Inshallah. This is an online-exclusive from theChristian Research Journal. Having divorced myself from Islam a couple of years back but continued to struggle with a lot of resentment regarding current "theological" and cultural affairs, coming across this book parted some clouds in my mind. This website generates no revenue, has no banner ads, and does not collect information to sell to third parties. . The author argues that the Quran does not command women to be covered with the veil, and that the concept of jihad was intended solely for defensive purposes. As the events of the Indian Revolt demonstrated, the British believed that the best way to curb nationalist sentiment was to classify the indigenous population not as Indians, but as Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, etc. In No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, Reza Aslan chronicles the development of Islam from its unpromising beginnings into a force to be reckoned with worldwide. . In No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, Reza Aslan chronicles the development of Islam from its unpromising beginnings into a force to be reckoned with worldwide. The book deals with the history of Islam and provides arguments over the liberal interpretation of the religion. Aslan, Reza _ No god but God.. The story he tells begins in the Arabian desert during the pre-Islamic era of the sixth century AD. A fascinating, accessible introduction to Islam from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Zealot and host of BelieverFINALIST FOR THE GUARDIAN FIRST BOOK AWARD In No god but God, internationally acclaimed scholar Reza Aslan explains Islamthe origins and evolution of the faithin all its beauty and complexity. In Sunni Islam, the imam is merely the person who stands at the head of the mosque and leads the congregation in prayer. Even presuming the raft of hostile orientalists he draws from represented the most neutral and authoritative of western scholarship on Islam, the author's own tone and framing make it needlessly more odious. Because it immersed me in a religion I don't know in a compelling way, and gave me enough of a platform of information to perhaps start seeking other answers, and for that I'll overlook a lot. English, l-nsi il popolo ; i popoli ; le nazioni Read more , The five pillars of Islam (arkn al-Islm ; also Read more , A doxology (Ancient Greek: doxologia, from , doxa, glory Read more , raqiya sky ; firmament ; heaven Read more , Assiah (or Asiyah, also known as Olam Asiyah, Read more , Abrahamic Study Hall 2015-2023 - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy - About Us, I just wanted to remind you of a statement that represents the thinking here at ASH (Abrahamic Study Hall): A linguist passing by overheard their quarrel. Tight composition, fast pacing, authoritative tone: it's no surprise it was a bestseller. Despite these concerns, I recommend Reza Aslans book. While the details of the Amirs religion have been lost to history, most scholars are convinced that by the sixth century C.E., [Quoting the Quranic passage in chapter 3 verse 84]. All Right Reserved. . Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If Muhammads male followers were disgruntled about the new inheritance laws, they must have been furious when, in a single revolutionary move, he both limited how many wives a man could marry and granted women the right to divorce their husbands., Religion is concerned not with genuine history, but with sacred history, which does not course through time like a river. We believe in God, and in that which has been revealed to us, which is that which was revealed to Abraham and Ismail and Jacob and the tribes [of Israel], as well as that which the Lord revealed to Moses and to Jesus and to all the other Prophets. Perhaps then we will recognize the intimate connections that bind us all together beyond any cultural, ethnic, or religious affiliations. This book was thoroughly eye-opening. Because of the variability of the Arabic language, both of these translations are grammatically, syntactically, and definitionally correct. Ill read anything he cares to write. Depending on the study guide provider (SparkNotes, Shmoop, etc. Consequently, I was repugnant to read the first few chapters of the book in which the focal point is the introduction to seerah (History of Islam)that is biased. It would seem that for a state to be Islamic in any meaningful sense, it would have to be informed by Islamic religious ideals. That's why it's so chilling to read about leaders -- the Companions? During a period of exile, Muhammad gathered supporters and received additional revelations, summed up in the shahadah: There is no god but God, and Muhammad is Gods messenger.. The Islamic Reformation is already here. The Quran suffered a similar fate, as different schools of interpretation emerged. This is my angur! cried the Persian. Read Reza Aslan's biography on RezaAslan.com. 320 pages. No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam (Reza Aslam), Quran