The list of schools Dr. Aslan has attended and taught at goes on for paragraphs. He is an Iranian-American author, intellectual, comparative religion scholar, producer and television host.
This is a beautifully written book by an established scholar of world religions. This version is written for teens; it is a very readable, concise history of Islam -- before and after Muhammad's death. I feel that the greatest gift of this book is the explanation of how Islam started. Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia was polytheistic (multiple gods); the Arabs were pagans. Muhammad never said he was starting a new religion. He saw himself as another prophet (like Abraham and Jesus), bringing a continuing dialogue from God.
The author states: "Because all religions are bound to the social, spiritual, and cultural landscapes from which they arose and in which they developed, prophets must be understood as reformers who redefine and reinterpret the existing beliefs and practices of their communities." Muhammad spoke against the Arab pagans, but considered Jews, Christians, and Muslims sharers in a single, divine community.
The author explains how the Shia/Sunni schism began and how not having a central arbiter of Islamic teachings (as in a Pope), has led to differing interpretations of Muhammad's word. Aslan has some important chapters covering women in Islam and Muslim-Jewish relations. This is a very well-researched book; there are 6 1/2 pages of works used (the print is 6 or 7 point).
I learned so much from this slender tome and look forward to reading another of this author's books.
Other Books by Reza Aslan
Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization (2010)
Muslims and Jews in America: Commonalities, Contentions, and Complexities (2011)
No god but God (Updated Edition): The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam (2011)
** No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam (for teens) (2011)
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth (2013)
God: A Human History (2017)
This is a beautifully written book by an established scholar of world religions. This version is written for teens; it is a very readable, concise history of Islam -- before and after Muhammad's death. I feel that the greatest gift of this book is the explanation of how Islam started. Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia was polytheistic (multiple gods); the Arabs were pagans. Muhammad never said he was starting a new religion. He saw himself as another prophet (like Abraham and Jesus), bringing a continuing dialogue from God.
The author states: "Because all religions are bound to the social, spiritual, and cultural landscapes from which they arose and in which they developed, prophets must be understood as reformers who redefine and reinterpret the existing beliefs and practices of their communities." Muhammad spoke against the Arab pagans, but considered Jews, Christians, and Muslims sharers in a single, divine community.
The author explains how the Shia/Sunni schism began and how not having a central arbiter of Islamic teachings (as in a Pope), has led to differing interpretations of Muhammad's word. Aslan has some important chapters covering women in Islam and Muslim-Jewish relations. This is a very well-researched book; there are 6 1/2 pages of works used (the print is 6 or 7 point).
I learned so much from this slender tome and look forward to reading another of this author's books.
Other Books by Reza Aslan
Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization (2010)
Muslims and Jews in America: Commonalities, Contentions, and Complexities (2011)
No god but God (Updated Edition): The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam (2011)
** No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam (for teens) (2011)
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth (2013)
God: A Human History (2017)
