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Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization – A Clear, In-Depth Guide to the Doctrines, Beliefs, and Practices of 1.2 Billion Adherents
The world's leading Islamicist offers a concise introduction to this rich and diverse tradition of 1.2 billion adherents. In this informative and clear introduction to the world of Islam, Seyyed Hossein Nasr explores the following topics in depth: •What Is Islam? •The Doctrines and Beliefs of Islam •Islamic Practices and Institutions •The History of Islam •Schools of Islamic Thought •Islam in the Contemporary World •Islam and Other Religions •The Spiritual and Religious Significance of Islam
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
51 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
About the author
Seyyed Hossein Nasr
248 books726 followersSeyyed Hossein Nasr was born on April 7, 1933 (19 Farvadin 1312 A.H. solar) in Tehran into a family of distinguished scholars and physicians. His father, Seyyed Valiallah, a man of great learning and piety, was a physician to the Iranian royal family, as was his father before him. The name "Nasr" which means "victory" was conferred on Professor Nasr's grandfather by the King of Persia. Nasr also comes from a family of Sufis. One of his ancestors was Mulla Seyyed Muhammad Taqi Poshtmashhad, who was a famous saint of Kashan, and his mausoleum which is located next to the tomb of the Safavid king Shah Abbas, is still visited by pilgrims to this day.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, currently University Professor of Islamic Studies at the George Washington University, Washington D.C. is one of the most important and foremost scholars of Islamic, Religious and Comparative Studies in the world today. Author of over fifty books and five hundred articles which have been translated into several major Islamic, European and Asian languages, Professor Nasr is a well known and highly respected intellectual figure both in the West and the Islamic world. An eloquent speaker with a charismatic presence, Nasr is a much sought after speaker at academic conferences and seminars, university and public lectures and also radio and television programs in his area of expertise. Possessor of an impressive academic and intellectual record, his career as a teacher and scholar spans over four decades.
Professor Nasr began his illustrious teaching career in 1955 when he was still a young and promising, doctoral student at Harvard University. Over the years, he has taught and trained an innumerable number of students who have come from the different parts of the world, and many of whom have become important and prominent scholars in their fields of study.
He has trained different generations of students over the years since 1958 when he was a professor at Tehran University and then, in America since the Iranian revolution in 1979, specifically at Temple University in Philadelphia from 1979 to 1984 and at the George Washington University since 1984 to the present day. The range of subjects and areas of study which Professor Nasr has involved and engaged himself with in his academic career and intellectual life are immense. As demonstrated by his numerous writings, lectures and speeches, Professor Nasr speaks and writes with great authority on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from philosophy to religion to spirituality, to music and art and architecture, to science and literature, to civilizational dialogues and the natural environment.
For Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr, the quest for knowledge, specifically knowledge which enables man to understand the true nature of things and which furthermore, "liberates and delivers him from the fetters and limitations of earthly existence," has been and continues to be the central concern and determinant of his intellectual life.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, currently University Professor of Islamic Studies at the George Washington University, Washington D.C. is one of the most important and foremost scholars of Islamic, Religious and Comparative Studies in the world today. Author of over fifty books and five hundred articles which have been translated into several major Islamic, European and Asian languages, Professor Nasr is a well known and highly respected intellectual figure both in the West and the Islamic world. An eloquent speaker with a charismatic presence, Nasr is a much sought after speaker at academic conferences and seminars, university and public lectures and also radio and television programs in his area of expertise. Possessor of an impressive academic and intellectual record, his career as a teacher and scholar spans over four decades.
Professor Nasr began his illustrious teaching career in 1955 when he was still a young and promising, doctoral student at Harvard University. Over the years, he has taught and trained an innumerable number of students who have come from the different parts of the world, and many of whom have become important and prominent scholars in their fields of study.
He has trained different generations of students over the years since 1958 when he was a professor at Tehran University and then, in America since the Iranian revolution in 1979, specifically at Temple University in Philadelphia from 1979 to 1984 and at the George Washington University since 1984 to the present day. The range of subjects and areas of study which Professor Nasr has involved and engaged himself with in his academic career and intellectual life are immense. As demonstrated by his numerous writings, lectures and speeches, Professor Nasr speaks and writes with great authority on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from philosophy to religion to spirituality, to music and art and architecture, to science and literature, to civilizational dialogues and the natural environment.
For Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr, the quest for knowledge, specifically knowledge which enables man to understand the true nature of things and which furthermore, "liberates and delivers him from the fetters and limitations of earthly existence," has been and continues to be the central concern and determinant of his intellectual life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 10, 2014
This is my 1st encounter with the famous Scholar:"Seyyed Hossein Nasr" & I think I shouldn't have started with this book!