Interpretations of the COVID19 Pandemic, The rainbow, a Sign of Peace in the Bible, A must-read book for anyone who is not only interested in learning more about the world of Islam in the past and nowadays, but also for all those who seek the historical truth of facts through the path of the, Each chapter of the book deals with a specific topic within Islam. This book explains how this can happen to a sensible young man, and gives cause to worry about Americas universities, many of which have been endowed funds by radical Islamic sects to provide programs in Islamic studies. He believes that all religion is conceived, incubated, weaned, and matured almost entirely in response to sociocultural conditions. Our Bible study class decided we wanted to learn something about Muslims. Thoughtful Christians need historical perspective to develop a strategy for educating themselves about the opportunities and challenges that have emerged in Islam in recent years. Abdallah politely refused and continued to the house of Amina, where he consummated the marriage that would result in the birth of the Prophet. One could argue that the clash of monotheisms is the inevitable result of monotheism itself. It took many years of violence and devastation to cleanse the Hijaz of its false idols. It will take many more to cleanse Islam of its new false idolsbigotry and fanaticismworshipped by those who have replaced Muhammeds original vision of tolerance and unity with their own ideals of hatred and discord. Muhammad, unfortunately, made no clear arrangements for a successor, and the era immediately following [his] death wasa tumultuous time for the Muslim community (66). Other chapters explore the concept of jihad, Sufi mysticism, and the Islamic response to colonialism up through the early twentieth century. Aslan explores the history of Islam, from it nascent beginnings in the previously obscure Arabian desert, to the unprecedent bourgeoning of its power, as it spread from Spain to Northern India, evolving in countless different directions, under the guise of a million and one different messages all linked to a single figure named Mohammed, a merchant turned prophet, whose message transformed a series of small Arab tribes into one of the most powerful religious forces the world has ever seen. A very good, eye-opening, mind-blowing read on the foundation and development of Islam as a religion, movement, identify, community, or in short, the. He envisions a courtyard roofed in palm leaves, with living quarters made of wood and mud lining the walls. This updated edition addresses the events of the past decade, analyzing . There are, of course, many paths to the summit-some better than others. You will learn a lot from No God But God, especially about Islamic cultural practices and their Quaranic (or lack of Quaranic) roots. . No wonder, then, that when the colonialists were finally expelled from these manufactured states, they left behind not only economic and political turmoil, but deeply divided populations with little common ground on which to construct a national identity., It is pluralism, not secularism, that defines democracy. On one hand, we have a wealth of easy-to-read historical and cultural information about Islam in a great, readable format for Western audiences. In this interesting book, Aslan starts each section by presenting 'the idealized' view of a topic, as narrated by early Muslim scholars (what he terms as 'myth') and then presents what he believes 'really happened' (objective history). ASH is a website for cultural outreach, and to unite people who seek goodness and knowledge. The argument became heated as each man insisted on having what he desired. quran/iqra. Aslans Particular Brand of Islam. For further information or to subscribe to the Christian Research Journal go to: http://www.equip.org, No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam. Philosophy, however, is itself truth; its purpose is merely to express reality through the faculty of human reason., Thus, the Quran promises that all those who believethe Jews, the Sabians, the Christiansanyone who believes in God and the Last Days, and who does good deeds, will have nothing to fear. The Meaning of Life: What is our purpose on Earth? Many reviews are behind a subscriber paywall. Alarmists warn of the imminent dissolution of civilization, longsuffering multiculturalists call for sharp discrimination between the militant minority and the peace-loving majority within the Muslim community, and others greet Muslim immigration with the expectation that little will change in American culture as a result of the assimilation of Muslims. In the final paragraph of the book, he writes: It may be too early to know who will write the next chapter of Islams story, but it is not too early to recognize who will ultimately win the war between reform and counter-reform. And finally, when the celebrated Quranic commentator Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi (11491209) interpreted the verse [God] created spouses for you of your own