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The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror
In his first book since What Went Wrong? Bernard Lewis examines the historical roots of the resentments that dominate the Islamic world today and that are increasingly being expressed in acts of terrorism. He looks at the theological origins of political Islam and takes us through the rise of militant Islam in Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, examining the impact of radical Wahhabi proselytizing, and Saudi oil money, on the rest of the Islamic world.
The Crisis of Islam ranges widely through thirteen centuries of history, but in particular it charts the key events of the twentieth century leading up to the violent confrontations of today: the creation of the state of Israel, the Cold War, the Iranian Revolution, the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan, the Gulf War, and the September 11th attacks on the United States.
While hostility toward the West has a long and varied history in the lands of Islam, its current concentration on America is new. So too is the cult of the suicide bomber. Brilliantly disentangling the crosscurrents of Middle Eastern history from the rhetoric of its manipulators, Bernard Lewis helps us understand the reasons for the increasingly dogmatic rejection of modernity by many in the Muslim world in favor of a return to a sacred past. Based on his George Polk Award–winning article for The New Yorker , The Crisis of Islam is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what Usama bin Ladin represents and why his murderous message resonates so widely in the Islamic world.
The Crisis of Islam ranges widely through thirteen centuries of history, but in particular it charts the key events of the twentieth century leading up to the violent confrontations of today: the creation of the state of Israel, the Cold War, the Iranian Revolution, the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan, the Gulf War, and the September 11th attacks on the United States.
While hostility toward the West has a long and varied history in the lands of Islam, its current concentration on America is new. So too is the cult of the suicide bomber. Brilliantly disentangling the crosscurrents of Middle Eastern history from the rhetoric of its manipulators, Bernard Lewis helps us understand the reasons for the increasingly dogmatic rejection of modernity by many in the Muslim world in favor of a return to a sacred past. Based on his George Polk Award–winning article for The New Yorker , The Crisis of Islam is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what Usama bin Ladin represents and why his murderous message resonates so widely in the Islamic world.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Bernard Lewis
152 books452 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Bernard Lewis was the Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Near Eastern Studies Emeritus at Princeton University and the author of many critially acclaimed and bestselling books, including two number one New York Times bestsellers: What Went Wrong? and Crisis of Islam. The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Internationally recognized as the greatest historian of the Middle East, he received fifteen honorary doctorates and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Bernard Lewis was the Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Near Eastern Studies Emeritus at Princeton University and the author of many critially acclaimed and bestselling books, including two number one New York Times bestsellers: What Went Wrong? and Crisis of Islam. The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Internationally recognized as the greatest historian of the Middle East, he received fifteen honorary doctorates and his books have been translated into more than twenty languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
February 4, 2011
This is very bad journalism. Stacked with miss-quotes, and downright lies. Pure fear mongering. Book like this appeared ib the 1930's in Hitler's time. The author should be called to account. This is not just an opinion its propaganda.
December 2, 2014
Listened to this traveling to and from St. Louis on our recent Thanksgiving trek back to visit family. The author is also the reader and he does an excellent job.
Learned so much* it was hard to take it all in with just one listen. Want to return to it again. And yet even one listen was eye-opening. Given my limited understanding of the long and complex Middle East political situation, Mr. Lewis seemed to do a fair job presenting many sides, not just the Western perspective. In fact, he was often quite critical of America and her allies.
Also want to read What Went Wrong? The Clash Between Islam & Modernity in the Middle East when I finish rereading this.
*For example, I learned that the Qur'an promises rather severe penalties (in the next life) for suicides, thus seeming to be a contradiction as well as a prohibition for those who would claim religious justification for acts such as 9-11 or suicide bombers.
Learned so much* it was hard to take it all in with just one listen. Want to return to it again. And yet even one listen was eye-opening. Given my limited understanding of the long and complex Middle East political situation, Mr. Lewis seemed to do a fair job presenting many sides, not just the Western perspective. In fact, he was often quite critical of America and her allies.
Also want to read What Went Wrong? The Clash Between Islam & Modernity in the Middle East when I finish rereading this.
*For example, I learned that the Qur'an promises rather severe penalties (in the next life) for suicides, thus seeming to be a contradiction as well as a prohibition for those who would claim religious justification for acts such as 9-11 or suicide bombers.
