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No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam

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A few days after I was asked if I'd be willing to review Reza Aslan's new book "No god but God," and before I committed myself to doing so, I happened to catch the author's appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" where he and four other gentlemen were discussing the role of religion in current affairs. The panel included the author, two Protestant leaders, one Roman Catholic theologian, and an editor from a news magazine, and Aslan was by far the youngest participant. I was so impressed with his discussion of the topic, particularly in reference to the impact of Islam on the world today, its historical antecedents, and what is currently going on, that I immediately consented to read and review his book. I'm glad I did.

Reza Aslan is a brilliant young scholar of Islam and also of comparative religion in general, just the sort that we so dearly need today when there is so much confusion surrounding one of the world's great historical religions and its theological beliefs and political intentions. Born in Iran a few years prior to the overthrow of the Shah and the return of the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, the young boy was whisked out of the country and settled in the United States. Later, he studied religions at Santa Clara University, Harvard University, and the University of California at Santa Barbara. At the University of Iowa he received a master's degree in fine arts and served as a visiting assistant professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. In my opinion, one of the advantages he has when speaking and writing about Islam for the American audience is that he is not only knowledgeable about his own heritage, but appears to be thoroughly acquainted with the Western religious tradition and the American culture. This places him in an extremely enviable position for a discussion about the impact of Islam on contemporary geopolitics.

There is little doubt in my own mind, after listening to many Christian leaders and thinkers expound their views about Islam in the popular press (particularly after the 9/11 tragedy), that an unfamiliarity with the history, tradition, and beliefs of Islam abounds in the United States and, probably, in most of the West as well. (This, by the way, has always struck me as strange since I have always considered Islam to be a "western" religion, along with Judaism and Christianity, as contrasted with the "eastern" religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and so forth.) Anyway, some of the more recent and scurrilous attacks on Islam and its founder -- "Muhammad is a pedophile," for instance -- by some "leaders" of Christian churches, show an abysmal ignorance of Islam and its founder, not to mention a frightening lack of perspective in this age of scandals involving Christian televangelists consorting with prostitutes and perpetrating financial fraud and Catholic priests going to prison for the sexual abuse of minors. I won't discuss the Muhammad-pedophilia issue here as Aslan provides the explanation in his book, but the charge made against the founder of Islam, while groundless and misunderstood, is also very stupid.

Most of "No god but God" is devoted to a history of Islam. But it must be understood that this is not a singular nor simple chronological presentation. I suspect there's a presumption among most Westerners, and particularly non-Muslim Americans, that Islam is a rather uncomplicated fanatical faith that is deliberately trying to destroy Western civilization and replace it with some sort of theocratic tyranny. Well, Aslan will straighten you about that. Islam is a very complex faith and his history of it is intertwined with accounts of internecine disputes over doctrinal and moral theology, over leadership and hegemony, over traditions as opposed to meeting contemporary necessities, and all sorts of other problems which any movement -- be it political, social, or religious -- is bound to face. These internal conflicts within Islam should not be a surprise to anyone knowledgeable about the history of Christianity. In fact, one of the things that intrigued me most about his account of the "philosophical" history of Islam is how it parallels in many respects the "philosophical" history of Christianity. After all, Christianity is hardly a "unified" movement and hasn't been for over a thousand years (think Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, just to mention three).

Islam, contrary to the common view of most Americans, is not a unified religious force with a totalitarian script written by theocrats who want to dominate the entire world. There are various factions -- "sects," if you will -- within Islam opposed to each other. This appears to have been the case almost from the beginning. While some factions within Islam have striven to create theocratic states, others have supported the building of democratic, pluralistic societies. Think about the current situation in Iraq with the disputes between the Shi'ites and the Sunni, both religious factions of Islam. Then think about Wahhabism, another faction which arose in Saudi Arabia and is much more "fundamentalistic." Think "Taliban," probably the most extremist of the Islamic factions. Islam is hardly a unified movement, anymore than modern Christianity is. Aslan goes to great lengths in his book to explain all this and does a superb job doing it. And he shows, I think, that Islam can live and thrive in a modern democratic and pluralistic world, without being the "threat" that many have envisioned.

I highly recommend this book. If there's one thing we need desperately today it is an understanding of other religions and philosophies. Islam is a mysterious faith to many Americans. Fear is most often founded upon ignorance. And there can no longer be a justification for ignorance about a major religion which is so impacting the world's stage today. The world is getting smaller every hour. Isolationism and parochialism are no longer viable options. We either learn to live together or we destroy each other. Read, contemplate, discuss, and understand. Aslan's book is a contribution to that protocol.

The first thing that struck me about this book is how well-written it is. I am a writer with about 5,000 articles in print or online. I'm also an editor, and I am noted for my harsh evaluations of the writing of others--most people simply do not write well.

