Ислямът: Световна история

by Ed Husain, Ед Хюсеин, Борислав Стефанов (Translator)

„Ислямът започна като непознат“, казва Пророкът Мохамед. „Един ден отново ще се стане непознат.“

Пропастта между исляма и Запада се разширява. Една вяра, изповядвана от почти два милиарда души по света и богата на философски идеи и традиции, в съвременните представи се е превърнала почти в синоним на заплаха.

„Ислямът. Световна история“ на Ед Хюсеин - роден и израснал в Източен Лондон в семейство на мюсюлмани - обхваща всички елементи от ислямската култура и история. В какъв исторически контекст е възникнал ислямът? Кой е Мохамед и какви са постулатите му? Какви са законите на шариата? Върху какво стъпва ислямското изкуство? Какво пише в Корана и как е тълкувано то от съвременни ислямистки групировки? Откъде идва напрежението между древния мистицизъм и буквализма на екстремистите, което заплашва и мюсюлманите, и хората около тях?

„Ислямът. Световна история“ е всеобхватно и проникновено изследване на всички елементи, които съставят една от водещите религии в нашия свят – неизменна част от всекидневния ни живот, но все така непозната.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, History, Islam, Politics, Spirituality, Middle East

344 pages, Paperback

First published May 23, 2017

Reviews

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was brought up Catholic but other religions have always intrigued me. Living in a cosmopolitan place like London, I feel lucky to have friends with different religious beliefs including Islam and I'm proud that in 2016 London has become the first major European city with a Muslim mayor. In the last two decades, Islam in the West has been judged, condemned and often portrayed as something to fear. Islam is largely misunderstood mainly due to the western stigma surrounding Islam associated with radical Islamists. However, there is a wide spectrum and differences in the Islamic practices between Muslim countries and while some adopt progressive thinking and equality, others sadly chose to go the other way.

"Muslims are shaping world events and constantly feature in the news, yet few among us genuinely understand them, so that our behaviour tends to be based on ignorance at best, or half-truths at worse."

House of Islam is a well-researched book that provides a comprehensive overview of the history and theology of Islam starting with Islam's origin and Prophet Mohammed through to the differences between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims or the popularity of Sufism. The second part of the book focuses on Islam in the 21st century, including the formation of the radical group ISIS in the recent years and their destructive worldview. The chapters I found the most interesting and horrifying at the same time, were chapters on sexuality, and women and their status and position in the Muslim society. There are significant differences between Muslim countries in the perception of women. While over 90% of population in Turkey thinks men and women should have the same legal rights, in Saudi Arabia or Egypt the statistics are shockingly low at 61 and 57 per cent respectively. Unbelievably, "in seventh century Arabia, Muslims were among the most advanced of communities in terms of recognising women's human status and granting them right." Unfortunately that did not last. Today's Islamists in their determination to oppose the West and its feminism and women's liberation, promote prudishness and require women to cover up, arguing that the West is home to decadence and immorality. Sadly, they fail to realise it is the men themselves and their attitude that is the threat here.

The House of Islam was a very insightful read that I would recommend this book to everyone regardless of their faith.

Many thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I am not a religious person, I am intrigued by the intricacies of all of the religions. Islam fascinates me the most, and not only because of the events of past few years and decades. There has been a lot of focus on the terrorist attacks around the globe, where the perpetrators have been overwhelmingly Muslim. These attacks have substantially been carried out against Western countries. The reason given by those perpetrators who are still alive, is the bombing of Syria. But is there a deeper reason to why they seem to target the West more than anywhere else?

For centuries scholars have debated the meaning of the words in their Holy book. The earlier Qur'anic passages urge peace, restraint and conciliation, the later ones exhort violence. These are obviously polar opposites, so how should they be taken? Due to the divergence of these passages, those who subscribe to either one cannot win the argument over which should take precedence.

Needless to say, there is a huge problem regarding the interpretation of all of the religious books, not just the Qur'an. One individual may have a completely different understanding of their text to another. Also, times have changed considerably from the days these religious books were written, this can also alter how their passages are interpreted. There is no-one left on earth that can clarify the meaning so, basically, this results in lots of opposing views inside of the same religion, and the creation of sects.