October 14, 2016
الكاتب قارئ ومطلع جيد على التاريخ الإسلامي، أنصفنا في أكثر من نقطة، وبالأخص في فصل " ما هو الإسلام؟ " ، فهو على الأقل لم يدلس، وعرض وجهة نظر الإسلام كما هي، وإن كان كلامه في المجمل ضدنا.
حذر من إطلاق التعميم فيما يخص العالم الإسلامي، ثم أتى وخلط بين مواقف الحكام والشعوب، بين مواقف السنة والشيعة.
لكن يظل أكثر ما أثار سخريتي واستفزازي في نفس الوقت نقده لكراهية المسلمين لأمريكا، أمريكا البريئة، والتي دلل بها على تناقضنا الصارخ كمسلمين.
فذكر من الأمثلة: في الوقت الذي كانت تبطش به روسيا بمسلمي أسيا الوسطى، كان مسلمو البوسنة في حماية المروحيات الأمريكية، وفي الوقت الذي سارعت فيه روسيا للاعتراف بدولة إسرائيل، ترددت أمريكا في هذا القرار .. كل هذا لم يمعنكم أيها المسلمون من توجيه اللوم لأمريكافي حين مددتم أواصر العلاقات لروسيا.
أمثلته هذه دليل على الاجتزاء وكأنه لا يعلم شيئاً عن السياسة الأمريكية، السياسة القائمة على دعم الانقلابات، وإشعال الفتن، سياسة دعهم يقتلون أنفسهم بأيديهم.
ربما يكون محقا في الكثير من كلامه، ولقد تعلمت منه درسا مهما. أن أزمتنا فينا، ولا ينبغي التعلل بقوى الشر، والشيطان الأكبر والأصغر، وأننا لن نخرج من كبوتنا هذه إلا بأيدينا؛ ولكن أين الحل؟
حذر من إطلاق التعميم فيما يخص العالم الإسلامي، ثم أتى وخلط بين مواقف الحكام والشعوب، بين مواقف السنة والشيعة.
لكن يظل أكثر ما أثار سخريتي واستفزازي في نفس الوقت نقده لكراهية المسلمين لأمريكا، أمريكا البريئة، والتي دلل بها على تناقضنا الصارخ كمسلمين.
فذكر من الأمثلة: في الوقت الذي كانت تبطش به روسيا بمسلمي أسيا الوسطى، كان مسلمو البوسنة في حماية المروحيات الأمريكية، وفي الوقت الذي سارعت فيه روسيا للاعتراف بدولة إسرائيل، ترددت أمريكا في هذا القرار .. كل هذا لم يمعنكم أيها المسلمون من توجيه اللوم لأمريكافي حين مددتم أواصر العلاقات لروسيا.
أمثلته هذه دليل على الاجتزاء وكأنه لا يعلم شيئاً عن السياسة الأمريكية، السياسة القائمة على دعم الانقلابات، وإشعال الفتن، سياسة دعهم يقتلون أنفسهم بأيديهم.
ربما يكون محقا في الكثير من كلامه، ولقد تعلمت منه درسا مهما. أن أزمتنا فينا، ولا ينبغي التعلل بقوى الشر، والشيطان الأكبر والأصغر، وأننا لن نخرج من كبوتنا هذه إلا بأيدينا؛ ولكن أين الحل؟
June 16, 2016
A short 125-page focused book that honestly and hence in a balanced manner analyses Islam's relationship with the West. So many cobwebs cleared, so many things learnt; unbelievably in such a short book !
March 8, 2024
The best book I have ever read that helps a layman (such as myself) understand all the complex issues going on; truly eye opening. It is amazing how little we know about what is going on in this part of the world; I often think that is it is a very good example of how we tend to 'focus' on certain parts of the world to the exclusion of other parts.
October 14, 2019
القحبة تلهيك وتجيب اللي فيها فيك
January 7, 2008
I am trying to gain a better understanding of why some Islamic nations and people of those nations have an intense hatred of American ideals, culture, and foreign policy. I think this book did an excellent job better informing me about the complex hisotry of Islam,the role the Soviet Union played in the Middle East, the Jewish/Arab conflict, the priciples of jihad, and explained about the various sects of Islam and their extremest teachings.
I now better understanding about how Islamic fundamentalists think and their rationale for the tactics that they use. I also have a clear understanding about their short term and long term goals are. One of the major issues is the distain for many moderate leaders of Islamist countries, such as Saddat in Egypt and the leaders in Saudi Arabia. These rulers are seen as disloyal to Islam for signing treaties with Israel, allowing "infidels" onto their soil, and working with Americans.