It's considered as a very short introduction to Islam, it should be in that category of books. However as a native Muslim I couldn't find lots of new info in it (except the parts covering parts of Shi'ti's history , schools & thinkers). And If I were not a Muslim; I would feel very confused of the translations used throughout the book. The style of writing came as if you are already familiar with what the writer is speaking of.
Maybe the most organized part was the last two chapters, talking about the "Schools of Islamic thoughts & Modernism vs. Fundamentalism" which I aim to read about later.
Good effort but not to the high expectation of the book & the writer ..
It's considered as a very short introduction to Islam, it should be in that category of books. However as a native Muslim I couldn't find lots of new info in it (except the parts covering parts of Shi'ti's history , schools & thinkers). And If I were not a Muslim; I would feel very confused of the translations used throughout the book. The style of writing came as if you are already familiar with what the writer is speaking of.
Maybe the most organized part was the last two chapters, talking about the "Schools of Islamic thoughts & Modernism vs. Fundamentalism" which I aim to read about later.
Good effort but not to the high expectation of the book & the writer ..
April 9, 2022
Today Muslims are in crisis, and so is their religion. The religion, Islam, is in crisis due to the absence of rationality and logic. Many people point fingers at the religion while looking at it through the lens of western philosophers. This book clarifies the unique quality of Islam and Islamic civilization and tries to find how Islam plays role in culture, politics, science, innovation, philosophy, and the development of societies. And, above all, how it makes Muslims an Ummah when there is a huge diversity among the Muslims in the said fields.
January 9, 2022
The book is comprehensive and has quite a lot condensed into such a small book. If you are not a Muslim or know nothing about Islam, then you might get confused when reading this book, since the author uses a lot of Arabic, which to give credit to the author, he does translate a lot of it. All the names of the different sects, the different scholars, the different places may confuse some people who are not familiar with them. If you are new to learning Islam and are only starting out, don't let that put you off, it's part of the journey, and it's absolutely normal.
At the start he talks about the different sects of Islam. I believe he talked a lot about the different schools of thought for the Shiites and not enough about the different schools of thought of the Sunnis. I think he could have talked about how the different schools of thought for the Sunnis were chosen and how they came to be.
There is a mistake he makes in the book where he says that the devil in Islam is an Angel, which is not true. In Islam, we believe the Devil is a Jinn, or demon, devil, whatever you want to call it. It is not the same type of creation as angels. He reached the "Ranks" of Angels because of how much he loved and worshipped God, but he himself was not an Angel.
I learned a lot about the history of Islam and where it spread from this book. The author does a surprisingly good job at condensing so much history into a short book like this. I think it's worth reading to have a general understanding of Islam and its history.
At the start he talks about the different sects of Islam. I believe he talked a lot about the different schools of thought for the Shiites and not enough about the different schools of thought of the Sunnis. I think he could have talked about how the different schools of thought for the Sunnis were chosen and how they came to be.
There is a mistake he makes in the book where he says that the devil in Islam is an Angel, which is not true. In Islam, we believe the Devil is a Jinn, or demon, devil, whatever you want to call it. It is not the same type of creation as angels. He reached the "Ranks" of Angels because of how much he loved and worshipped God, but he himself was not an Angel.
I learned a lot about the history of Islam and where it spread from this book. The author does a surprisingly good job at condensing so much history into a short book like this. I think it's worth reading to have a general understanding of Islam and its history.
January 24, 2011
A little disappointing for such a highly rated book, this is a good basic introduction but has rather too many unexplained/uncontextualised terms which makes for rather dry reading and the description of Islamic intellectual and political history, while broad, is a little to skimpy and general. That said, it does give an interesting Further Reading list at the back.
*****
Some notes, certainly not everything, only what I found especially interesting and philosophically challenging. I try to summarise and quote as far as possible, and have every intention to abstain from any subjective comment.
"The present work... is written from within the Islamic perspective and from the traditional point of view, from the perspective of the sacred and universal teachings of Islam as they were revealed and later transmitted over the ages. This point of view stands opposed to both modernism and its complement, so called fundamentalism, and speaks from the view of those Muslims who have remained faithful to their sacred traditions despite the onslaught of the secularising forces... and reactions to those forces in the form of narrow 'fundamentalism' or extremism..."