I agree with the synopsis of THE HOUSE OF ISLAM, wholeheartedly. Most people in the West, see Islam as something to be feared rather than understood. I feel the media and others have exploited the fear in Western citizens by creating sensationalist headlines that stoke the fire of hatred towards the Muslim world, in the same way the extremists have exploited the passages of the Qur'an to suit their own ends. Graeme Wood, in his article, "What ISIS Really Wants", puts it like this, "violent groups have interpreted verses to endorse their violent actions". And... there we are, back to interpretation again!

This book aids understanding of the Muslim faith and discusses how the West can help Muslims to confront those who are destroying Islam from within. It was a thoroughly engaging read, that is great for those who know a bit about Islam but equally is easily readable by those who are curious to know more. It appears to have been written especially to target those who may have pre-conceptions about the Islamic faith, the author rightly requests you set those aside in the introduction.

This title has taught me a lot about the history of Islam. It is accessible and extremely well-researched. I did a bit of digging on the author and believe that he is more than qualified to write this important book. Husain is a British Muslim, raised in London, and is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, a former senior advisor at the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, and co-founder of the Quilliam Foundation, a counter-extremism organisation.

I feel that THE HOUSE OF ISLAM would answer a lot of the questions present in Westerners minds about Muslims and the Islamic religion so I urge those who have learned all they 'know' about Islam from the TV or from newspaper headlines to read this. It will give you a much better understanding of the nuances and history of Islam.

Highly recommended.

I would like to thank Ed Husain, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Lili Kyurkchiyska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ако книгата бе излязла през студентските ми години, със сигурност щяха да я въведат като задължително четиво в дисциплината "История на исляма". Защото тя е отлично въведение в проблематика, която не се ограничава до научната мисъл. Тя е част от нашето всекидневие и тъй като вярвам, че е задължение на всеки от нас да се осведомява от надеждни източници и да проявява критичност, а не да повтаря като папагал дочути фрази, с радост ви я препоръчвам, за да отговори на въпросите ви. Авторът пише за вярата с уважение и преклонение, което рядко се открива в наши дни и от което можем да се поучим.

P.S. Благодаря на издателството, че представи тази чудесна книга на българските читатели. Но моля, внимавайте повече следващия път. Печатните грешки бяха направо дилетантски.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

After listening to a History Extra podcast interview of Ed Husain in which historian Tom Holland repeatedly interrupted and talked over the author, I immediately went looking for book in question-- it was clearly the only way I was going to find out what Husain actually had to say. Link: https://www.historyextra.com/period/m...

Holland, someone whose work on the ancient world I usually enjoy, was the writer and presenter of a controversial 2012 tv show called Islam: The Untold Story. The programme's most contentious arguments were that the Quran was probably not told in full to Muhammad by Allah and that Mecca probably wasn't Muhammad's home. The show caused numerous complaints and the validity of Holland's research was disputed (BBC News report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm...) As such, he was an interesting choice for an interviewer, though he had also written about the rise of Islam in his book In the Shadow of the Sword: The Battle for Global Empire and the End of the Ancient World with less controversy. In one sense, I agree with Holland's point that any aspect of history should be open to investigation and debate, but there is perhaps a way to do it, and that does not include a deliberately antagonistic attitude. I talk about this only because in the podcast, Ed Husain takes the overly long questions, cutting in, and challenges with real grace. And that is exactly how he presents his own views and research in this book.

Islam is on fire- and the arsonist still lives there

Detailed, intelligent, and evaluative, Husain's book offers a highly personal and engaging exploration of faith. This is about understanding what Islam has been and what it is now, with no sense of holding back on the horrors caused by sectarianism, especially the Sunni-Shi'a schism, the Salafist movement, or ideological extremism. Yet he also highlights and celebrates the devotion, compassion, and tolerance emphasised by the Prophet as the true heart of Islam. For him, the distortion of these essential values by political Islamists, extremists, and terrorists is a disease that can be treated, if both Muslims and non-Muslims act now. His suggestions might not offer the cure all many would wish for, impossible as that is, but his calls for connection with the founding principles of Islam and an outright rejection of space and protection for those violently acting against such ideas seem like a sensible start.