I also found it interesting to learn how the discovery of oil and the wealth it created in Saudi Arabia acted as the finiancial backbone of the islamic movements. Currently, the official type of Islam in Saudi Arabia is Wahhabism (a conservative 18th century reform movement of Sunni Islam) and as Saudi Arabia became more rich it began establishing Wahhabist centers around the Middle East and in western nations preaching the more conservative and pure form of Islam.
At one point the author gives a series of statistics comparing specific Islamic countries and then all Islamic countries in general to the rest of the world in terms of economic growth, income/capita, living standards...etc. Every time western nations with 1/5th or fewer the populations of muslim nations were as or more productive.
One of the most surprising statistics was that Islamic countries translate a very very small percentage of the book other westernized nations translate. This indicates that Islamic governments are much more restrictive of what their people may read or that there is internal pressure from religious figures condemning outside knowledge that may allow people to have independent thoughts. I think books allow a person to learn and think for themeselves and not rely on spoon-fed information from its leaders.
I now better understanding about how Islamic fundamentalists think and their rationale for the tactics that they use. I also have a clear understanding about their short term and long term goals are. One of the major issues is the distain for many moderate leaders of Islamist countries, such as Saddat in Egypt and the leaders in Saudi Arabia. These rulers are seen as disloyal to Islam for signing treaties with Israel, allowing "infidels" onto their soil, and working with Americans.
I also found it interesting to learn how the discovery of oil and the wealth it created in Saudi Arabia acted as the finiancial backbone of the islamic movements. Currently, the official type of Islam in Saudi Arabia is Wahhabism (a conservative 18th century reform movement of Sunni Islam) and as Saudi Arabia became more rich it began establishing Wahhabist centers around the Middle East and in western nations preaching the more conservative and pure form of Islam.
At one point the author gives a series of statistics comparing specific Islamic countries and then all Islamic countries in general to the rest of the world in terms of economic growth, income/capita, living standards...etc. Every time western nations with 1/5th or fewer the populations of muslim nations were as or more productive.
One of the most surprising statistics was that Islamic countries translate a very very small percentage of the book other westernized nations translate. This indicates that Islamic governments are much more restrictive of what their people may read or that there is internal pressure from religious figures condemning outside knowledge that may allow people to have independent thoughts. I think books allow a person to learn and think for themeselves and not rely on spoon-fed information from its leaders.
November 30, 2012
I liked that that author is greatly knowledgeable about the Arab history and Islam, he should have been much able to detect the reasons for this crisis that Islam currently passes through.
Yet, I felt that book is a kind of being propagandist to Israel and its unconditional support by the U.S., instead of considering them as a main pillar of the crisis.
The title of the book isn't really focusing on Islam and its crisis as such. It rather focuses on the U.S. handling to this problem.
The book also provides a smooth narrative line, but it doesn't really end up with concrete solution with the U.S. problem with Islam.
The author is wary about the so called "Islamic terrorism" but isn't annoyed at all with any other atrocities committed by the Western countries or Israel in the Middle East, and that initiated the deep - rooted feeling of agony among Muslims. This feeling is attributed to be the main source for any terrorism to happen in this region.
Yet, I felt that book is a kind of being propagandist to Israel and its unconditional support by the U.S., instead of considering them as a main pillar of the crisis.
The title of the book isn't really focusing on Islam and its crisis as such. It rather focuses on the U.S. handling to this problem.
The book also provides a smooth narrative line, but it doesn't really end up with concrete solution with the U.S. problem with Islam.
The author is wary about the so called "Islamic terrorism" but isn't annoyed at all with any other atrocities committed by the Western countries or Israel in the Middle East, and that initiated the deep - rooted feeling of agony among Muslims. This feeling is attributed to be the main source for any terrorism to happen in this region.
October 17, 2019
Senkit se tántorítson el, hogy ez a könyv a 2002-es eseményekre való reagálásként született, és azóta lelőtték a poénját – Bernard Lewis tanulmánya az azóta eltelt tizenvalahány év ellenére az egyik legkomplettebb, legérthetőbb elemzés a Közel-Keletről. Olvasmányos, rövid, hihetetlenül összeszedett, legnagyobb erénye pedig az, hogy bár elsősorban olyan elemekből építkezik, amit a téma iránt érdeklődők már hallottak valahol, tudni véltek, vagy csak sejtettek, de az egészet annyira koherens rendszerben tárja elénk, hogy elképesztően újszerűen hat. Az ilyeneket szokták alapműnek nevezni, a kétségbeesett olvasó meg felrakja a kívánságlistájára, mint az 1214. alapművet, amit még el kellene olvasnia, mielőtt meghal. (Természetesen az elolvasandó könyvek száma soha nem fog csökkenni, sőt közvetlenül az előbb említett végső határidő előtt éri el csúcspontját.)
