1 comments about The Story of the Qur'an: Its History and Place in Muslim Life.

1. If you are among the fortunate ones to read Dr. Mattson's book before your first encounter with the Qur'anic narrative, I envy you. As a prison chaplain I offer that this book will be very pivotal in helping to broaden the frame of reference of new Muslims with limited access to traditional sources. Moreover, as a graduate student in seminary I suggest this introduction to the Qur'an will develop your intellectual capacity to hear God's Voice in the most subtle and generous ways possible. The Story of the Qur'an takes into account where mainstream America is and graciously extends an invitation to sit and engage the divine narrative in the classroom of Dr. Mattson. The normal patriarchal Qur'anic history meets herstory's narrative in this book and an absolutely inspiring transformation occurs to those who suffered from gender tone deafness. Read it for yourself and I guarantee you will never read the Qur'an the same way thereafter. First time readers of Qur'an will be enriched by the supportive and diverse resources to help novices be engaged intimately with the scripture. More seasoned Qur'anic readers are challenged to listen deeper and more affectionately to the Voice of God, so I envy the novices who will be able to listen to the Qur'an almost as if they were with the Prophet Muhammad and the first community of revelation both males and females.

5 comments about Daughters of Islam: Building Bridges With Muslim Women.

1. I read this book as an assignment for a missions class in college. I was not expecting to actually enjoy reading the book, however, I was very surprised to find this book an easy read. This book is written in a very informational style and it tells many stories about various obstacles which Islamic women face. It also provides many ways in which Christian women can relate to Islamic women. I would recommend this book for any Christian missionaries who will be working in Islamic areas of the world. I would also recommend this for women who would like to know how to effectively witness to their Islamic neighbors.



2. This book attempts to generalize Muslim women. It tells a few sad stories and makes it seem that all Muslim women are oppressed, stupid, and in need of God in their lives.
   FYI, educated Muslim women already know Jesus and have God in their lives!



3. By cherry-picking some stories, the author has done a great favor to the western and Christian readers. We need to ask ourselves when we are going to stop dishonest portrayal of Muslim societies. I can also list all the ills in the Western society and blame it on Christianity like rape, teenage pregnancy, high rate of divorce, infidelity, adultery, AIDS and other STDs, promiscuity, birth out of wedlock, domestic abuse etc. The freedom of women in the western world has nothing to with Christianity. The progress and enlightenment in the Western world evolved from anti-religious secular ideas. Democracy, freedom, and liberty all originated from non-Christian thoughts which are certainly not un-Christian or un-Islamic.



4. Suprise suprise Author of this book. Incase you didnt know there is a huge difference between tradition and religion. An arab proverb doesnt make it an Islamic proverb. The indian culture of woman staying at home COOKING all day does not make it Islamic. Being a muslim women, in a western country i can give you an honest view of Islam and women. Infact ive ranted and raved about it before. Just one question, Are nuns oppressed? They proberbly are because of their conservitive dressing, just like us muslims!
   
   Oh no, my mum, sisters, and litterally hundreds of other women I know wear the veil, because THEY WANT TO. They feel liberated, secure and tresured.
   
   Im so tired of repeating myself ( my other reviews) but a muslim women treated in the way that ISLAM teaches you to teach her is anything but oppressed. Blame it on a misunderstanding or whatever you want to.
   
   Why then do we learn that under the feet of a MOTHER lies paradise.
   
   Why then does a hadeeth( saying) of the prophet quote " man came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is more entitled to be
   treated with the best companionship by me?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man
   said. "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man further said, "Who is
   next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked for the fourth time, "Who is
   next?" The Prophet said, "Your father."
   
   This is an authentic unfabricated saying of the Prophet Muhammed (may peace be upon him)
   And as you know we muslims havnt added or subtraced a single verse from the quraan ever since it was revealed, unlike the bible might i add. The same goes for the Hadeeth.
   
   Why then did yvonne ridely ( the journilist) who after being held hostage by the taliban,the very same so called women abusers, realise that she was treated with such respect, and upon entering the "western" society, see the blatent truth about the treatment of women and the west? Its in her book, read it! Stockholm Syndrome? Neither she nor I thinks so!



5. I am not sure what book the critics below have been reading, but it is hard to believe it was this one. The most recent reviewer has nothing at all to say about the book. Another complains that Adeney has "cherry-picked" problems in Islamic societies: "I can also list all the ills in the Western society and blame it on Christianity . . . " But Adeney specifically admits that "Muslims are appalled at Western family life," with good reason, and that "millions" of Muslim women enjoy loving families. So who is this critic arguing with? (As for the critic's claim that Christianity had nothing to do with the high status of women in "Christendom," see my Jesus and the Religions of Man for detailed evidence to the contrary.)
   
   A third critic calls Daughters of Islam "misleading and offensive because it "generalizes" Muslim women by telling "a few sad stories and makes it seem that all Muslim women are oppressed, stupid, and in need of God." This is ridiculous. Miriam Adeney has got to be about the last person on earth
   to portray Muslim women as "stupid." "Oppressed?" Again, she explicitly denies this is true of "all" Muslim women; but who can honestly deny that it is true of many? A 1988 UN survey of the status of women around the world that made no explicit reference to religion, yet the countries it found had the lowest status for women were mostly Muslim. It is one thing to decry over-generalizations; another to pretend that generalizations have no force at all.
   