Sunni vs Shia:
Sunni (majority, except in Iran) -- chose Abu Bakr, friend of the Prophet, to succeed the Prophet (Muhamad) as caliph after the latter's death; believe this person's role is to protect the law, act as judge and rule the community.
Shia -- believe that Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, should have bcome caliph instead; believe that in addition to the above political/governing functions, the role included powers to interpret the Koran and in fact possessed inward knowledge and spiritual power equivalent to the Prophet's. This person is called Imam -- the word 'imam' is generally used in Sunni Islam to refer to a spiritual or worship leader, but in Shia Islam is used specifically to refer to a Prophetic leader, of whom there have been twelve, and the twelth of which has disappeared but not passed away but is extant in the world and will return as Mahdi (Messiah), with Christ also appearing as his follower.
The Arabic word that corresponds to 'religion' in English is 'al-din'. However, 'religion' comes from the Latin root 'religare', meaning 'to bind'; while 'al-din' comes from 'al-dayn', which means 'debt'. Religion in the Arabic mind implies repaying of debt to God, and involves the whole of life, as a means of repaying not specific gifts but the gift of the whole of life itself. Religion is thus also inseparable from life.
The Prophet in Islam does not play the role of Christ in Christianity -- he is not God incarnate or God-and-Man, but human, yet he is the perfect human. This is based on a view of human nature that does not carry the concept of 'sin' as per Christianity -- humans did not commit 'original sin' and then require salvation, but (as I understand) are still potentially perfectible, only have forgotten their perfect nature, and can re-attain it through submission to God. God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam -- Satan's (Iblis) error was not to tempt the humans in defiance of God, but rather, a refusal to bow to Adam, who was installed on earth as God's servant and vice-regent. The human being is essentially an intelligence, and a will, which needs to be guided through divine revelation; the 'fall' is in giving oneself to passions and thus forgetting the inner primordial nature.
(I'm not sure I explain the Islamic concept of human nature all that well, see here in the comments section, the one from May 13, 2001, for a clearer explanation)
"Islam also sees human nature in its permanent reality as standing before God and reflecting like a mirror all of His names and qualities, while all other creatures reflect only one of some of His Names".
The Shari-ah, or divine law, "is like the circumference of a circle, each point of which represents a Muslim who stands on that circumference. Each radius that connects every point on the circumference to the center symbolises the Tariqah (the Path) and the center is the Haqiqah (the Truth), which generates both the radii and the circumference. The whole circle, with its center, circumference and radii, may be said to represent the totality of the Islamic tradition. One can follow one of the radii to the center, but only on the condition of beginning at the circumference -- hence the great significance of the Shari-ah, without which no spiritual journey would be possible and the religion itself could not be practised."
Islam, Iman, and Ihsan -- the first means 'surrender', the second 'faith', the third 'virtue', or beauty. All who accept the Koranic revelation and surrender themselves to God are 'muslim', they possess 'islam', or surrender. Those Muslims with intense faith are referred to in the Koran as 'mu'min', or possessing faith, 'iman'. Those whom the Koran calls 'muhsin' are those who posses 'ihsan', or virtue -- a high level of spiritual perfection, the attainment of which allows humans to live constantly with the awareness of being in God's presence.
Jihad -- means simply 'exertion in the path of God', one meaning of which is a struggle to protect Islam and its borders, but really refers to "vigilance against all that distracts us from God", and includes any innocuous religious act, from performing the daily prayers on a regular basis, to fasting, etc. The whole of life may be viewed as a constant jihad between the carnal soul and the demands of the immortal spirit within -- the Prophet said once to his companions after a major battle for Islam: "Verily you have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jiahd", whereupon a follower asked what the greater jihad was, to which the answer "to battle against your passionate souls".
*****
Some notes, certainly not everything, only what I found especially interesting and philosophically challenging. I try to summarise and quote as far as possible, and have every intention to abstain from any subjective comment.
"The present work... is written from within the Islamic perspective and from the traditional point of view, from the perspective of the sacred and universal teachings of Islam as they were revealed and later transmitted over the ages. This point of view stands opposed to both modernism and its complement, so called fundamentalism, and speaks from the view of those Muslims who have remained faithful to their sacred traditions despite the onslaught of the secularising forces... and reactions to those forces in the form of narrow 'fundamentalism' or extremism..."
Sunni vs Shia:
Sunni (majority, except in Iran) -- chose Abu Bakr, friend of the Prophet, to succeed the Prophet (Muhamad) as caliph after the latter's death; believe this person's role is to protect the law, act as judge and rule the community.