Ez a könyv annyira egyértelműen és logikusan szól arról, amit ígér, hogy igazából nincs is mit mondani róla – pláne, hogy karcoltam már belőle ezt-azt. Mindazonáltal talán érdemes kihangsúlyozni egy aspektust, aminek Lewis érzésem szerint kiemelt fontosságot tulajdonít. Mind a zsidó-keresztény gyökerű nyugaton, mind az iszlámban jelen vannak azok a tendenciák, amelyek keresik a kapcsolatot az újjal és igénylik a változást, és azok, amelyek mereven elutasítják azt – a különbség az, hogy amíg Európában és az USA-ban ezek a nézetek folyamatos vitában állnak egymással (attól függetlenül, hogy éppen melyik az uralkodó politikai nézet), addig az arab világban a termékeny disputának jelen pillanatban nincs tere. Egyes jobboldali teoretikusok szerint ez a folyamatos „vitára való hajlam” általában véve a demokrácia hátránya a tekintélyelvű berendezkedésekkel szemben, mert elpuhítja a demokratikus rendszereket, ám ez egy ordas nagy baromság. Ugyanis amíg a fundamentalista iszlamizmus egy végtelenül leegyszerűsített és több ponton hazug gondolati séma alapján ítéli meg a nyugatot, mint homogén tömböt, addig nyugaton (épp a vitakényszer miatt) lényegesen több adat áll rendelkezésére annak, aki képet akar kapni az egyik legnagyobb világvallás belső folyamatairól – többek között épp az ilyen könyvecskéknek köszönhetően. És hát ha már valóban civilizációk összecsapásáról van szó (amit egyébként én vaskos csúsztatásnak tartok), akkor két rendszer közül nem annak van nagyobb esélye a másik fölé kerekedni, aki többet tud a másiknál, a másikról? Vesszek meg, ha Szun-Ce nem mondott valami ilyesmit… Amúgy meg: nekem speciel amúgy sincs szándékomban bárki fölé kerekedni. Momentán.
Ez a könyv annyira egyértelműen és logikusan szól arról, amit ígér, hogy igazából nincs is mit mondani róla – pláne, hogy karcoltam már belőle ezt-azt. Mindazonáltal talán érdemes kihangsúlyozni egy aspektust, aminek Lewis érzésem szerint kiemelt fontosságot tulajdonít. Mind a zsidó-keresztény gyökerű nyugaton, mind az iszlámban jelen vannak azok a tendenciák, amelyek keresik a kapcsolatot az újjal és igénylik a változást, és azok, amelyek mereven elutasítják azt – a különbség az, hogy amíg Európában és az USA-ban ezek a nézetek folyamatos vitában állnak egymással (attól függetlenül, hogy éppen melyik az uralkodó politikai nézet), addig az arab világban a termékeny disputának jelen pillanatban nincs tere. Egyes jobboldali teoretikusok szerint ez a folyamatos „vitára való hajlam” általában véve a demokrácia hátránya a tekintélyelvű berendezkedésekkel szemben, mert elpuhítja a demokratikus rendszereket, ám ez egy ordas nagy baromság. Ugyanis amíg a fundamentalista iszlamizmus egy végtelenül leegyszerűsített és több ponton hazug gondolati séma alapján ítéli meg a nyugatot, mint homogén tömböt, addig nyugaton (épp a vitakényszer miatt) lényegesen több adat áll rendelkezésére annak, aki képet akar kapni az egyik legnagyobb világvallás belső folyamatairól – többek között épp az ilyen könyvecskéknek köszönhetően. És hát ha már valóban civilizációk összecsapásáról van szó (amit egyébként én vaskos csúsztatásnak tartok), akkor két rendszer közül nem annak van nagyobb esélye a másik fölé kerekedni, aki többet tud a másiknál, a másikról? Vesszek meg, ha Szun-Ce nem mondott valami ilyesmit… Amúgy meg: nekem speciel amúgy sincs szándékomban bárki fölé kerekedni. Momentán.