   Daughters of Islam is an honest book written by a kind and personable anthropologist. It's primary audience is Christians who want to "reach Muslim women for Christ," as they put it. The book is well-written and engaging, full of lively stories. The author does not begin with ideology, but from the grass-roots, with stories, with people whose lives she describes. Miriam Adeney is the last thing in the world from an ideologue, but she does think Muslim women can profit from meeting Jesus. If that offends you, it may take a special effort to be sure the book you read is actually the one she wrote.

3 comments about Gay Travels in the Muslim World.

1. "Gay Travels in the Muslim World" is quick interesting reading. Luongo's perface to the book is most note worthy. He presents the issue of homosexuality in a framework of identity versus practices which is thoughtful. I would recommend this book for students of sociology and African American studies who are focused on learning more about ascribed and achieved life roles within society.
   
   John Barfield
   Evanston, IL



2. The book description mentions "traveling in the Middle East." Readers should understand that the Muslim world far exceeds this limited geographic region and that many of the stories in this book were written by people whose travels were in other areas.
   
   I write this as the author of one of the stories in the book. My experiences were in Africa.



3. As a contributor to many different publications, including Horror 101: The A-List of Horror Films and Monster Movies, I am happy to add Gay Travels in the Modern World to my list of credits. The diversity of styles, backgrounds, and ideas of the contributors to this book is a perfect reflection of the diversity in the experiences in both the gay and Muslim worlds. It's impossible not to read this collection without reflecting on how these worlds sometimes collide, sometimes overlap. Don Bapst, author of danger@liaisons.com

5 comments about The Sword of the Prophet: Islam; History, Theology, Impact on the World.

1. I highly recommend this read. It is an excellent analytical look at Islam unrestricted by current political trends of boundless unwarranted apologetics for any idea crying victimhood (Islam). It deals in the facts and is well referenced.



2. This is a very slow read, but a tremendous reference. A factual recount of the history of the world's fastest growing religion. It quotes "chapter and verse" and should prove to be irrefutable. Inform yourself about what they did and why. Every statement is backed by footnotes and references to other authors and the Koran itself. An extensive bibliography is included.



3. Q: What's this? "I love you, ouch!"... "And I love you, ouch!"
   A: Two porcupines on a date.
   
   This politically incorrect guide to Islam reads like a college textbook. It is not poorly written; however, it does make for some dry reading (hence the 3 stars). If you feel that your buddy at work just has to read this book, don't give it to him; he won't find the interest to plow through it versus watching a Seinfield rerun. That doesn't mean that Trifkovic's work should be ignored, just slightly dreaded. Robert Spencer is easier to read. Mark Steyn is more humorous and entertaining. For the subject at hand, you might consider reading one of them first. As a synopsis of this book's content, let me suggest that the reader can equate the ideology at hand with the Borg Collective's play book. Whereas the Borg have the technical advantage, Islam will continue to spread through inevitable demographic dynamics. The bumps along the way include that type of tomfoolery so profiled in Darfur Now.
   
   Q: Why is that joke at the top of this review?
   A: Books such as Trifovic's and their reviews in formats such as this are crucial; however, it happens not without concern of getting pricked.
   
   Note: Be vague, be very vague.



4. So many good reviews have been written I will be short. Serge Trifkovic a journalist contends Islam is not "a religion of peace" but one of "violence and cruelty." He analyzes Islamic theology and practice set forth by teachings of the prophet Muhammad and the Koran to demonstrate the historical roots of jihad and Islamic militancy.



5. If you want to know the truth about the radical Islamic threat to the West, this book is full of great information. I was underlining on many pages in my copy and plan to keep it rather than sell it as used here at Amazon. This book is a keeper. I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Miniskirts, Mothers, and Muslims: A Christian Woman in a Muslim Land.

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



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



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



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



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

4 comments about The Last Judgment (Chambers of Justice Series #5).

1. From a spiritual perspective, Jerusalem's Temple Mount intersects three different religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
   
   According to Genesis 22, under the golden Dome of the Rock, Abraham tried to sacrifice his son Isaac to God. Generations later, King David built an altar upon the same rock to stop the plague. His son Solomon built the first temple that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar on this site. Without question, the Temple Mount is the foundation stone of Judeo-Christian tradition.
   
   But the religion of Islam also lays claim to the Temple Mount. When the Muslims conquered Jerusalem in 1638, it set the stage for the first mosque to be built there. In fact, the Temple Mount is regarded as third in importance to Muslims, after Mecca and Medina.
   
   The confluence of the three religions on such a small plot of land in such a holy city has led to centuries inflicted with hatred-fueled conflict.
   
   Such an undercurrent serves as the focal point of Craig Parshall's new legal thriller "The Last Judgment", from Harvest House Publishers. In this, the fifth and final installment of his Chambers of Justice series, Parshall departs the breezy summer environs of North Carolina's Outer Banks ("Missing Witness") and takes attorney Will Chambers to the spiritual epicenter of Jerusalem.
   
