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Title: The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis ISBN: 0-679-64281-1 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 25 March, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.57 (75 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A powerful examination, not for beginers
Comment: Bernard Lewis continues his lifetime devotion to teaching about the Middle East and Islamic culture in this all too thin volume. As in his last book, What Went Wrong, here again Lewis focuses on raising the average readers understanding of this crucial region and its history. Unlike many so called academics, who argue from polarized positions on CNN and FOX News, Lewis takes a complex and nuance approach to this most complex of regions. Indeed, while everyone else seems to either want to condemn all Islam and its culture or apologize for the terrorists it currently inspires, this author writes from a position of respect and appreciation for this civilization all the while refusing to be blinded by base sentimentalism.
Looking through Islamic history, Lewis explains how a preoccupation with a loss of status and power, a world view looking to blame outsiders rather than looking inward for critical self-examination, and a lack of democratic tradition, continues to radicalize the Middle East. The author further seeks to explain how Islamic culture holds a different world view from those in the west and that we need to understand this world view if we are to confront the threat of terrorism.
Readers should be aware that this text is not an introduction. Lewis does not write for laymen. Assuming a certain baseline of knowledge, he tends to gloss over arguments or offer evidence in a sort of short hand, expecting the educated reader to understand references and names. In a world where most non-fiction is over written, Lewis is a throw back to an earlier age, writing thin volumes that are light on detail and heavy on argument. This does not detract from the quality of his work, but it does limit what a reader without a firm grasp of the fundamentals can learn from reading it. Still, there is much to be learned from this work, in particular his examination of the Wahabbi sect being exported by Saudi Arabia and the traditional self understanding of Islam as an 'ascendant' religion that would spread over the whole world.
Readers should also look to Lewis's earlier work, in particular 'the Middle East: A Brief History' and 'Islam and the West,' both essential reading for someone whishing to understand the modern Middle East.
Rating: 1
Summary: The Crisis of the World !
Comment: The book describes the circumstances that lead to the existing conflict today between the Islamic World and America, from an extremist perspective. It describes the believes of the Wahhabi teachings in Saudi Arabia and how these miss-interpreted believes were endorsed by terrorist organizations.
When describing the current events since the turn of the century the author's opinions are very true, yet when stating historical events, especially during the early days of Islam, it is very misleading and lacks clear understanding of Islamic moderate teaching, which represents more than 99.9% of the Islamic world today by proven statistics.
For example, at the beginning of the book the author tries to establish the fact that Islam is a bloody religion that was based and spread by War. He states that Prophet Mohamed was not only a prophet like Jesus and Moses, but was also a head of state and a warrior who conquered. This is true, yet it is not the whole truth. In fact, Muslims at the rise of Islam were asking the prophet to allow them to fight back and for thirteen years he did not allow them to fight. Until they were strongly tortured, killed, humiliated, driven out of their homes and forced to leave their belongings, that Muslims were finally allowed to fight back. If it wasn't for their fighting back, Islam wouldn't have survived the conspiracies plotted against it at that time. It is also worth mentioning the fact that the total number of people killed during all the conquests of the prophet have not exceeded four hundred from both sides. This is less than the number of Civilian and Children in Palestine killed every year by the Israeli occupation.
Also the author states that the Islamic terrorist groups believe that they are executing the will of God and that the Americans are against god and thus they have to fight them. The author sees this as a very strange and un-acceptable attitude. However, the author forgot that this is what the Jewish People are saying as well. Even president Regan himself said the same thing about Libya in one of his speeches in California. The belief of most of the Jewish/Israeli that they are executing the will of God by occupying the Palestinian lands! Not to mention their believe that they are the chosen people by God to execute his will on earth. So, where does this leave the rest of the world...slaves to the Israelis?? It surprises me that the author does not understand that this is a figure of speech.
Yet, the book establishes some very good arguments about the reasons why there is a such a great gap between the Middle East and America at the present time. With most of the Islam countries not having a proper democratic system - Or in Islamic terms, not a 'Shora' system - Poverty and lack of modernization have left the majority of the population with a good reason to hate the west for the decline of the Islamic/Ottoman empire. Also the double standards used by the American administration when dealing with Palestinian/Israeli conflict enforces this belief.
At the end, I I see that the author made such tremendous effort to collect uncompleted evidence and rely on un-trusted sources of information to present to the world the opinion of less than 0.1% of Islamic people as if it was the believes of the majority of Muslims !