April 11, 2019
كتاب اخترته ليكون موضوعا لمذكرتي لنيل شهادة الماستر في تخصص عقيدة إسلامية. كنت قد قرأت الإشادات المبهرة هنا في موقع جودريدز و في موقع أمازون عن الكتاب و صاحبه، ممّا حملني على قراءتي، فلم أصدق المفارقة العجيبة بين مضمون الكتاب و بين ما فهمه أكثر القراء و الذين هم من دول العالم المتقدم- على فرض أننا نتفق على معنى لفظ متقدّم-
و أقول للذين يتعجبون من مؤرّخ على فرض أنّه عبقري، كيف يكتب بهذه الركاكة و كيف يخوض في الترهات التي أكل عليها الدهر و شرب؟ المسألة يا جماعة تتعلّق بالغزو من نوع آخر و بآليات مختلفة عن تلك التي بتنا نقرؤها في كتب التاريخ. عندما يتعلّق الأمر بصناعة تجلب الأموال و بإنتاج يقيّض فرصة نهوض عملاق ، فلتكن الرداءة و الركاكة و الافتراءات شعارا للجميع. و تحيا صناعة الإرهاب و يحيا إنتا�� الزومبي
و أقول للذين يتعجبون من مؤرّخ على فرض أنّه عبقري، كيف يكتب بهذه الركاكة و كيف يخوض في الترهات التي أكل عليها الدهر و شرب؟ المسألة يا جماعة تتعلّق بالغزو من نوع آخر و بآليات مختلفة عن تلك التي بتنا نقرؤها في كتب التاريخ. عندما يتعلّق الأمر بصناعة تجلب الأموال و بإنتاج يقيّض فرصة نهوض عملاق ، فلتكن الرداءة و الركاكة و الافتراءات شعارا للجميع. و تحيا صناعة الإرهاب و يحيا إنتا�� الزومبي
October 17, 2023
Written soon in the years following 9/11, this book offers insights into Islam's history with the west and why islamic terror has increased over time. I think Lewis is fair in his representation of Islam and the middle east, democracy has not had much success with Islam and fundamentalist forces will never tolerate any western influence in their nations. Lewis seems to argues for a neo-conservative position, that we need to support stable moderate Islamic countries or soon fundamentalism will spread.
July 23, 2018
This is certainly a good historical account of the events that underpin the shift toward Islamic radicalism and terrorism. I wish I’d read it sooner — it was published in 2003 — but life got in the way.
Lewis does address some of the Koranic scriptures in trying to describe some of the actions of the most radical fundamentalists in Islam, so I cannot find fault there. However, I thought he could have gone much deeper by addressing the curriculum in madrassas, sermons by imams, and use of Koranic scriptural interpretations (as well as what is used in the Hadith) that aided the shift toward radicalism.
Honestly, I knew most of what I heard in Lewis’s reading in “Crisis.” I’ve been paying attention to these issues since well before 9/11. But this isn’t a shortcoming in this book, nor is it a criticism. Yet there was more for development of the (violent) faith aspect to accompany the historical events.
I’d like to read Lewis’s account if he knew (through foresight or clairvoyance) what we now know about other terrorist attacks, the morphing of al Qaeda into the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), the Arab Spring (Winter?), the death of Usama bin Laden, and the struggle for influence in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia (i.e. Sunni Islam) and Iran (i.e. Shia Islam). His closing remarks highlight the concerns of Western European states regarding their Muslim minorities. Lewis is almost prescient in this regard (e.g. Paris, Brussels, Nice, Berlin, etc.). A “Crisis” 2.0 would be a nice compliment to this publication.
Lewis does address some of the Koranic scriptures in trying to describe some of the actions of the most radical fundamentalists in Islam, so I cannot find fault there. However, I thought he could have gone much deeper by addressing the curriculum in madrassas, sermons by imams, and use of Koranic scriptural interpretations (as well as what is used in the Hadith) that aided the shift toward radicalism.
Honestly, I knew most of what I heard in Lewis’s reading in “Crisis.” I’ve been paying attention to these issues since well before 9/11. But this isn’t a shortcoming in this book, nor is it a criticism. Yet there was more for development of the (violent) faith aspect to accompany the historical events.
I’d like to read Lewis’s account if he knew (through foresight or clairvoyance) what we now know about other terrorist attacks, the morphing of al Qaeda into the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), the Arab Spring (Winter?), the death of Usama bin Laden, and the struggle for influence in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia (i.e. Sunni Islam) and Iran (i.e. Shia Islam). His closing remarks highlight the concerns of Western European states regarding their Muslim minorities. Lewis is almost prescient in this regard (e.g. Paris, Brussels, Nice, Berlin, etc.). A “Crisis” 2.0 would be a nice compliment to this publication.