kind so that you may have peace of mind through them (3:21) as proof that women were created like animals and plants and other useful things [and not for] worship and carrying the Divine commands . Cliff Notes , Cliffnotes , and Cliff's Notes are trademarks of Wiley Publishing, Inc. SparkNotes and Spark Notes are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc. BuffaloLib's library catalog tends to include a brief plot synopsis and a collection of selected trade reviews for each entry. In traditional Eastern philosophy, this notion of radical unity is often called monism: the idea that all things, despite their variety, can be reduced to a single thing unified in space, time, essence, or quality. England continues to maintain a national church whose religious head is also the countrys sovereign and whose bishops serve in the upper house of Parliament. This became the site of Medina, the City of the Prophet. Aslan details the significance of Medina in Chapter 3, where he makes the arresting statement, Today, Medina is simultaneously the archetype of Islamic democracy and the impetus for Islamic militancy (52). Aslan argues that Muhammad, born in the last half of the sixth century, would have been influenced as a young man by the religious landscape of pre-Islamic Arabia (17). Is he a supernaturalist? xxxi-xxxii). Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of Reza Aslans No god but God. Fifth, there is an eerily sanctimonious thread in the final chapter that may be grounds for concern. It is hard to imagine that these ideals would not privilege Muslim believers over other members of society. The Reformation in Europe was tied to the rise of the power of the nation-state and the end of religion as a political power. Men are in charge of women, because Allah has made some of them excel the others, and because they spend some of their wealth. (266). And they believe that in this very place Abraham was on the point of sacrificing Ishmael, before being stopped by the promise that he too, like his brother Isaac, would beget a great nation, whose descendants now roam the sandy valley of Mecca like a whirlwind in the desert., Religion, it must be understood, is not faith. To me, this was worth reading, because Reza Aslan made the story if Islam come alive and told me so much I didn't know about Islam. The final word in the verse, adribuhunna, which Fakhry has rendered as beat them, can equally mean turn away from them, go along with them, and, remarkably, even have consensual intercourse with them. If religion is indeed interpretation, then which meaning one chooses to accept and follow depends on what one is trying to extract from the text: if one views the Quran as empowering women, then Alis; if one looks to the Quran to justify violence against women, then Fakhrys.translators of the Quran.. On the other hand, the barrage of information is withering. But that day will no doubt come. What a conflicting review to have to write. Elsewhere the Quran is more explicit: Permission to fight is given only to those who have been oppressed who have been driven from their homes for saying, God is our Lord (22:39; emphasis added)., This creator God was called Allah, which is not a proper name but a contraction of the word al-ilah, meaning simply the God., There are striking similarities between the Christian and Quranic descriptions of the Apocalypse, the Last Judgment, and the paradise awaiting those who have been saved., But tawhid, which literally means making one, implies more than just monotheism. Aslan briefly recounts the high points of his childhood, as preserved in traditional Islamic legend (see 1921). 626 likes, 14 comments - Holistic lifestyle + fitness (@katie.bevington) on Instagram: "I almost lost it today. It is a story with two dominant themes, one geopolitical, the other religious. Copyright FreeBookNotes.com 2014-2023. The atom, the sun, the galaxies and the universe, As the transcendent Iranian poet, Saadi of Shiraz, wrote, I am a dreamer who is mute, And the people are deaf. It was fascinating to see the overlap between Islam and Judaism. He doubts the authenticity of the traditional narrative and says only that, we can reasonably conclude that Muhammed was a Meccan and an orphan; that he worked for his uncles caravan from a young age; that this caravan made frequent trips throughout the region and would have encountered Christian, Zoroastrian, and Jewish tribes, all of whom were deeply involved in Arab society; and finally, that he must have been familiar with the religion and ideology of Hanifism, which pervaded Mecca and which very likely set the stage for Muhammeds own movement. I also thought it shameful the glancing way he wrote about Sept. 11. The person who brought the conversation together began the discussion by saying atheism doesn't imply nihilism and that she was becoming rather impatient with those who imply such a thing, wagging her finger at theists, saying her life without God has been very happyvery happy, indeed. The hadith, insofar as they addressed