The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists [Paperback]

Khaled M. Abou El Fadl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 23, 2007

Despite President George W. Bush's assurances that Islam is a peaceful religion and that all good Muslims hunger for democracy, confusion persists and far too many Westerners remain convinced that Muslims and terrorists are synonymous. In the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11, the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the recent bombings in London, an unprecedented amount of attention has been directed toward Islam and the Muslim world. Yet, even with this increased scrutiny, most of the public discourse regarding Islam revolves around the actions of extremist factions such as the Wahhabis and al-Qa'ida. But what of the Islam we don't hear about?

As the second-largest and fastest-growing religion in the world, Islam is deemed by more than a billion Muslims to be a source of serenity and spiritual peace, and a touchstone for moral and ethical guidance. While extremists have an impact upon the religion that is wildly disproportionate to their numbers, moderates constitute the majority of Muslims worldwide. It is this rift between the quiet voice of the moderates and the deafening statements of the extremists that threatens the future of the faith.

In The Great Theft, Khaled Abou El Fadl, one of the world's preeminent Islamic scholars, argues that Islam is currently passing through a transformative period no less dramatic than the movements that swept through Europe during the Reformation. At this critical juncture there are two completely opposed worldviews within Islam competing to define this great world religion. The stakes have never been higher, and the future of the Muslim world hangs in the balance.

Drawing on the rich tradition of Islamic history and law, The Great Theft is an impassioned defense of Islam against the encroaching power of the extremists. As an accomplished Islamic jurist, Abou El Fadl roots his arguments in long-standing historical legal debates and delineates point by point the beliefs and practices of moderate Muslims, distinguishing these tenets from the corrupting influences of the extremists. From the role of women in Islam to the nature of jihad, from democracy and human rights to terrorism and warfare, Abou El Fadl builds a vital vision for a moderate Islam. At long last, the great majority of Muslims who oppose extremism have a desperately needed voice to help reclaim Islam's great moral tradition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

El Fadl, professor of Islamic law at UCLA and Bush appointee to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, is the academic voice of the world's majority-moderate Muslims. His strong credentials and thoughtful approach set him apart from his peers. Here, he successfully argues that the extremist sects of Islam, mainly Wahhabism, blatantly defy the true values of Islam. He clarifies that Wahhabism was once an unpopular, fringe, cultlike movement, which only grew through a chance partnership with the Saudi Arabian ruling family. The discovery of oil created an unprecedented infusion of petro-dollars into the fledgling, conservative belief system. The point of the book, El Fadl writes, is to define "the reality of Muslim thought as it currently exists." He focuses on the extremists' "puritan" view, exposing the hypocrisies and inconsistencies inherent in their "imagined Islam." He doesn't offer specific solutions, but he raises the issues carefully and well. Though the writing can be dry and portions read like a law school lecture, overall El Fadl's book is a fulfilling read for moderate Muslims concerned about conservative leadership and any non-Muslims who want to inform themselves about the extremists' misuse of Islam. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“The Great Theft is probably the most dramatic manifesto from an American Muslim since the September 11 attacks.” (Associated Press )

“An uncommonly rich, learned and easily accessible framework for understanding the current theological struggle within Islam.” (Washington Post Book World )

“Those looking for an understanding of the Muslim world and its relationship to the West…will find this book invaluable.” (Dallas Morning News )

“Khaled Abou El Fadl has made a contribution that should be widely distributed and deeply reflected upon.” (Globe and Mail (Toronto) )

“… [The Great Theft] lucidly answers important questions Westerners have about Islam.” (San Francisco Chronicle )

“One of the more engaging primers on Islam available.” (Foreign Affairs )

“Mother Jones and the National Review rarely see eye-to-eye, but we both agree on this essential title.” (Mother Jones Magazine )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (January 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061189030
• ISBN-13: 978-0061189036
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Islam > History

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best comparison out there, February 22, 2006

By 

Nudge Longacre "Nudge" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists (Hardcover)

El Fadl takes the explanation millions of Muslims have been trying to make for years and articulated it for the world to hear. Instead of denying that "extremist" Muslims who take part in suicide bombings and death are not actually Muslim at all, El Fadl points out the distinctifying differences between the minority under the say of puritanism and the majority that is all too unspoken for in the Western world.

This is the only way to make a definitive point to many Westerners, since many take to heart much of what they hear. El Fadl realizes that many of the horrible things heard about Muslims is indeed true but indicative of the acute minority that hardly represents the whole. Thus, El Fadl does not attempt to redefine what the average Western audience has heard rather than expand on what they've heard and make the difference between puritan ideaology and the majorly-supported moderate ideaology.

Also, El Fadl realizes that lauding any particular part of the Qur'an or going beyond observation will make a cause for debate. For this reason, El Fadl does not make his own points rather than refer to doctrines on both sides of the argument that are highly supported. He also distinguishes between any of his opinions and the factual blueprints of the separate ideaologies. This method not only allows the reader to make his or her own opinion, it allows them to see the obvious contradictions in a school of thought rather than the Qur'an itself. This distinctifies the obvious difference between man-made twisting of Qur'anic verse and the more grounded interpretations that have been established through ages of highly intellectual study.

