TheFirst MuslimsHistory and Memory

by Asma Afsaruddin

A fresh look at the origins and development of Islam, this is a fascinating reconstruction of the formative era of the Muslim community. Using a wealth of classical Arabic sources, it chronicles the lives of the Prophet Muhammad, his Companions, and the subsequent two generations of Muslims, together known as the the Pious Forebears. This accessible book takes a close look at the embryonic Muslim communities and explains the impact of the earliest converts on the development of Islam and its current beliefs.

Genres: Islam, History, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality

Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

Reviews

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of the book provides a historical survey of the first three generations of Muslims. It is in this area that Afsaruddin shines. She presents a history of the first three generations that presents the complexity of what occurred. She does not present the salaf as saliheen (the righteous predecessors) only through stories of legend (which, unfortunately a lot of Muslims have fallen susceptible to) but through rigorous historical accounts. I think this part is useful for both Muslims and non-Muslims who want to gain an in depth analysis of the politics, culture, and religion of this time period. During this part, I was inclined to give the book a five star rating. What made me give this book three stars instead were the last three chapters where Afsaruddin does an analysis of how the lives of the salaf as saliheen are used by "Islamists" and "Modernists" for their own political and cultural agendas. Afsaruddin clearly believes that "Islamists" (i.e. Qutb, Mawdudi, etc.) see the first three generations through rose colored lenses that make them appear to be more simplistic and less tolerant of diversity of views than they actually were. In other words, Qutb, Mawdudi and the like were in some ways, revisionist in their history of the first generations of Muslims when it suited their needs. I agree with this assessment. However, Afsaruddin is not as critical of "Modernists". In fact, she isn't critical of them at all. Yet, I think it can be argued that "Reformists" or "Modernists" also engage in their own revisionist history of the first three generations to suit their own liberal ideals. This is inevitable. I would say that all Muslims highlight characteristics of the first three generations that align with their worldview and downplay or ignore characteristics that don't. The problem is that Afsaruddin doesn't provide the same critique of reformists. That is a pity because it would have made the book more balanced.

[Sana Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and relevant information on what happened after the first Caliphs, how, like always, certain ideologies like jihad, Shar'ia and womens rights were morphed in the later era, to suit political goals and adhere to cultural norms. The author shares the theocracies of different schools of thoughts which were born over the centuries, and how such thoughts came to be.
This is a must read for someone who wishes to understand why such stark different versions of the "authentic" Islam exist and under which historical context was it most probably influenced.

[Kaitie Mannis · Rating 4 out of 5]

clear and concise, too concise sometimes. would have liked more emphasis on female muslims, as there was NONE

[Rickey McKown · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book Professor Afsarudddin has given us a fascinating sampling of the lives, viewpoints, and significance of the first three generations of Muslims, the "Pious Forebears", as portrayed in the earliest source materials - and a look at how later generations distorted the picture to make it reflect the social and political agendas of their time. The latter portion of her book compares the invocation of the the Pious Forebears by modernists and reactionaries, arguing that in their very different understanding of Islamic governance, Islamic law, the status of women, and the meaning of jihad, it is the modernists who are closest to the mainstream of the first generations, while the reactionaries reflect the viewpoints more typical of the early Khawarij extremists and of later generations. Highly recommended.

[sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Bruce Lawrence has called it: "Highly readable and aptly revisionist..."
Excellent. This should be required reading for muslims in the West today. Even if you don't agree with her conclusions 100%, the book is a great summary of the history of our early forbears (salaf al-salih).

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is moving in its way & politically timely, but notable for an almost total lack of critical mindset. This is a political book, not a scholarly one. As Leor Halevi put it: "an important book, which should be read more as a primary than as a secondary source."

More from his review to round out the picture:

"any assessment of The First Muslims: History and Memory must vary, depending on whether the book is evaluated as a professional, scholarly work of history or as a work of politics that makes strategic use of history. ... There is some irony, of course, in any progressive attempt that turns back to the seventh and eighth centuries for inspiration. That historical focus is perhaps necessary, because hardliners have typically invoked this influential period in an endeavor to sway Muslims with their particular, regressive vision of "authentic" Islam. ... Politically speaking, her approach to history is easily defensible. ... Academically speaking, however, it results in a Whiggish history that molds the past to suit the present."

[Munir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting topic and well presented in this piece, but not an easy read. I had to keep a dictionary by my side at all times.

[Elwing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative but the ending was a bit tedious. It's a good introduction...

[Mayesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a lot!

[Saqib Qureshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking

I enjoyed this detailed and well written book. The author has an acute grasp of the primary sources, as well as the history of Islamic thought.

[Eden Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from a non-Islamic background, this book explained the history of Islam in depth, yet in an easily understandable way. Great read

[Mark Rossiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Asma Afsaruddin, who is Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at Indiana University is, on the face of it, a history of the earliest Muslims, in particular the Rashidun Caliphs (the four immediate successors to the Prophet Muhammad) and the Prophet’s other companions, both male and female, and successors. This part of the book is informationally valuable, if slightly marred by occasional digs at other religions like Christianity.

So far, so fairly ordinary; but then half way through it crackles right into life, as it takes on a discussion of four important topics in the light of what of present relevance is to be learned from these earliest Muslims, including the Prophet himself: the “Islamic State”, shari’a law, the status and role of women, and the nature of jihad, or struggle. In the course of this, she really sticks it to the radical Islamists, who turn out to be not so radical after all, but guilty of selective appropriation and willful misreading of the early texts (including the Quran) and hypocritical reliance on later, more dubious and ideologically driven sources. She is particularly scathing of their take on jihad, which “for them primarily serves to yoke the religious to their self-serving political ambitions…The position of contemporary radical Islamists that jihad refers to unrelenting military activity against all those unlike them, Muslim and non-Muslim, until the latter come around to their view of things is regarded by modernists as a desperate and grotesque distortion of a noble and morally uplifting concept, whose reclamation from the extremists is necessary and long overdue.”

This was very enjoyable reading, both on its own terms as polemic (even if presented as balanced argument), and because it is heartwarming to know that there are voices in the Muslim world so bravely taking on the forces of ignorance, bigotry, repression and violence, even though it must be at some cost to their personal safety. If only their views got more publicity.

[Wayfarer · Rating 2 out of 5]

By in large this is a well-written and readable introduction to the early Muslims, as conceived by the author. However, one is left lacking from one chapter to another, evermore seeking a detailed investigation, that never really materialises. The text is rather too cursory. Much of what is mentioned would/should be known by any semi-informed Muslim, however the text fails to bring out in a credible fashion the richness and diversity of the Islamic tradition, which would adequately describe the formative period of Islamic thought. Likewise, towards the end, there is no real nuanced look at the selected issues at hand. Perhaps, as was suggested, this would be beyond the scope of the book, but it severely undermines it's utility. There are rather interesting statements made by the author throughout the text, which are certainly debatable, indicative of the sensitive and complex nature of the undertaking. The conclusions drawn may be considered rather brash by some.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good telling of early Islam

The author tells the stories of the early leaders of Islam after the prophet. In doing so he examines their attitudes towards jihad, women, state, etc. He shows that the Islamist approach of the radical and violent extremists doors not correspond to these salaf, pure early leaders.

[Stanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent academic review of religious and political evolution of Islam. Written by a Notre Dame professor...always a plus :-)