the Roman Catholic liturgy, followed by the Gospel Reading regarding the complementary hospitality of Mary and Martha.

And if you find that representation as bar joke unappealing, let us read it like Dante: A nun, a rabbi and a Muslim awoke in the midstream of their lives to discover themselves in a dark woods of war and danger, of fear and cruelty, and fled back to the welcoming refuge of Abraham's tent.

Or Biblically: Abram looked out from his tent and saw three strangers approaching: A Rabbi, a Muslim and a nun. Abram ran out to prostrate himself at their feet and beg them to come into his tent to rest and to eat and to pray together. They told him to call himself Abraham and his wife Sarah. And the rest is our history.

An interesting aspect of this recent book is that it reads best from the back to the front. Thus alone do we discover the unmentioned and secret author, the Rabbi Phyllis Berman, sharing her secret story, treasured for ages in secret among Hebrew women, of the profound love, alliance, solidarity and companionship of Hagar and Sarai, and thus of all the peoples engendered by Abraham: The Judeo-christian and Islam, an inheritance more numerous than the grains of sand by the sea and the stars at night.

The leaves high at the top of a mighty oak tree might know only their separation, might feel only their beating one another in the powerful winds that pass. Only by looking way back may they perceive that they in fact spring from the one thick and solid trunk and are in fact children of the one Father.

Other important books to read in this regard were written by the Islamic scholar and Roman Catholic Deacon, George Dardess, in particular his great Do We Worship the Same God?: Comparing the Bible And the Qur'an as well as his Meeting Islam: A Guide For Christians (A Many Mansions Book).

Truly this present volume is a monument necessary for our needlessly divided times which profit no one but the war mongers and munitions makers. By this great cornerstone may we rebuild the great kingdom of peace and compassion which our One God commanded, to which our One God guides us, the thirst for which our One God fills our Spirit.

This book serves well for Lectio Divina, including the remarkable Forward by Karen Armstrong, who reminds us that Abraham, in receiving the Three Strangers into his Tent, receives God. "The act of practical compassion led directly to a divine encounter." She goes on: " . . .it expresses a religious truth found in all the major traditions: it is compassion, not righteousness and doctrinal certainty, that leads us into the presence of what monotheists call God, . . ."

Recall here that the Latin roots of our word religion indicate a binding back together again, to ourselves, to one another, to God. Religion therefore ties us all together in one family, one humanity, united by God. Religion explicitly does not permit us to kill one another, not even in the name of God, but to love one another.

Truly this book is far too profound and important and prophetic for our times for me to attempt a superficial summary here. This is a book to live with, and to awaken by to the welcoming fact that we all dwell within the generous tent of Abraham. This book comes recommended by several authoritative sources, including Tikkum, which writes, "This book will open your eyes to the possibilities of collaborative work between our traditions, and is a must read for those doing interfaith peacework."

Our duty as believers is to do interpersonal peacework. Blessed are the Peacemakers. Do for others what you want them to do for you. Read this book and live it, please, for the sake of our children and their children.

Late last year Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, paused in silent prayer inside Turkey's Blue Mosque, breathing our unity of Faith. May we follow faithfully his holy example.

And what a joy and a relief to read in this context the great Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister, still strong and prophetic. I also strongly recommend her The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages (Crossroad Spiritual Legacy Series). It was she who led me to this Tent of Abraham, now available in paperback and important for us to study carefully and prayerfully today.

Praises for this contribution to peace
This is a most important book, and I highly recommend it. The combination of a Christian Sister, a Rabbi and a Sufi Murshid discussing their views of Abraham and Sarah's lives/tent from an in-depth perspective offers a model for peace and discussion that can be used in Churches, Mosques and Synagogues around the world.

The authors present a discussion and model for deeper discourse that offers much hope in our seriously troubled world. The following Sura quoted from the Qur'an on page 133 of The Tent of Abraham highlights its message:

"So turn your face and purpose towards the priordial religion of the upright, the hanif, the nature innately formed by the One Reality in which the One created humanity. Let there be no change in this work created by the One. This religion is self-subsisting, the standard, always resurrecting itself. But most among humanity do not understand. Turn to and remain conscious only of the One, remaining constantly in prayer. Don't deify anything else in yor life, not concepts or beliefs. Don't divide yourselves into sects that contratulate themselves on their own ideas (translation of Sura 30:30-32).

We are all part of one human family who simply need to realize our divine Unity. Thank you Sr. Joan Chittister, Rabbi Waskow and Murshid Saadi for such a heartful book.

Sharon G. Mijares, Ph.D.
Primary author of The Root of All Evil: An Exposition of Prejudice, Fundamentalism and Gender Imbalance.

Courageous Grief Provides Room Under the Tentfor All
The story of Father Abraham is shared by Jews, Christians & Muslims.The fac that the two sons Issac & Ishamel reconcile in order to honor their Father in death provides a basis for Peace if we will make this our story. ... Read more

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Known as the greatest traveler of premodern times, Abu Abdallah ibn Battuta was born in Morocco in 1304 and educated in Islamic law. At the age of twenty-one, he left home to make the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. This was only the first of a series of extraordinary journeys that spanned nearly three decades and took him not only eastward to India and China but also north to the Volga River valley and south to Tanzania. The narrative of these travels has been known to specialists in Islamic and medieval history for years. Ross E. Dunn's 1986 retelling of these tales, however, was the first work of scholarship to make the legendary traveler's story accessible to a general audience. Now updated with revisions, a new preface, and an updated bibliography, Dunn's classic interprets Ibn Battuta's adventures and places them within the rich, trans-hemispheric cultural setting of medieval Islam. Illustrations: 15 b/w photographs, 12 maps ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

