(Muhammad emerges here almost as a proto-feminist. Aslan paints the Prophet’s teachings in a compelling light: not unlike Jesus (Aslan does make explicit comparisons between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity), Aslan’s Muhammad was fiercely concerned with the rights of the oppressed and marginalized but many Muslim scholars who came after Muhammad were just as fiercely concerned to evade the egalitarian implications of the Prophet’s teaching. Second, there is real possibility for democracy in the Middle East. What we really have, Aslan says, is a clash of monotheisms, competing particularistic, and often exclusive, claims about the nature of God, revelation, and prophecy. First, Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations-the theory most pundits have gravitated toward since 9/11-is an inadequate description of the current world scene. But these helpful expositions are just the starting point for making two arguments. of Iowa) and New York Times Middle East consultant, walks through the life of the Prophet, the redaction of the Qur’an, and the Five Pillars that are fundamental to Muslim life and practice. Aslan, a professor (Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies/Univ. If it accomplished nothing else, Aslan’s first book would be worthwhile for its clear expositions of the basics of Islamic history and Muslim thought. A lively and accessible introduction to Islam.
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