Book Description
"Welcome to the Faith Club. We're three mothers from three faiths -- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism -- who got together to write a picture book for our children that would highlight the connections between our religions. But no sooner had we started talking about our beliefs and how to explain them to our children than our differences led to misunderstandings. Our project nearly fell apart."
After September 11th, Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, faced constant questions about Islam, God, and death from her children, the only Muslims in their classrooms. Inspired by a story about Muhammad, Ranya reached out to two other mothers -- a Christian and a Jew -- to try to understand and answer these questions for her children. After just a few meetings, however, it became clear that the women themselves needed an honest and open environment where they could admit -- and discuss -- their concerns, stereotypes, and misunderstandings about one another. After hours of soul-searching about the issues that divided them, Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla grew close enough to discover and explore what united them.
The Faith Club is a memoir of spiritual reflections in three voices that will make readers feel as if they are eavesdropping on the authors' private conversations, provocative discussions, and often controversial opinions and conclusions. The authors wrestle with the issues of anti-Semitism, prejudice against Muslims, and preconceptions of Christians at a time when fundamentalists dominate the public face of Christianity. They write beautifully and affectingly of their families, their losses and grief, their fears and hopes for themselves and their loved ones. And as the authors reveal their deepest beliefs, readers watch the blossoming of a profound interfaith friendship and the birth of a new way of relating to others.
In a final chapter, they provide detailed advice on how to start a faith club: the questions to ask, the books to read, and most important, the open-minded attitude to maintain in order to come through the experience with an enriched personal faith and understanding of others.
Pioneering, timely, and deeply thoughtful, The Faith Club's caring message will resonate with people of all faiths.
For more information or to start your own faith club visit www.thefaithclub.com
Customer Reviews:
What is "faith?".......2007-10-14
What I didn't see in this book is how "faith" translated into relationship with God within each of the three religious paths. While there were discussions of how their religions made them feel good/comforted them, I didn't see how God transformed them into his image. It seemed to be more about creating God/Allah in images they could be comfortable with - "I couldn't believe in a God who...would require particular rituals such as prayer/require belief in original sin, etc.
What does it mean to believe? If God created us (rather than vice versa) then what does he require of us? How does God speak to us and guide us when we stray? Because if we don't stray (no such thing as original sin after all and God loves us all just the way we are and we don't need to bend our wills to his) why do we need God at all? In which case, any road truly will lead home after all.
The Faith Club.......2007-10-11
I bought this book when on a business trip and looking for something to read in the evenings. I thought it would be a "soft" book to use as a "sleeping pill," as it were. In reality, it is an excellently written book on the journey of three women of different religions who discover, through the process of "agreeing to disagree," that their "religions" are in reality the same faith. In the beginning, one of the women describes them as "one having a religion with no faith, one a faith with no religion, and one having both." The three women set out to explore their differences and their similarities -- arguing, discussing, and perhaps even compromising -- until they find themselves supporting each other in their differences. I believe their method could be applied to other "differences" as well. Our media and our politics (as well as our religions) have become too egocentric and not willing to honestly explore what people of the opposite party really think, believe, and want. Read this book, discover the process, and "agree to disagree."
Faith Club.......2007-09-17
My wife purchased this book and is reading it for a book club. I heard her tell a friend that she loved this book.
The Faith Club.......2007-09-13
This book was full of good information and challenged me to think about my faith and to acknowledge the similarity between all three of these faiths.
As a Christian I was disturbed by the fact that the Christian seemed to give up some of the basic Christian tenets (that Jesus is truly the son of God and the way to salvation)but that did not ruin the intellectual\spiritual challenges of the book. I could discuss the topics of this book for years.
One Book; Three Pespectives.......2007-08-24
This was an informative yet personal book about the challenge of living in a diverse culture during a time of religious and political debate. Hearing the three women's voices alternatively helped to reveal different viewpoints and interpretations of the events and policies that affect us all. I appreciated some of the new information I read about Palestinians in particular. Yet more than gaining great new knowledge, I gained a broader perspective and deeper insight into many of today's most pressing national and international issues. At the same time, I was given the opportunity to glimpse into the homelife and family life of three different families dealing with three different realities and backgrounds. Fascinating, personal, introspective and heartwarming!
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Amazon.com
Geraldine Brooks spent two years as a Middle East news correspondent, covering the death of Khomeini and the like. She also learned a lot about what it's like for Islamic women today. Brooks' book is exceedingly well-done--she knows her Islamic lore and traces the origins of today's practices back to Mohammed's time. Personable and very readable, Brooks takes us through the women's back door entrance of the Middle East for an unusual and provocative view.
Customer Reviews:
Love this book.......2007-10-09
Everyone woman in the USA should read this book to understand how very lucky we are. The book was written well before 9/11 and I think I finally understand what was in the mind of the terroist.
a masterpiece of journalism and good writing.......2007-09-13
The author conveys immense respect, honour, and friendship towards her subject, and towards the individuals she writes about. Very fine journalism, one has to admire the courage and hard work it took for her to put this book together.
It was an enjoyable and informative read. It saddens me to learn of those who may not simply be trapped by a literal veil, but who are trapped in such entrenched cultural dogma that they would come to accept or even welcome abuse and suppression as a norm, and who would even fight against efforts to have freedom. I see this sort of phenomenon also in those who have grown up in an abusive home, who come to expect mistreatment as a norm.
The reason that the average rating for this book is not "5 stars" is naturally because of the various extremely low ratings, which are entirely predictable given the subject matter here. I would invite the reader to take a look at those reviews, which are for the most part fundamentalist rantings; it will make them easy to dismiss.
A Window into Women in Islam.......2007-04-03
When I picked up this book, I could not put it down. Everything about this book fasinated me: the connections to ancient Islamic hadith, the lives of specific women, and the overlying comparisions on treatment of women in the Middle East. One by one, Brooks takes issues she encountered while living there and address each on its own. She laces individual stories with greater events and observations, trying not to make judgments - until the end. Then she sets forth with a fury and I can't help but admire the way in which she puts forth her arguments.
The book was clearly written for a Western audience unfamiliar with most Islamic traditions and that happened to work out nicely for me as I just happened to be that kind of audience. This book was not meant for people very familiar with Islam and the Middle East, if you are and plan to read this book, I would suggest patience as Brooks explains many things you might already know.
The biggest flaw is the structure of the book, which seems to jump around alot and isn't bound by a central theme or string (other than Islamic women, of course). Each chapter stands on its own and address a different topic, which makes it nice to read, but negates the impact of the conclusion. The other problem is one of age. The book was written over ten years ago and most of the interviews took place during the late 80s, early 90s. This impacts the discussion of nations in the book, especially for Afghanistan and Iraq (of course). However, I did not find it that distracting as most of the book discusses the women and their every day life.
In all, I would recommend this book, especially to people interested in Women's Studies or the Middle East. It's light reading and fasinating, so anyone interested in those topics should get around to reading it sooner or later.
Balanced Account Of Life Among Women In The Muslim World.......2007-04-02
I have read many books related to Islam and this is one of the best. Many writers approach Islam with a political axe to grind, either intentionally seeking to defame the entire Muslim world or serving as apologist's for the religion's tendencies towards misogyny and violence.