June 23, 2008
Princeton's Bernard Lewis is one of the most respected subject matter experts on the Middle East, well known the world over. This book was written three years after the War on Terror began, and does a masterful job of explaining the cultural rifts between Islam and the West, and the rise of Islamofascism.
If you want to know the real reason victory in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in the entire Global War on Terror is so critical for global security, this book is a must read.
I have read this book at leats five times, and have bought multiple copies of the book to give to people I know who are interested in the conflict between Western and Middle Eastern Cultures. I have also purchased and listened to the audiobook from Audible.com.
If you want to know the real reason victory in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in the entire Global War on Terror is so critical for global security, this book is a must read.
I have read this book at leats five times, and have bought multiple copies of the book to give to people I know who are interested in the conflict between Western and Middle Eastern Cultures. I have also purchased and listened to the audiobook from Audible.com.
September 8, 2007
Amazing review of muslim history as it relates to the western world. Lewis is one of, if not the best Western scholars on the muslim world. Middle eastern college kids get sent by their parents to his classes to learn their history. Anyhow, this is a concise, well written book on a very difficult topic. It really gives you a much better understanding of the origins of the conflict between Arabs and the West and Muslims and the West. I'd say this is a must read for anyone in the armed forces. Really everyone in america needs to better understand this conflict. Our battle shouldn't be with bombs and guns, but with better understanding and adaptation on both sides.
August 18, 2007
I wish this book was a bit longer, but it gets right to the point and makes you feel like an idiot for following the mainstream public stereotyping of Islam. If you want to know why so many muslim extremists hate the west (especially United States) read this book.
December 29, 2019
عندما تقرأ هذا الكتاب ستفهم لماذا استطاع اليهود اختراقنا!
August 6, 2023
If you have any interest in how we arrived at the complex modern Islam of today, this book provides a great stepping off point. It is by no means exhaustive, but will certainly point out topics that can and should be pursued further.
Mr. Lewis writes in a very objective format that allows your mind to absorb the information without political or accusatory bias. After finishing this book I immediately researched and happily ordered two more of his works.
Mr. Lewis writes in a very objective format that allows your mind to absorb the information without political or accusatory bias. After finishing this book I immediately researched and happily ordered two more of his works.
April 16, 2024
I heard Bernard Lewis was the greatest middle eastern scholar of all time and his work certainly holds up.
The agregious racism that liberals hold for Muslims is palpable in the press and media today. Liberals see the muslims as inferior peoples not worthy of condemnation for their oppressive regimes towards women and minorities. As westerners we should treat these cultures with respect by condemning the oppressive regimes that comprises much of this region. Giving tyranny a free pass merely perpetuates more tyranny.
The agregious racism that liberals hold for Muslims is palpable in the press and media today. Liberals see the muslims as inferior peoples not worthy of condemnation for their oppressive regimes towards women and minorities. As westerners we should treat these cultures with respect by condemning the oppressive regimes that comprises much of this region. Giving tyranny a free pass merely perpetuates more tyranny.
December 23, 2015
Lewis is perhaps the foremost scholar on Islam and the Middle East. Right after 9/11 he did a couple of quick books - What Went Wrong and then this book.
He makes a series of generalizations about Islam including:
1) Islam fits historically between Judaism and Christianity. But it is different in some key ways. First, the key text in Islam is attributed to one prophet - both the new and the Old Testament have many writers. Second, Islam does not have ordination in a formal sense - that allows for some wide interpretations. Third, the concept I. Mark - render unto Caesar that which is Caesars does not work in Islam. Nations are subordinate to the religious law. The concept of one man one vote becomes one man one vote, once. Once an Islamic state is established no further democracy is necessary.
2) Islamic organizations are not like other alliances. The members of the Organization of Islamic Countries are a strange mix. When the soviets invaded Afghanistan the OIC did not do anything.
3) The comparison of Islamic states to the rest of the world are stark. They rank far down in development. One statistic stuck with me - since 900AD there have been about 100,000 books translated into Arabic - that compares to translations in Spain which exceed that number in one year.
4). The Nazis tried to involve Islamic states in their efforts. Writers like Rilke and Heidigger condemned the West as "soulless" that fit into the narrative of the current terrorists.