   Older and wiser, Chambers is doing his best to settle into a quiet suburban lifestyle filled with school sporting events, recitals, and spending more time with his wife and son. The last thing on his mind is taking on a religious case that has apocryphal implications.
   
   But that is exactly what happens. Chambers makes the decision to defend a young Christian converted from Islam who is charged with staging a religious riot in the United States. With the case settled, Chambers does not hear from the young man again until he receives a call from Jerusalem. His client, Gilead Ahman, has been charged with bombing the Temple Mount into a pile of rubble and stone. At issue is whether Ahman has enlisted a terrorist cult to assist him in the Temple Mount's destruction or did he act alone.
   
   Now Chambers must figure out whether his client is on a mission for God, for Allah, or none of the above. Further complicating matters is a wife at home who wants him to have no part in the case.
   
   At the book's core, Parshall effectively explains why the Temple Mount is such a valuable piece of real estate in a world racing forward toward the end times.
   
   "I really believe that Jerusalem is the future," explained Parshall, in a recent interview on CBN.com. "It is the future of the United States, it's the global future, and it is also the future of the Christian church. If we lose sight of its importance in God's grand scheme of things than we really forget why Jerusalem is so special and why it is at the heart of God. Evangelicals can differ on timelines and the eschatology but we all agree on one thing ... that is Jesus is coming again and Jerusalem will play an integral part in that. To forget that means we really forget to read the signs of the times."
   
   Readers of the Chambers of Justice series will find a more seasoned Will Chambers both professionally and spiritually in "The Last Judgment". It has been refreshing to see the evolution of his faith, a process of spiritual maturity that culminates with some hard choices to be made in the face of cataclysmic events.
   
   "I challenged myself to show growth and change in him (Will Chambers)," Parshall said. "In my first book he comes to the Lord. He is about as unsaved as you can get. He is a man in turmoil, whose life is literally unraveling. In book two, he is trying to figure out how to integrate his faith into the workplace. In book three, his spirituality grows in a world view sense. The fourth book is more of a fun story but Will grows in his relationship with Fiona (his wife) as well as his priorities as a father. In this book, Will learns about sacrifice and the calling of obedience."
   
   Parshall has made sure to include many of the colorful characters that have accompanied Chambers on his many previous adventures fighting for justice. Along for the ride this time are pilot Tex Rhoady, vindictive scientist Orville Putrie, and his reclusive mentor Len Redgrove.
   
   "These were characters I really liked," said Parshall. "I didn't want to say goodbye to these people. A long time before writing "The Last Judgment" I decided that a lot of these characters I somehow wanted to bring back and give them a last curtain call."
   
   "The Last Judgment" concludes in a hail of gunfire, explosions, and top secret aircraft. When the last gun has been fired and the last bomb has been thrown, readers are left with a man, his faith, and the knowledge that Will Chambers made a difference in the lives of many.
   
   Ultimately, this is a book that delves into the sometimes tense relationship between Christianity and Islam. In the books' 428 pages, Parshall probes many critical issues, politically and religiously, that may be addressed in the not too distant future.
   
   I highly recommend "The Last Judgment" for several reasons. First, Parshall tackles an issue (the contentious nature of the Temple Mount) he is very passionate about with aplomb. Second, as he has done so eloquently in previous Chambers of Justice offerings, he writes fresh, compelling narrative with mass market appeal. Finally, Craig Parshall is a master at weaving morality into the narrow, litigious margins of the courtroom.
   
   If you haven't done so already, do yourself a favor today and pick up a copy of "The Last Judgment".



2. Craig Parshall has created a fitting finale for his "Chambers of Justice" series in this fifth book. THE LAST JUDGMENT incorporates all of the elements that made us wish this series would continue indefinitely: mature and likeable characters, topical timeliness, and electrifying courtroom drama, all built on a firm, Biblical foundation of values and truths. Historical detail about the cults and offshoots of ancient religions help put current events into perspective. In addition, Parshall's skilled descriptions deftly transport the reader from the midst of Mideast mayhem to tropical island nations to the Oval Office without ever losing the thread of the story.
   
   Long a champion of lost causes, Will Chambers is called upon to defend a young Christian convert against charges of terrorism. Will had first met Hass-an Gilead Amahn when he was accused of inciting a riot at a Muslim convention. Having successfully defended him against those charges, Will was drawn to the second case against his better judgment and against the pleading of his wife, Fiona, who had just lost her Father and did not want her husband traveling to the Middle East, putting himself in harm's way. But, as a man of God, Will believed he was called to defend Gilead just as Gilead believed he had been called to preach to his former countrymen. When the Dome of the Temple Mount was destroyed, while Gilead preached, the fallout threatened more than the fragile peace talks between Israel and Palestine.
   
   Over the years, Will has gained the loyalty of many who are now more than eager to help him as he faces the most difficult challenge of his career. While not scriptural, you might say that Will is the recipient of some really good karma! Friends like private investigator Tiny Heftland, newsman Jack Hornby, and Special Forces hero Caleb Marlowe are people who we would all like to know and be able to count on if we got into a jam. And Will's old nemesis, Warren Mullburn, is back with another evil scheme designed to increase his wealth and power while dealing a death-blow to Christianity and the Israelis. Mullburn has power that goes beyond his corporate holdings and his island's political sanctuary. He personifies evil with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. It is rousing good fun to watch our hero take him on in the courtroom and to see him squirm as he is hoisted on his own petard.
   