Rating: 2
Summary: holy war and terror have no connection to Islam
Comment: This book is a belligerent disregard to truth and fairness. The title says it all. This title has been carefully selected to foster hatred and disrespect to Muslims and toward the religion of Islam. The author goes through great effort to select "The Crisis of Islam", as a title, carefully crafted to suggest that Islam is out of control, is in deep trouble, and is heading towards extinction. History, however, reveals the exact opposite phenomenon of this powerful movement when one examines the dynamism of this powerful religion. In the past fourteen centuries, Islam has continuously gained new grounds, with its supreme ability to mutate and adapt to new challenges.
Islam, in its true and unblemished form, is robust and resilient to coercive methods and tactics. It is a religion which promotes an ideal system of life. It is the only religion that impresses upon its followers to practice the two central principles of Justice and Peace central to building tolerance and peaceful coexistence among races and cultures. Top non-Muslim clerics and technocrats understand and acknowledge this fact. In retrospect, and contrary to author's view, the word "Crisis" and "Islam" are mutually disagreeable and is also a convincingly incompatible combination.
In summary, the history and traditions (hadiths) quoted in this book are often contradictory and distorted to selectively present antagonistic views. Conclusions and analyses are based on traditions (hadiths) from questionable sources, and as such, do not authenticate the author's views by virtue of their fallacious nature.
Likewise, the concepts of Jihad and Caliphate presented by the author are irrational and detestable. An example is on page 33, where the author quotes the first tradition on jihad as follows:
"Jihad is your duty under any ruler, be he godly or wicked".
This tradition (Hadith) is baseless and completely contradictory to the "Quran". The author presents no supporting evidence, and since the Quran is the primary source of the religion, this view must be rejected. Similarly, most of the traditions cited in this book are fabricated and present no substantiating evidence.
Interestingly enough, in just the past few years, an explosive growth of so called "experts on Islam" have emerged. This is rather disturbing, for the simple reason that these so- called experts have minimal knowledge of Quran and the Arabic language and seem motivated only by current political upheaval. These one-day type crash-course apprentices, venture with interpretation of Quran, Traditions (Hadiths), Jihad and Caliphate. The result is confusion, contradiction and misrepresentation of traditions (Hadiths) and Quran. The information available on Islam, Quran, and Hadiths is rather vast. To decipher it and extract impartial meaning and purpose of each of the above requires a person with high level of integrity, an open mind and a desire to seek the truth. One important aspect about Islam should be clarified, that is, "History of Islam" and "Muslim History" follows significantly different paths. Just like any other history, "Muslim history" is the history of rulers whose hands are stained with blood, atrocities and oppression.
Caliphate is an important element of Islam, and the author has grossly misinterpreted it. Caliphate is representation of Allah (God) on earth to establish justice, brotherhood, and equality as outlined in the context of Quranic principles. According to Quran, Caliphate ( vicegerency to the supreme being) is the most honored title preordained exclusively for those who are capable of demonstrating superior qualities in implementing just laws to solving complex problems. In Quranic terms, Adam was the first Caliph. His Caliphate transcended through Abraham all the way to Prophet Mohammed. After Prophet Mohammed there were only a select few who qualified for that position. Caliphate is not an elected position but an appointment by Allah. With the exception of Ali Ibne Abi Talib, all other self claimed Caliphs like Moawia Ibne abu Sufyan , the Caliphs of Abbaside dynasty, the Sultans of Ottoman empire, and numerous other recent ones do not qualify for this title.
In essence, this book caters to selected group of readers that are unsympathetic to Islam and is therefore highly biased. I recommend Edward Said's "Covering Islam" for an overview of bias and prejudices and the pitfalls involved in any reporting related to Islam.
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Title: What Went Wrong? : The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East by Bernard Lewis ISBN: 0060516054 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 07 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: The Middle East by Bernard Lewis ISBN: 0684832801 Publisher: Scribner Pub. Date: 07 August, 1997 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order by Robert Kagan ISBN: 1400040930 Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 28 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: Islam and the West by Bernard Lewis ISBN: 0195090616 Publisher: Oxford Press Pub. Date: October, 1994 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror by DAVID FRUM, RICHARD PERLE ISBN: 1400061946 Publisher: Random House Pub. Date: 30 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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