Shia -- believe that Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, should have bcome caliph instead; believe that in addition to the above political/governing functions, the role included powers to interpret the Koran and in fact possessed inward knowledge and spiritual power equivalent to the Prophet's. This person is called Imam -- the word 'imam' is generally used in Sunni Islam to refer to a spiritual or worship leader, but in Shia Islam is used specifically to refer to a Prophetic leader, of whom there have been twelve, and the twelth of which has disappeared but not passed away but is extant in the world and will return as Mahdi (Messiah), with Christ also appearing as his follower.
The Arabic word that corresponds to 'religion' in English is 'al-din'. However, 'religion' comes from the Latin root 'religare', meaning 'to bind'; while 'al-din' comes from 'al-dayn', which means 'debt'. Religion in the Arabic mind implies repaying of debt to God, and involves the whole of life, as a means of repaying not specific gifts but the gift of the whole of life itself. Religion is thus also inseparable from life.
The Prophet in Islam does not play the role of Christ in Christianity -- he is not God incarnate or God-and-Man, but human, yet he is the perfect human. This is based on a view of human nature that does not carry the concept of 'sin' as per Christianity -- humans did not commit 'original sin' and then require salvation, but (as I understand) are still potentially perfectible, only have forgotten their perfect nature, and can re-attain it through submission to God. God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam -- Satan's (Iblis) error was not to tempt the humans in defiance of God, but rather, a refusal to bow to Adam, who was installed on earth as God's servant and vice-regent. The human being is essentially an intelligence, and a will, which needs to be guided through divine revelation; the 'fall' is in giving oneself to passions and thus forgetting the inner primordial nature.
(I'm not sure I explain the Islamic concept of human nature all that well, see here in the comments section, the one from May 13, 2001, for a clearer explanation)
"Islam also sees human nature in its permanent reality as standing before God and reflecting like a mirror all of His names and qualities, while all other creatures reflect only one of some of His Names".
The Shari-ah, or divine law, "is like the circumference of a circle, each point of which represents a Muslim who stands on that circumference. Each radius that connects every point on the circumference to the center symbolises the Tariqah (the Path) and the center is the Haqiqah (the Truth), which generates both the radii and the circumference. The whole circle, with its center, circumference and radii, may be said to represent the totality of the Islamic tradition. One can follow one of the radii to the center, but only on the condition of beginning at the circumference -- hence the great significance of the Shari-ah, without which no spiritual journey would be possible and the religion itself could not be practised."
Islam, Iman, and Ihsan -- the first means 'surrender', the second 'faith', the third 'virtue', or beauty. All who accept the Koranic revelation and surrender themselves to God are 'muslim', they possess 'islam', or surrender. Those Muslims with intense faith are referred to in the Koran as 'mu'min', or possessing faith, 'iman'. Those whom the Koran calls 'muhsin' are those who posses 'ihsan', or virtue -- a high level of spiritual perfection, the attainment of which allows humans to live constantly with the awareness of being in God's presence.
Jihad -- means simply 'exertion in the path of God', one meaning of which is a struggle to protect Islam and its borders, but really refers to "vigilance against all that distracts us from God", and includes any innocuous religious act, from performing the daily prayers on a regular basis, to fasting, etc. The whole of life may be viewed as a constant jihad between the carnal soul and the demands of the immortal spirit within -- the Prophet said once to his companions after a major battle for Islam: "Verily you have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jiahd", whereupon a follower asked what the greater jihad was, to which the answer "to battle against your passionate souls".
June 18, 2025
Islam – Religion, History and Civilization by Seyyed Hossein Nasr – a great book on this subject is Islam, A Short History by Karen Armstrong and my note on it is at https://realini.blogspot.com/2023/10/...
8 out of 10
Reading about Islam and other religions can be illuminating, sometimes frustrating, and could lead to redemption, Insha’Allah, which is why I dedicate some attention and time to this topic, however, I am not sure you will gain much, if anything by reading these lines, so here is my spoiler alert, you have been warned…
And there go my two potential readers, I have this blog where there is nothing but an isolated Accidental Tourist https://realini.blogspot.com/2013/07/... landing on my pages, but resilience, as in that Serenity Prayer, which has some stoic undertones, and sounds so sage, if only we apply it
‘Lord, Give Me Wisdom “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” These familiar words, often seen on plaques, were written by the American theologian, Richard Niebuhr, and is commonly known as “The Serenity Prayer.”
