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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
slow-paced
I went in with only the most scant understanding of Islam, so this was more or less providing a scaffold for me to build on. As such, I’m sure I won’t remember many, if any specifics. That said my overall impression was that much of it seemed familiar. Not in that I had learned these things before, but that the themes had been seen before. I saw similarities between Muhammad and the founders of other religions, my own included, and could relate to the struggle about how to interpret words that were written for a different society than the one I live in.
A good start, and I intend to do further reading on the topic.
A good start, and I intend to do further reading on the topic.
4/5 Excellent and digestible history of Islam, the life of the prophet, and explanation of the different religious sects and how they came to be. Eye opening conclusion : "Islam is not at war with the world, but with itself". - .5 star only because this book is, understably, a bit dated (15 years). That did not detract at all from the history, just from the conclusion and the modern significance/parrellels. I especially appreciate how Aslan discussed the Indian revolution and the dichotomy of Muslims in India under English colonial oppression, because that is, unfortunately, not something I had ever considered before.
This is a really accessible introduction to Islam, its history and adherents. You may have seen the author on "The Daily Show" - he's incredibly intelligent and a brilliant writer. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand more about the world's most misunderstood religion.
Too dry. Very much a simplistic text-book, rather than explaining while entertaining.
I wanted a history book about the history of Islam that was not doctrinaire or clash of civilizations. This book certainly met those needs. But the author annoyed the heck out of me in his inaccuracies about South Asian history.
Great history of Muhammed, Islam, and it's factions and leaders.
I picked up this book looking for political history, especially on the 50-year power tussle that eventually led to the genesis of Shi'ism. I feel like I got that. This book attempts to cover (as much as possible) the branches and sub-branches that have formed around the history of the unavoidably political matter of Religious formation. I think it's a good read for those interested in exploring the political history of Islam but is not material for a beginner reader interested in understanding what Islam is.
A thoughtful and engaging history of Islam. Aslan argues that the current wave of violence that is coursing through the Muslim world represents an internal conflict as Islam goes through its equivalent of the Reformation, rather than a war against the West. Let us hope he is right.