But Brooks, in contrast, comes across as an open minded journalist attemping to report honestly on her experinces living and working in the Middle East for six years. Yes, she's a Western secular feminist and she makes no secret of that being her personal perspective. But still she strives to maintain her journalistic objectivity and report on the wide range of differing opinions among Muslim women themselves. For instance, she describes her conversations with Muslim women that prefer to stay veiled as well as her talks with Muslim women that see veiling as oppressive and confining. She doesn't offer a blanket condemnation of the women who prefer to be veiled. But instead explains the cultural and religious basis for veiling while articulating her own liberal Western perspective that finds it to be a disturbing practice. She doesn't pull any punches in explaining some of the worst excesses of Middle Eastern Islamic culture, such as the Saudi Arabian father who murdered his own daughter for not being a virgin on her wedding night. But she also recognizes that early Islam, at least while under Muhammad's leadership, generally improved the status of women in the Arab world.
Still Brooks makes it clear that it isn't so much what a religion claims to believe in but rather the real life actions of it's followers that truly matters. Islam has some admirable beliefs, such as its emphasis on helping the poor and needy. But still it's indisputable, at least from my liberal Western perspective, that women in the Muslim world are far too often treated as second class citizens and Brooks does a fine job of articulating this as well as many other aspects of life for women in the Middle East. Highly recommended!
Islamic gender politics through the eyes of a secular feminist........2007-02-20
As its subtitle suggests, Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist Geraldine Brooks' (Year of Wonders; March) fascinating study, NINE PARTS OF DESIRE, reveals the "hidden world" of Islamic Women. Having spent six years covering the Middle East for the Wall Street Journal, and two years living in the Middle East as a news correspondent, Brooks (a secular feminist) immersed herself in Islamic culture, studied the Koran, and interviewed both fundamentalist and feminist women to reach a well-informed understanding of the often confusing and seemingly incomprehensible Islamic practices that have disempowered women from Mohammed to the present. In her examination of Islamic gender politics, Brooks not only explores why Islamic women are prohibited from wearing any clothing that would arouse desire in men and why they are prohibited from praying aloud in public, but why they submit to such practices. This book will provide readers with an informed understanding of Islamic practices relating to women.
G. Merritt
Book Description
(Foreword by Richard Land) An insider's look at the reality of Islam by two former Sunni Muslims widely respected for their ability to clearly explain the Muslim mind. More than 150,000 copies in print!
Customer Reviews:
A Fascinating Book.......2007-10-16
Don't be turned off by the fact that the former Muslim's who wrote this book are now Christians. I found two of the best parts of the book were the brief yet riveting history of Islam as well as the writers relationship with their father. The two English Qur'an translations I used to cross check were the Abdullah Yusuf Ali, and Maulana Muhammad Ali versions.
If you are used to reading the King James Bible, you will have no problem grasping the language used in either of these two Qur'an translations. Each include plenty of the writers interpretations of the verses.
This review is a re-post under my current user name.
Islam Exposed.......2007-09-13
If you really want to know the difference between Muslim and Christianity read this book. It is a true eye opener written so that everyone can understand.
Full of hate and lies.......2007-07-01
As a former Christian and now Muslim, I have to say that this book is a real disappointment. It's really quite hateful, and the things these guys say about Islam are complete fabrications. I'd like to ask any non-muslim who's interested in learning what Muslims believe to please just meet some muslims and talk to us in real life. Have coffee with a muslim once a week and ask him or her about their beliefs, instead of reading inaccuracies like this! It could really do us all a lot of good. We all need to get to know and understand each other better, that's the only way peace can be created, and we can't do that by reading books but by forging actual relationships.
May the Peace of the ever merciful God be with you.
Thank you.
Great Book.......2007-06-22
Excellent book. I really enjoyed this book and the information that I learned. This is a really touchy subject so I am not surprised how drastic the difference in reviews are. The authors are very knowledgeable and show exactly where they get their facts. I would recommend this book to everyone and wish that more people would read it.
Basic overview.......2007-06-21
If you don't know anything at all about Islam, this is a great book. It gives the basic facts about the religion, its history, and its implications in current events. It has excellent ideas for people who want to witness to their Muslim acquaintances as well. Keep in mind, though, that the information is very, very basic. If you really want to be well-informed about Islam, you should probably try another book.
Amazon.com
This "call for reform" reads like an open letter to the Muslim world. Irshad Manji, a Toronto-based television journalist, was born to Muslim parents in South Africa. Her family eventually fled to Canada when she was two years old. Manji shares her life experiences growing up in a Western Muslim household and ask some compelling questions from her feminist-lesbian-journalist perspective. It is interesting to note that Manji has been lambasted for being too personal and not scholarly enough to have a worthwhile opinion. Yet her lack of pretense and her intimate narrative are the strengths of this book. For Muslims to dismiss her opinions as not worthy to bring to the table is not only elitist; it underscores why she feels compelled to speak out critically. Intolerance for dissent, especially women's dissent, is one of her main complaints about Islam. Clearly, her goal was not to write a scholarly critique, but rather to speak from her heartfelt concern about Islam. To her fellow Muslims she writes:
I hear from a Saudi friend that his country's religious police arrest women for wearing red on Valentines Day, and I think, Since when does a merciful God outlaw joy—or fun? I read about victims of rape being stoned for "adultery" and I wonder how a critical mass of us can stay stone silent.
She asks tough questions: "What's with the stubborn streak of anti-Semitism in Islam? Who is the real colonizer of the Muslims—-America or Arabia? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God's creation?" This is not an anti-Muslim rant. Manji also speaks with passionate love and hope for Islam, believing that democracy is compatible with its purest doctrine. Sure, she's biased and opinionated. But all religions, from Christianity to Buddhism to Islam should be accountable for how their leadership and national allegiances personally affect their followers. One would hope that this honest voice be met with a little more self-scrutiny and a little less anti-personal, anti-feminine, and anti-Western rhetoric. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
"I have to be honest with you. Islam is on very thin ice with me.... Through our screaming self-pity and our conspicuous silences, we Muslims are conspiring against ourselves. We're in crisis and we're dragging the rest of the world with us. If ever there was a moment for an Islamic reformation, it's now. For the love of God, what are we doing about it?"
In this open letter, Irshad Manji unearths the troubling cornerstones of mainstream Islam today: tribal insularity, deep-seated anti-Semitism, and an uncritical acceptance of the Koran as the final, and therefore superior, manifesto of God's will. But her message is ultimately positive. She offers a practical vision of how Islam can undergo a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities, and fosters a competition of ideas. Her vision revives "ijtihad," Islam's lost tradition of independent thinking. In that spirit, Irshad has a refreshing challenge for both Muslims and non-Muslims: Don't silence yourselves. Ask questions---out loud. The Trouble with Islam Today is a clarion call for a fatwa-free future.
Customer Reviews:
The Trouble With Islam Today.......2007-10-09
A very revealing text--open, honest, frank. I have lived in the Middle East, however, and found most Muslim people very kind, tolerant, and peaceful but often offended by what they perceive is the typical American culture which involves immorality, drugs, violence and anti-religious. That, unfortunately, is not the way it really is. The text, The Trouble With Islam Today, really has a lot of truth but probably doesn't reflect most of the typical Muslim culture or mores. We must be careful not to ascribe all radical and hate mongering to the average Muslim just as they must be cautious about perceiving American or Western culture and values which is commonly portrayed in TV, news media, or in films.
