Customer Reviews

The Place of Tolerance in Islam

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Is Islam a religion of peace and tolerance or an evil intolerant religion? Are Muslims the oppressors or the oppressed? Does Osama bin Laden and his likes represent a minority or a majority of Muslims? Who created Osama bin Laden and who is really responsible for terrorism: Qura'nic verses, Saudi Wahabbi teachings, the impoverishment of the Islamic educational system and the growing religious illiteracy of the Muslim masses, American politics, Western double standards, the economic and political failure of corrupt regimens ruling the Muslim countries and relying on their military forces to stay in power, the Arab -Israeli conflict, or what? What can be done to avoid further terror? Is Bush's"War on terror" the solution? Who needs to change their ways, America or the Arab Muslim world or both? What kind of reform is needed, theological, political, economic or social?

This post-9/11 book is a feast for the mind. In a mostly unbiased approach 12 authors freely and constructively debate the reasons behind 9/11 AND solutions to avoid future mayhem. What makes this book very interesting and uniquely insightful is that the authors come from different backgrounds: Americans, Arabs, Asians, Muslims and non-Muslims, conservatives and liberals, professors (Islamic studies, Islamic law, humanities, history, philosophy), writers, editors, journalists, a political analyst and a social anthropologist. They naturally offer quite differing points of view and so the reader is given a chance to expand his/her vision, to analyze and conclude. This book deserves to be widely read because it is an honest attempt to clarify a very complex situation and to search for the real culprits of 9/11. We need books, like this one, that give insight and try to unify, unfortunately many of the best selling 9/11 books are those that are extremely biased, that they divide, foster ethnic discrimination and spread hatred (for example: The Rage and The Pride by Oriana Fallaci and Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About the World's Fastest Growing Faith by Robert Spencer).

The writing style differs from one author to another, ranging from simply and clearly written to dry and somewhat academic, from the controlled intellectual to the quick-tempered passionate! Overall however, the book is a quick and easy read.

Why not five stars? (1) The book is too brief; the many concepts discussed could've been expanded and more background could've been included. (2) The view of right- wing is not represented and would've added yet another dimension and completed the panoramic view of the book. However, many 9/11 books are right-wing in a way, and this point of view is somewhat well known (3) The title of the book is the title of the first essay; this book is about reasons behind 9/11 and not only about the place of tolerance in Islam, so the title does not fully represent the book. (4) Moreover, the unattractive cover has nothing to do with either the title or the book.

More popular books on Islam like to prattle on and copy each other about the _lack_ of tolerance in Islam, but that's like focusing on the most intolerant Christian sect and using incidents of their intolerance as proof that Christianity is uniformly intolerant.

This book was written, in part, to counteract books such as _Islam Unveiled_, _The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam_, and _The Sword and the Prophet_. These screeds are as misleading as they are popular. The sad fact about this book is that the people who need to read it the most never will -- at least not with an open mind.

This book includes a well thoughtout statement, by El Fadl, about Islamic responses to impacts of colonial and neocolonial exploits in the Middle East and South Asia. Responses to El Fadl's statement provide a dialogue that helps clarify the range of perspectives from puritanical responses on the one hand and to reinterpreting Islamic sacred writings in the context of today's world, on the other hand. The major economic, political and religious forces involved in this struggle are discussed. I would like to have seen a discussion of how the systems of honor and shame relate to the scale of systems of justice that range from tribal and patriarchal scales to global scales. The cultural system of honor contributes to energizing the conflict, as personal identities and group identities are affected in these struggles. I discuss this latter point in my E-Book - Depolarizing a Hostile World.

This is an excellent short volume. The best thing about the book is that various viewpoints are presented. Fadl writes his opinion on how classical Islam is tolerant, and that it has only recently been perverted. In response we get to read other opinions ranging from those who feel that Islam is naturally anti-tolerant, to those who feel that Fadl is a "sell-out" for lack of a better word, for trying to fit Islam into a Western ideaology.

Excellent reading.