We have a world which seems at conflict destined to grow bigger, Israel has attacked, and presumably killed the Hezbollah leader, I thought I have the name, but it does not matter, indeed, the names of the loathsome must not be given prominence, and this could lead to a larger war, engulfing Iran, then USA and maybe Russia, China…
Ergo we need to understand better Islam and other ideologies, dogmas of the enemy, presumed, or possible, and we see that this is a religion of peace, the very name is based on that, and like the other faiths, many of them anyway, the excesses come from misinterpretation, like the zealots of the Inquisition
You have fanatics everywhere, good and bad on all sides, which is one of the main reasons why racism, discrimination are so stupid and wrong, whenever you have, say one hundred folks, you will get the Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and looking at the history of the movement, we find some fabulous aspects there
One date that came out recently is 751 and the battle of Tara, of which we learn little (nay, it is nothing) in the West, and it was a crucial moment in the history of the world, the clash between Islam and China, which ended with the victory of the former, and the result was the Islamization of Central Asia and the Turkish peoples
We know in this part of the world about Poitiers, the place where the Muslim armies were stopped in their conquest of Europe, they engulfed Spain, and they were about to become masters of France, only that came to an abrupt end, while only a little later, they could prevail over the armies of the Chinese emperor…
The Chinese have had allies, they were led by a Korean general, and Turkish clans were on their side, to begin with, and because they switched sides, the victory belonged to the Islamic groups, and then after this, Central Asia would become their ‘dominion’, we have also the Turks becoming not just Muslim, but spreading this further
The Islamic rulers were very clever, for centuries we could argue that that was the most important civilization on earth – after writing this, it feels like deleting it, but then why not admit to mistakes, debating myself here and saying it does not work that way, there were also the Chinese and others and it is about difference
Outliers https://realini.blogspot.com/2013/05/... by Malcolm Gladwell is a classic of psychology, arguing that the 10,000 hours of study, or exercise over ten years is a formula for success, and the stupendous author looks at the culture of the Far East, mainly China and the ways they have had
The cultivation of rice is at the heart, and this requires complete attention, there is a saying there to the effect that you can rise with the sun only a few days per year, maybe five, and then you have to keep the exact amount of water, too much or too little will ruin it, whereas in the ‘West’, there was another crop that was essential
Maize, wheat do not demand the same amount of time, you cultivate in spring and harvest in autumn and in winter you can sit on the stove (over simplifying, absurd, I know, but still) and that is a huge contrast, and it explains why Koreans, Chinese and others have this attitude towards work, problems, and why Dragon mothers are so impressive
Islam allowed those conquered to keep their faith, they were free to worship their own saints, and their victories are better explained that way, different populations embrace the Muslim ways, rules, those were not imposed on them, and we have such a wide territory covered in such a short time, and superb buildings from Cordoba to Baghdad
Alas, some of the leaders of our time choose to impose a different doctrine, one of violence, and against civilians, all in the name of…peace, and I especially refer to October 7, when Hamas killed and took prisoners in Israel, while their doctrine is one of wiping out this state, something you find in the policy of Iran
So this is a horrible situation, wherein terrorists could spark another world war, just by claiming that their reading of the Koran has jihad translated as a war to kill the infidel, and while their holy book has some excesses, just like the rest, my understanding is that this jihad refers mainly to a war within yourself, to fight the evil we all harbor, and yes, the other side has committed terrible acts, but Hamas and Hezbollah are heinous and need to be eliminated in my view
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
8 out of 10
Reading about Islam and other religions can be illuminating, sometimes frustrating, and could lead to redemption, Insha’Allah, which is why I dedicate some attention and time to this topic, however, I am not sure you will gain much, if anything by reading these lines, so here is my spoiler alert, you have been warned…
And there go my two potential readers, I have this blog where there is nothing but an isolated Accidental Tourist https://realini.blogspot.com/2013/07/... landing on my pages, but resilience, as in that Serenity Prayer, which has some stoic undertones, and sounds so sage, if only we apply it
‘Lord, Give Me Wisdom “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” These familiar words, often seen on plaques, were written by the American theologian, Richard Niebuhr, and is commonly known as “The Serenity Prayer.”