5) The concentration of wealth in the Saudis helped to fund schools and other foundations around the world that espouse an especially pernicious version of Islam. The book goes through the history of a number of Middle Eastern countries to show their development. There are very few public schools in the Middle East so much of what passes for education. Is controlled by people who link one brand of Islamic faith and money.
6) The US gets caught up in the rhetoric of the terrorists in part because we are perceived as successors to the colonialists (we do not get credit for our interventions in places like Bosnia). But also the European narrative of the US as a soulless place works against us.
7) He offers a comparison - most Moslems are not fundamentalists, and most fundamentalist Moslems are not terrorists. But almost all terrorists are fundamentalist Moslems. That requires us In our responses to make some careful distinctions - not at all like either Trump or Obama.
Like all of Lewis' work this is a carefully laid out analysis. Even though the book is more than a dozen years old it is worth the read
He makes a series of generalizations about Islam including:
1) Islam fits historically between Judaism and Christianity. But it is different in some key ways. First, the key text in Islam is attributed to one prophet - both the new and the Old Testament have many writers. Second, Islam does not have ordination in a formal sense - that allows for some wide interpretations. Third, the concept I. Mark - render unto Caesar that which is Caesars does not work in Islam. Nations are subordinate to the religious law. The concept of one man one vote becomes one man one vote, once. Once an Islamic state is established no further democracy is necessary.
2) Islamic organizations are not like other alliances. The members of the Organization of Islamic Countries are a strange mix. When the soviets invaded Afghanistan the OIC did not do anything.
3) The comparison of Islamic states to the rest of the world are stark. They rank far down in development. One statistic stuck with me - since 900AD there have been about 100,000 books translated into Arabic - that compares to translations in Spain which exceed that number in one year.
4). The Nazis tried to involve Islamic states in their efforts. Writers like Rilke and Heidigger condemned the West as "soulless" that fit into the narrative of the current terrorists.
5) The concentration of wealth in the Saudis helped to fund schools and other foundations around the world that espouse an especially pernicious version of Islam. The book goes through the history of a number of Middle Eastern countries to show their development. There are very few public schools in the Middle East so much of what passes for education. Is controlled by people who link one brand of Islamic faith and money.
6) The US gets caught up in the rhetoric of the terrorists in part because we are perceived as successors to the colonialists (we do not get credit for our interventions in places like Bosnia). But also the European narrative of the US as a soulless place works against us.
7) He offers a comparison - most Moslems are not fundamentalists, and most fundamentalist Moslems are not terrorists. But almost all terrorists are fundamentalist Moslems. That requires us In our responses to make some careful distinctions - not at all like either Trump or Obama.
Like all of Lewis' work this is a carefully laid out analysis. Even though the book is more than a dozen years old it is worth the read
July 3, 2012
Lewis is among the foremost scholars of the Middle East in the world. In recent years it has become fashionable to cast doubt on him because of his supposed support for the Iraq War or his advising the Bush administration. Such doubt is nonsense. Read his work and judge it for yourself. He knows his stuff.
This book is his attempt to explain, in brief, what cultural and historical factors could lead to 9/11. The amount of learning he brings to bear is massive, but his thesis is relatively straightforward. He explained it in "The Roots of Muslim Rage" more than 20 years ago. In his view, the problem stems from the Islamic world's failure to confront the challenges of modernity. The UN's Arab Human Development Report more than corroborates his thesis.
Along the way, he shares his own views on many controversial things, as he is entitled to do, and his views are not always those of the enlightened intelligentsia who spend their lives in the Ivory Cubicle. Lewis was an intelligence officer in the British Army in World War II. When someone of his learning and experience challenges conventional wisdom, especially when it comes to the topic of democracy in the Muslim world, it might be worthwhile to listen.
This book is his attempt to explain, in brief, what cultural and historical factors could lead to 9/11. The amount of learning he brings to bear is massive, but his thesis is relatively straightforward. He explained it in "The Roots of Muslim Rage" more than 20 years ago. In his view, the problem stems from the Islamic world's failure to confront the challenges of modernity. The UN's Arab Human Development Report more than corroborates his thesis.
Along the way, he shares his own views on many controversial things, as he is entitled to do, and his views are not always those of the enlightened intelligentsia who spend their lives in the Ivory Cubicle. Lewis was an intelligence officer in the British Army in World War II. When someone of his learning and experience challenges conventional wisdom, especially when it comes to the topic of democracy in the Muslim world, it might be worthwhile to listen.