This is an excellent read for those who are interested in exploring different ways to think and speak of the question of peace and tolerance within the context of Islam. This book (written post-9/11) is an anthology of Muslim writers (one of which is a woman) responding to Khaled Abou El Fadl's piece (the first writing in this book) on his own view of the peace question.
For example, Abou El Fadl states, "... the Qur'anic text assumes that readers will bring a preexisting, innate moral sense to the text. Hence, the text will morally enrich the reader, but only if the reader will morally enrich the text," (pg. 15); "Consequently, the meaning of the text is often only as moral as its reader. If the reader is intolerant, hateful, or oppressive, so will be the interpretation of the text," (pg. 22-23). Therefore, the "burden and blessing" of moral action within Islam is the responsibility of contemporary Muslims (pg. 23).
Some of the writers of this book responding to Abou El Fadl agree with his statements, but many disagree and/or bring differing perspectives to the table. Undoubtedly, all the writers believe their religion is very peaceful, though some argue this is not the proper question to ask in grand scheme of things. For example, R. Scott Appleby says that, "... the impoverishment of the Islamic educational system and the growing illiteracy of the Muslim masses," is largely the problem in regards to those Muslims who are intolerant (pg. 86-87). Tariq Ali believes, "The answer (regarding peace & tolerance in Islam) has very little to do with religion, but a great deal to do with history and politics," (pg. 38); "We need to move beyond discussing whether or not the Qur'an promotes tolerance and grapple with the urgent social and political problems that affect the Muslim world," (pg. 41). Abid Ullah Jan asks, "Why are the lectures on tolerance directed at Islam alone? Simply because the victim of September 11 was the United States," (pg. 46).
At the end of the book, the first writer, Abou El Fadl, has the chance to respond to his critics. He responds, in part, by asking, "After all, isn't the real question whether non-Muslims are willing to tolerate Muslims, instead of the other way around?" (pg. 96).
This book is an interesting conversation (albeit one-sided) between Muslims as to the various ways and problems of thinking of peace and tolerance within Islam. As a non-Muslim American woman who sees the beauty in this religion, my eyes have been opened further upon reading this book. Those of us who respect the religion of Islam must not only assert that it is a peaceful religion; we must also learn how to ask and point out the right and respectful questions in regards to this matter.

An excellent essay and responses by numerous informed commentators to understand the very real place of tolerance in Islam - especially in theory and scripture. Worth reading thoughtfully to correct the common partial or out of context quotations and polemics by Islamphobes. Most informed on the History would recognize Islam has also been significantly more tolerant that Christianity (if not Secularism) whatever the numerous exceptions at various places and times. It would have be nice to have fuller development of some themes and some historical examples but that was not the task that authors set for themselves.

This book is much more valuable than a lot of the polemics floating around on the new-found hot topic of Islam. Fadl's work demonstrates the rich diversity of contrasting ideologies within Islam and demonstrates that the vision of one band of fanatics cannot be painted onto a global community, despite the best efforts of countless fear-mongers.

An essay by a Distinguished Fellow in Islamic Law at UCLA followed by multiple commentaries from Islamic scholars from various backgrounds, then a final commentary from Mr. Abou El Fadel. He explains that the reader's interaction with the text results in an outcome that is guided by the reader's background. The puritan, fundamental literal reading of the text (the Quran or any religious scripture for that matter) is not a reflection of the overall message of that book.

The bottom-line message comes in the following quotations:

Selected Quotations:
P98 "The ultimate issue for Muslims ought to be integrity of the Islamic tradition. In my view, if the cost of any potential or territorial victory is the loss of Muslim ethical identity then the price is too high. This is simply an affirmation of the Quranic command to Muslims not to let the enmity or injustice of others become an excuse for the commission of other injustice (Q 5:8)"

The other argument by contributing authors:

p67 "Never in history has violence been imitated by the oppressed. How could they be the initiators, if they themselves are the result of violence?.. Violence is initiated by those who oppress, who exploit, who fail to recognize others as persons-not by those who are oppressed, exploited and unrecognized" Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1972

p45-46 "why doesn't anybody talk about a crisis of tolerance in Judaism when dozens of the Palestinians have been killed on a weekly basis for the last thirty-five years? Why is the media silent about intolerant Hinduism that has relentlessly oppressed Kashmiri Muslims for the last fifty-five years? Whey didn't the analysis speculate about intolerance in Christianity when 300,000 Muslims were butchered in Bosnia? And why not now, as Muslims face the wrath of Russians in Chechnya? Why are the lectures on tolerance directed at Islam alone? Simply because the victim of September 11 was the United States" Abid Allah Jan

Excellent, thought provoking collection of essays by various well-known thinkers, scholars and leaders in the world-wide Muslim community. A must-read for anyone wanting to understand the state of affairs in the Muslim community.

Excellent book on the place of tolerance in Islam! And yes Islam just like any religion can be either tolerant or very oppressive depending on the believers interpretations. The reader/reviewer who gave one star wishes to imply that there is no tolerance in Islam and that it is just a violent religion. What childish notions, believers of all relgions have oppressed minorities and forcibly converted them. This is not an accusation that can only be leveled at just Muslims, but to all followers of any religion. Ther is ample evidence that shows contrary to popular belief Islam was NOT spread by the sword.