We have a world which seems at conflict destined to grow bigger, Israel has attacked, and presumably killed the Hezbollah leader, I thought I have the name, but it does not matter, indeed, the names of the loathsome must not be given prominence, and this could lead to a larger war, engulfing Iran, then USA and maybe Russia, China…
Ergo we need to understand better Islam and other ideologies, dogmas of the enemy, presumed, or possible, and we see that this is a religion of peace, the very name is based on that, and like the other faiths, many of them anyway, the excesses come from misinterpretation, like the zealots of the Inquisition
You have fanatics everywhere, good and bad on all sides, which is one of the main reasons why racism, discrimination are so stupid and wrong, whenever you have, say one hundred folks, you will get the Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and looking at the history of the movement, we find some fabulous aspects there
One date that came out recently is 751 and the battle of Tara, of which we learn little (nay, it is nothing) in the West, and it was a crucial moment in the history of the world, the clash between Islam and China, which ended with the victory of the former, and the result was the Islamization of Central Asia and the Turkish peoples
We know in this part of the world about Poitiers, the place where the Muslim armies were stopped in their conquest of Europe, they engulfed Spain, and they were about to become masters of France, only that came to an abrupt end, while only a little later, they could prevail over the armies of the Chinese emperor…
The Chinese have had allies, they were led by a Korean general, and Turkish clans were on their side, to begin with, and because they switched sides, the victory belonged to the Islamic groups, and then after this, Central Asia would become their ‘dominion’, we have also the Turks becoming not just Muslim, but spreading this further
The Islamic rulers were very clever, for centuries we could argue that that was the most important civilization on earth – after writing this, it feels like deleting it, but then why not admit to mistakes, debating myself here and saying it does not work that way, there were also the Chinese and others and it is about difference
Outliers https://realini.blogspot.com/2013/05/... by Malcolm Gladwell is a classic of psychology, arguing that the 10,000 hours of study, or exercise over ten years is a formula for success, and the stupendous author looks at the culture of the Far East, mainly China and the ways they have had
The cultivation of rice is at the heart, and this requires complete attention, there is a saying there to the effect that you can rise with the sun only a few days per year, maybe five, and then you have to keep the exact amount of water, too much or too little will ruin it, whereas in the ‘West’, there was another crop that was essential
Maize, wheat do not demand the same amount of time, you cultivate in spring and harvest in autumn and in winter you can sit on the stove (over simplifying, absurd, I know, but still) and that is a huge contrast, and it explains why Koreans, Chinese and others have this attitude towards work, problems, and why Dragon mothers are so impressive
Islam allowed those conquered to keep their faith, they were free to worship their own saints, and their victories are better explained that way, different populations embrace the Muslim ways, rules, those were not imposed on them, and we have such a wide territory covered in such a short time, and superb buildings from Cordoba to Baghdad
Alas, some of the leaders of our time choose to impose a different doctrine, one of violence, and against civilians, all in the name of…peace, and I especially refer to October 7, when Hamas killed and took prisoners in Israel, while their doctrine is one of wiping out this state, something you find in the policy of Iran
So this is a horrible situation, wherein terrorists could spark another world war, just by claiming that their reading of the Koran has jihad translated as a war to kill the infidel, and while their holy book has some excesses, just like the rest, my understanding is that this jihad refers mainly to a war within yourself, to fight the evil we all harbor, and yes, the other side has committed terrible acts, but Hamas and Hezbollah are heinous and need to be eliminated in my view
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
January 15, 2009
I purchased Islam: Religion, History and Civilization by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, as it received numerous excellent ratings and reviews on Amazon.com, but I just couldn’t get past the first chapter. Not only is the text filled with unexplained religious terminology, but it’s written in a thoroughly obtuse style. I mean, it’s full of sentences like, “Unity cannot manifest itself without entering into the world of multiplicity, yet this manifestation is the means whereby humanity is led from multiplicity to Unity.” Huh? Anybody have any recommendations for readable books on Islam?
June 20, 2008
Nasr telah menjelaskan Islam dan sejarahnya. Bagi yang belum mengerti bagaimana permusuhan antara syiah dan sunni terjadi, buku ini harus dibaca. Namun perlu diperhatikan benar, bahwa Nasr menulis dari sisi Syiah yang kental, karena memang dia seorang Sayid dari mahzab Ali. Harus sangat berhati- hati untuk tidak terbawa... ya disaring lah mana yang bisa dipakai mana yang tidak.
December 15, 2013
Unfortunately this book didnt give me the type of historical detail I was looking for, I would call it more of "An Overview of Islam".
February 17, 2019
It is shocking that this was written by a respected scholar, because this wasn't a scholarly piece of writing. I was, of course, expecting a sympathetic treatment of Islam, the author being a notable Muslim scholar, but it went far beyond that and was basically an apologia for Nasr's personal beliefs with an interlude of historical summary of Islamic political history. Nasr's antipathy towards the West and moral blind spot towards Islamic history are revealed even in his diction, perhaps unwittingly, as he routinely describes Western expansion, both physical and ideological, in violent and harsh terms, but Islamic expansion in neutral ones, e.g. Western "conquering" vs. this or that Islamic dynasty "spreading" or "moving eastward/westward/etc." The book risked descending into a full-blown screed against what the author clearly perceive's as the decadence and abhorrence of Western "modernism."