Reza Aslan writes well. Extremely well.

By the time I was into the second page of this book, I felt that if Aslan had written a book about navel lint--I would still want to read it.

Couple the excellent writing with quality content, and you have a captivating book. When the subject is an authoritative explanation of Islam, the book becomes a must read for two groups of people: Those who are Muslims, and those who are not.

Aslan takes us on a journey through time. We see Muhammad before he becomes the "messenger of God," and we see his struggles along the way. From this, you can understand how Islam got its start. And then we see the various forces that act upon Islam as a blacksmith's hammer acts upon hot metal, and we watch this religion take shape over centuries.

Today, Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world. But, it's also a sharply fragmented religion. Aslan explain the origins of the various factions shaping Islam today. There's a strong parallel to what happened in Christianity. And, Aslan draws on this parallel to explain a core concept of the book--that Islam is far from monolithic. You have to remember that Christianity got a 500 year head start on Islam. Read your history of the West, and you can see Islam along the same trajectory.

Americans, in the aftershock of September 11, generally felt much of the Islamic world had declared war on the West. In actuality, the war is between Islamic factions--just as there were wars between Christian factions five hundred years ago (and still are, today). The West is, to many of the warring factions, a symbol of power. An attack on the West is a way to demonstrate power to the other factions. Of course, there's also a hatred of the West--but that hatred isn't the core driver it's made out to be.

Yet, that hatred is a powerful force in itself. Contrary to what many liberals have been spewing, this hatred did not arise from recent actions of any American political leader. Aslan destroys that bit of proganda by addressing the history of colonization--the enslavement, displacement, and impoverishment of millions of Islamic people.

What about this interfaction rivalry? Islam is beset by three major philosophies. One philosophy seeks to keep the original vision of Islam pure--that is, to not deviate from the teachings of Muhammad. A second philosophy is that Muhammad was not pure enough, and so Islam must become more radical (think of the Taliban, here). The third philosophy is that Islam must change to adapt to the modern world--it must throw off the chains of ignorance and poverty. Aslan explains the thinking behind each of these philosophies, without preaching to the reader.

Aslan's views come into play at the end of the book, where he ties everything together. But, you don't get the feeling this is the author trying to convince you of his own views. By this point, the reader already trusts Aslan and sees him as an expert. Now, the reader gets the expert's viewpoint on where Islam should head and why.

The book carries the reader through many spiritually dark places, but emerges into the sunshine of hope. The end is inspiring and encouraging, and it carries a message for people of all religions. It is a message well worth taking to heart.

A truly fascinating and accessible book written by Reza Islan, a scholar of comparative religions. It documents Islam's evolution since the time of Prophet Muhammad till our present day in a highly engaging fashion. In a succinct account, the book documents the history of this greatly misunderstood religion, starting from the Prophet's life, the civil war that englufed Muslims after his death, and Quran'ic interpretations that medieval islamic scholars advanced due to political reasons rather than theological conviction. The position of women in Islam is further clarified, with the author contrasting the Prophet's great appreciation of women's role in society to their later degradation as a result of men's monopoly over the interpretation of the Quran. The roots of modern terrorism are exposed from their origins in 18th century Wahhabist thought which relied on ultra-conservative interpretations and un-substantiated sayings from the Prophet, to the current scene after 9/11. This insightful book also deals with the roots of anti-semitism in Islam, the Islamic rulings on the treatment of minorities and prisoners of wars, and Islamic theology and law. A truly engaging account of Islam that is a must-read for anyone who is interested in learning more about current events and/or the history of religions.

As a Muslim, I read this book with interest. In NO GOD BUT GOD, Reza Aslan attempts to narrate and analyze the Origins and Evolution of Islam, and a vision of its Future.

Starting with an exploration of Pre-Islamic Arabia, he details the life of the Prophet Muhammad (s), and follows up with the 4 Rightly Guided Caliphs. He then focuses on the evolution of Islamic thought, including the development of the Ulama in Sunni Islam, and the development of other schools of thought/sects such as Shiism and Sufism. He finishes by detailing the response of the Muslim world to colonialism, and modern issues today, especially Islam's struggle towards democracy.

Aslan aims to portray what he feels is an 'objective' portrayal of Islamic history, by correcting what he feels are errors by past scholars, especially Muslim scholars with idealized views. However, ultimately, he is not very successful in his quest. While he criticizes early Islamic historians for portraying '9th century Baghdad' rather than '7th century Madina', one can argue that his view of Islamic history is '21 century American' rather than '7th century Madinan.' His biases are evident, and are typical of 21st century America and the West: Denial of supernatural events, resistance to established historical (especially religious) authority, preference for free-flowing spirituality versus formalized doctrines of law, and importance given to issues such as democracy. (Note, as an American, I share some of these biases, but its important to note their existence as biases in a quest for objectivity.)

