Sword of Islam : Muslim Extremism from the Arab Conquests to the Attack on America [Hardcover]

John F. Murphy Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2002

Undoubtedly timely and full of fascinating detail, "Sword of Islam" is a thorough, well-researched, and revealing account of global Islamic terrorism. This book supplies the answer to the question that has been on the minds of all Americans since September 11: Why do they hate us? Murphy makes it clear that as the chief backer of Israel, the United States is seen by extremists as the evil power behind the hated 'Zionist enemy'. But he also emphasises that in the final analysis we are the only country with the power to bring these attacks to a halt.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This sweep of the history of Islamic extremism suffers from a lack of focus and a failure to confront complex questions. Murphy, a military historian, covers a lot of ground, beginning his story with the birth of the prophet Muhammad in A.D. 571 and ending with the Sept. 11 attacks and the U.S.-led war on terrorism in Afghanistan. But most of the book looks at the 20th century's sporadic outbreaks of anti-West violence. All too often this account feels like a list of atrocities, without interpretation and context. In just a few pages, for example, Murphy jumps from the rise of Nasser in Egypt to the creation of the Turkish state to the rule of the Shah in Iran. He doesn't delve in any depth into the conditions, whether internal or external, that led to today's Islamic militancy. In his epilogue, Murphy further fails to explore the quandary of where the U.S. campaign should go next, yet repeatedly cheers it on making his book feel like a patriotic high school history textbook.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...a strong blend of history and social analysis..." -- The Bookwatch, December 2002

"An in-depth look at global Islamic terrorism..." -- Indianapolis Star

"If it were up to me, it would be mandatory reading in every newsroom in America." -- Bookviews.com June 2002

"There are many books in print about Islam. If I were to buy just three, [this] would be the first." -- Robert K. Dorman,

"To say that this history of Islamic terrorism is timely would be something of an understatement ... mandatory reading." -- Dallas Morning News

"a comprehensively sweeping and revealing account of the historical origins and current threats posed by global Islamic terrorism." -- Washington Times, December 29, 2002

"serious academic contribution to the revealing of the intricate and leapfrogging process of the transformation of Islam into Islamism." -- -e-Extreme, Spring 2003

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; First Edition edition (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591020107
• ISBN-13: 978-1591020103
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,549,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sword of Islam Book Review, May 2, 2005

By 

A. Mensah "Promo" (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sword of Islam : Muslim Extremism from the Arab Conquests to the Attack on America (Hardcover)

Sword of Islam Book Review


Sword of Islam covers the topic of Muslim extremism in the Arab world. By reading the title Sword of Islam, the reader automatically notices that the author John F. Murphy Jr. is focusing on the militant side of Islam. The author tends to develop most of his points in a chronological order starting with the birth of Islam and ending with the September, 11th attacks. The author's stance is one of neutrality, meaning that he states the facts and allows the reader to develop his or her own ideas or biases.
John F. Murphy Jr. structures this book in chronological order which one can attribute to his extensive background as a historian. Murphy is a military historian and the founder of a private research firm specializing in military history, guerilla warfare, and terrorism. Sword of Islam consists of 12 chapters which are divided up into three parts.
The first part consists of chapters 1-3 which gives a little bit of insight on post WWII events, but its main focus is on the rise of militant Islam and the underlying factors. The second part consists of chapters 4-6 which covers Arab nationalism and the Arabs resentment towards those not of Arab descent or belonging to the Islamic religion. The last part consists of chapters 7-12 which discusses the bitter relationship between the U.S. and the Arab world.
The major issue of this book is of course militant Islam, but by reading this one might learn what events caused the need for Arab nationalism, which led to the militant views. Murphy mentions the ninth surah of the Holy Quran which many Muslim extremists use today to verify their radical beliefs. He still argues that this verse which calls many of their followers to fight their enemies is not the primary reason for radical extremism. Murphy believes that it is a long series of events and conquests that caused the feelings of nationalism and militancy toward others. Especially the conquests of the Mongols, that rampaged through what is much of Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. Through these conquests he infers that the Islamic people began to have feelings of nationalism and began to follow the ideas of Genghis Khan, which was exterminating the enemy at all costs.
The second major issue is the past and current relationship between the Arab nations and the Western world. Which Murphy explains in detail, the past events and underlying factors that led to this conflict. Events such as the forming of the Israel state and the U.S. playing a role in the Gulf War are just a few events Murphy brings up.
Sword of Islam is a very hard book for the reader to "dive" into. Even though the content is not bad the book is filled with too many dates and insignificant, long, drawn out explanations of battles, that would not have hurt if he left them out. I do find it commendable that Murphy takes a neutral stance in writing this book, even though there were many anti-Arab feelings and propaganda during the time this book was written. All in all this is a very good book filled with a lot of information about the history of the militant side of Islam or it can be a good book if you want to relive a boring history class.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars STATEMENT BY THE AUTHOR, JOHN F. MURPHY, JR., April 14, 2003

By 

John F Murphy Jr (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sword of Islam : Muslim Extremism from the Arab Conquests to the Attack on America (Hardcover)

I hereby publicly disavow the information in the review by Mr. Arthur John Kyriazis. I have never portrayed myself as a "Professional Inteliligence officer," nor have I ever claimed access to "top secret" information. To proclaim myself as a "Professional Intelligence officer" would be to do a disservice to those who have been. To claim that I had access to "top secret" information would be to claim access to information that I do not---nor have ever---possessed. I do not know from whom Mr. Kyriazis gained his information, but it was not from me. John F. Murphy, Jr.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars STATEMENT BY THE AUTHOR, JOHN F. MURPHY, JR., April 14, 2003

By 

John F Murphy Jr (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sword of Islam : Muslim Extremism from the Arab Conquests to the Attack on America (Hardcover)

I hereby publicly disavow the information in the review by Mr. Arthur John Kyriazis. I have never portrayed myself as a "Professional Intelligence officer," nor have I ever claimed access to "top secret" information. To proclaim myself as a "Professional Intelligence officer" would be to do a disservice to those who have been. To claim that I had access to "top secret" information would be to claim access to information that I do not---nor have ever---possessed. I do not know from whom Mr. Kyriazis gained his information, but it was not from me. John F. Murphy, Jr.