   Fans of the series will recognize faithful friends and treacherous enemies from previous stories, but the book easily stands alone as an outstanding work of suspense, courtroom drama, and diligent research. Like saying goodbye to an old friend, we hope that we will meet again. If you have never read any of Craig Parshall's books, I recommend you begin with the first in the series, THE RESURRECTION FILE.
   
   --- Reviewed by Maggie Harding, a substance abuse counselor in Phoenix, AZ who wanted to be Brenda Starr before life intervened. She reviews for www.bookreporter.com and www.womenonwriting.com. (...)



3. I appreciated the author's plot, but getting around in it is laborious. Characters are thinly developed, and with a plot that should create suspense, it just isn't there. Read this when you are wide awake!



4. I just finished this book, after reading the entire series over the past few months (this one was the last of the series) and it was by far Craig Parshall's best! I loved how he wove all the characters together with heart-stopping episodes that made your blood pressure rise and fall constantly. I just never thought Christians would ever get to read any 'high-calibur' fiction books. What a way to spend a rainy afternoon! It just goes to show that God DOES give good gifts to His! Craig Parshall is an extremely gifted writer! I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK - BUT ONLY IF YOU START WITH THE 1ST ONE OF THE SERIES. You will need to do this to understand each book and their characters, thereafter.

5 comments about Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic lllusion of an Islamic State.

1. In the words of the Toronto Star, "Fatah broaches the mother of all taboos" in discussing the issue of what happened the night Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) died. He cites medieval historians like al-Tabari and contemporary scholars like Prof. Liyakat Takim and Prof. Mahmoud Ayoub (among others) to construct the events which lead to Fatah writing this most compelling sentence:
   
   "When Muslims buried the Prophet, they also buried with him many of the universal values of Islam that they preached."
   
   Fatah's opus could very well have three separate books; one on history outlining the period of Islam after The Prophet died in 632 CE to the death of the Abbasid caliphate of Baghdad at the hands of the Mongols in 1258.
   
   In other parts of the book, Fatah discusses the so-called contemporary Islamic states--Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia---suggesting with compelling arguments and detailed citations that all three use Islam to oppress their populations and to destroy the human spirit.
   
   In the book, Fatah demolishes the justification given by Islamists for the creation of an "Islamic State" based on sharia law. He argues that all that God and the Prophet demand of Muslims is to follow the religions five principles; none of whom require such a theocracy.
   
   He exposes the tactic of Islamists who while promoting armed Jihad based on the teachings of such 20th century Islamists as the late Syed Qutb and Hassan al-Banna of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and Syed Maudoodi of the Pakistani Jamaat-e-Islami, deceive western audiences by falsely claiming that "jihad" merely means an "inner struggle". Fatah cites from the works of both Maudoodi and Qutb--available in US and Canada--to prove his point. He claims that both these political parties have their tentacles in Canada and the US, especially in university campuses.
   
   Fatah has thrown the Islamists a challenge which I doubt they will respond to. If they do, they are likely to slap the label of "apostate" on him, to which he might say, "So what else is new".
   
   I particularly enjoyed the single page "Manufacturer's Warranty" at the end of the book, where the Divine supposedly warns "end-users" that plagiarised and unauthorized versions of Islam are being bootlegged by shady "retailers". In the Warranty notice, God warns Muslims that all calls to his "Help Desk" will go unanswered unless callers can demonstrate that they have uninstalled all unauthorized "plug-ins" over the basic "operating system" of Islam :-)
   
   This fine and valuable piece of scholarship ends with an icon of a smiley face --something amiss in the Muslim world.



2. Tarek Fatah has done his community a favor and the reading public a service by highlighting, at great personal risk, the problems he sees with Islamic fanaticism and the extremists desire to force-feed the illusion of an Islamic State on an unsuspecting world.
   
   This book is worth reading because it is well-written, well-documented, and reaches out into uncharted waters. Hot-button items such as Human Rights in the Islamic context; the Apostasy Bill in Pakistan; Sharia laws; the Hijab controversy; and Jihad are discussed boldly and intelligently by the author.
   
   One of his more fascinating chapters is the case study he has made of the Palestine-Israel problem which has been a global sore point for many years. He makes an excellent presentation showing that this problem could have been resolved had the Geneva Accord been implemented in 2003.
   
   Most of the arguments presented by Tarek are in a thoughtful, reasoned way but it is in the chapter devoted to Jihad and specifically the "lesser" jihad (war in the cause of Islam) that he is most forthright
   
   It takes courage to write a book like this. After making an honest appraisal of the malaise that affects Muslims he makes a plea to them to "oppose the extremists and present the more humane and tolerant face of our community" to the world. His may be just a voice in the wilderness but as Mother Teresa said in context, "What we are doing is only a drop in the ocean but the ocean would be diminished by that one drop."
   
   Throughout his life and through this book, Tarek has sought to make a difference. He is concerned that the young men of his community may be led by Islamic scholars and clerics to "blame others for our shortcomings" and seek violently to establish a mythical Islamic State. He hopes that those who read his book will be secure enough in their faith to stand up and be counted so that the imbalance between the Islamists and Muslims is tilted in favour of the true Muslims. Maybe this is the wake-up call.