January 29, 2011
Bernard Lewis is certainly one of the most renowned and respected scholars of Islam and the Middle East. This book, unfortunately, was not as long as I would have liked it to be. That being said, he does cram a great wealth of information into such a small volume.
The greatest strength of this book is it's organization and historical content. He does not pull many punches and tells the story of the middle east and Islamic relations with the West bluntly (for the most part.)
The only criticism I have and what earns it a four star rating instead of a five, is that near the end he glosses over certain aspects of mainstream Islamic theology and doctrine, such as abrogation, as wrong without providing an argument against it, which I do understand as this is more of a general overview;however, if someone mentions something as wrong, then one expects that the author would spend sometime on it. That was disappointing.
Other than that, this is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.
The greatest strength of this book is it's organization and historical content. He does not pull many punches and tells the story of the middle east and Islamic relations with the West bluntly (for the most part.)
The only criticism I have and what earns it a four star rating instead of a five, is that near the end he glosses over certain aspects of mainstream Islamic theology and doctrine, such as abrogation, as wrong without providing an argument against it, which I do understand as this is more of a general overview;however, if someone mentions something as wrong, then one expects that the author would spend sometime on it. That was disappointing.
Other than that, this is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.
January 18, 2018
I just finished reading Lewis' book. It is a source that is worthwhile for the uninformed as well as someone like me that is somewhat informed. The author strikes a fair balance between those that think the current western view of Muslims, and those that think groups like Al-Qa'ida are an extreme perverse expression of Islam. Lewis ends with a perspective that gives an understanding of the Muslim world's distrust of the West, much of it based on Europe's imperialism over the past 2 centuries. In fact one can conclude that if America hadn't entered WW II, subsequently becoming the world's super power, that the ire of the Muslim world's would be mainly focused on Europe.
January 4, 2012
interesting, but ultimately unbalanced. this ended up on a lot of "professional reading lists", which without any sort of counter-balance is unfortunate. there's no denying that Lewis knows a lot about the Middle East--and in many ways loves it deeply--but there's also no denying that Lewis (to quote Edward Said) is writing from the perspective of a guy that hadn't "set foot in the Middle East in 40 years."
February 14, 2008
A great primer on the history of Islam through the 20th century. Very good for the first 8 chapters, but weaker in the final chapter ("The Rise of Terrorism"), and the Afterword could have been assembled from Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld speeches. The public debate in the U.S. would be miles more productive if everyone in the country read this book.
March 16, 2013
Lewis does an outstanding job analyzing the nature, dynamics, and issues in Islam today. He really does a great job of relating these to Islam's history. This book is interesting and readable, and I recommend it to anyone seeking a better understanding of the Islamic world's struggles in resolving its problems and contradictions today.
April 28, 2013
This book is on the Chief of naval operations essential reading list: http://navyreading.dodlive.mil/the-cr...
A primer on Islamic history and culture. Helps westerners grasp the arguments terrorists are making. Shows suicide, targeting civilians, and killing fellow Muslims are clearly Islamic sins.
A primer on Islamic history and culture. Helps westerners grasp the arguments terrorists are making. Shows suicide, targeting civilians, and killing fellow Muslims are clearly Islamic sins.
October 26, 2014
This is an evenhanded and insightful explication of Islam in our time. Lewis masterfully threads a combination of perspectives together into a tightly woven cloth: history, Islamic jurisprudence, contemporary developments, the implications of terrorist activity, and the plight of the Muslim people if their fundamentalist overlords win their battle with the West.
May 7, 2017
This book made me realize I know little to nothing about the history and politics of the Muslim world. Now the current state of affairs begin to make sense. Clash of civilizations sounds about right.
Hang on to your hats and hijabs! Looks like the Muslim world and the West are in for a rough ride for quite some time.
Hang on to your hats and hijabs! Looks like the Muslim world and the West are in for a rough ride for quite some time.
May 10, 2018
In most Muslim countries Islam is still the main religion where in Christian countries Christianity does not hold the power like they once did.
America was civilization without culture. mechanical, not organic. Materially wealthy but Soulless
This book tries to discuss Islam away from radical Islamic terrorist and more of the history and culture and the overall background.
America was civilization without culture. mechanical, not organic. Materially wealthy but Soulless
This book tries to discuss Islam away from radical Islamic terrorist and more of the history and culture and the overall background.
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