If you want to know all about the Nasr's beliefs and bug-a-boos and neuroses, then this is the book for you. If you want a scholarly, clear-headed, coherent treatment of Islam, then this is not the book for you.
If you want to know all about the Nasr's beliefs and bug-a-boos and neuroses, then this is the book for you. If you want a scholarly, clear-headed, coherent treatment of Islam, then this is not the book for you.
April 8, 2025
An initially very good book that deteriorates as it proceeds, largely for the disappointingly vague penultimate chapters on the intellectual history of some of the great Islamic thinkers and traditions. For example, you come away with no understanding whatsoever as to the importance of figures like Ibn Arabi, only that "they're very important canonical figures."
There is also far too much listing of important thinkers in chronological order with whom the average uninitiated reader will have no familiarity. It's tough to summarize so much in so few pages—something that he does very well in the first half of the book—but it goes steeply downhill in the final 50-60 pages. Still: he writes well, has a vast encyclopedic knowledge, knows how to take the long-term view, and has the important distinction of being able to present these things from the position of a deeply well-informed believer, so it's still a book worth reading.
There is also far too much listing of important thinkers in chronological order with whom the average uninitiated reader will have no familiarity. It's tough to summarize so much in so few pages—something that he does very well in the first half of the book—but it goes steeply downhill in the final 50-60 pages. Still: he writes well, has a vast encyclopedic knowledge, knows how to take the long-term view, and has the important distinction of being able to present these things from the position of a deeply well-informed believer, so it's still a book worth reading.
August 14, 2025
This book offers a broad introduction to Islam, but its assumption of prior knowledge may make it challenging for readers unfamiliar with the subject or with Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s work. Nasr himself notes that the book builds upon his earlier titles, "Ideals and Realities of Islam" and "The Heart of Islam", which in many ways serve as essential precursors.
The introduction’s discussion of Western intellectual approaches to Islam — from the medieval period to the present — is particularly insightful. Likewise, Chapter 6 provides a concise yet informative overview of Islamic history that stands out as one of the book’s strengths.
While it contains valuable insights, this work doesn’t quite reach the heights one might expect given Nasr’s stature. It’s a decent book, but not among his finest.
The introduction’s discussion of Western intellectual approaches to Islam — from the medieval period to the present — is particularly insightful. Likewise, Chapter 6 provides a concise yet informative overview of Islamic history that stands out as one of the book’s strengths.
While it contains valuable insights, this work doesn’t quite reach the heights one might expect given Nasr’s stature. It’s a decent book, but not among his finest.
July 20, 2025
Section on Sharia was shockingly thin & cursory. Could definitely do with elaborating on the different schools of Islamic law as they are, I think, fundamental to understanding their civilization. Otherwise was okay
April 12, 2022
I learned a lot more on Wikipedia, looking up things that were referenced but not explained or given context.
October 12, 2013
Syyed.H.nasr seems to correlate the spread of islam especially eastward with sufism's thoughts ,to which he tried more or less to attribute this virtue to them discretely.
eventhough their significance -sufi- in different aspect can not be neglected.
except for the last two chapter , the whole idea and subjects that were implicated here , were repeated in other books of the auther .
the two last chapters that I have enjoyed reading them ,chapter7((schools of islamic thought and their history )) where he gave a substantial distinction between fundamentalism and traditional islam .
chapter 8 -the last chapter-
islam in contemprary world
it was obvious that the auther is opposing modernism completely therefore he is not willing to accept applying any modern science and technology in any field to intrepret islam as a fact , religion , culture and style of life.
eventhough their significance -sufi- in different aspect can not be neglected.
except for the last two chapter , the whole idea and subjects that were implicated here , were repeated in other books of the auther .
the two last chapters that I have enjoyed reading them ,chapter7((schools of islamic thought and their history )) where he gave a substantial distinction between fundamentalism and traditional islam .
chapter 8 -the last chapter-
islam in contemprary world
it was obvious that the auther is opposing modernism completely therefore he is not willing to accept applying any modern science and technology in any field to intrepret islam as a fact , religion , culture and style of life.