3. I would rate it lowly because of the lack of a scholarly unbiased aproach to the subject. The work reeks of a predetermined agenda.



4. This recently published book is a blunt assessment of the root causes of extremism that are experienced in muslim communities. The auther pulls no punches and his extensively researched book is a gripping read.
   
   Tarek explodes the myth of a "Golden age" that has become the rallying cry of Islamists, who want to impose their political ideology of Caliphate on both muslims and non-muslims. He has thrown the gauntlet to fellow muslims to reflect and educate themselves. From Sudan to Saudi Arabia, the author painstakingly highlights the clash between muslims who aspire to the spiritual message of their faith and the Islamists who want to warp faith for gaining political power. He has also covered in significant detail, the struggles of moderate and secular muslim Canadians against radical and Saudi/Irani funded Islamist groups who want to drag the failed experiments of their patrons into Canada; experiments that are a leading cause of ghettoizing and separation of muslims from non-muslims.
   
   In exposing the dishonesty and moral bankruptcy of the Islamist agenda, the author has done extensive research and highlights that the harsh, backward and intolerant injunctions that have been sanctified as law by extremists wither and collapse when placed under the microscope of objective scholarship. A significant section of his book examines the struggle for political power and the sectarian schism that immediately followed the Prophet's death. This is scholarship that few muslims can openly discuss and which has already resulted in the targetted killings of minority muslims in Pakistan. His analytical approach to this sensitive and seldom discussed chapter of muslim history is unlikely to solve the Sunni-Shia polemics. However, his analysis and research on this topic should be studied as they highlight the ultimate fallacy of the Islamist demand for an "Islamic" State.
   
   In a frank assessment of history and culture of different muslim communities, Tarek untangles and delineates political compulsions from theology. From Abu Zar, the companion of the Holy Prophet and the first muslim social activist and a central Sufi personality to the courageous example of Sudan's Mahmoud Mohamed Taha, Tarek highlights the example of those who stood up against political opportunism and stood by their principles. He calls on fellow muslims to inculcate an introspective, dynamic and spiritual "State of Islam" within themselves instead of sinking further in the trap of extremists who want to drag them along in their theocratic nightmare.



5. CHASING A MIRAGE is a masterpiece from Tarek Fatah. I would call it the best book I have read in 2008 and I am quite a voracious reader, and an author of 46 books myself. An orthodox Muslim might find it offensive, but the truth is always bitter. For the open-minded, the work is an eye opener. It gives the reader plenty of material to look into the causes of the current global misery of Muslims. The great art of the author is that his criticism simultaneously points to the cure for the malaise of fundamentalism, extremism, and orthodoxy. I would advise the esteemed author to take possible verdicts of infidelity by Muslim clergy with a grain of salt.
   
   The sensible among the Ummah will see Tarek as a sincere reformer. I wish him all the best.

5 comments about Journey of the Jihadist: Inside Muslim Militancy.

1. Fawaz Gerges has written an easy to read description of his interviews with a number of Salifi / Wahabbi Muslims particularly the Egyptian Islamacist Kamal el-Said Habib.
   
   These interviews and impressions provide an revealing glimpse into the minds of these potentially violent actors. I found the progression of thought over the years as well as the internal differences of opinion inside the Salifi sects to be fascinating.
   
   As Gerges admits he initially did not understand the extent to which these violent actors were driven by a detailed reading of the Qu'ran. I hope there are few Western people in 2007 who still think these Jihadists are some crazy folks perverting a great religion. Rather they are trying to discard 13 centuries of revisionist scholarship and return this political religion to it's roots.
   
   Gerges generally stays away from moralizing and his few attempts at evaluating policy prescriptions fall very flat. Never the less, this book is quite valuable if you have never probed the mind of a terrorist.
   
   A further aspect is the extent of the support for terrorism within the Muslim world. It has always been larger than most Westerners have been willing to admit and is growing as they feel threatened by the West, Israel, and America in general. At the same time each accommodation by a Western culture is evaluated as weakness and an opportunity for more aggression.
   
   This is definitely not a stand alone book on Egyptian or any form of Middle Eastern culture. For a more comprehensive history of recent Egyptian culture see Nonie Darwish's "Now they Call Me Infidel." For a very insightful glimpse of recent Lebanese culture and the civil war try Brigitte Gabriel's "Because They Hate."
   
   "Journey of the Jihadist" complements these books in both countries by focusing on the potential terrorists, their similarities, and their differences.
   
   When Gerges discusses Iraq he identifies it's utility to the Jihadists in obtaining recruits, but does not show the fall of Saddam as putting a significant funding source for terrorists out of business. He credits Iraq with pulling al Qaeda back to center stage and attracting significant funding for the terrorists. He fails to identify the role Iraq has in attracting and exterminating the more violent elements in the Middle East. His evaluation could be summed up by Ann Coulter's phrase "Damn that Bush! He's made people who hate our guts not like us."
   
   Gerges historic references are disappointing as he normally gives the Jihadist version of the Crusades, the Lebanese civil war, and Jewish history without providing context or correction of their extremely myopic views. A reader unfamiliar with Middle Eastern history would come away misinformed.