It's a book that urgently confronts the dominant modern rhetoric that Islam is inherently destructive, aiming to replace misunderstanding and fear with knowledge and an open attitude. In the political and religious climate of today, it feels like essential reading.


ARC via Netgalley

[Lee Peckover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an absolutely outstanding and fascinating look at Islam which has given me a huge amount of insight I could not have accessed otherwise.

As an outsider looking in, Islam and much of what formed the core of the belief system around it can seem a little confusing and difficult to access. I have previously made attempts at better understanding Islam without much success. I have worked in schools in which 90% of the children I taught were Muslim, I have visited Mosques, and I have read The Quran. And yet, I was still left feeling like I had learned little of what was really important to the Muslim community I lived and worked among. I still felt like an outsider trying to look into the house of Islam and finding the curtains to be drawn shut. It is a difficult religion to explore from the outside. A huge part of this is to do with how communities have developed over time, but another fundamental part of this is how Islam is approached as a subject area in UK schools.

Much of what is taught in school today (I am mainly discussing primary schools here) is very similar to what it was when I studied RE in school myself twenty years ago. It is a subject area which develops slowly and can be frustratingly overlooked. A lot of this has to do with it not making up a core part of the UK National Curriculum. This, and a combination of poor training in RE teaching coupled with pressure on teachers to deliver in other subject areas deemed more important mean that children today are often given a very limited look at religion delivered by people who themselves likely had a very limited study of religions other than their own.

No doubt the result of much of this superficial study of religion forms a basis for the face value only way in which religion is presented by media and therefore how it is looked upon by many people from outside of the religion itself. Often we are given a very basic one sided view and this creates a bias which is hard to avoid without knowledge of alternate views and accurate research. What this books does brilliantly is present a balanced look at numerous versions and parts of Islam and adherents of different forms of the religion.

Books like this are exactly what are needed to help in education. This is the sort of text that can allow adult readers a look in far greater depth at religions while still being an accessible book which avoids putting readers off. This is a well written, well crafted and brilliantly researched look at Islam. I only wish I knew of books as good as this on every major religion.

[Somethingsnotright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ed Husain is a fair and reasonable source of information on Islam. He and Maajid Nawaz are the co-founders of Quilliam. They are anti-extremist and can almost make me believe Islam can be liberal. Almost. It is a religion ripe for reform. However, the majority of Muslims, and the Quran, reject any possibility of reform. It is a shame. One reviewer noted the contrast between the early, more peaceful passages in the Quran and the later, decidedly less peaceful ones. The answer lies in the "law of abrogation".

Ultimately, Islam does what it says on the tin. Therefore, only 2 stars are possible due to the core precept of this book being so problematic. However, props to Mr Husain, and any Muslims who regard themselves as liberal and/or moderate, for even raising the possibility of enacting change.

[Nazmus Sadat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I am quite confused about my thought of this book because of not having enough concrete base or knowledge to understand my standpoint with the writer’s thought processes and opinion.

Firstly, let’s talk about the stuff that I liked about this book. It was an easy read to be honest. It would help anyone to understand the lineage of Islam, how it began, its spread, the denominations and their formation, racism and separation among themselves, the empires who defined and carried Islam (Mughal / Ottoman), why they collapsed, politicizing the religion, how all this contributed to the rise of extremism where Islam is actually the beacon of hope and religion of peace.

Now, I believe all the historical references, he brought are not accurate and I would request readers to do their own research. Also, I felt that the author was heavily biased towards Sufism. I appreciate the contribution that Sufis has made to Islam, and they have been integral in certain areas of the world in spreading the faith, but the author speaks of them as the most successful and only true way to propagate Islam and they are the only one who is liberal and tolerant, on the other hand, Salafi’s are literalist and bad. In those discussion, I think writer Ed Husain became very opinionated.

