Islam Today

Abstract

As we approach the end of this alarming century there is a quiet sense of urgency that the West come to understand the Muslim world. Although these ancient rivals have clashed for over a thousand years - politically, intellectually, culturally, and socially - it is not so much in the field of battle wherein has lain the danger but in the world of ideas. A vitriolic polemic, begun with the advent of the Prophet Muhammad, plays itself out today in images of book burning fanatics, darkly veiled women and unstable nations willing to go to war on the mere whisper of the word jihad. This has been a history of disinformation and stereotypes that has served a single purpose: war - ooly this time the stakes are far higher. Propaganda that was once concerned with moral licentiousness and sexual fantasy has largely been replaced with one of violence and modem weapons, and the capitalist nature of wealth accumulation. The world is overshadowed by a battle for its resources that threatens to develop into an all-out war. In light of this and the sizeable number of Muslims living in the West, it is imperative that the climate of fear be diffused and a forum for dialogue and understanding initiated. While the media tirelessly labors to define East-West relations in its own terms, professor Akbar Ahmed has written a book that endeavors to promote a deep understanding, bowledge and respect for Islam - its history, peoples, and achievements. In so doing, he opens new, more interactive, and peaceful parameters for a debate that argues that the differences between the two civilizations are far outweighed by their deeper and more permanent value systems. The book is a logically structured analysis, concisely written and easy to read. The author examines the basic features of Islam, the Qur’an and the Prophet to whom it was revealed; the history of the golden age of Islam when its empires were the superpowers of their day providing stability and order and generating great architecture, art and science; issues of modernity, democracy, and identity, including the core unit of Muslim society, the family; the reality of Muslims living in non-Muslim countries and the problems and issues they face; and finally, the power and strength of Western media as well as the technological developments that challenge traditional Islamic values and beliefs. Being a thorough and complete shrdy of the Islamic faith and its people, the book does not attempt to hide some of the harsher realities, such as corrupt leaders and dishonest individuals who, by violating Islamic laws and customs, can no longer be considered as behaving according to the principles of Islam, and should therefore not be confused in the West as representatives or followers of the faith ...