Customer Reviews

Modernist and Fundamentalist Debates in Islam: A Reader

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"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.

All in all I recommend this book. I have not finished it, but so far it is a very useful collection of essays for anyone interested in the different perspectives that Muslim's have on various issues related to their faith. At least one of the essays (at least in comparison with another translation I have)seems to have been translated by someone with an education in the English language rather then fluency, however that did not prevent the meaning of the text from being clear.