issues not dealt with in the Quran, would become an indispensable tool in the formation of Islamic law. What are we, especially those of us who are traditional Christian believers, to make of this, or of the rest of Aslans book? As for women you feel are averse, talk to them suasively; then leave them alone in bed (without molesting them) and go to bed with them (when they are willing). The four travelers represent humanity in its search for an inner spiritual need it cannot define and which it expresses in different ways. Reviews tend to be written in a professional, detached voice and provide detailed coverage of the content included. When fourteen centuries ago Muhammed launched a revolution in Mecca to replace the archaic, rigid, and inequitable strictures of tribal society with a radically new vision of divine morality and social egalitarianism, he tore apart the fabric of traditional Arab society. In reality they are one and only one thing.. I dont want to spoil the ending by saying any more than that. True, there is only one God, but that is just the beginning. The intention of the United States government in supporting Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war was to curb the spread of Irans revolution, but it had the more disastrous effect of curbing its evolution., Some have argued, a few of them violently, that the Caliphate should be restored as the emblem of Muslim unity. It is to Arabic what Homer is to Greek, what Chaucer is to English: a snapshot of an evolving language, frozen forever in time, All religions are inextricably bound to the social, spiritual, and cultural milieux from which they arose and in which they developed. The book was a best seller. Overall the book deals with the history of Islam from the perspective of the prophet, Mohammed as a social reformer fighting for equal rights for men. Reza Aslan shows a snapshot of Islam from its origin to its evolution. A must-read book for anyone who is not only interested in learning more about the world of Islam in the past and nowadays, but also for all those who seek the historical truth of facts through the path of the Abrahamic religions. At university he was converted to Islam because of its visible action on behalf of a class of oppressed people. Rather, it is solely through the slow and steady building of personal relationships that one discovers the fundamental truth that all people everywhere have the same dreams and aspirations, that all people struggle with the same fears and anxieties. The front pages of No god But. Depending on the study guide provider (SparkNotes, Shmoop, etc. He was in a monogamous relationship with her until she died. Aslans own account of Muhammads community indicates that non-Muslim citizens had more limited rights than the Muslims who shaped the ideals and social arrangements of their society. This updated edition addresses the events of the past decade, analyzing how they have influenced Islam's position in modern culture.Aslan explores what the popular demonstrations pushing for democracy in the Middle East mean for the . Yet regardless of whether one is labeled a Modernist or a Traditionalist, a reformist or a fundamentalist, a feminist or a, must recognize that greater knowledge about Islam is not enough to alter peoples perceptions of Muslims. If women could no longer be considered property, men complained, not only would their wealth be drastically reduced, but their own meager inheritances would now have to be split with their sisters and daughtersmembers of the community who, they argued, did not share an equal burden with the men. Given sentence below refers to a numbered sentence in the passage. But the cleansing is inevitable, and the tide of reform cannot be stopped. It is a must read! And for those [women] that you fear might rebel, admonish them and abandon them in their beds and beat them [adribuhunna]. My research suggests that many genuine progressives have been silenced or marginalized by the exploits of the rabid and the bigoted. Their voice is not yet heard at a level that convinces me of their significant influence, but let us hope their effectiveness continues behind the scenes. This would be compelling if 1) he ever returns to this argument in any sustained fashion later in the book and 2) if he understood the Reformation as anything more than a violent religious response to modernity that threw off authority. We are fortunate to have accepted the teachings which completely safeguards against associating partners with God. The French went to great lengths to cultivate class divisions in Algeria, the Belgians promoted tribal factionalism in Rwanda, and the British fostered sectarian schisms in Iraq, all in a futile attempt to minimize nationalist tendencies and stymie united calls for independence. Courtyard roofed in palm leaves, with living quarters made of wood and mud lining the walls clash monotheisms. Her until she died other chapters explore the concept of jihad, Sufi mysticism, matured... 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