Customer Reviews

Understanding Islam

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I'll start with saying I read this book over a two-year period. Even though it's short, it's a hard read. At the time I don't think I saw why this book was so important. I now look back on my life and as a religious studies major in college, more than five years after starting my reading of it, I find many reasons to appreciate it. As a Muslim living in a Christian world to say the least it's hard (as any of the Muslim readers will know). I've had extensive theological conversations with Christians who have tried -and will doubtlessly always try- to convert me. The best arguments I've found to explain to them, from their point of view, why I could never be a Christian is Schuon's arguments in this book. Without a doubt, he has the clearest arguments to make and I do not think these arguments are obvious upon a first read. They are very strong and clear, but his manner of expression is very hard to follow especially for those who know nothing of his approach. I'll give my favorite example to better illustrate my point. The very first sentence in the book goes something like "Islam is the meeting of Man as such, and God as such." This is basically to tackle the Christian belief that we are all inherently sinful and therefore need God to crucify Himself for our sins. We then choose Him as our savior from sins and our imperfection becomes perfect hence, we become worthy of a relationship with Him. Schoun explains with this one sentence that we, as Muslims, do not believe in an inherent sinful nature or that we are not fit 'as such' to face God 'as such'. Islam is perfecting the eternal relationship we have with God, which is a relationship of worship. We, as humans, are not unfit to worship Him directly. On the contrary that is EXACTLY why we are made the way we are. Not only are we able to worship God the way we are, but also we worship GOD. God as the Eternal, Perfect, Compassionate Being with his 99 sacred names as He is. Neither our inherent nature nor God's inherent nature is denied when we worship Him, rather both are fully expressed. I recommend this book for Muslims who want to argue their religion better and need to appreciate it for the absolute beauty it holds. There are points Muslims might not like, myself included, such as a subtle argument for hell not being eternal. However, overall this book is exceptional. I recommend it for Christians also, if they HONESTLY want to know why Muslims think what we do. However, you need a solid understanding of Islam before reading this book. The book that gives more Islamic information and makes Schuon's very arguments in simpler form is "Ideals and Realities of Islam." by Sayyed Hussian Nasr. Read that one too, it helps in the overall understanding of Islam. Peace all, and may we all one day understand true internal peace, and accept the world's differences 'as such' :)

Schuon first published "Understanding Islam" almost forty years ago. Since that time the author has been praised as one of the best metaphysical writers of the century as well as excorciated as one more structuralist with a religious bent and a peculiar fixation with Islam, which he shared with several other French thinkers (Schuon was Swiss but was schooled in France). In general, you'll have to make up your own mind about the man and his work, but in any case it can certainly be said that "Understanding Islam" is one of the most practical books that Schuon wrote.

"Practical" in the sense that it is not solely an exercise in metaphysics but rather an apologia for Islam, written by a man who understood and appreciated its inner life better than most. Schuon states himself in his foreword to the book that this was not a description of Islam as much as an explanation of why Muslims believe in it.

If you are looking for a description of Islam, either from a social or historical standpoint, you are better off not starting with Schuon; there are any number of excellent books on the subject that can help you in that regard. But I know of no other western writer who can teach you more about the content of Islam than Schuon does, unless it is Professor Schimmel herself, and she wrote the introduction to this edition. Schuon starts by comparing the religious perspective of Islam with Christianity, and then proceeds to describe what function the Koran, the Prophet Muhammad and the mystical paths of Islam play in the interior life of Muslims.

The book itself is deceptively short. In fact, it is a very difficult read. Not infrequently, you will find it necessary to re-read paragraphs or even several pages in order to follow Schuon's train of thought. Repeated readings will probably be found profitable. Readers unfamiliar with metaphysics as an intellectual discipline will find the going even harder, and Schuon is not above drawing on medieval Christian thinking as well as Hinduism and Buddhism for analogies. Some readers may find his digressions and page-long footnotes distracting, but he is never really far from the point he is trying to make.

Interestingly enough, within the Muslim community there is some disparity in how the book is viewed. Some Muslim divines consider the book a valuable contribution to the understanding of their faith by Westerners. Others, frequently Western converts, seem to feel that Schuon's book,with its constant comparisons to other religions in general and Christianity in particular, is demeaning to Islam. Whether or not this is so, the book will certainly give you a lot to think about, and I recommend it to any serious student of Islam.

Jay Kinney, in "Whole Earth Review," wrote of this work:
"Frithjof Schuon's Understanding Islam...delves into the depths of Islam... Schuon does not hesitate to draw parallels between Islam and other faiths, particularly Hinduism. He also takes the reader into the esoteric (or inner) essence of Islam, where traditions and laws are given unexpected twists. If you have ever had any doubts about Islam being a satisfying framework for intellectual inquiry, this book should lay them to rest."

This book presupposes a basic familiarity with Islam. Rather than being an encyclopedic source of information, it offers keys to elucidating the universal symbolism of Divine Reality as manifested within the Islamic revelation. At the same time, it gives excellent comparisons between different world religions viewed in their essentiality. Highly recommended for serious readers.

Long regarded as a masterpiece, this book should be read not only as an original, profound and beautiful view of the spiritual philosophy, rituals, art and culture of Islam, but also as a much needed intelligent introduction to Religion in general, Religion with a capital "R", Religion as such. In this respect, the "genial" insights of Schuon concerning the inner treasuries of Christianity (especially in the 4th chapter) should be emphasized.

Schuon was an intellectual and a spiritual genius, and in this book this genius is shown simultaneously in his visions of Islam, of Christianity, and of Religion as such.

What an amazing book. Somewhat difficult to read, you need a dictionary next to you. But what amazing insights this man has not just into the world of Islam but religion as a whole. I should clarify that the insights he has always existed in religious traditions, what is amazing is his ability to convey it clearly to the modern man. I cannot recommend this book enough. You will need a good understanding of Islam to really appreciate it. Some of his insights has left me in awe. Truly has changed my outlook towards things. It's interesting to note that above all the religions he has studied and known intimately, he chose to accept Islam.

I just started reading the book.

It is written in a very subtle way. Lots of insight. I can't wait to finish the last page. It would be a good recommendation for anyone interested in understanding Islam and Muslim thinking. It also is a good reading for someone who has enough knowledge about Islam for it gives more food for thought and challenging perspectives.

This short book on a huge subject like Islam is written by a Westerner, but one that has studied profounly all religions and spiritual traditions from the point of view of the Perennial Philosophy, whose brilliant exponent he is along with Rene Guenon and Ananda Coomaraswamy to name just a few. But as serious Islamic scholars have already attested, this book rates very highly as a true exposition of the Philosophy of Islam. Personally I found it extremely helpful in deciphering subtle notions of the great religion that is Islam and that has unfortunately suffered in the hands and opinions of a great number of ignoramuses. This short book manages to correct many of the misconceptions prevalent today among Western readers. It is also a great delight to read.