The Long Haj...
Ibn Battuta set off for the Haj in 1325, and it took him almost a quarter century before he returned to his homeland (hum, I know the experience). Of course, Ibn Battuta did far more than the Haj; he traveled in virtually all of the Islamic world at the time, starting from Tangiers, going as far as China, with side-trips to southern Russia, southern modern-day Tanzania, central Asia, and he even did a stint as a judge in India, working for a despot who really would hire foreigners, since they are easier to control. (hum, again.) It really was a world-class achievement, and Ibn Battuta far exceeded the travels of the person he is most frequently compared with: Marco Polo. Once Ibn Battuta got in motion, the joys of the road, the obsession to see what was around the next bend, simply possess him as it has few other human beings. Once he returned home after the quarter century, he must have felt "the moss growing" on his stone, so he set off on a multi-year tour of north-west Africa.

The problem though is the record he left of his travels. Since he did not have the literary skills, his travels were told to Ibn Juzayy, who weaved his own story replete with dollops of pandering to the elites of the time. And there was a large "stream of consciousness" to his tale, which might be great for a novel, but the inaccuracies of time and place invalidate much of the useful knowledge that could have been obtained. That account is called the "Rihla." Enter Professor Ross E. Dunn, who is fascinated by Ibn Battuta's achievement, and tries to make the best of "a bad hand" so that this story might be available for the general reader (as well as many a specialist.) Dunn does an admirable job at this task, with excellent epigraphs from Ibn Khaldun, and others, adequate footnotes, black and white photos, and some excellent maps which define his "definite" travels, as well as his "maybes". Of the many problems with Ibn Khaldun's account is the absence of the daily life of the common man, and the exclusive attention the elites of society receive.Overall, Dunn creates a workable synthesis of the actual facts from the Rihla coupled with a factual account of the background of the Islamic High Middle Ages.


The main advantage to the Western reader in tackling this book... and that is an apt approach... is to reflect on an entirely different world view that does not have an axis that runs through Greece and Rome. And that is more important today than when Ibn Khaldun undertook his journey. Overall though, for a feel of this area, at least during a similar period, I much preferred In an Antique Land. Both Professor Dunn and Ibn Khaldun deserve 5-stars for their efforts and achievements, but the finished product of the Ribla merits a lonely one, at least from one sitting in a Western "just the straight facts" perspective, and so I'll average out the book at 3-stars.

fast delivery, good condition
I thought it would take at least a month for me to get the book but it was ready to be collected in a week or so. Book was in good condition, properly wrapped. I'm satisfied with the service in short.

ap world history review: amazing
Ross E. Dunn's book The Adventures of Ibn Battuta, a Muslim traveler in the fourteenth century was an amazing book. This was just incredible how a single man back in the 1400's could travel so far. He made his way from Morocco through North and East Africa, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and even China. This was astounding giving the conditions that were present back then. Traveling small distances were dangerous, but when you look at what Battuta did you get this chill down your spine of how hard and difficult it must have been. He could have been attacked by African tribes or other groups in the middle east. Yet he put that thought behind him and set a goal to travel and he did just that. Ibn Battuta never felt like a stranger. He was a Muslim scholar that was able to find other Muslims in his travels for a place to stay, food to eat, and a friend along the way. This was important because if he was not able to find other Muslims like himself he could have been left out or rejected in their society. This book was especially good when he reached Mecca. This was his goal, as Muslim it was your duty to travel there at least once in your life time. The book really slowed down when he was in Mecca. Battuta gave a really good description of his time there. He described the landscape and other physical features of the town very closely.
On the other hand Dunn tried to cram and smash all of Ibn Battuta's travels in 300 pages. This is necessarily not a good thing because he could did not go into more detail on his smaller journeys. He did a great job with the larger cities, but if the city was small, you did not get a good grip on things going on at that town. At some points Dunn goes through about 10 cities in about 5 pages. This was a difficult part in the book to really grasp because it was all crammed in. This was really the only down fall that I had with this book. I think for the most part Ross E. Dunn did a great job on completing its purpose.

the best available
After reading Alexander von Humboldt's work on travels in South America, I got a taste for reading first impressions of world travelers.This book is NOT that sort of book.

Ross Dunn's work is best for studying Islam at the height of its prestige in the 14th century, but it is a frustrating read.The nature of a Rihla is to be a literary glorification of Islam; therefore Ibn Battuta set down his information in a non-chronological, non-anthropological manner (he does not describe regular people or regular events).Ibn Battuta's book (we learn by sifting through Dunn's work) was meant to describe the powerful Islamic rulers and their courts, to impress intellectuals and, let's face it, to brag a bit.Therefore, it does not tell us much about everyday life in the 1300's.It's a shame.

In fact, much of the book seems only glancingly related to the title character, because Dunn has filled in the blanks, so to speak.The non-chronological nature of the Rihla has led Dunn to deviate from the known travels and dabble in hypothetical itineraries.Dunn is knowledgeable and relates much color and detail from his own travels - a valuable addition.

While Ibn Battuta (and Dunn) establish 14th century Muslim world rule as infinitely sublime and a precursor to one-world governance, in any other context IB would be described as rigid, priggish and puritanical. His fawning subservience to powerful, violent rulers is distasteful.Was the man an obsequious, social climbing toady?It is hard to escape that conclusion.

Ibn Battuta's preferences would be called "parochial" if they were held by, for example, a US senator from the South.His personality reeks of the cultural superiority of the then-elitists, and it is off-putting. He disdains all society, all ideas, but his own and that of the social spheres above his.