Insiders View.......2007-08-26
Wow, what a different book than what I expected. It had thought that it would simply be a personal rant against the preceived evils of islam from the authors preceptive. Want the book turned out to be was a well written thought out discussion of the development of the rigid self defeating culture of rigidity that islam has become. It was a treatment of the history of islam that was fresh and helpful. If you are loooking for a book to help a non-muslim to understanding what is going on in the world today, with the muslim world this is the book to get
A Candid View of a violent religion.......2007-08-14
I purchased this book after hearing Ms Manji speak on CSPAN. She is a very dynamic woman with a machine gun delivery. Her book reads like she speaks and appears to have been dictated at her lightening speed, so the qulity of the writing is only so-so hence the 4 stars. HOWEVER, what she has to say really needs to be said. She dissects Islam for what it is -- a violent religion practiced by a bunch of people who seem incapable of critical thinking. If you are cheated in a Christian society the cheater is condemned as immoral and in most cases brought to trial. In a Muslim society if you are cheated the cheater is admired and the person cheated is viewed as being stupid and thus deserved to be be chaeated. Ms Manji points out in the west of a man forces a woman into sex he is charged with rape, tried, and jailed. In the Islamic world if a woman is forced into sex she must produce 4 MALE witnesses willing to testify in her behalf otherwise she is viewed as an adulteress and stoned to death -- no trial is necessary and the man is not punished. Ms Manji cites example after example of the moral bankruptcy of Islam. But her objective really isn't to destroy Islam but rather to point out how it languishes in the 7th Century, how it has become petrified, how it is dominated by the Saudi's and how Islam is really an Arab based religion that rests on Arab Tribal culture. She points out how the Muslim community blames everyone but themselves when they are the reason for the failure of Islam to help the people. This is a very good book, and easy and quick read, and a very candid view of Islam today. I thought one of the most intersting passages was where she points out how the Muslims hate America but actually want to be American. How they adopt our culture and pursue American clothes, technology, foods, etc while hating America. A very interesting analysis of the conflicts within Islam today.
Informative.......2007-08-11
The book covers basic Islam religion and ask for open review of the Islam faith that could bring Muslums together with other religions. It bring up many questions that everyone should be concerned with. A good read to learn more about Islam and the drive to open up the religion to reform and discussion.
The Trouble with Islam Today.......2007-08-10
Irshad Manji states her case wonderfully. It was an eye opener for me, a woman. What I can't understand is why she is still a Muslim. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about Islam and it's treatment of women.
Book Description
Most policymakers in the United States and Israel have it wrong. Hezbollah isn't a simple terrorist organization--nor is it likely to disappear soon. Following Israel's war against Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, the Shi'i group--which combines the functions of a militia, a social service and public works provider, and a political party--is more popular than ever in the Middle East while retaining its strong base of support in Lebanon. And Hezbollah didn't merely confront Israel and withstand its military onslaught. Hezbollah's postwar reconstruction efforts were judged better than the U.S. government's response to Hurricane Katrina--not by al-Jazeera, but by an American TV journalist. In Hezbollah, one of the world's leading experts on Hezbollah has written the essential guide to understanding the complexities and paradoxes of a group that remains entrenched at the heart of Middle East politics.
With unmatched clarity and authority, Augustus Richard Norton tells how Hezbollah developed, how it has evolved, and what direction it might take in the future. Far from being a one-dimensional terrorist group, Norton explains, Hezbollah is a "janus-faced" organization in the middle of an incomplete metamorphosis from extremism to mundane politics, an evolution whose outcome is far from certain. Beginning as a terrorist cat's-paw of Iran, Hezbollah has since transformed itself into an impressive political party with an admiring Lebanese constituency, but it has also insisted on maintaining the potent militia that forced Israel to withdraw from Lebanon in 2000 after almost two decades of occupation.
The most accessible, informed, and balanced analysis of the group yet written, Hezbollah is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the Middle East.
Customer Reviews:
Primer on Lebanese politics.......2007-09-12
This book is entertaining, all too short and rather sloppily edited -- for example whether Israel destroyed 15000 homes (p.111) or 1500 homes (p.144) in the 2006 bombardment, as well as several typographical errors you wouldn't expect in few pages with large print. Moreover it is less about Hezbollah than about Shi'i politics in Lebanon since the 1970s. There are no interviews with Hezbollah officials and only a few quotations from public sources. This is understandable, however: I wanted a book, in 2007, that said _something_ about Hezbollah in the context of the 2006 war, and this provides it. Lebanese politics are intricate and this book doesn't seem to oversimplify matters. Plus there's a chapter that first appeared in a drama journal on the dramaturgy of Ashura. As others have implied here, the book probably assumes sympathy for the Shi'a in Lebanon, as against Israel in particular: that's fine with me, but it's obviously not fine with everyone.
I would ask Mr Norton for more detailed information about Hezbollah's connections with Iran and for some characterization of the social or class position of Hezbollah among Lebanese Shi'a, as against AMAL's, say.
This book has some useful material but it's too biased.......2007-08-12
Norton says that Hezbollah came about as the result of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. And he quotes Prime Minister Rabin as asking what he was supposed to do about the threat to Israeli towns anywhere near the Lebanese border. Well, I would like to ask Norton the same question. He sure does not answer it in this book.
Norton also challenges the idea that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, but I think this merely confuses the issue. Hezbollah clearly has a goal of getting rid of human rights for Levantine Jews, by violent means. And Norton says in his conclusion that he hopes that Hezbollah will play a constructive role in the future of Lebanon. But I think that is a little like saying that one hopes the National Socialists will play a constructive role in the future of Germany. I think we all ought to hope that they don't. We ought to be opposing counterproductive organizations, not hoping that they will fare well.
This book has met with a very negative review from Jonathan Schanzer in the Jerusalem Post, and I think it is worthwhile to see if that review makes some valid points.
Schanzer notes that Hezbollah "exists to further the violent aims of Iran, to demonize and attack the US and to destroy Israel." And he says that Norton "neglects to state this unequivocally and, for that reason, he should be publicly shamed." I agree. By the way, Shanzer has also pointed out that Norton and Sara Roy have written an article in which they say that there can be no Israeli peace process that excludes Hamas. Given that Hamas insists on destroying Israel, this seems to show more than a little bit of bias on Norton's (and Roy's) part as well.
There are numerous places in the book where Norton does indeed give some rationalizations for Hezbollah's violent acts, and Shanzer names some of them. And I agree with Shanzer that it would show far more academic honesty, objectivity, and integrity on Norton's part were he to show how weak some of these excuses happen to be.
There's some useful material in this book about the nature of Hezbollah, but I think we readers deserve a less biased accounting.
Interesting, but ultimately less than satisfying, account of Hezbollah.......2007-07-12
Dr. Norton's short history of Hezbollah provides a nice introduction to the birth, development, and evolution of this complex organization for American (and other English speaking) readers. The US media almost always portrays Hezbollah as an anti-Semitic, Islamofascist, terrorist organization that is opposed to Israel, America, and freedom because they are `evil'. The reality is, of course, much more complex. If you are tired of reading the US media's propaganda about Hezbollah and want to learn a bit more about reality, this is a good place to start.
