As a muslim woman who had been conflicted between my personal beliefs and the current interpretation of Islam, this book was a breath of fresh air. It reaffirmed how Islam is a religion of compassion, respect & tolerance and how the original vision of Islam was the creation of a true civil society. The message of this book is much needed. For what this book gave me personally, I cannot thank Reza Aslan enough.
5Report
Islam is one of the natural extensions for someone who studies Middle Eastern politics. I've read primarily about Iraq and other countries, but it's all been a very generalized look at the Middle East. To really gain an understanding of the region, one must read specifically about Islam, ethnic conflict, and democratization, as well as books about the region in general. Having never read anything about Islam, I was very...
3Report
The first thing that struck me about this book is how well-written it is. I am a writer with about 5,000 articles in print or online. I'm also an editor, and I am noted for my harsh evaluations of the writing of others--most people simply do not write well. Reza Aslan writes well. Extremely well. By the time I was into the second page of this book, I felt that if Aslan had written a book about navel lint--I would still want...
3Report
A truly fascinating and accessible book written by Reza Islan, a scholar of comparative religions. It documents Islam's evolution since the time of Prophet Muhammad till our present day in a highly engaging fashion. In a succinct account, the book documents the history of this greatly misunderstood religion, starting from the Prophet's life, the civil war that englufed Muslims after his death, and Quran'ic interpretations...
2Report