The best part of the book is the lengthy section on Islamic India.It is interesting, cohesive, suspenseful, and a good jumping-off point for Muhammad Yunus's excellent book "Banker to the Poor."Beginning on page 190, there is a very readable depiction of the horror behind "hope and change" politics, including brash opportunism, utter submission to the will of the sultan, and the insatiable needs of the governing class.

Excellent Introduction to Ibn Batuta travels
I got interested in Ibn Batuta travels through prior books I read about Muslim scientists, artists, and thinkers. I think it is an excellent introduction to his travels. However, at times I feel author is spending lot more time discussing the background of a certain region and turmoil the place has been through. But I guess that is good for a reader who doesn't have lot of insight into the area and its monarchy of that time.

I am barely half way into the book and reading his travels into Turkey and beyond, which in fact paints an amazing picture of that time, culture, and traditions.I'll recommend this book to anyone who is an avid traveler and wants to learn about the most developed regions of that time in the history. ... Read more

Product Description
Like many women in the Church, Joy Loewen didn't fully understand Muslim women or their roles in the Muslim culture and religion. In fact, she was afraid of them and not particularly interested in befriending them. But with prayer, wisdom, and a lot of love, Joy overcame these obstacles, found that she actually liked them, and that many of these women are irresistibly attracted to the love of Jesus. For the last thirty years she has used this knowledge to build authentic connections with Muslim women, reaching out to them in a sensitive, effective way.In this practical and very personal book, Joy shares not only her insights into befriending Muslim women, but many helpful stories from her own experiences. Her goal is to help readers "move from fear to love and compassion" so that they, too, can love as Christ does. Woman to Woman is essential reading for Christian leaders, ministries, and any layperson who wants to grow in love for and understanding of Muslims. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good reading
This author has a lot of experience and a lot of sensitivity.It's also pretty amazing reading.Highly recommended!

Great Book
I really liked the down-to-earth presentation of sharing Christ with friends. It's a 'must read' for women who are be-friending women of other cultures.

Love as Jesus Loves
This compelling book, written by a woman who has laid her personal desires at the foot of the cross, can be life changing. God has prepared Ms. Loewen in amazing ways--enabling her not only to reach Muslim women-but also to share her wisdom with us so we can do the same in an authentic manner.

I loved the insights of needs Muslim women have--which are the same needs we have. To know we are loved unconditionally. She teaches us in an organic manner though stories from her own experience, many of the beliefs these women have, and fears they face. Ms. Loewen encourages us to be accessible to others, and to share our faith with them in small ways like songs, teaching Christian traditions such as Christmas and Easter, and let them see Jesus through our lives.

Whether God has placed a Muslim friend on your heart or not, this book is a wonderful resource to remind us we may be the only Jesus some people will see. Will we reach out to others today and share the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

A "Must Read Book" - Joy Loewen's new book
I just finished Joy Loewen's book "Woman to Woman - sharing Jesus with a Muslim friend."I read it in one sitting - I couldn't put it down.
One of her friends asked, "Joy, just exactly what do you do?" Joy answered, "Safia, I help prepare people for the next life."

She traces her own childhood journey of fear of Muslims from the time her father's train was attacked and looted by Somali bandits to her personal "visitation" from the Holy Spirit as an adult missionary in Pakistan.

Joy states, "Even I was surprised at the strength of my love and affection for Muslim people, many of whom have become my good friends. We speak different languages and have different customs and religions. Yet I feel at home with Muslims."She wants each reader to feel the same.By the time I finished her book I shared those sentiments.

This is not the usual "how to" book on reaching Muslims for Christ.It is riveting with every page and story smelling of gun smoke and lavender. From story to story she guides her women friends as they taste the salt and see the light of Christ.

She also crams the book with practical illustrations such as using candy canes to explain the Gospel, simple piano songs about Jesus, and Halloween masks that reveal who we really are before God.She shares the meaning of names, the veil and artificial fingernails as purification before God, walking through the "houses of their lives," as well as praying with and for them in Jesus' name.

This book is more than delightful - it is a `must read' for men as well as women.Why?If we fail to grasp the message of this book we will never really understand Muslims or their culture at all.So, whatever good books are on your reading list, move this one to the front.It will be worth it!

Dr. Ed Hoskins
Physician and author of "A Muslim's Heart"
... Read more

Product 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 (8)

Abode of Testimony....
This book is divided into two parts:

It is in Part A, entitled "A Universe of Reference" that the book really shines. Ramadan uses Islamic sources, the Quran, authentic hadiths, as well as tools of Islamic jurisprudence such as Maslaha (the common good) and ijtihad (independent reasoning) to set aside meaningless historical concepts such as "Dar al Harb" [abode of war] and "Dar al Islam" [abode of Islam] and come up with the simple, rather obvious, but revolutionary concept: Western countries are "Dar al-Shahada" or, area of testimony. Basically, the task of Muslims in the West is to express the Shahada, the creed that "There is no God but God, and Muhammad (s) is His Messenger" not only in word, but in deed (no easy task, as Ramadan makes clear.) Such an attitude requires becoming intimately involved in Western society, understanding the Western mindset, and actively participating in civic engagement. We can not sit around and depend on fatwas being given from the Islamic world by some scholar who has never lived in the West, and therefore has no idea of Western concepts and thinking. To truly bear witness to the One God in one's society, one has to be BOTH fully a Westerner AND a Muslim- not choose between one or another. I give this part of the book 5 stars.