There are several strengths to this book, and in particular, there are several key points that Norton addresses that I feel are especially significant. First, I think that the reader who is relatively new to Hezbollah and/or Lebanese history and politics in general will better understand the complexities and non-linearities amongst the various confessional groups. The relationships, both internal and external, between the various actors in Lebanon CANNOT be simply understood in terms of the Arab/Israeli, Shi'ite/Sunni, Muslim/Christian, and pro/anti Syrian forces. The alliances among all the major players inside Lebanon (e.g. Hezbollah, AMAL, the various Maronite and Orthodox groups, etc.) as well as with the outside players (primarily Syria, the US, France, and Israel) are constantly changing. Second, I think that the centrality of the Palestinian issue will become clearer to most readers. There are hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees living as non-citizens in Lebanon, and this was the most important (but certainly not only) cause of the disintegration of the Lebanese govt in the mid-70s. This problem still hangs over everything else in Lebanon. Any permanent resolution of the internal problems in Lebanon MUST be part of a larger Arab/Israeli (i.e. Palestinian/Israeli) settlement. Third, this book explores some of the religious and ideological underpinnings of the revolutionary worldview of Hezbollah. The nature of this worldview is widely misunderstood by Western observers, and Norton attempts to explain some of the underpinnings of this world view. Fourth, Hezbollah has always claimed that its existence is necessary to defend Lebanon from Israel. Norton discusses this point at length and presents in detail the opposing view that Israel would have left Lebanon long before 2000 and would not have bombed Lebanon in 2006 if Hezbollah disarmed. We'll never know what would have happened if Hezbollah had disarmed after the 1989 peace agreement, but my personal feeling is that the Israelis would today be draining the water from the Litani river to fill the swimming pools of their settlers without Hezbollah. Finally a significant fraction of the book is devoted to the build up and events of the Israeli attack on Lebanon in 2006. Dr. Norton presents an informative and balanced view of events here in my opinion (in spite of what Mr. Frantzman writes in his review).
The major negative comment that I have about this work is that it is too short. I know that this is supposed to be a `short history', but I think that the astute reader will readily discern that an enormous amount of detail has been swept under the rug. In the end, the interested reader will be left wanting more, and will only start to understand some of the complexities of Hezbollah. Bottom line though is that whether you support Hezbollah, view them as a terrorist organization, or have no opinion and simply want to learn more, I think that Dr. Norton's work is well balanced introduction into the complexities of Hezbollah.
Problematic.......2007-06-07
This book bills itself as a history of Hezbullah but the cover migth begin to betray the viewpoint expressed within. It is an exact copy of the Hezbullah flag, as if this were in fact a Hezbullah official document. In fact this is mostly a pro-Hezbullah story about an 'indigenous' organization of 'resistence' that grew up after the 1976 Lebanon Civil war and in the wake of the Syrian and Israeli invasions of Lebanon. As a Shia movement it was not unique, Amal existed before, but as a fighting organization it became perticularly brutal and strong, evnetually forming a Shia mini-state in Southern Lebanon after the Israeli withdrawel of 2000. Minorities disappeared from thin its midst and it had pretensions to run Lebanon as the Shia birthrate is the highest in the country. It thus became opposed by the Druze, Maronites and Sunnis.
But in 2006 it launched a war against Israel, pretending that it was fighitng to 'defend Lebanon' or to get back Shaba farms or for 'prisoners' but in reality it wanted to provoke a war that would bring it to power and make Lebanese think that it was neccesary.
This book tries to prove that Hezbullah is not a 'terrorist' organization and that it really is a defensive resistence movement aimed at waiting in case Israel "decides to re-ignite the war." It is supposedly given legitimacy because of the Shia backing it has, but this is an illogical statement, many countries have minorities, it doesnt mean they should have their own minority malitias? This book doesnt give any blame to Hezbullah for starting the war in 2006 or give any critique of Hezbullah methods. This is too bad and makes this a very biased account.
Seth J. Frantzman
Too brief and off the point.......2007-05-23
This book is too quick a survey to debate the pros and cons of Hezbollah. The author's bottom line is that Hezbollah does not qualify to be an international terrorist organization and that its rank and file is made of Lebanese militants. Norton quotes Nasrallah as telling late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri that the Hezbollah members were born in Lebanon, were living in Lebanon and would die in Lebanon. The Lebanese nature of the party is granted, the problem remains in the political agenda and affiliations of the group.
Under Syrian patronage, Hezbollah was allowed to create its own state within the Lebanese state. Hezbollah has its own budget, maintains its own militia and has its own foreign policy as it decides when to go to war with Israel or not. All of these functions should be reserved for the Lebanese state only.
After the Syrian withdrawal, and as a payback for the Syrian regime's favors, Hezbollah tried to extend the Syrian mandate over Lebanon by coercing all other groups into accepting Syrian dictates, now offered in a Hezbollah wrap. While many Lebanese groups expressed their opposition to the Hezbollah mandates, the group proved to be inexperience in politics as it went around bullying everybody else especially the Lebanese government.
It would have been better for Norton had he argued whether Hezbollah is willing to give up on its loyalty to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khaminei. Even though Hezbollah was created a quarter century back, it only got engaged in Lebanese politics after the withdrawal of the Syrian troops from Lebanon in 2005. The first Hezbollah ministers to enter the cabinet did so after the Syrian withdrawal. This should tell us something. No one in Lebanon is disputing Hezbollah's Lebanese-ness or the lack of it. Everyone is contending, however, the willingness of this group to give up on its mini state and enter in partnership with other Lebanese groups as part of the national Lebanese state. This Norton fails to notice or discuss.
Book Description
"Robert Spencer has here assembled a collection of documents devastating to PC myth and multiculturalist wishful thinking. Anyone concerned about the dangers of politically motivated distortions of Islamic theology and history should not miss this explosive and enlightening volume." JEFFREY RUBIN, Editor, Conservative Book Club
"A necessary corrective to the prevailing opinion fostered among academics by Karen Armstrong, Abou El Fadl, et al. that Islam is a religion of peace, justice, and tolerance. The work brings to light the total suppression of human rights in Islamic society, the true meaning of jihad (armed conflict against all nonbelievers), and the horrors of dhimmitude (life for Christians and Jews under Islamic law). It should be required reading for all those who seek a true understanding of the socioreligious basis for the rise of Osama bin Laden and his network of international Islamic terror." PAUL L. WILLIAMS, PhD, Author of OSAMA'S REVENGE: THE NEXT 9/11--WHAT THE MEDIA AND THE GOVERNMENT HAVEN'T TOLD YOU
THE MYTH OF ISLAMIC TOLERANCE brings to light the deeply ingrained historical, cultural, and religious elements of a profound modern crisis--the violence, fanaticism, and contempt for outsiders that characterizes much of the Islamic world today. This wide-ranging group of essays clearly explains how these poisonous attitudes are rooted in laws and cultural habits that are connected organically to the concept of jihad and its corollary institution, dhimmitude--which are in turn a primary impetus for global terrorism today. The scholars presented in this essential volume come up with many surprising and disturbing conclusions.