April 26, 2016
Only once before have I recycled a book before having finished it. I recycled it because I wasn't willing to risk wasting another person's time, not even two minutes, which might have happened had I attempted to sell it to a used book store. I didn't finish this book, but I sure am done with it. What a stinker. I picked it up as part of a long term program to become less contemptuous of Islam. Fail. Every spiritual trek must lead through a reconciliation with our best understanding of the physical world. The dingbat who wrote this book simply sets aside the results of two hundred years of scientific discovery to preserve his delusion. I would have given this book zero stars but that might look like I simply hadn't rated it. Can I give it negative stars?
February 2, 2017
An excellent book on Islam from a traditionalist Sufi scholar. I was compelled by the similarities between Islam and my own faith of Christianity: the faith possesses a view of nature, the organization of society and daily life, an eschatology and Judgment Day, and an overall worldview now unlike the Christian faith. The theological conflicts between salvation by faith or by works or between knowledge by faith or reason are also not unlike the historic debates of the Christian tradition. The sections on Islamic philosophy and metaphysics, Sufi mysticism, and the relationship between modernism and fundamentalism in Islam were wonderful as well. A fantastic introduction to Islam for anyone interested!
May 7, 2014
Not bad. If you're looking for a book that gives you a sense of Islam, it's history, the impact it has had on civilization and so on, it will give you that. At it's best, you get a sense that the sweep and ark of Islam is far greater and more important than the media presentation here in the United States. But, the fundamental flaw of the book is that it tries to cover too many particular facts (names, events and so on) in too little space. In the process, it gives short shrift to all of them. The book is best used as a first skim before diving into other books that will provide real depth.
March 4, 2015
This book is defintely a great introduction to Islam for three reasons: it's geared toward a western audience whose view of Islam is most likely veiled by the news and 9/11, it's written by a practicing Muslim who is a well known scholar on both Islam and Islamic philosophy and the book is kept to its essentials, both in theology and history. Beyond being very informative, one gets a sense of how deep the Koran can be as well how rich the symbols are. I highly recommend this to both non-Muslims and Muslims alike.
July 19, 2015
As a native Muslim, I of course found most of the part about what Islam is very basic. Yet the part about the geographical history of Islam as well as Islamic civilization was brief, informative and can be considered a basic synopsis to the history of Islam as a civilization. Also, the part reciting the history of Shiites was very informative as well as the one concerning Sufism.
On the other hand, some topics needed to be tackled in a simpler manner especially that the book is supposed to be for non-expert non-Muslims.
On the other hand, some topics needed to be tackled in a simpler manner especially that the book is supposed to be for non-expert non-Muslims.
December 13, 2012
Overall an easy and breezy read that rarely expounds on any topic whether historical, philosophical, or theological. With that, it does cover a panoply of topics and is probably good for finding people or concepts then looking up additional details in other publications. So a reference of sorts for those with a limited Islamic vocabulary or scope of knowledge.
January 18, 2015
This is a book to get introduced to Islam, its pillars, history and some modern insights, either you are Muslim or non Muslim.
I give it 5 stars for its concise style though thorough as well as for all the references of further readings ..
After reading this book, one understands fully the meaning of a devoted life to seeking knowledge!
I give it 5 stars for its concise style though thorough as well as for all the references of further readings ..
After reading this book, one understands fully the meaning of a devoted life to seeking knowledge!
October 22, 2008
concise but comprehensive - not a good primer on Islam but a great supplement to some basic knowledge of the religion and a perhaps slightly-more-than-basic knowledge of Middle East, N. African, and South/SE Asian history.
February 12, 2013
A good resource for learning more about Islam...I like this book because it has an overview of a lot of different concepts with a reference guide for additional reads in the back. I really enjoyed this book because I felt like I was able to add on to my current studies of Islam.
October 12, 2015
With the exception of the breakdown of the different Muslim faith based tribes throughout history (which was much too long), I truly enjoyed this book. Now I have a much better understanding of Islam. It's short. Can be read in a few hours.
January 28, 2016
Very quick read. I was given it in the morning and finished it by night... thanks to some long reading times during a mani/pedi and haircut - haha! Good introductory guide with easy, condensed history. Helpful and recommended as a good primmer.
February 1, 2010
For my Religions of the West class. Yippee!
Read
July 25, 2011Excellent, if at times a tad idealistic, intro to Islam by one of the true scholars of the subject.
Read
August 7, 2011the book is thorough but not quite as fascinating as his previous work.
October 5, 2011
Very interesting read for a lapsed Catholic. It was recommended to me by a trusted academic and I enjoyed it.
November 19, 2012
A very general introduction. Very well written. I felt that it was slightly partial, but it is obvious that the author is an excellent academic.
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