In the second part of the book, part B, "The Meaning of Engagement," Ramadan tries to lay out how Muslims should engage themselves in the West, keeping in mind their primary task of bearing witness to the One God by acts and deeds. He explores Muslim engagement in topics such as "Spirituality and Emotions", Islamic Education, "Social Commitment and Political Participation", "Economic Resistance", and "Interreligious Dialogue." Defining the proper Islamic engagement in each of these areas, much less all of them, is a huge undertaking, and as Ramadan repeatedly stresses, can only be done properly by taking into account one's context. Thus, appropriate Islamic Education, or political participation, or interreligious dialog will wary from America to Europe, and from region to region, and from town to town. However, because of these limitations, Ramadan is limited to offering interesting insights, but not much in the way of solutions or guidelines. For example, I wholeheartedly agree with the need for Muslims to resist and offer REAL alternatives to the murderous and unjust economic order, and the need for Muslims to be educated BOTH in Islam and in Western civic engagement (including lessons in Western history, philosophy, etc). Ramadan rightly claims that many solutions that have so far been promoted (Islamic banking, Islamic schools, etc) are superficial solutions, which may help Muslims feel that they have followed 'the letter of Islamic law' but do nothing to actually improve our societies. However, Ramadam himself is not able to offer much in the way of solutions or guidelines as to how to achieve aims such as a just economic order, or proper education. Ultimately, this section feels incomplete, with the reader wanting more. I give this part of the book 3 stars.

The patch can't fix it!
As a former Muslim, I see that Westernizing Islam is like putting a "patch" ruq3ah on a worn down outfit in the hope that it would be usable once again. Westernized Islam sounds good in theory, but theory is one thing and practical application is another. How can we overlook the spirit of Islam that is embedded in the text of the Quran that is perceived as non-negotiable by humans if Allah and His Messenger has prescribed a statute of some kind?! A Muslim can't easily chop out the ninth chapter of the Quran in order to Westernize Islam and thus come up with a dandy version of Islam. That is wishful thinking. That is why I abandoned Islam.

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.

-author of Correcting Jesus

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.
... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
A quick non-technical,introduction to the Koran designed to help Christians understand a hidden book revered by 1.3 billion Muslims, covering the background on its writing, a summary of its contents, a perspective on how it’s used and viewed by Muslims, a comparison of differences and similarities to the Bible, and some suggestions on how it should and should not be used in conversations with Muslims. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

excellent, excellent material
This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for. I do not know much about Islam, and was really looking for a overview material written from a Christian perspective that was not argumentative, not harrassing, and simply gave the facts, and a charge to love others.

UNDERSTANDING the Koran? Really?
Elass clearly does not assume a neutral standing on the subject of Christians vs. Muslims. So be it, he launches a disparaging attack on muslims, their beliefs and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (May Peace Be Upon Him). Prior to reading the book, my prediction was that it would be presented in an analytical way--probing the Quranic text and then provide explanations. To my disappointment the book fell miles short of such a target. Its merely, like some have already stated a "distored, and slanted" representation of Islamic teachings. Elass makes derogatory claims yet fails to provide evidence in defense of his words. On pg 23 he states that Muhammad (P.B.U.H) "contemplated suicide." Obviously this claim, among many others, only serves to shed light on his profoundly lacking understanding of the Quran-- since the Prophet himself condemned suicide and declared it haram (prohibited) in Islam ,then why would he chose it for himself??!. Personally I would discourage such reads since they only serve to entertain those who follow religion with closed eyes and moreover a closed heart. If you want an understanding of the Quran, I challenge you to read the Quran itself and then decide for yourself.

Koran boosters?
Mateen Elass is a Presbyterian minister, son of a Muslim father, that lived many years in Saudi Arabia. He has first hand experience with and understands Islamic traditions very well. The book however should be titled "Koranboosters" since it is not so much about understanding the Koran as to how to argue with Islamic people and show them that they are wrong. There is even a guide in the back of the book that contains arguments, questions and counter-arguments to present to Islamic people.

I bought the book to understand more about Islam, and instead I was faced with a "them vs. us" argument, and while Elass respects Muslims and holds no grudge against them, he emphasises that they are wrong in their vision of God, that they have an imperfect and mistaken perception of Allah. The book is an exhaustive study on how Mohamed was wrong and all the contradictions present in the Koran. And while these facts might be true (I still need to read the Koran) the way that they are presented do not bring people from other faith closer to understand Muslims. The title is misleading and the book is not what it promises to be.

I cannot truly recommend this book very much. If you think you can separate religious opinion from facts then go ahead and buy it, it does not show animosity toward Muslims, but it is terribly biased and does not shed light on their culture and religion.

Understanding the Koran: A Quick Chrisian Guide to the Muslim Holy Book
Excellent service!Item was lost in the mail, and they credited my account immediately.I decided not to reorder, but would buy from again!

Understanding the Koran:A Quick Christian Guide...
This book is very easy to read and understand.It is written by a Christian Pastor who was raised in Saudi Arabia in a Muslim environment, giving him a depth of understanding of both Christianity and Islam.I have learned more from this book than from years of asking questions.This is definitely a great and informative read for any Christian wanting to understand the Koran. ... Read more

Product Description
Between 1453 and 1526 Muslims founded three major states in the Mediterranean, Iran and South Asia: respectively the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires. By the early seventeenth century their descendants controlled territories that encompassed much of the Muslim world, stretching from the Balkans and North Africa to the Bay of Bengal and including a combined population of between 130 and 160 million people. This book is the first comparative study of the politics, religion, and culture of these three empires between 1300 and 1923. At the heart of the analysis is Islam, and how it impacted on the political and military structures, the economy, language, literature and religious traditions of these great empires. This original and sophisticated study provides an antidote to the modern view of Muslim societies by illustrating the complexity, humanity and vitality of these empires, empires that cannot be reduced simply to religious doctrine. ... Read more

Product Description
Two cross-cultural experts use their extensive experience in Muslim cultures to help Christians understand the Qur'an, the authoritative scripture of Islam, in this insightful book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Book receives nomination for Book of the Year Award
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 (Grand Rapids, MI)--ForeWord Magazine recently announced the finalists in their 2009 Book of the Year Awards, among which were five titles from Kregel Publications. The purpose of the awards program, according to their Web site, is "to bring increased attention to librarians and booksellers of the literary and graphic achievements of independent publishers and their authors."