Aslan usually starts each section by presenting 'the idealized' view of a topic, as narrated by early Muslim scholars (what he terms as 'myth') and then presents what he believes 'really happened' (history). Myth typically includes miracles, and heroic portrayals of people involved. Those inclined to believe in miracles (and I am one) may have difficulty with this approach, as he flatly says that it doesn't matter whether or not miracles happened (ie, whether Jesus raised the dead) but rather, what role such myths play in shaping the beliefs of a particular religious community. I heartily disagree with Aslan here- I believe it matters a great deal whether or not the beliefs of a religious community are shaped by actual historical events (including wonderous, amazing ones) or whether such beliefs are based on, in the end, lies and falsehood. In any case, Aslan was not there to witness events such as Lazarus rising from the dead, and neither were the early historians, so ultimately, it is up to each person to make up their own mind about the actual historicity of such supernatural events.

Aslan also occasionally over stretches himself in his attempts to deny miracles. For instance, he suggests that its unlikely that the Prophet (s) was illiterate, because as a merchant, he supposedly had to be able to read and write. Clearly Aslan has not spent much time with illiterate people- and is unable to recognize just how much these people can do without reading and writing. (illiterate people today are health workers treating pneumonia and malaria using complex medical regimens, and performing internationally recognized research, including recording results, about endangered species).

However, I must admit that I greatly appreciated Aslan's candor about the religious personalities involved. Sunni Islamic scholarship presents early Islamic historical figures (such as the first 4 Caliphs) and the early Muslim community as incredible, nearly error free, almost absolutely perfect, human beings- almost super-beings. I was always struck at the incongruity of such idealized descriptions and the fact that within a few decades after the death of the Prophet (s), the early Islamic community entered a massive civil war from which one could argue Islam never recovered. I wondered, how could such a supposedly perfect community made with such supposedly perfect people get into such a serious mess so quickly? Reading Aslan's descriptions (which included Sunni, Shii, and western sources) of the personalities involved was very helpful in this regard: they weren't perfect people, but were deeply religious, well meaning people who, yes, had their share of faults, misunderstandings, and disagreements (about Islam and a lot of other things) which built up over the years, and in the chaotic transition after the Prophet's death, exploded into civil war.

Aslan is unable to hide his obvious disdain of the Ulama (Islamic Scholars who have codified Islamic Law, or Shariah). He paints them entirely in a negative light, as a power hungry, control-mad group which has stifled all flexibility from the religion. While this view undoubtedly has a good deal truth to it (I am extremely sympathetic), it must also be admitted that the Scholars did a great deal of work to preserve the religion, and its history, without which we may not even have the religion today, and certainly would know far less about the events surrounding its birth and rise. Aslan is equality negative about the Ayatollah Khomeni, who he feels promised democracy but in reality bamboozled the Iranian people into accepting a theocracy (in reality, a dictatorship under his rule) through his powerful persona. Aslan's views on Khomeni are understandable given the fact that he lived his early life in Iran, experienced the hope that the Iranian people felt during the revolution, only to have to flee the country with his family.

On the other hand, Aslan is quite positive about Sufism, the spiritual branch of Islam, defending all its variations, despite admitting that at least some Sufi beliefs don't square very well with the basic Islamic creed, "No God but God." Aslan correctly states that Sufism is quite complex, and is not generalizable. However, he occasionally tries to generalize anyway, with a view of defending Sufism against the barrage of negative criticism it has received for the unorthodox views of some of its branches. However, this approach leads to occasional contradictions: for example Aslan states that all Sufis follow Islamic acts of worship such as 5 daily prayers, but then also says that some Sufis believe acts of religious worship are only important for the masses, and others believe it is a shell that can be cast off once deeper layers of spirituality are realized.

Aslan's biases are finally represented in his vision of Islam's future. He clearly believes in Islamic pluralism, and believes that it can best be represented by a democracy. Furthermore, he believes that when God's law and the popular will contradict, the popular will should win out. The limits of Islamic pluralism is hotly debated today in the Muslim world, but for me, the claim, "No God but God" is the key to Islam, along with the belief in Muhammad (s) Prophethood. These two aspects should be the backbone of anyone calling themselves a Muslim.

The issue of popular sovereignty over divine law (properly understood and contextualized) is considerably more complex. I ultimately agree with Aslan, one cannot force on a community any law, including a law from God, over a people who do not believe in it, or do not want it implemented in their community. However, Aslan leaves it there, as if that is the end of the story. I would argue that every effort should be made to make the community see the wisdom of divine laws, emphasizing positive consequences in implementing them (improved justice, equality, social harmony, etc) and pointing out negatives of not following them (chaotic society, broken down families, etc), both in this world and in the afterlife.

