Customer Reviews

Unveiling Islam (Islamic Texts Society)

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I always find odd people who read religious books and then become outraged when they find the book is in defence of religion (seems that previous reviewer didnt get past page 10 though so never mind)

Then we have the equally odd review by Alyassa equally outraged that this book should be published by the Islamic Text Society whose goal is to "Convert the infidel" I can only assume he has never read a book published by a Catholic, Prodistant or any other religions domination book publisher because his odd reviews seem to have the opinion that Muslim book publishers are the only people on the planet engaged in trying to convert others to their faith (obviously nonsense)

Equally odd are his book recomendations seeing as the 2 he has mentioned are darlings of the author of 'Politically incorect guide to Islam' (a book compiled by an author with zero qualifications in Middle East studies but a favorite with the insane, the cranks and the foaming at the mouth madmen (see the reviews of his books for proof of this)) But then this is from the camp of people like Pipes (the man who seems to think Muhammad didnt exist! (See his review of 'Why I am not a Muslim') So I think it would be safe to say that the writers he has recomended are hardly the most useful never mind trustworthy.

Concerning the book, it is a short introduction to Islam. Similar to Islam and the destiny of man but in less detail. It covers the basic fundamentals of the religion and how they are undertood by its followers. It seems it was intended as an introduction to Islam for non Muslims rather than a book intended for Muslim and it would probably be worth a read if one was intending to travel to a predominant Muslim country or had dealings with a large Muslim community in his/her own area and wanted a book that would give then a brief but clear idea of how Muslims live their lives.

One negative though has to be the title. Considering since early orientalism to this present day their has been an obsession with the veil (far more than in the Muslim world itself where it is hardly discussed) and 'lifting the veil' 'beyond the veil' 'under the veil' uncovering the veil' (would seem some writers have more of an interest in staring at 'exotic' eastern women than actually studying the Middle East) It is such a pity that this book should continue the trend with such a silly title.

This is a very good introductory text on Islam, concise yet comprehensive, enunciating not only the basic precepts and principles upon which the faith rests, but also containing quite detailed chapters on the civilisation and culture which stemmed from the historical inception of the faith. I would recommend this book especially for people born and living in the West, or who have had significant contact with the now dominant Western mode of living, as the author - himself having been born and lived in the West - writes in a way which acts as a bridge, connecting and establishing a bond of understanding over the gulf which presently separates the two cultures. A non-Muslim reader will gain a real insight into the mind and heart of a true Muslim - someone who really believes - becoming familiar not only with how he thinks and what he feels, but also with what motivates him and how he acts. The quality of the translation from the original French into English is superlative: lucid, accurate and easily comprehensible. All-in-all, this is one of the best introductory texts on Islam I have come across in the English language, and, on a more personal level, I would say that this book is an essential step which needs to be taken, in allowing sincere, thinking people anywhere to forge an understanding of the world and existence in a viable and tenable manner, at once congruous with modern knowledge and discoveries, and yet, at the same time, consistent with ancient wisdom and truths.

Make no mistake, this book is written solely with the purpose of converting readers to Islam. For that reason, the seven chapters herein chiefly set out to present Islam as unrivaled in its purity, and to outline of demands for an Islamic life. Apart from belief in one god, this requires acceptance of the "unity" of the Muslim community and a belief that Islam is, to quote from the Koran (Sura 3: 199) "the best community to have been raised up for mankind."

This would explain why the book was published by the Islamic Texts Society, whose purpose is to extend Islamic evangelism, or Da'wa, to all non-Muslims. In classic Islamic form, the reader is "invited to discover a world," in other words, invited to convert to Islam.

Thus Chapter 4, entitled "A miracle and its progression in history," makes the ridiculous claim (through quotation from Francesco Gabrieli's Muhammad and the Arab Conquest) that "No one was converted by the sword." Still more absurd (and unsubstantiated) is the claim that "Arabs never presented the people they had conquered with the choice between death and the acceptance of their faith."

On the contrary, the historical record makes precisely this pattern clear in land after land, and region after region, as denoted in such scholars as Bat Ye'or (The Decline of Eastern Christianity and Islam and Dhimitude), K.S. Lal and others.

If you buy this book, do so only with the understanding that it in no way purports to be impartial or balanced. The sole purpose of this text, stated clearly at the outset, is to convert infidels and kafirs to Islam, nothing less. Moreover, misrepresenting history is part and parcel of that process.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

I was very pleased to have been recommended this book by a friend and I understood why once I started. It portrays a brief, succinct, well written journey through the essential elements of the Islamic faith and a fascinating look at the history of this great religion as it spread with an unprecidented pace effectivelly changing the nature of history and the geography of the then known world forever. Bringing a people out of darkness to the heights of civilisation, scientific discovery, knowledge, social values and personal freedom....This is Islam! GREAT BOOK

A very concise and thought-provoking book. The author is one of a new category of what I assume are non-Muslim, but present Islam in a very unbiased way. It's perhaps not as easy a read as some other books I've come across, but those who want some "food for thought" as well as a comprehensive look on Islam should take a read.

Unless you believe that Darwin's Theory of Evolution suggests that we are "perfected monkeys" (page 1) or are prepared to accept that "cosmic acceleration" is "clearly visible" in the last years of the twentieth century (page 10) don't read this book. It will just make you grind your teeth.

If you need any further persuasion, as an example the author puts forward the view that "Islam appears to man's intellect rather than his sentimentality" but then goes on to explain that this is "primordial" intellect : not the capacity for involved reasoning"
and so on and so on.

In precis. The only thing unveiled is the view that the world (the Western, Modern and secular world that is) is corrupt and meaningless, and that submission to predestination is the answer.

This book is written scholarly to dispel the wrong notions about Islam in the West, especially in America where the ultra right Christian and Jewish political and religious machines are working hard day and night to dehumanize Muslims and Islam by any means. In their view, Islam can not be presented even from a neutral point of view. This author of this book outlined Islam in a completely unbiased fashion. If you honestly want to learn truth about Islam and work toward the mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence, this book is definitely for you. But if you adamantly fall into "Israel first, America distant second" category, then this book is definitely not for you.