According to ForeWord, "The finalists, representing 360 publishers, were selected from 1,400 entries in 60 categories. These books are examples of independent publishing at its best." The winning titles are chosen by a panel of librarians and booksellers among the ForeWord readership. Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, as well as Editor's Choice Prizes for Fiction and Nonfiction will be presented at a special program at BookExpo America in New York City on May 25, 2010, which is open to all BEA attendees.

The finalists from Kregel Publications include:

A Christian Guide to the Qur'an: Building Bridges in Muslim Evangelism by Raouf Ghattas and Carol Ghattas (Reference category)
No Sex in the City: One Virgin's Confessions of Love, Lust, Dating, and Waiting by Lindsey Isham (Women's Issues category)
The Sacred Cipher: A Novel by Terry Brennan (Fiction - Religious category)
The Spirituality of Jesus: Nine Disciplines Christ Modeled for Us by Leslie T. Hardin (Religion category)
What the Bayou Saw: A Novel by Patti Lacy (Fiction - Religious category)

REVIEW COPY & INTERVIEW REQUESTS

To arrange interviews, book signings, articles, or other media events with any of these authors, or to request review copies of the books, please contact Leslie Paladino by phone (616-430-0423) or e-mail (publicity@kregel.com).

ABOUT KREGEL PUBLICATIONS
Kregel Publications is a division of Kregel, Inc., which also includes Editorial Portavoz, a Spanish publishing division; and three full-service Christian retail stores in the greater Grand Rapids, Mich., area.

unique resource
This resource fills a unique niche in Muslim ministry writings.It is a sura by sura analysis of the Qur'an from a Christian perspective.It compares the theology of the Qur'an to biblical theology and notes bridges for communicating the truth of the gospel which may be present in each sura.It is quite practical for anyone seeking to enter into constructive spiritual discussions with Muslims and also as a companion to reading the Qur'an in preparation for Muslim ministry in general.It is comprehensive yet concise.I can thoroughly recommend this resource to anyone wanting to share spiritual truth with Muslims.

Christian Quran Review
This book mentions each chapter in the Quran, but provides only a brief, 1-paragraph-long synopsis of that chapter.Pertaining to Sura (chapter) 25, Ayat (verse) 2-3, the authors note that: "These verses constitute a clear rejection of the deity of Christ and reveal the reasons behind it" (p. 200).They then suggest how a Christian can `answer' or `refute' the Quran's contention.However, there really isn't much, if any, "deep" analysis of the chapter: the authors provide a `smigget' here and a `smigget' there in refutation.I was left looking for more beef than lean.Of course the challenge here is with the authors' trying to provide some `snapshot' answer to each `erroneous' Koran claim.The authors suggest that to refute some Quranic claim, that a Christian missionary "can lead our [Muslim] friend to read the account from the Bible to get the full picture of what really happened" (p. 165).Hence, rather than this book providing a `refutation' to some Koranic contention, you need to be familiar with the Bible and its passages to show them to a Muslim and GUIDE the Mohammedian in analyzing the differences.The problem here becomes if you (the Christian) are not all that eloquent in understanding Biblical passages, you may not have much success in convincing the Muselman to your `correct' interpretation.This book does refer the reader to some applicable paragraphs in the Bible (but not enough analysis); hence, if you are not familiar with the Bible, you are going to get lost fast in trying to flip back-and-forth between both books (although Appendix C does help a little) to `prove' your position.Muslims tend to be very familiar with and believe in their holy book: the Quran.Hence, the Christian missionary really has his/her work cut out for them in trying to merely proclaim: "My holy book is better than your holy book."This CHRISTIAN GUIDE TO THE QURAN is a "lite" review of the Koran; you will at least learn a brief synopsis to each sura. You will not be able to hand this book to a Mohammadian and say: "Here, read this because it will explain all of Muhammad's misunderstandings of the Bible" - not going to happen. Because this book goes sura-by-sura through the Quran, it does not `bring together' into a cohesive `whole' of similar accounts that randomly appear throughout the Koran.One book that has `bundled together' the similar Quranic accounts is Robert Spencer's THE INFIDEL's GUIDE TO THE KORAN.Also, see Robert Spencer's "Blogging the Quran" series at his JIHAD WATCH website; there, there is MUCH MORE analysis of each sura - several paragraphs, if not pages, in length (hopefully, it will become a book some day: Inshallah!).

A Christian Guide to the Quran
An excellent tool for understanding the various chapters of the Quran.
Contains insights not known by most readers, such as practices of Muslims
using the various chapters or surahs of the Quran. I find it very useful
in understanding the text of the Quran. ... Read more

Product Description
A biblically and culturally appropriate blueprint for church planting in Muslim cities anywhere in the world. The experiences of one hundred missionaries provide a guide to evangelizing and discipling. ... Read more

Product Description
An essential introductory text for the study of the Qur’an, its content, and its place in Muslim society.

