Customer Reviews

Contemporary Debates in Islam: An Anthology of Modernist and Fundamentalist Thought

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Contemporary Debates in Islam: An Anthology of Modernist and Fundamentalist Thought" [hardback title], c.2000 C.E.; {paperback title: "Modernist and Fundamentalist Debates in Islam"}. Editors: Mansoor Moaddel & Kamran Talattof. "Debates" is hardly the correct word here, "affirmation" would be more appropriate. This is no fundamentalist vs. reformist debate series; this is no Lincoln federalist vs. Douglas state-rights debate; this is more of a pro-Khomeini vs. a pro-pro-Khomeini `debate' over how `extreme' Islamo fascism should be. This is not a book that debates feminism vs. hadith; no, all 34 articles were written by men! If they favored allowing women to be educated, it was for the purpose that women could financially help themselves "to support the social structure of our society" (p. 170). The veil is promoted, polygamy is not renounced: "The practice was so deeply rooted in Arabia... that all [Mohammad] could venture to do was by imposing obligatory behests in the Quran against [non-equality between wives]... He could not do more than this. No reformer or legislator can do more" (p. 155). All of these authors are pro-Islamist Islam; the debate isn't over whether or not the veil should be worn - the `debate' is over whether the veil's color should be fundamentalist `midnight black' versus moderate `black' [as are all of the issues `debated' in this book]. I mean, look at the `debaters': Imam Ruhullah Khomeini vs. al-Afghani vs. Sayyid Qutb vs. The Society of Muslim Brothers: sure, some `debate' here! `Imam Ruhullah' Khomeini (not just `Ayatollah' Khomeini) - yes, a very pro-Shia perspective throughout this book. If you understand the Orwellian `double speak' of the `modernist' authors ["polygamy is bad -- unless you follow the guidance of the Quran and treat your wives equitably"], then you can wade through the `murkiness' [taqiyya]of the moderates' thoughts and get to the `Straight Path" fundamentalist Islam okay. In the Bibliography, references to John Esposito but not Robert Spencer. Only 4* because of the taqiyya.