Customer Reviews

Islam: Between Globalization & Counter-terrorism

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Mazrui is a first-rate scholar whose work on imperialism and African identity and politics have earned him an exceptional reputation in those fields of scholarship. By turning now to another part of his own identity and experience - that of a Kenyan Muslim living in the United States, he has brought a refreshing clarity to his analysis of the dynamics at play between Western and predominantly Muslim societies. Because Mazrui is schooled, both professionally and via personal experience, in the dynamics of power politics, domination, and oppression, he takes a decidedly liberationist and North-South approach to his analysis of what is happening in (and to) Muslim societies and in contemporary Islamic-Weestern relations - a seemingly obvious but most often ignored perspective in this highly politically-charged area. His book will undoubtedly raise objections from the usual circles who will say he blames too much on the West or gives too much importance to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a cause of anti-Western violence stemming from some Muslim communities. But these are the same intellectual circles that make much less convincing and historically fallacious arguments about the cause of our current global predicament by chalking it all up to "they hate us for our freedom", "Israel-Palestine is just an excuse", etc. It is that kind of thinking that leads to policies that keep digging us all deeper into the hole we are in and Mazrui's book presents a perspective that most Americans need to come to grips with because it happens to be an analysis that resonates fully not just in the Muslim world, but in the developing world as a whole and even among some of the U.S.'s traditional allies in Europe and Asia. A must read.

Unfortunately, this book is a big apology for terrorism and a shameful validation of the victimhood/entitlement cycle that Muslims are loving. This self imposed status is the cause of Islamic demise, not the Americans or Israel. As a Muslim Palestinian, I'm fed up with these people who just attempt to justify and even excuse the conditions of Muslims. Where is accountability?

Globalization? Did he even mention Islamic globalization? How about self serving Arab leaders who gladly brought the British into the Mid East in order to overthrow the Ottomans and become the kings of Saudi, Jordan, Iraq, etc. Not to mention were only happy to divide the region so their children will have a little land as a gift, I suppose. Does Mr. Mazrui realize that the Palestinians have been butchering each other since W.W.I? Is he aware that the reason for suicide bombing is to die a hero vs. being killed by the recruiters, and die as a traitor? Even if the West and Israel (both only became a power after W.W.II) were the reason for the suffering, does that really give the ridiculously Islamic countries like the Gulf monarchies, a reason to have the sad rate of illiteracy and poverty?

While I'm at it, he speaks of the West and the US supporting oppressive regimes, but as most Muslims, he didn't have the courage to speak of the oppression of the Muslims against Muslims throughout the ottoman and other Islamic empires, YES, before the US was even created. He just gave an excuse for the poor countries who are puppets to the West, but forgot a big factor, they do it by choice. They oppress their own because they choose to, no one forced them to.

He said that although "Absolute power corrupts absolutely, absolute powerlessness also corrupts absolutely." He then proceeds to say that the powerlessness of the Muslims is the "valid reason" for terrorism. He claims that he condemns violence by Islamic militants, but he also justifies their action and claims that the West should "feed" them I agree, absolute powerlessness corrupts, but his opinion causes the perception of that powerlessness and just gives a message of blaming everyone but ourselves. Please give us some credit, we are not brainless.

Mr. Mazrui should either stick to what he knows, African studies, and remember that his education and who he is, was due to the West. He spent most of his life away from the Islamic world, and in an ivory (league) tower, disconnected from reality. Both the Muslim and Palestinian in me deeply reject these leftists apologist, who have nothing original to add to same song we grew up with and who seek fame by exploiting our suffering. I suggest that he should read the history from a self analysis stand point, because unless one changes one's self, Allah won't help. Isn't that Islamic Mr. Mazrui?

This book is a waste of time and money. One can speak to Arab/Musim laymen, or listen to Aljazeera for a few minutes and will hear the same message, free.