Customer Reviews:
17 years in Islamic lands.......2007-08-14
I have spent 17 years working in Countries were Islam is the dominant religion. What this book points out is sad but true. If you are a not a Muslim in an Islamic nation you have no rights. In Saudi Arabia Bibles are not allowed and confiscated. In Sudan you are killed. In Egypt you are a 3rd class citizen. THe Q'uran not only teaches this type of behavior but more and more it is being acted out upon those who dare disagree. We need more books like this one for sure.
Must-Read for Americans.......2007-08-01
America is being sold a politically-correct version of Islam, which remains the number one threat to Western Civilization. Similar themes are explored in the midst of a great suspense novel: The Y Factor
Tolerance in Islam.......2007-06-09
It is standard policy today to regard all religions as "saying the same thing" and being either all bad (Dawkins) or all sweetness-and-light (liberal Anglicanism). But, in fact, the religions of the world contradict each other in basic teachings and some (Islam in particular) have a nasty habit of persecuting those who disagree. The contrast between, for example, the prosecution of "apostasy" in countries under Sharia law and the free exercise of Islamic belief offered to Muslim adherents in Western countries is striking and sobering. Spencer's thoroughly documented book is a most valuable exposé of the inherently non-democratic nature of Islamic faith.
worth the price.......2007-03-29
I dislike the phrase "must read," but this really is a book that every American needs to read, and you need to read it NOW. Given all the CLAIMS about how tolerant and moderate Islam is, you need to read what actually has happened and is happening to those peoples who came under Muslim rule. Not a pretty picture.
The book is edited by, not written by, Spencer, though he contributes one essay and a summary at the beginning of each Part of the book. The major contributors are Bat Ye'or, Samuel Shahid, Walter Short, Ibn Warraq, David Littman, Walid Phares, Mark Durie, and Srdja Trifkovic with additional essays by Daniel Pipes, Muhammad Younus Shaikh, Paul Cook, and Shafique Keshavjee.
Each chapter in this book takes on a special topic and gives you the facts. Part II details what Islamic LAW is regarding non-Muslims. Part III is Islamic PRACTICE regarding non-Muslims. If you don't know what dhimmitude is or what life is like for dhimmis, you need to read this. This may well be your life twenty years from now.
Part IV is a long part detailing what is happening in Europe, Palestine, Egypt, Indonesia, and Britain. Part V contrasts the United Nation's universal declaration of human rights with the Islamic declaration of human rights. The differences are significant. This includes several chapters on apostasy: Muslims are not free to leave Islam. Part VI discusses the myth in academia and the public propaganda of American Muslim organizations.
The power of lies should not be underestimated. America is now under threat and most Americans do not even know that they are under threat. And Islam is only one of the threats. Read While America Sleeps: How Islam, Immigration and Indoctrination Are Destroying America From Within to find out how bad things are and why things are not going to get any better.
Mr Spenser, shame on you, get educated and stop spewing hate.......2007-03-15
Mr. Spenser you are wrong. Look up the Quran on the internet, Google it if you have time and you will see passages and quotes that to be a true muslim is to be respectful and a BELIEVER in all monolithic Abrahimic religions ( Jews and christians). There is a chapter dedicated to the virgin Mary. Idiots use religion sometimes to justify their criminal motivation in order to gain support. Do not take my word LOOK it up.
Mr spenser, shame on you for spewing more ignorance and hate, we had ENOUGH. Where is this going to get us?. But like your other less virtuous
colleagues (Roberts, Rush) unfortunately your convictions have been sold to the highest bidder. How many more repetitious books on the same subject are you planning to poison naive people?. Look up whom robert spenser works for and things will make sense;a sad addition to journalism.
Move over Chomsky and your boring factual rants, the stage belongs now to Ann culter, Rush limbaugh, rupert murdoch and robert spenser.
Amazon.com
María Rosa Menocal's wafting, ineffably sad The Ornament of the World tells of a time and place--from 786 to 1492, in Andalucía, Spain--that is largely and unjustly overshadowed in most historical chronicles. It was a time when three cultures--Judaic, Islamic, and Christian--forged a relatively stable (though occasionally contentious) coexistence. Such was this period that there remains in Toledo a church with an "homage to Arabic writing on its walls [and] a sumptuous 14th-century synagogue built to look like Granada's Alhambra." Long gone, however, is the Córdoba library--a thousand times larger than any other in Christian Europe. Menocal's history is one of palatine cities, of philosophers, of poets whose work inspired Chaucer and Boccaccio, of weeping fountains, breezy courtyards, and a long-running tolerance "profoundly rooted in the cultivation of the complexities, charms and challenges of contradictions," which ended with the repression of Judaism and Islam the same year Columbus sailed to the New World. --H. O'Billovich
Book Description
Mar+a Rosa Menocal's wafting, ineffably sad The Ornament of the World tells of a time and place--from 786 to 1492, in Andaluc+a, Spain--that is largely and unjustly overshadowed in most historical chronicles. It was a time when three cultures--Judaic, Islamic, and Christian--forged a relatively stable (though occasionally contentious) coexistence. Such was this period that there remains in Toledo a church with an "homage to Arabic writing on its walls [and] a sumptuous 14th-century synagogue built to look like Granada's Alhambra." Long gone, however, is the C+rdoba library--a thousand times larger than any other in Christian Europe. Menocal's history is one of palatine cities, of philosophers, of poets whose work inspired Chaucer and Boccaccio, of weeping fountains, breezy courtyards, and a long-running tolerance "profoundly rooted in the cultivation of the complexities, charms and challenges of contradictions," which ended with the repression of Judaism and Islam the same year Columbus sailed to the New World. --H. O'Billovich
Customer Reviews:
Challenges much of what we learned in school .......2007-03-29
Maria Rosa Menocal opens our eyes to the rich and diverse cultures that made up what she describes as the "first class" culture of Al-Andalus in its days of glory as perhaps the most developed culture of the world in its day. The book is particularly interesting from the perspective of the level of success that tolerance achieved in a difficult age, as the subtitle suggests: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain. Far from perfect but better than most, this story of diversity management challenges much of what we learned in school both about the events of the time and about the role of "the others."
Cuban-born Menocal is a specialist in medieval culture and literature who now teaches at Yale. Her range of expertise shows in the delicate and complete treatment she gives to this historical review of a golden age. Yes, there is inevitably the military and political history that frames the narrative, but the author enriches us with the art, architecture and poetry of the people who made up the cultural constellation of the territories of Cordoba, Seville, Toledo and Granada. In one of my favorite lines of the book she speaks of the Caliph of Cordoba as, "Abd al-Rahman shared with his Arab ancestors an unembarrassed and manly love of poetry." Arabic language and Arabic books--an unbelievable estimate of there being 600,000 of them in the library of Cordoba alone--seemed to be the i-pod equivalent of with-it-ness for the young scholars and career seekers of the time, Jew and Christian as well as Muslim.