As other reviewers mention, Aslan is a good writer. His writing is clear and he is able to explain complex concepts deftly. I actually found his 'idealized' sections (the 'myths') often even better written and more powerful than this supposedly objective analysis that follows: his 'myths,' whether of the Prophet (s), the companions, the Caliphs, or Sufi legends are dramatic and pulsating with life. After reading them, it was a bit of a let down (and at times, even irritating) to be told, 'well this is what REALLY happened' and reading an analysis of events that I did not find objective. Aslan should try his hand at fiction!

Reza Aslan is a second generation American Muslim and here is your up-to-date optimist's guide to Islam. He is accutely aware of the turmoil unleashed in the Middle East that has called the US to its lands. He believes we are at the dawn of an Islamic reformation, and much of the initial impetus for this modernizing current comes from people like himself.

What defines a Muslim? There is no God but one God and Mohammed is his Prophet. This simple, supple catechism makes Islamic belief protean and unwieldy. But many, he thinks, stand behind the movement to usher in a new Islamic enlightenment. As a humanist, I pray he is right!

Unfortunately, Aslan also believes that fundamentalist or traditionalist appeal is very very limited. Based on surveys, I think he's wrong - but clearly the world situation with so many in Muslim lands so young (most under 18), there is enormous room for change and development. Pessimists underestimate people's aspirational needs and their awareness of what' s involved and how to get it. In an increasingly interconnected and urbanizing world, doubting the consumers of ideas is increasingly untenable. And partisans of Bush policy sure hope he's right.

Thus, read this book and add it to your shelf. Avoid psuedo-guides to Islam like Karen Armstrong who has her own anit-Catholic axes to grind. With Azlan, instead, you have the genuine article.

As a muslim woman who had been conflicted between my personal beliefs and the current interpretation of Islam, this book was a breath of fresh air. It reaffirmed how Islam is a religion of compassion, respect & tolerance and how the original vision of Islam was the creation of a true civil society. The message of this book is much needed. For what this book gave me personally, I cannot thank Reza Aslan enough.

I am a Muslim and chose to read the book because of its intriguing title and the reputation of the author. I found it to be well written and illustrates many important aspects of Islam that would be useful for Muslims and people of other faiths as well. In spite of its capturing read I saw 4 limitations. 1- The transmission of the leadership of Islam after the Prophet's death and the internal feuds seem to be oversimplified. 2- The Hadith and its nature and role in current faith is represented too negatively. 3- The "Golden Era" of Islamic rule and the cultural and scientific developments and contributions have not been mentioned. 4- The modern era of Islam was covered too briefly and should have taken more space and discussion. Nonetheless, I liked the book and recommend with the above limitations.

This book is beautifully written and deserves to be the bestseller it has become. Aslan is trying to rescue Islam from the traditionalists who see it as stuck in the time of Mohammed forever. Instead, Aslan says the interpretation of what being a "good Muslim" is has been hijacked by a series of extremists, and now is the time to reclaim the hidden history of tolerance and diversity. I agree with other reviewers that this has a good chance of becoming the standard book on the subject. Highly recommended!

Islam is one of the natural extensions for someone who studies Middle Eastern politics. I've read primarily about Iraq and other countries, but it's all been a very generalized look at the Middle East. To really gain an understanding of the region, one must read specifically about Islam, ethnic conflict, and democratization, as well as books about the region in general.

Having never read anything about Islam, I was very intimidated to pick up a book and start reading about such a complicated and rich religion. Take into account that I'm an atheist and then the topic seems very daunting indeed. Even though I was right to assume that the subject is complex, this book was more helpful than I could have imagined. Aslan's style is straightforward and easy to read. He breaks the book down into very well-organized chapters that flow together nicely. In addition to my positive experience with the book, I also had the opportunity to show No god but God to several Muslim friends from several different Middle Eastern countries here at school and they all gave their thumbs up.

I knew very little about Islam before purchasing this book but did not get lost or feel confused at any point when reading it. I know that I will have to read many more books about Islam before I really start to understand it, but I think this book was the perfect starting point. For anyone else in my position, I highly recommend it.

Okay, so you can see by my name that this isn't going to be an impartial review. Aslan knows what he's talking about and dispenses that knowledge very eloquently. I heard his interview on Air America (that's right, I'm a liberal too...) and for the first time felt that someone in the media was truly representing mainstream Muslims like myself. He said that Muslims in general are "boring" people so the media likes to focus on the minority of jihadists to get their kicks.

Now regarding one of the other reviews on this site, 1 in every 4 people on Earth is a Muslim. Given that statistic, the proposition that every Muslim is "hardwired" for violence would really make one sweat. Just thank God that a significant majority of Muslims really are peaceful.