El Fadl also addresses the harsh subject of declining jurisprudence in Islam. El Fadl explains the reasoning behind the explosion of extreme Qur'anic interpretations of today and why groups of the sort have obtained the opportunity to prosper. El Fadl points no fingers, but makes it obvious that outside influences and Imperialistic domination contributed to the end of over a millenium of peaceful jurisprudence responsible for the quelling of suck extremist and contradictory uprisings.

This book speaks for the silent Muslim population which has lived in harmony with the world for over a millenium. Because this majority characteristically does not believe in religious compulsion or widespread preaching to those not seeking, political and public connections are weak for many of these people. El Fadl speaks for the masses who have been all too misjudged in this trying time in human history.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moderate vs Puritan Islam, October 27, 2006

By 

Snakeskurt - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Theft : Wrestling Islam from the Extremists (Hardcover)

This book can be summed into the voice of the moderate Muslim world that is rarely heard amidst the violence of the puritans. Divided into two parts, Abou El Fadl starts by describing the state of the Muslim world today, along with a good historical account of the rise of the two puritan sects: Wahhabism and Salafism. In the second part he charts the difference between moderate and puritan Islam, first starting the basic principles that all Muslims agree on before diving into the many topics of disagreement : God and the purpose of creation, the nature of law and morality, approaches to history and modernity, democracy and human rights, interacting with non-Muslims and salvation, jihad warfare and terrorism, the nature and role of women. It is through these chapters that one begins to see the great difference of viewpoints, how puritans manage to skew the Quranic verses and the Prophets (PBUH) Sunnah to fit their needs, and the dire need for moderate Muslims to speak up and work towards ending the many years of bloodshed that the puritans have caused in order to bring back Islam to its true nature - a moderate, compassionate, peaceful religion that protects the human right to life and liberty.

This is a book that both Muslims and non-Muslims alike can benefit from greatly, one that can clear many misconceptions that both have about Islam. To anyone who really wants to understand the Islamic faith and know the differences between what moderate and puritan Muslims believe, I cannot stress enough what a wonderful job Abou El Fadl did in addressing this topic in his book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to understand the Islamic faith and the transformation it is going through today.

Remember, nothing helps the puritans' cause as much as Western ignorance, prejudice, and hate.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Moderate Islam at its best, December 6, 2006

By 

César González Rouco (Madrid, Madrid Spain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Theft : Wrestling Islam from the Extremists (Hardcover)

It is difficult nowadays to get an objective, nuanced opinion on Islam, neither flattering nor biased against it. If I were to recommend a way to try and achieve this, I would suggest reading several good books on the matter, including this one among them.

Professor El-Fadl was appointed by President George W. Bush as a commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. He is a strong human rights advocate and sits on the Board of Directors for Human Rights Watch. Dr. El-Fadl currently serves on the on the Advisory Board of Middle East Watch

A scholar trained in both Islamic and Western law, he depicts an ongoing struggle between puritans (those embracing an absolutist and intolerant orientation) and moderates to define and apply Islam today. This book opposes violent fundamentalism and is groundbreaking in the clarity of its ideas and refreshing for its lack of hypocrisy. Professor El-Fadl clearly extols the path of moderation, portrayed as the core of Islam, and takes on tough issues such as Islam and human rights, the status of women, and the jihad. The author argues that the Prophet and the text plead for a humane and rational treatment of all people, with human worth and dignity transcending all other considerations, and he offers a vision for moderate Islam past, present, and future defending that "the responsibility for what humans do in God's name must fall on the shoulders of human beings".

All that (and much more that I do not mention in this summary) is developed in 308 pages (footnotes included), the book being divided in the following parts and chapters: PART ONE. THE BATTLEGROUND FOR FAITH. 1) Islam torn between extremists and moderation. 2) The roots of the problem. 3) The rise of early puritans. 4) The story of contemporary puritans. PART TWO. CHARTING THE MODERATE VERSUS PURITAN DIVIDE. 5) What all muslim agree upon. 6) God and the purpose of creation. 7) The nature of law and morality. 8) Approaches to history and modernity. 9) Democracy and human rights. 10) Interacting with non-muslims and salvation. 11) Jihad, warfare and terrorism. 12) The nature and role of women. CONCLUSION.

It is a not very long and is an enjoyable read which I could not put it down (content: 4 starts; pleasure : 5 to 3). I do recommend it for anyone seeking to understand the theological discourse going on right now inside of Islam.

Other books that I would recommend reading (as the author says, non-muslims "first and foremost [are to] learn and understand, because nothing helps the puritans' cause as much as Western ignorance, prejudice and hate") would be the following:

ASSESSMENTS OF ISLAM:

1) The best, impartial, wise: "Islam. History, present, future" by Hans Küng (written in German, already available in Spanish, English translation coming in 2007).

2) Harsh but well argued: "Muslims in the West: Redefining the Separation of Church & State" by Sami Awad Aldeeb Abu-Sahlieh.

3) Very interesting autobiography of a courageous woman: "Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali (already available in French, English edition coming in 2007).

HISTORY:

1) General: "The Venture of Islam", by Marshall G. S. Hodgson (nowadays a classic included in any bibliography on Islam).

2) Turks: "The Turks in World History" by Carter Vaughn Findley.

3) Political theory: "God's Rule : Government and Islam" by Patricia Crone.

4) Jihad: "Understanding Jihad" by David Cook (it also seems interesting -although I have not read it yet- "Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice by Michael Bonner).