From Berber incursions to Muhammad XII's handing over of the keys to Granada to Ferdinand and Isabella (dressed in Muslim finery, we are told) in 1492, the rise and fall of this spectacular culture, is nicely documented and understandable. Notwithstanding, the author adds reflections on the diversity and identity issues that continue through Cervantes, Salman Rushdie and 9/11 that are thought provoking and challenge our understanding of what the dynamics of intergroup conflict are as well as what tolerance and integration can be even when neighbors hold certain non-negotiable values.
Menocal writes well and, indeed, in a rather pedestrian form, rather than indulging in scholarly embellishment. This makes the book an easy read for ESL users as well as those of us who want to relax and enjoy imbibing our history. I found her repeated use of the word "polity" a bit annoying. It is a short and technically correct but uncommon term that, according to my Wikipedia browse, "is often used to describe a loosely organized society such as a tribe or community, but can mean any political group including a government or empire, corporation or academy." She applies it to the cities, religious bodies and states of Al-Andalus.
A must read for those who are planning their visit to the 2008 SIETAR Global Conference in Granada, Spain in October 2008.
Medeival Spain...an unfinshed History..........2007-01-01
Menocal's treatise on haSefarad is a breath of fresh air. Although, it is not a "historical" account per se. One can draw his or her historical conclusions about this epoch by other means which are readily available. This book speaks to the soul of humanity, therefore, transcending the dry analysis of other chronologist who write about this interesting era. If you are looking for dryness and liner accounts don't bother with this book, however, if you are looking for a great bedside read, look no further. This book is sublime and well throughout. What Menocal tries to do here is give snippets of a grand Era, that tie in to a fabric of clear and beautiful colors, which was Sefarad. The premise is simple, Medieval Spain was not a dark era as many might have us think, rather it was a place of opportunity, intellectual creativity, and poetic diversity. The idea that three monolithic faiths can live side by side with respect to intelligentsia is beyond our comprehension in our times. Yet, this was one of the glories of this period in Al-Andalus and then some. Jews thrived in Sefarad beyond anyone's modern imagination. The poetry and the rebirth of Hebrew as a living poetic language was rooted in Al-Andalus. The translation of the Greek classics, books on Mathematics, changed the direction that a then little known Europe would experience. This was achieved by this melting pot of contradicting ideas and peoples. Could this happen in America, another melting pot of ideas and peoples? Certainly not, the people of that era loved and read books, we play video games and watch TV. This is our sad history, where the Jews of America are the most under achieving people in History, where the Muslims are fighting for world recognition through inhumane beheadings and sick violence. Where Christian America is more interested in going to the mall right after Sunday services to catch up with the Jones'. We live in a parody of that Era, so reading about the wonders of that time helps anesthetize me from the humdrum of this pathetic culture.
Interesting anthology of stories, perspective is skewed.......2006-12-02
I thought my opinion might be anomalous on this page, but I see many readers agree. Maria Rosa Menorcal wears rose-colored glasses.
The author is a professor of Spanish and Portugese, not a historian. She obviously loves Iberian literature and has fallen under the poets' spells. Naturally a poet is going to glorify that which he loves, so the historian has to read poetic or literary accounts with caution. There is no evidence of incisive critical source analysis in this book, such as one finds, for instance, in recent writings of Roger Collins about medieval Spain. Menorcal passes on old stories as gospel, some of which (such as early accounts of the Muslim invasion of 711) Collins completely takes apart and reinterprets.
I also agree with other readers who lament the writing style. It's fluid, but the structure is hard to follow. Clear lines of development are not drawn. Rather, stories seem to meld into another. One comes away with impressions rather than a clear picture.
This is definitely a popularizing book, not an authoritative history. There's scarcely a footnote to be found, and the bibliography is surprisingly skimpy for a Yale professor's work. Menorcal lists not one of Collins' books.
Reviewers Bashing is what the author was trying to remedy.......2006-11-29
It's very sad to see a huge number of reviewers all they want to do is bash Muslims regardless of their accomplishment in (Al-Andalus). But with attacks on Islam and Muslims coming from all sides, it's not surprising to see this kind of bias. Yes, Arabs (Muslims) of (Al-Andalus) were not special people, but they had a special gift (Islam). These people without Islam are nothing. Like Omar Ibn AlKhatab once said: "We are people (desert Arabs) were honored with the gift of Islam, If we seek honor without it, we will fail". And it's that simple. So the golden age Muslims lived in Al-Andalus, was not due to tolerant Arabs but rather tolerant Islam.
A Forgotten Chapter in European History.......2006-10-18
Maria Rosa Menocal's ORNAMENT OF THE WORLD is a lively and highly readable account of Al-Andalus, the Spain created by Muslims. It was a world which sparkled with brilliant achievements in poetry and literature, architecture, and technology-- for instance it invented the astrolabe, one of the first instruments facilitating successful navigation. It alone kept Greek learning alive when the rest of Europe was still ignorant of the major Greek classics. Most importantly, it was an oasis of tolerance, for its Muslim leaders considered the adherents of all three Abrahamic religions to be dhimmi, or People of the Book. It was founded in 711 when Abd al Rahman, successor of the Umayyad dynasty driven from Damascus by the victorious Abbasid dynasty, established a new caliphate in Cordoba, Spain. For centuries the empire it unified on the Iberian peninsula produced great writers and scholars of all three religions. Perhaps the best known Muslim product of this culture is Ibn Hazm, author of the Ring of the Dove, a treatise on love. But it was also a golden age of Jewish learning, and an age in which Jews could rise to the highest positions in government as well-- for instance Hasdai ibn Shaprut, or Son of Isaac, grand vizier and general of Abd Al Rahman III. By the 11th Century the unified kingdom of Cordoba had broken apart into a number of competing taifa or city-states, which retained some measure of the glory of Cordoba. It was in this atmosphere that Rodrigo Diaz, known as El Cid from the Arabic Al Sayyid ("lord" or "chief"), a Christian warrior, became a general fighting for one Muslim ruler against another with armies which contained large contingents of Christians. The first groups to try to stamp out this cultural tolerance were Muslims, puritanical and uncultivated Berbers known as Almovarids or Almohads. But the real death knell came in 1492, when Ferdinand and Isabella conquered the last Muslim taifa of Granada, site of the famous Alhambra, and established a form of persecution even worse than religious bigotry, with the most ominous implications for the future of Western civilization. But that dismal turn of events is the subject for another book review.
Book Description
In a world troubled by religious strife and division, Chris Lowney's vividly written new book offers a hopeful historical reminder: Muslims, Christians, and Jews once lived together in Spain, creating a centuries-long flowering of commerce, culture, art, and architecture. Written with a narrative drive reminiscent of Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, this new work takes us back to a medieval Iberia that prefigured the Renaissance.
In 711, a ragtag army of Muslim North Africans conquered Christian Spain and launched Western Europe's first (and to date only) Islamic state. In 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella vanquished Spain's last Muslim kingdom, forced Jews to convert or emigrate, and dispatched Christopher Columbus to the New World. In the years between, Spain's Muslims, Christians, and Jews forged a golden age for each faith and distanced Spain from a Europe mired in the Dark Ages.