• An insightful and authoritative introduction to the book at the heart of Muslim life, written by a well-known Islamic scholar
  
• Examines the doctrines contained in the Qur’an, providing a comprehensive explanation of their significance to individual Muslims and the societies in which they live
  
• Surveys the key themes of the Qur’an, its most significant historical interpretations, and some of the most significant figures who transmitted and taught the sacred scripture over the centuries
  
• Considers the influence of the Qur’an on all major aspects of Muslim society, including personal relationships, popular culture, law, art and architecture, political movements, science, and literature
  
• Helps the reader to understand the Qur’an, while throwing a much-needed light on what it means to be a Muslim.

Customer Reviews (6)

A view from Arabic native reader perspective
I may not repeat the other reviewers input, but the appeal of Mrs. Mattson book is her view as a very capable scholar and native westerner convert. This is very refreshing and important contribution which is free from the influence of the regular cultural heritage and baggage of the common muslim scholars in the middle east. I only wish that English language books that quote Quran in translation would also add paragraphs for the original quotation in Arabic for the benefit of their native Arabic readers, it is not smooth read as we're constantly trying to get the original text which we may not memorize without interrupting the line of thought which the author is conveying, this is my advise.

Great Introduction to the Qur'an
As an American who doesn't speak Arabic, "The Story of the Qur'an" offers a clear, well-researched introduction to the Qur'an.Dr. Mattson covers a broad spectrum of issues in a very concise way.I recommend this book for anyone who wants to not only better understand the Qur'an, but also Islam's historical context and how Muslims use the Qur'an today.

A terrific resource on the Quran
I am a Christian pastor and high school Religion teacher, and I'm currently using "The Story of the Qur'an" as part of a course for Juniors and Seniors on Islam.It's an excellent resource: deeply scholarly, but also user-friendly. It's technical, but absolutely approachable.Even those just beginning to learn about Islam and the Qur'an will be able to get it.

For teachers: Mattson's book occupies a niche that others don't cover.It explains "what's in the Qur'an," to be sure, but also questions including: "how did the Qur'an take shape?" and "what role(s) does it play within Muslim culture throughout history and today?" and "how have Muslims interpreted the Qur'an?"(Note: these are my summaries, not its chapter headings, per se.)

It's really the last three questions that set the book apart from other introductory texts.Most of these will tell you THAT the Qur'an is important, and many will tell you WHY, at least in a general way. But none I know offer the same nuanced view of HOW the text evolved and how its reception and interpretation have also evolved.

Why does that matter? Well, I've found that my students come to the Qur'an with a great deal of interest, but also suspicion.They are attracted to its emphasis on social justice and are often surprised by its beauty, but put off by its eschatology (which, in fairness, they have only just begun to learn). They struggle mightily to understand the authority of a text -- a struggle that is made harder by the general distrust of any authority that is typical of their age, but also compounded by the media treatments of Islam which are often all they know of the faith.

Mattson is brilliant in giving them ways to understand that authority as the product of revelation, but also history.

If you're serious about introducing students to the Qur'an as part of a course on Islam, this is an invaluable resource.Also good for helping students develop paper topics and bibliographies, as well as for developing a mental framework to understand the Qur'an on something closer to its own terms.It quotes a lot of Qur'anic material, so it might also be used as a reserve book or for the teacher to prep a unit for him/herself.Easy to use as a roadmap for teachers trying to decide which passages to teach and how to understand them.

Once again a Great book
Once again Dr. Mattson provide a great insight about Islam & Quran and it's valuesin a easy to read format,,,
I'm looking forward to see one from Story from Ahadiath's soon --
Masha'Allah Great work keep up the good work Dr. Mattson.
Regards,
Malahat Qureshi Ph.D.

Quran--History, Traditions and its Relevance.
An outstanding book addressing the commonly asked questions--is Quran really word of God, how was it compiled, who is the author, have no changes been incorporated etc.The book describes in detail the importance of oral traditions and how they are continued in 21st century--chap 3 describes the journey of a 17yr old American teenager-Reem- in ensuring the continuation of the oral traditions.
Reader will also learn about the role played by some women and Jews during the life of the prophet. A great book written by a practicing Muslim female adresses most of the commonly asked questions regarding Quran and Muslims. Highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This highly prized book fills the need for a guide forMuslim couples, married or planning marriage.The book draws on Islamicsources of the Qur'an and the Sunnah to discuss the mainemotional,social and sexual problems that can afflict relationships,suggesting many ways in which these can be resolved. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

MUST READ!
I think every person who is getting married should read this book.It give a whole new meaning to marriage and what its really about!

I never received my purchase
I'm sorry I am unable to submit a favorable review because I never received my purchase. I am not pleased at all!!!

A great book
I enjoyed this book so much. I bought in Pakistan and brought it back with me to the States. It is a must for newlyweds! They way it is written, it is as if someone is talking to you and teaching you. I am planning on getting it as a wedding gift for my cousins wife who will Inshallah take her Shahadah soon. For a new Muslim, it will help understand the beauty of being married and for Muslims it will help understand more about our religion. A great read all the way!