2. Fawaz Gerges does an excellent job of providing insight into the mind of several Islamic jihadists. The book is well written and a very easy read. It consists of six chapters and the soft cover edition has 293 pages of text. Each chapter is essentially an assessment of a particular jihadist. In this manner, the author is able to cover numerous events of recent Islamic history such as the assassination of Anwar Sadat, the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and the 9/11 attacks. By discussing these events, the author is able to highlight significant differences of opinion within the Arab world.
   
   For example, Kamal el-Said Habib was a former member of al-Jihad or "Armed Struggle;" the organization involved in the assassination of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. As he grew older, Kamal's predilection for violence diminished. Before 2001, he would have supported anyone, even the U.S., who turned against secular, Muslim rulers. His opinions changed after 2001 and he now views U.S. forces in Iraq as symbolizing American aggression against all Muslims. This jihadist made a complete circle back to advocating violence.
   
   The second chapter provides a history of the Lebanese Civil War and how Christian militias tried to use ethnic cleansing. The author outlines a Christian plot to poison the water in the Muslim sector. It was an effort at genocide to keep Muslim fertility rates down. To some extent, Christian fanatics inadvertently taught their Muslims adversaries to act like extremists.
   
   In chapter three, Mr. Gerges describes the strife inside al Qaeda. Several jihadists complained that bin Laden was dominated by too many Egyptians and that there was insufficient representation from Saudi Arabia or the other Arab countries. Instead of viewing themselves as the Ummah, (i.e.: worldwide Islamic community), they adopted the western notion of national identities.
   
   The remaining chapters provide additional insight on the Muslim perspective. A fair amount of time is spent discussing the writings of Sayyid Qutb, an influential Muslim philosopher. The author also describes his visit to a Palestinian refugee camp at Ain-al-Hilweh where he interviewed Abu -Mohammed. Mohammed was subsequently killed in March 2003 by a car bomb.
   
   The real merit of the book is that it provides a clear picture of how the jihadists view the world and America. Bottom line: this book provides a truly fascinating look into the minds of several jihadists. The reader will not be disappointed.



3. 
   In `Journey to the Jihadist', Fawaz Gerges, a professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College, provides extremely valuable insight into the mindset of Islamic jihadist. Or more correctly, make that plural `mindsets' because the central message of Gerges work is that even among jihadists opinions vary widely as to correct principles, strategies, and tactics.
   
   Gerges starts out with some background to the modern jihad movement and its founder Sayyid Qutb who matriculated at Stanford and Colorado State College of Education for two years in the 1940s. Qutb was appalled by the empty materialism and especially the sexual license he perceived. He returned to play an instrumental role in radicalizing the Muslim Brotherhood. Try The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (Vintage) by Lawrence Wright for a more detailed consideration of Qutb's role in the radicalizing of Islam.
   
   Gerges, who was raised as Greek Orthodox in Lebanon, traces the development of the jihad through three generations starting with Kamal el-Said Habib. Kamal played a role in the 1981 assassination of Anwar Sadat, but later forswore violence as means to Islamize society for political means. The second generation is represented by Osama bin Laden's personal bodyguard Abu-Jandal . Gerges identifies the third generation as uneducated youth being radicalized by the American occupation of Iraq.
   
   Gerges attempts to demonstrate that many if not most jihadists rejected bin Laden's attack on the West, some for moral reasons, more because they viewed it an ill-advised assault on the world's superpower. Much of the antipathy toward bin Laden flows, of course from Shiites. Gerges suggests that bin Laden and Al Qaeda were faring very poorly after 9-11 and the US rout of the Taliban, but that the US invasion of Iraq has almost universally enraged Muslims.
   
   While Gerges' book provides essential context and perspective it suffers from inadequate identification of his sources. His endnotes state that his main sources are interviews he conducted between 1990 and 2005. He also identifies printed interviews and books for each chapter. He chose not, however, to footnote his work so it is usually impossible to identify a source for particular statements. He states that he was unable to interview Abu-Jandal, but still freely quotes him. The book has a bit of a slapdash feel to it, especially in a late chapter discussing the British Muslims and the London bombings. Gerges also accepts exaggerated claims by Arab Afghans of their role in defeating the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
   
   Despite these shortcomings, Gerges' book provides much-needed perspective on the varying shades of even radical Islam and how the American occupation of Iraq is pushing more and more Muslims toward jihad against `the far enemy' - the West in general and the US in particular. Highly recommended.



4. 2006's "Journey of the Jihadist" is Fawaz Gerges' investigation of Muslim militancy, a far more nuanced phenomenum than perhaps its most public face, the transnational terrorist movement al Qaeda. Gerges, a native of Lebanon now living in the United States, enjoyed remarkable access before and after 9/11 to a variety of prominent Islamists, who provide fascinating insight into Muslim militancy.
   
   The roots of Muslim militancy predate 9/11, the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, and even many of Israel's conflicts with its Arab neighbors. As Gerges notes, its origins lie in Muslim discontent with the failures of modern ideologies (Communism, Socialism, and nationalism) to provide effective and responsive government, especially in the Arab world. As far back as the 1950's, students and others discontented with the status quo turned to Muslim fundamentalism to renew Muslim life.
   
