Religion was not a small part of life in those times. Aslan describes it as the defining characterization of every aspect of life and of citizenship into a tribe. But Muhammad described a way of life, not yet known as Islam, which crossed all tribal boundaries.
Islam out of control
The widespread nature of Islam ended up suffering the same fate as any large entity that attempts to have a set of rules for everyone to follow. The farther away from the boss, the more those rules are broken or changed by outlying managers who want to establish their own power. With Islam these managers were amirs.
The situation was worse after Muhammad died. He left no instructions about who should succeed him or how his “church” should be organized. As a result, the author states, many followers put their own interpretation on Muhammad words or just made up ideas that they said came from Muhammad. They collectively were known as the hadith: oral anecdotes recalling the words and deeds of Muhammad.
This change of words and their meaning the author calls the “chain of transmission.”
“When the celebrated Quranic commentator Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi (1149-1209) interpreted the verse ‘[God] created spouses for you of your own kind so that you might have peace of mind through them’ as ‘proof that women were created like animals and plants and other useful things [and not for] worship and carrying the Divine commands … because the woman is weak, silly, and in a sense like a child" his commentary became (and still is) one of the most widely respected in the Muslim world.”
Jesus Christ has suffered and continues to suffer a similar fate at the hands of many of his followers. That reaction in Christianity was perhaps comparatively delayed because of the tumultuous times of regional battles and factional battle surrounding the creation of Islam.
Without having studied Islam in any depth or without having read the Quran I was still left wondering, what is the truth about Islam? This is only one book. However, Aslan relates what appears to be a very balanced view of Islam and how it was corrupted over the years; mostly by those who claimed to be Muslims but also by those pushed to militancy by the rise and the effects of colonialism throughout the Middle East and India.
The picture painted here, it appears, is much less corrupt than any book that specifically sets out as an anti-Muslim book; such a book would focus only on the Muslim extremists, the “Islamofascists.”
All throughout I wondered if the author was going to make some bold statement that he had renounced Islam or that it was the one true religion for mankind.
Article comments
1 - Bennett Dawson
Great review Temple. Although there are years of work, and thousands battles (big and small), I am allowing myself a small ray of hope that the messages in this book will be embraced by an increasing number of people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike.
2 - SFC SKI
Your book review is very well done, and a fitting companion to the interview with Reza Aslan published in the BC a few weeeks ago.
3 - alienboy
Indeed a good review Temple, but as a person who believes in people not imaginary creations I cn't help observing that a better Islam is only a less bad thing, not a good thing. Religion is a tool of repression not enlightenment.
4 - Georgio
Excellent review...I wish you would do an article on how all religions are corrupt and how people follow their religion with blinders on because they where taught their religion from childhood ...I am not an Atheist..
5 - Temple Stark
AB, You left out a word In my humble opinion
Religion is BOTH a tool of repression AND enlightenment.
But thanks. I have no idea what kind of pressure it was to write the history of Islam in a relatively slender volume (it helps I imagine to know the subject matter inside and out but sometimes that can be stifling due to too much information).
but I knew I wanted to do it justice in my review. I wanted to see if you all agreed that I had or ... ???? So far - thanks very much.
6 - Eric Berlin
Important subject, great review, Temple.
This book review has been selected for Advance.net. You’ll be able to find this and other Blog Critics reviews at such places at Cleveland.com’s Book Reviews column.
7 - Ray
Great review,
I read the book and I don't think I could have summed it up like you did.
8 - Andrian
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