Medieval Spain's pioneering innovations touched every dimension of Western life: Spaniards introduced Europeans to paper manufacture and to the Hindu-Arabic numerals that supplanted the Roman numeral system. Spanish scholars translated what stood for centuries as Europe's standard medical handbook. Spain's farmers adopted irrigation technology from the Near East to nurture Europe's first crops of citrus and cotton. Spanish artisans graced luxurious homes with the fountains, gardens, and decorative tile that remain hallmarks of southern Spain's distinctive decor. Spain's religious scholars authored works that still profoundly influence their respective faiths, from the masterpiece of the Jewish kabbalah to the meditations of Sufism's "greatest master" to the eloquent arguments of Maimonides that humans can successfully marry religious faith and reasoned philosophical inquiry. No less astonishing than medieval Spain's wide-ranging accomplishments was the simple fact its Muslims, Christians, and Jews often managed to live and work side by side, bestowing tolerance and freedom of worship on the religious minorities in their midst.
A Vanished World chronicles this impossibly panoramic sweep of human history and achievement, encompassing both the agony of jihad, Crusades, and Inquisition, and the glory of a multireligious, multicultural civilization that forever changed the West. One gnarled root of today's religious animosities stretches back to medieval Spain, but so does a more nourishing root of much modern religious wisdom. In a world torn by religious antagonism, Chris Lowney offers enduring lessons learned from medieval Spanish villages where Muslims, Christians, and Jews rubbed shoulders on a daily basis.
Customer Reviews:
'No single tradition has monopolised every human expression of truth..'.......2007-05-11
This book is a great starting point in terms of understanding medieval Spain and appreciating the Iberian contribution to broader European enlightenment. Aptly subtitled 'Medieval Spain's Golden Age of Enlightenment', Chris Lowney draws us into the accomplishments of Muslims, Christians and Jews over seven centuries.
Whether you choose to read this book as an historical statement of past accomplishments, or as a sign of hope for a more co-operative future, it provides a wonderful view of the golden age of the Iberian peninsula.
The book has a wealth of notes and suggested readings for those who would like to obtain more information about specific events or achievements.
Highly recommended to those interested in learning more about medieval Spain as well as those looking for instances of shared learning.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Somewhat interesting, but it delivers less than what it promises.......2007-03-16
The history of Spain between 711 (the date of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula) and 1492 (when the moors were finally vanquished and the spanish crown got back total control of what is today Spain; coincidentally this was the same year Columbus reached the Americas and Jews were expelled from Spain) is fascinating in itself. This book is kind of interesting, but it delivers less than what it promises. If you know some of the history before reading this book, you will not learn a lot from it. Moreover, it is sometimes overly credulous with its sources. One of the problems appears when you see that all the bibliography is in English; Lowney clearly doesn't speak either Spanish or Arabic, so the book is essentially second hand retelling of previous books. There is no original material here. Lowney is identified in the book as a former Jesuit priest, but he seems prejudiced against Christians, always comparing their supposed backwardness with the Muslims' supposed tolerance and brilliance. Look, if Christians were able to reconquer Spain after almost eight centuries, they must have done something right. Still, the book is not totally without interest, especially as an introduction to the subject.
Religious Tolerance: 21st Century Pipedream? .......2006-10-21
Chris Lowney resurrects with much brio the fascinating history of Medieval Spain, which became the only Islamic state that ever prospered in mainland Europe for more than seven centuries. After a "blitzkrieg" military campaign, Muslim conquerors hailing from North Africa rolled back Christian rule on most of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 C.E. Christian rulers, who were understandably resentful of this occupation, launched their Reconquista from the north of the peninsula after infighting started weakening al-Andalus (the Arabic name for the Muslim-ruled part of Spain) in the eleventh century C.E. Al-Andalus disintegrated itself into more than two dozen rivaling small kingdoms by the 1030s C.E that over time became easy picks for united Christian conquerors. This rivalry among these kingdoms was also a blessing in disguise.
To his credit, Lowney acknowledges and emphasizes the significant contributions of al-Andalus to transition the rest of Europe out of the Dark Ages and into the Renaissance. Without Islam, much western wisdom from the Antiquity would have been lost forever following the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the West. Furthermore, Medieval Spain became the conduit for bringing the best that the Islamic world had to offer to mostly backward Europeans. Cosmopolis such as Seville, Cordoba, Toledo, and Granada were the cities on the hill economically, culturally, scientifically, and religiously. The architecture of the older parts of these urban centers still reflects this past greatness.
Despite their differences, Medieval Spaniards showed for a time a tolerance for each other's religious and cultural background that remains a marvel to a world plagued by intolerance and obscurantism. Outstanding twelfth-century theologians such as the Jewish Moses Maimonides and the Muslim Ibn Rushd Averroes went as far as to subject their respective religions to rationality. Shias and Sunnis in Modern Iraq, especially in Baghdad, have much to learn from this peaceful religious coexistence. Obscurantism and intolerance were the perfect ingredients for the disastrous recipe that Medieval Spain itself ended up swallowing after the completion of the Reconquista.
With the fall of the Kingdom of Granada in 1491 C.E., the sole remaining Muslim territory in the peninsula, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella completed the Reconquista of Medieval Spain. They did not waste much time to impose Christianity on all their subjects. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella gave their Jewish and Muslim subjects little time to either convert to Christianity or leave most of their possessions behind them and leave Spain forever. The discovery of the New World and its riches bought Spain some time. After Catholic Spain passed by its zenith, it could no longer count on the genius of its former Jewish and Muslim subjects who along Christians had contributed to the greatness of Medieval Spain. Unsurprisingly, Catholic Spain became an increasingly troubled and weak state that only rebounded from its backwardness in the second half of the 20th century C.E.
The richness that was Medieval Spain.......2006-06-28
A first class read for any history buff. Right up there with 'The Ornament of the World' by Maria Rosa Menocal.
Time to move on?.......2006-03-11
This is the third book I've read recently about the Iberian peninsula from the 700s to 1500s during the coexistence of the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I first read Reston's "Dogs of God" (see my review) mostly about the 1400s' Christian reconquest of Spain, and their abuse and expulsion of Jews and Muslims. I then read Menocal's "Ornament of the World" mostly about the flowering of al-Andalus beginning in the 700s under generally tolerant and progressive Muslims.
Lowney's "A Vanished World: Medieval Spain's Golden Age of Enlightenment" is also about the same period as Menocal's book but initially more from the Christians' perspective. And initially I found his writing style somewhat tedious but farther along either it improved or I accommodated to it. Yet Lowney reveals aspects not covered by either Reston or Menocal so it's well worth the read if you want a balanced perspective of the period. And he provides extensive endnotes and annotated further readings.
Lowney concludes by lamenting the squandered opportunities resulting from religious bigotry and greed, and suggests lessons that could be learned by today's Christians, Jews and Muslims. But even here in the US, with our constitutional guaranteed religious freedoms, we still see contending for domination by some religious factions. Perhaps it's time we move beyond obsolescent religious teachings toward a New Enlightenment, as explored in my book "Concepts: A ProtoTheist Quest for Science-Minded Skeptics."
Book Description
The story of conflict and confrontation between Islam and the West has become daily news, but throughout the ages Muslims, Christians, and Jews have shared more than enmity and war: there is also a rich and textured history of coexistence that has all but disappeared from our collective memory. In this timely and revealing book, Zachary Karabell traces the legacy of tolerance and cooperation from the advent of Islam to the present day.