A good book for young muslims
This book is really good. I learnt a lot from it. I am sorry to know that there is a "censored" edition of this book. I assume contents of the last two chapters got edited - these two chapters try to educate men about female sexuality so that men understand the "needs" of their women and take action to make sex life enjoyable to BOTH of them. Censoring these chapters might reduce the usefulness of this book.
I recommend this book - the original one, not the censored one.

excellent book
it's a must for all new and oldmuslim couple. it's a eye opening book for this new generation. like she says marriage is like a garden got to take care of it or other wish wides will come to grow in it and soil will harden. it's the best book so fare according to me. again its a must to have in your library. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (31)

What the Rest of Us Probably Think
Thanks to several previous reviewers for exposing Esposito's methods in this book. I'd just like to add a few remarks. The really CRUCIAL question is one the Gallup poll wasn't designed to ask -- what do the IMAMS really think? They're the people with the real power, after all; how many are honest men doing their jobs, and how many are duplicitous ideologues? From what little one can glean going on between the lines here, the answer isn't comforting. Esposito makes much of the fact that what most Muslims really want from their governments is a soft-core sharia and a constitutional democracy at the same time. Just where did they get such notions? Three guesses. These are clearly honest, decent, working folk, but they're clearly sufficiently unreflective that they just didn't remember that this experiment in what Popper calls "utopian social engineering" was recently tried, and the result was Iran. So in at least one important respect this book should be subtitled " ... Would Like to Think They Think." Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Ibn Warraq have both written far better and more ethically balanced books that Esposito is capable of, 'cause they been there, and done that. In fact, though, the best book on Islam, or much of anything else,I ever came across doesn't even have "Islam" in the title. It's "The Open Society ... V.I: Plato." The philosopher-king reading the mind of God, the Guardians with police-state powers, the (literally) troglodite masses, the censoring of the poets for mocking the gods with their satanic verses, the government program to turn women into contented breeding-cattle, and, most tellingly, the endless war against corrupt, materialistic, decadent, vulgar democracies that want to spread chaos (a.k.a "fitna") for the fun of it -- it's all there in Plato, and in Islam; and Popper never mentioned Islam anywhere in this book; it apparently never crossed his mind. So do a Muslim friend a favor; give him a copy of Popper for his birthday, without even mentioning Islam -- and let him draw his own conclusions. So with apologies to Esposito, I'll continue to think what five billion people really think.

Distortion of Islam
I recently reread this book in light of the current controversy surrounding the building of a mosque near the World Trade Center. From my perspective this controversy perfectly frames the differences between modern Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.While it may be a legal right to build a mosque anywhere, the real question is whether in face of everything that happened at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 if this is the "proper" place to build a mosque.Islam is not a religion that historically considers the sensitivities of non-Muslims.
This book illustrates the difficulties of understanding the truth of Islam. The authors appear to have a strong bias for Islam and an equally strong bias against Christianity, Judaism and the "West".This bias first demonstrates itself on page 7 when they say that Islam means "a strong commitment to God" The quotes were theirsbut no show is shown for this quote.On page 8 the Quran is quoted, "For we submit to God." Most experts acknowledge that Islam is based on submission and obedience to God. It is not a religion based on love of God.
There is much confusion over the origins of Islam. Most historians say that Mohammad was a trader and traveled to Syria and Palestine.On these travels he became vaguely familiar with Judaism and Christianity. Most experts acknowledge that his knowledge of Judaism and Christianity was imperfect. He claimed to have a vision from the angel Gabriel and he became the prophet of Allah. When he died his followers aspired to be a major world power and also a universal religion. The caliphs were successful due to the weakness of the Byzantine Empire and the rivalry between the Eastern and Roman Churches. The lax moral code of the new religion coupled with the power of the sword led to conquest and conversion. The hope of plunder and the love of conquest coupled with the genius of the caliphs led to a quick conquering of the entire Middle East and parts of Europe.Fortunately, Charles Martel at Tours in 732 was able to stop the spread of Islam to Europe.
Islam likes to be considered an Abrahamic faith associated with Judaism and Christianity.While all three are traced to Abraham they split their heritage with Isaac and Ishmael.This was the start of the differences between Islam and Judaism and Christianity. Both Judaism and Christianity base their moral codes on the Ten Commandments. Islam does not base its code on the Ten Commandments.Rather it bases its obligation on, rote prayer, Ramadan fast, almsgiving, and a pilgrimage to Mecca.Religious tolerance and charity to outsiders is not contained in the Islamic moral code. Rather than striving to make the world a better and a just society for all, Islam is looking for total and complete obedience.This is evidence by the hostility of Muslims to allow places of worship in their own countries.Christians and Jews are daily persecuted and prevented from the freedom of religion in most Muslim countries.
The polls taken in this book do not appear to be scientifically based.The actual questions asked are not reproduced and there are no statistics for the reader to analyze. When I read the Pew Religious Studies I am able to see the questions asked and then I am in a better position to assessthe entire survey.My opinion of the Gallup polls has been severely diminishedby this book. My opinion is that this book is a public relations job that tries to present Islam as it would like to be presented versus what it actually stands for.

A solid way to get up to speed on Islam
It is not OK to ignore what 1.3 Muslims are thinking. However, given how biased almost all reporting and info is on Islam, it is frankly hard to get up to speed on what Muslims are really thinking. Reguardless of what angle the input is coming from concervative Islam, the Christian right,liberal democrats or NPR, virtually all reporting seems to be very biased. But I found "Who Speaks for Islam" to be very good. It is the biggest survey ever conducted by the Gallup Poll and it's findings were very revealing. I feel more intouch and informed after reading the book.

consummate obfuscation
Here's what Bruce Bawer has to say about this, in his Surrender: Appeasing Islam, Sacrificing Freedom (pp. 153):

Just as the purpose of his pre-9/11 book THE ISLAMIC THREAT:MYTH OR REALITY? was to convince readers that Islam posed no threat to the West, the new book sought to use Gallup poll results to assure them that the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the West were moderate.In order to accomplish this, however, Esposito and his coauthor were obliged to define "moderate" as anyone who didn't consider 9/11 "completely justified."Muslim who considered 9/11 somewhat justified, in other words, would fall into the moderate category.So . . . would millions of Muslims . . .who deny that Arabs committed 9/11.

Every individual interested in understanding Muslims should read this book.
I would recommend to every individual interested in understanding Muslims that they pick this book up. It addresses the nuances as well as the misunderstandings regarding Muslims.

