The Call of the Minaret

by Kenneth Cragg

book

Genres: Islam, Religion, Spirituality

376 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks at Islamic history, the present state of the Islamic world (the book was originally written in the 1950s), and trends in Muslim-Christian relations. The author engaged in Christian work in the Islamic world for much of his life, and he makes a strong case for Christian witness to Muslims while also arguing for respect for Muslims and their societies.

The main problem with the book is its somewhat confused organization. It reads like two separate books in one. However, the author makes a solid case that both respects Muslims and upholds Christian witness. The fact that the book was written in the 50s is helpful as well. The author identifies some of the trends that are just now coming to the fore, but he is able to avoid the hysteria of much contemporary Western writing on Islam and Muslim societies. Highly recommended.

[Duane Alexander Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Call of the Minaret is, perhaps, the best single book to introduce the educated Christian to the Muslim world, and to questions of how Christian witness fits into that rather tense and difficult environment. The book was written in 1956 but had been republished numerous times and has not lost its combination of keen insight into Christian doctrine and practice, and the life and thought of Muslims. Also, he manages to communicate poignant critiques of Islam while also writing in an irenic and mild manner. His prose is at times fairly convoluted, and a good knowledge of history and Scripture are presupposed. In many ways, the history of missiology in the Muslim world has been a working out of many of these ideas and challenges.