   This turn to fundamentalism was translated by the first generation of jihadists into unrest, terrorism, and rebellion, brutally suppressed by the governments of Egypt, Algeria, and other regimes which failed to implement the sharia as the basis of governance. A second generation of jihadists would arise in the ultimately successful struggle to drive the Russians out of Afghanistan, and a third generation has been inspired by the conflict engendered in the Global War on Terrorism.
   
   The jihadists thrive on a sense of the superiority of the Islamic relgion for resolving life's problems, but their militancy is fed by other themes. The jihadists cannot accept the presence of the Jewish State of Israel in the Middle East. The jihadists have a profound fear of the effects of Western-driven globalization, especially the political and sexual liberation of women. The jihadists are infuriated by the presence of U.S. and Western military forces in the Middle East, regardless of cause.
   
   Understanding Muslim militancy, as Gerges explores, is made more difficult for the Western observer by the addiction of the jihadists to a worldview of vast Jewish-Crusader-Apostate conspiracies, elaborate logic-proof confections of half-truths, lies, and fantasies of revenge for real and imagined wrongs. The inability to arrive at a common, fact-based appreciation of circumstances must make very unlikely any meaningful political dialogue in the near term.
   
   Gerges tends to stay in the background of his narrative, letting the jihadists speak for themselves. Far from being a monolithic movements, the jihadists have disagreed and continue to disagree among themselves over both means and ends. Equally interesting is the evoluation of thought among some radicals now grown older and wiser and more conscious of the limits of possible change.
   
   "Journey of the Jihadists" is very highly recommended for its insights into Muslim militancy, a much more nuanced phenomenum than simple terrorism.



5. I thought that this was one of the best accounts of the history and current day events leading to today's conflict with people of Muslim background. The author is of Muslim descent, and is able to explain the events that have led up to the major conflict that we are involved in today. He presents the events and thought patterns of the Mulsim people that have triggered events throughout the 1970s and until today. He actually begins with 600 AD when the Muslim ruler failed to name a successor to the throne, thus handing leadership over to a group that doesn't have 'bloodrights to the throne' and the authority to rule. He explains the religious thoughts that prevail in the minds of people that follow Islam. The author is fair in his presentation of the material and provides a solid understanding of the timeline of events and what led up to them. I give this book five stars because I developed a much clearer understanding of the trouble that America has gotten themselves into and why. We are cowboys with white hats, but no brains underneath. At least not a brain that is willing to listen to the other side of the story.

5 comments about The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims.

1. It is standard policy today to regard all religions as "saying the same thing" and being either all bad (Dawkins) or all sweetness-and-light (liberal Anglicanism). But, in fact, the religions of the world contradict each other in basic teachings and some (Islam in particular) have a nasty habit of persecuting those who disagree. The contrast between, for example, the prosecution of "apostasy" in countries under Sharia law and the free exercise of Islamic belief offered to Muslim adherents in Western countries is striking and sobering. Spencer's thoroughly documented book is a most valuable exposé of the inherently non-democratic nature of Islamic faith.



2. America is being sold a politically-correct version of Islam, which remains the number one threat to Western Civilization. Similar themes are explored in the midst of a great suspense novel: The Y Factor



3. I have spent 17 years working in Countries were Islam is the dominant religion. What this book points out is sad but true. If you are a not a Muslim in an Islamic nation you have no rights. In Saudi Arabia Bibles are not allowed and confiscated. In Sudan you are killed. In Egypt you are a 3rd class citizen. THe Q'uran not only teaches this type of behavior but more and more it is being acted out upon those who dare disagree. We need more books like this one for sure.



4. I've taken the time to read through all 45 (at this time) reviews of this book, and I discovered something quite fascinating. In essence, the vast majority of the reviewers all provide support for this book -- and I'm not just referring to the "5-star" reviews, but the "1-star, what an idiot" reviews, as well.
   
   If you carefully read through the responses to this book, you'll note that almost all of the well-written, well-communicated reviews -- most from obviously learned individuals -- give high praise to the book. And the 1-star reviewers' comments quite often are a) much shorter, b) blast away mindlessly, with little support, and c) often have little more to say than "Oh yeah? Well, you're stupid!"
   
   And I consider both of these to be quite insightful -- and very much in synch. (Kind of like listening to a calm, erudite, well-versed, well-spoken scientist explaining his disbelief in UFOs and alien landings, then hearing redneck Bubba talk about when "me and Ethel was just standin' out in the yard when this huge spaceship came and picked us right up off our feet", if you see my point.) To me, that's not a "one for, one against"; it's a "two for".
   
   One reviewer even had the lack of understanding to comment on how "tolerant" Islam was, because "look at all the Muslims living in America". They can dress however they want, go to schools with the American children, work in American businesses, etc. Doesn't that show how tolerant Muslims are? (No, fool; it shows how tolerant AMERICANS are. To actually support your point, let's ask the question about whether Americans living in predominantly-Muslim countries can wear what they want, live as they want, believe what they want, etc. Women, try deplaning at the airport in Tehran in shorts and a T-shirt!)
   