After all it's ones' understanding of a subject that tends to define it in the public, so come to know how Muslims understand/see the world and their religion in the modern age.

Both Muslims and non-Muslims should read this book, it discusses who speaks for islam while speaking to all.

Enjoy, I know I did. It just so happened that I was sitting in the back of a plane while I was reading this book. People around me found it intriguing, it sparked a great discussion. ... Read more

Product Description
Hugh Goddard investigates the history of the relationships between Christians and Muslims over the centuries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Perhaps the Best of Its Kind
Goddard's book is a fair, constructive, and irenic history of these two religions that, unfortunately, have battled one another for centuries.I am using it as the first text in a college course on Christianity and Islam.It journeys through the historical terrain of Christian-Muslim relations as deftly as any book out there.In comparison to other books that attempt to do the same thing, Goddard's account is reader-friendly and shot through with interesting stories that cause students to reflect on what went wrong at critical moments between Muslims and Christians, what we can learn from these situations, and what we can do now to engage in constructive dialogue.The book's eight chapters tell the story of how Christianity and Islam emerged from Middle Eastern soil, Muhammad's interactions with Christians, then considers the various periods of Christian-Muslim interaction: the first age, the medieval period, the era of mission and imperialism, and the 19th-20th centuries (13th-14th centuries for Muslims).The final chapter challenges readers to move beyond confrontation to dialogue, to draw on the best of each of their traditions, and to view Christians and Muslims as fellow travelers on the road toward truth.Therefore, if you are looking for a resource that tells the all too often heartbreaking story of Christian-Muslim relations, then points to the possibilities for mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence, this is the book for you.

goldmine
This book is a veritable goldmine of information concerning the Muslim-Christian encounter throughout the mutual history of these faiths.While it is concise and moves quickly, it has concentrated a great deal of information into a relatively short work.The topic of this book is one which is not often written about but is extremely applicable to understanding today's world both politically, culturally, and religiously.

With an emphasis on changing relationships and ideals
This history covers changing relationships between Muslim and Christian worlds, examining how the two largest religious communities have interacted over the ages. Hugh Goddard's History Of Christian-Muslim Relations is a fine survey with an emphasis on changing relationships and ideals on both sides. ... Read more

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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 (12)

A Required Text
This should be required reading -- and debating -- material for the post-Sept 11th Western World. This is why there is an al-Jazeera

And why many light-skinned Scots and English broadcasters have gone to work for ***them***.

Disappointing
I read this book for one simple reason: it was one of just six books on the "short list" of the Army Command and General Staff College Commander's Counterinsurgency Reading List.Moreover, it was touted as "an excellent overview of the broader radical Islamic insurgency."After reading "The War for Muslim Minds" by the French political scientist Gilles Kepel I find such strong endorsement from the United States Armed Forces rather puzzling.

To begin with, there is nothing new to be found here.Giles delivers a basic narrative on the confluence of events that have led to the current conflict in the Middle East: the second Intifada, the ascendancy of the neoconservative movement in the United States, the emergence of Al Qaeda, the Wahhabite religious awakening (sahwa) in Saudi Arabia, and the post-invasion civil war in Iraq.Each of these issues has been better and more fully addressed elsewhere.For instance, Giles' chapter on "The Neoconservative Revolution" is essentially a redaction of James Mann's "The Rise of Vulcans," only more condemnatory and less accurate (I tend to agree with Tom Ricks' assessment that the neocons have "been given too much blame and too much credit").His chapter on the foundation and rise of Al Qaeda ("Striking at the Faraway Enemy") is a weak synopsis of Lawrence Wright's Pulitzer Prize Winning "The Looming Tower."To the extent that Giles has added anything new to previous works, it would be his thinly veiled anti-American tilt to the overall storyline.(Giles accepts as indisputable fact the argument that the pre-invasion claim of WMDs in Iraq was a bald-faced lie used as pretext to overthrow Saddam for the sake of Israel's security.My question to those who subscribe to that belief has always been: if the administration was willing to go to such mendacious lengths, why not conduct an equally complex conspiracy to plant evidence to justify the original lie?)

But these are just quibbles.The main reason "The War for Muslim Minds" disappoints is that the author fundamentally fails to address the compelling central thesis of the book - "the most important battle in the war for Muslim minds during the next decade will be fought not in Palestine or Iraq but in communities of believers on the outskirts of London, Paris, and other European cities, where Islam is already a growing part of the West."The final chapter ("The Battle for Europe") supposedly addresses this challenge of winning second generation European-Muslims away from both the quietist salafist and violent jihadist influences; however, Giles focuses almost exclusively on a situation report from France circa 2004 with heavy emphasis on the controversial Islamic activist Tariq Ramadan. He suggests that the ability of the West to win-over their second-generation Muslim citizens to a universalist notion of citizenship and civil, open society will determine the outcome of the current ideological confrontation that is, in his mind, every bit as threatening to twenty-first century peace as communism was to the twentieth.Yet Kepel does not offer any pragmatic solutions or even novel insights as to how the West can successfully compete with the powerful elements in the European-Muslim communities who stridently resist cultural and political integration.

Finally, there is a sobering, defeatist message in this book.Giles contends that "though the ultimate goals of jihadists and neoconservatives diverged, their proximate goals were remarkable aligned: ousting the region's regimes, whose authoritarianism and corruption they both abhorred."He suggests that a shake-out in the Middle East is indeed coming and that the neocons vision of "a virtuous cycle of missiles and tanks, liberation and democratization" is losing out to Al Qaeda's dream of a new greater Islamic Caliphate.

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.

... Read more