Furthermore, I would request the readers not to take what some of the things the author said as facts as some of the claims he made are wholly inaccurate (I am sure despite having a very little knowledge). So, kindly do your own research to clarify things if you have doubt. In a few of the cases, I felt the writer provided misleading information to cater to his western readers. Key arguments lack adequate citations in many areas as well.

With my little knowledge, what I believe, in an attempt to portray Islam as the modern religion, he gave too much misleading and wrong information. In the beginning of the review, I thought I am not sure about the book, but while writing the review things got a bit clearer to me. You can read this book as undoubtedly this book is informative, in many cases well researched and written with a good intention but ended up giving many misleading and false information. So, I would not recommend this book to anyone.
2.5 ★/ ★ ★ ☆

[Hrishikesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that left me largely disappointed.

First the positive - despite the book being a global "history", it does not focus on being an exclusive history. It also deals with cultural matters, societal norms and contemporary developments. This multi-disciplinary approach is appreciated. There is much that the author gets right in the book - for instance, the view that Salafism-Wahhabism forms the epicenter of the challenges of terrorism; or the argument that the West (predominantly the U.S.) does not sufficiently understand or respect Islamic religion & culture, which is an essential prerequisite to engagement. The author also presents an interesting (and important) perspective on why Jihadism works.

That being said, the book fails on many accounts.

For one, there is an overwhelming Arabic focus. The Muslims of Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the West, are almost entirely missing from the narrative.

Two, the author broadly adopts a defensive role. There are some stances taken that simply cannot be justified - for instance, ISIS taken Yazdis as sex slaves as an outgrowth of sexual conservatism in the Middle East. For a person who starts off with a mature intent, the author falters.

Three, the "historical account" is incomprehensive. I expected greater details in the early history of Islam. In many parts, this book had as much depth/information as a Wikipedia article.

Four, the author presents his perspective, yes. But quite often, the perspective is not adequately supported by relied-upon facts. There are, at times, more "views" than facts.

An interesting book, that has quite a lot to offer; unfortunately, what it offers is not enough.

[Vidhya Thakkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The house of Islam tells about the different aspect of Islamic Culture. This book is divided into four parts, a millennium of power, the rise of anger, the rise of the west and the loss of Muslim confidence and Islams global staying power. Each part describes the depth of Islamic culture.  What is Islam, who is Muslim, Their culture, their history, their struggle, everything is described by the author in a crisp way.  This book has detailed information, facts about Islamic culture, their situations. The writing style of the author is amazing. He described the facts, the stories in such a creative way, That it was easy to understand and relate to the story.  This book is a well-researched book, with a completely different perspective. The story started in an engaging way describing religion. It becomes more interesting as it proceeds. Politics, corruption, Injustice, Education and many other topics are discussed by the author which gives us a new perspective. There are some verses and poems by Hafez which are wonderful. This book is an eye-opener for each and everyone.

Also, I loved the cover of the book. It's as beautiful as the book.

Though it's a heavy read but then This book is full of Information, facts and a completely new face of Islamic culture. It's a Must read book.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Islam: A Global History by Ed Husain was a truly fascinating read and very insightful.

I am a Muslim but I was born and raised in Australia. I found a lot of the issues that Husain discussed very foreign to me. I was raised by my immediate family and extended family that promoted eduction, equality, respect, follow the law and to learn for ourselves. As a girl, teenager and now young woman I was never told what I have to wear, where to go, what to do, when to do it, who can and cannot be my friends and not to talk to boys etc., I was encouraged to pursue studies at a higher level, to accomplish my dreams and to think for myself. My late grandmother would always tell her grandchildren that there is not more important than education. My grandmother who was illiterate would listen to epic stories read out loud to her by her late husband. My grandmother's wish was her sons and daughters to be educated and they were. To read and write is a right of all humans. This isn't just an isolated incident with me. I am not the exception to the rule. There are millions of people like me. Look at Malala's father, he fought for the right for his daughter to be education since she was a child. Look at Mohammad Hadid who supports his daughters Gigi and Bella to pursue their careers as models. The King of Jordan Abdullah has never made his wife or daughters wear the hijab, are educated, part of social media and are modern everyday Arab women. There are the ordinary people (aka not famous) out there, living the same life as me (whether in Australia or around the world). Of course there are those who are not so lucky either.