   Also, note how many of those issuing diatribes against the book, do so against the author himself -- when he is really not much more than the compiler of the information! Another case of a clear inability to comprehend the message.
   
   Other critics have tried to use the "Yeah, but..." rebuttal, pointing out that other religions (the usual example is Christianity) have had their periods of intolerance -- to the point of death -- as well. When I was little, my grandmother used to ask "If someone else does something wrong, does that make it right for you?"
   
   As a Christian, I DETEST those clearly-unChristian activities throughout history. There is nothing that can be said to excuse them away. They are ungodly, and certanly not representative of true Christianity. However, I would certainly not try to use anyone else's mistakes as support for my own!
   
   This book -- and the author's other books -- makes one thing clear: there is a dangerous movement in the world (and coming soon to a city near you!) that is bringing a religion of intolerance and violence into our everyday lives. Examine it carefully, and be better prepared.



5. The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims
   
   Eveyone that is an American,Jewish, etc. needs to ready this book and learn what is happening to this world.

4 comments about Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject.

1. Radical feminists, of the post-structuralist or deconstructionist blend, have accustomed us to put into question notions that have long been a constitutive part of the liberal/progressive agenda and to critically reexamine well-established categories such as gender, class or race. It should therefore come as no surprise if Saba Mahmood, an anthropologist trained in the intellectual hotbed of UC Berkeley, provides a description of the Muslim world that goes against the grain of conventional wisdom and shatters many certainties held dear by feminists and liberals alike.
   
   Mahmood's Politics of Piety is an ethnographic account of the Islamic revival in Egypt, viewed from the perspective of women of different walks of life who regularly attend religious lessons delivered by female preachers in mosques of Cairo. Teachings focus on the study of Islamic scriptures, but also address the social norms, personal orientations and bodily comportments deemed necessary to cultivate a pious and virtuous life.
   
   This is the first time in Egyptian history that such a large number of women have mobilized to hold public meetings in mosques to teach each other Islamic doctrine, thereby altering the historically male-centered character of mosques as well as Islamic pedagogy. On the other hand, the women's mosque movement emphasizes conducts and virtues that are traditionally associated with feminine passivity and submissiveness, such as shyness, modesty, perseverance and humility (although these virtues have to be interpreted in an Islamic context).
   
   Traditional feminist interpretations would tend to analyze this mosque movement through the normative framework of women's autonomy and emancipation, either to decry its participants' submission to oppressive norms or to detect strategies of resistance and reinterpretation that allow these women to articulate a distinctively female voice and agenda. Both interpretations would miss the point. They posit that women's self-realization and autonomy can only be asserted in opposition to prevailing social norms and institutions, whereas the women described by Mahmood draw their very raison d'etre and sense of identity from their submission to God's commands and their emulation of a virtuous self.
   
   To illustrate this point, Mahmood takes the case of the Islamic veil, which has been the object of numerous studies. Although many explanations have been provided for its resurgence in modern Egypt, identifying the veil as a symbol of resistance to the hegemony of Western values or as a convenient device to navigate through urban space, few attention has been devoted to ideas of female modesty or piety as Islamic virtues, although it is in these terms that many women who decide to wear the veil frame their decision. According to their own words, the veil is not something that could be separated from the pious virtues of modesty and submission, as if one could oppose an "inner" self from its public display. Instead, bodily acts such as wearing the veil or conducting oneself modestly in the presence of men are both a mean for acquiring these virtues and these virtues themselves. The veil in this sense is the expression of the process of both being and becoming a certain kind of a person, and not the manifestation of a preformed self.
   
   Mahmood's consideration for her informants' own words and justifications is not motivated by the anthropologist's desire to remain "true" to her subject: rather, the terms and concepts used by the mosque movement "talk back" to the analytical tools used in social science and to the presuppositions of the feminist agenda. She concludes by arguing that "the liberatory goals of feminism should be rethought in light of the fact that the desire for freedom and liberation is a historically situated desire whose motivational force cannot be assumed a priori, but needs to be reconsidered in light of other desires, aspirations, and capacities."



2. Mahmood has a pleasant, easy-going style, which makes for good reading. She makes every effort in her ethnographic work to put herself into the place of the women of the mosque movement. She seems to look at the situation from the presupposition that people are purely products of their circumstances, which precludes much in the way of personal choice. I prefer to believe we do have choice. While I respect the choice these women have made, I think it would be a mistatke to assume that there's no coersion or oppression in their lives. That is, it's fine to accept the choices people make, but oppression is still oppression. Yes, let's see things as much as we are able from the subject's point of view, but lets not pretend oppression and subjugation aren't still oppression and sujugation.



3. The book is in very good condition (just like new) and it reached me within two weeks,just as amazon promised. I am quite satisfied with your service.



4. Although Mahmoud makes fine arguments about Muslim women and she questions the inevitability/desirability of secularism for all peoples, her pure pleasure in wielding theory outweighs "the stuff" of the book. This reader came away wondering who, other than the author, actually inhabits the book. Certainly there were memorable women whose stories were edited out in favor of discussions about western theoreticians. Mahmood's audience cannot include students; they are mystified. This is a shame because perhaps there is no subject that begs more for good, clear writing by scholars than works about Muslim women.