In an extraordinary narrative spanning fourteen centuries, Karabell introduces us to the court of the caliphs in Baghdad, where scholars of various faiths engaged in spirited debate. He evokes the wonders of medieval Spain, where Jewish sages, Muslim philosophers, and Christian monks together deciphered the meaning of God and the universe. He offers a portrait of the Crusades that goes beyond the rivalry of Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, and shows how Christians and Muslims lived side by side. And he paints a vivid picture of religious autonomy in the Ottoman Empire.
As he explores the growing tensions of the modern era, Karabell traces the rise of Arab nationalism, the redrawing of the Middle East map in the wake of World War I, and the increased hostilities following the creation of the state of Israel. Through it all, he reminds us that dialogue and friendship have always punctuated times of war and discord. Today, while some Muslims, Christians, and Jews engage in confrontation, others—in Dubai, in Turkey, and around the globe—find common ground. Remembering the legacy of coexistence and recognizing its prevalence even today is a vital ingredient to a more stable, secure world.
Customer Reviews:
Peace Be Upon You.......2007-08-23
An excellent summary of periods of religious tolerance practiced by Christian and Muslim rulersetween 10th and 15th centuries. The study is balanced in that instances of non-tolerance are also presented. The study would have benefitted from the inclusion of pluralistic policies of the Fatimids, who ruled from Cairo in the 10th and 11th centuries.
A very refreshing book........2007-08-20
It is a well written, unbiased book that holds your interest throughout various chapters. I personally finished the book within a weekend. The author describes the historical coexistence that has occurred between various religious rulers of the Abrahamic faith, and their treatment of their subjects. There is also a good deal of information related to current conflicts in the world, detailing the formation of current middle eastern countries, including saudi arabia, jordan, israel, iraq to name a few. A must-read
A world view about peace.......2007-08-01
Peace Be Upon You surveys Muslim history from the seventh century to the present day. As the title suggests, Karabell focuses on those historical episodes, and where pluralistic society is highlighted, there is peaceful co-existence among people of different religions, and genuine religious tolerance. Woven into the narrative is Karabell's interpretation of the events and the reader is reminded to view these events not from the twenty-first century perspective, but from the perspective of the period.
In the introduction, Karabell states that "... the pages that follow present stories of both conflict and corporation." As a survey, it is necessary to focus only on the highlights of the era. The issue becomes deciding which events merit representing that era and here seeps the narrator's bias. Karabell's bias minimizes the role of religious doctrine as a driver for violence, and this view may be regarded as understating the rational for conflict in some eras.
The work explores primarily Muslim societies for examples of co-existence. This may be due to its scope. Examples are non-Muslim societies, where religious tolerance was the norm, are not given much exposure. Hence, the Norman king Roger II is not given a lot of exposure.
Civil society is composed of non-governmental organizations. These organizations have molded their respective society's outlook and in turn shaped official policies. In understanding religious tolerance, this aspect needs to be more fully explored. While there are some examples (such as the Order of Cluny), the influence of the Ottoman guilds or contemporary NGOs (such as AKDN) is not thoroughly explored.
Peace Be Upon You seems to have two objectives. The first is to convey the message that we need to live in peace with other societies that are difference from our own. The second is that history is complex and contains examples of peace as well as conflict. How we choose to look at it defines our present attitude, and shapes future events. In achieving these objectives, Karabell does an excellent job. In his words: "Peace is woven in our collective past; it is there to be seen in our messy present; and it will be there in or shared future."
Armchair Interviews says: Peace be upon you.
Well researched, but biased.......2007-07-02
The author is a good, persuasive writer. His research is impressive. Prospective readers should know going in, however, that Mr. Karabell has a bias. Rather than telling you up-front about his bias, he reveals it slowly and subtly throughout the book. For its merits, I give the book two stars. For not being up-front with his readers, I withhold three stars.
So, what is his bias? He laments the loss of Muslim rule in the world, not as we see it today, but as he perceives it was 1000 years ago. As other reviewers have noted here on Amazon, the author carefully proposes that only when Muslims ruled certain regions of the world has there been peace there. He largely sees the ancient Muslim regimes as promoters of peace and humility. He sees them as tolerant and respectful of other religions. And, he feels that they possessed an admirable inquisitiveness into the arts and sciences. In the Christian and post-Christian regimes he largely sees corruption, greed, rapaciousness, brutality and oppression. A balanced and more realistic work would have more carefully demonstrated that there was incredible brutality and greed on all sides throughout history.
Karabell argues that the best way to approach a book like this is by using Islam as the reference point for considering Judaism and Christianity. He writes, "it makes sense to focus primarily on how Muslims dealt with Jews and Christians rather than on how Jews and Christians dealt with Muslims [...] Muslims had to think through relations between the faiths far more than Christians and Jews ever did [...] Only after the first wave of Muslim conquests were Jews and Christians forced to invent theologically acceptable compromises that would allow them to acquiesce to Muslim rule." His approach is certainly one of the ways that one could approach this topic. Failing to consider, or even mention, the other ways, suggests a lack of balance, especially in light of some of the other things he writes in the book.
Later in the book, he writes, "the humiliation of Muslim societies at the hands of Western states [...] produced a legacy of hatred and animosity that eventually led to the fundamentalism, violence, and terrorism of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries." He goes on to argue that the rise of the West, in its pursuit of what he calls "the cult of progress" meant "disdain for established religion and for political systems that had governed people from time immemorial." In other words, the West sacrificed peace for wealth and as a result is, ultimately, responsible for the terrorist attacks in New York, London and Spain. These are not the words of an unbiased historian. For many, these are not words of peace.
God is Great and this book is Excellent.......2007-05-20
My title reflects a past reviewer who said God may be great. There is no debate or question about it, God is Great. He is greater than any of his creation which is why it is so repugnant to Muslims that Jesus is considered divine, but thats a completely different topic.
This book is refreshing and the title of it is magnificent. Many people are dumbstruck by this book and that is echoed by a reviewer who said he felt uncomfortble reading it. To the western reader, it is unconfortable when you see the truth that Muslims were civilized people. They were not the most evil and terror driven people that the media wants you to believe. The Jews that lived under Muslim rule were treated more humanely then any Christian civiliaztion in history. It is only in the 20th century that America has embraced the Jews and it took a holocaust for even that to happen.
The part of this book that I think is the most important is the chapter on Saladins Jihad. The author does justice to Saladin when he says that his tolerance was legendary but when it came time to fight, he was bold and ruthless. I think that is the best type of person you can have as commander in chief. He allowed the Jews and Christians to continue to worship when he took over Jerusalem and the surrounding areas and that is exactly what the prophet Muhammad would have done. His example is a throwback to the early Muslims who conquered half the known world but still let people who were non-Muslim co-exist with the Muslims without any problems. I recommend, if you have time, to watch Islam: Empire of Faith to learn more about the way that Muslims lived side by side with the people of the book. You can probably get it from your local library.
Books:
- The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre (Great Episodes)
- The File: A Personal History
- The Frontiersmen: A Narrative
- The God Delusion
- The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East
- The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class
- The Kalahari Typing School for Men (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 4)
- The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners
- The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
- The Mapmaker's Eye: David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau
Books Index
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