There is a lot that needs to improved on but it is much more difficult said then to be done. Afghanistan has spent 30+ years under the rule of the Taliban. It is going to take that many years + to rebuild, re-educate and regrown to what it was in the 1970s. Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya are facing with so much internal issues, wars, terrorism, financial and social issues. The Gulf countries don't seem too bothered as long as it doesn't impact them. There needs to be accountability from the West on the meddling in Middle-Eastern politics. There also needs to be accountability from the Middle-East for their own issues as well.

It was well-written, respectful and I think very insightful.

Overall, 4.5 stars.

[Asmaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a Muslim and Arab myself, I don't see this book reflecting the reality of Islam as a religion or the Muslim world. I agree with some of the facts highlighted in this book especially with issues currently happening in the middle east but the author keeps on missing the point. First, he doesn't describe the view of Islam and what Islamic sharia considers right or wrong, I think that's what's most important for someone being introduced to Islam and would answer most questions running in people's minds. Second, it consistently highlights misconduct within the middle east, many is true, it might be even more than just what he highlighted. The historical references he brought are not all accurate and he should've been clear that he was only expressing his own opinions and whatever views he highlighted in this book are of his own and not of Islam. It would've made more sense to me if he highlighted the issues brought evidence from Qur'an and sunnah that prove it wrong and why. For example, he said women at the time of the prophet Mohamed, peace be upon him, walked in the streets of Madina topless to express their freedom, where did he get this from, there's nothing in the books of history, and I'm talking those books scholars agreed were good and not corrupted, highlighted any of this. The fact is free women before Islam were properly covered, the head covering came later, but they were covered and a free woman before Islam had an honor and never allowed a stranger man to touch her unless they got married. He thinks getting married without dating is the main cause for problems and then divorce, we as Muslims who believe in Allah, prophet Mohamed pbuh and all prophets do not believe that is true. In Islam, every male in the girl's family is responsible to do all the due diligence necessary to make sure the person they are about to give their daughter to is a good, well-behaved, respectful man who knows his religion and would listen to advice, willing to change if he should and have a family with the objective of pleasing Allah. Now, this author said women and men should date before marriage, this has nothing to do with Islam. I can go on and on. I see this book as a highlight of bad practices in the middle east, that are mostly cultural and have nothing to do with Islam. The title of this book is very misleading, it has absolutely nothing to do with Islam.

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book as it appeared to be just what Islam needs today to explain itself to the non-Muslim world. However, it came across as too apologetic in many places. I strongly disagreed with the author's chapter on the Israel/Palestine issue. His recommendations for the future of the Middle East had holes in it that even I could poke through... and I am not any kind of political expert or historian. For example, he proposes that the Middle East should make peace with Israel so they, too, can experience the innovation and investment that Israel enjoys without ever exploring WHY Israel has had success in these areas. He just assumes it is because the ME is not at peace with Israel. I found statements like this very disappointing and superficial. On the other hand, some of his explanations of Islam are excellent. I enjoyed the detailed history of Salafism and Sufism. My sense was the author should stick to the history and leave the politics to others.

[Tanzeel haider · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will give this book 2/5 stars - a just passing mark

I found lot of problems with the author present his opinions in lot of matter. Till the time he was mentioning historical facts, all was okay, the sections where he opines on something - that caused problems. The author should understand that not all Muslims will have same thoughts, same understanding, same solutions to the problems but he presents it like that. He wants the world to have peace, but Islam focuses more on justice than peace. To the author, having the West's approval, apologizing to them for the crimes 'they' did, bettering the PR is what Muslim should focus on. In the conclusion he provides 3 way solution and all of them is focused on Middle East, where not more than 40% of Muslim population lives. He found Salafi Wahabi are at wrong end and then uses that as a hammer to hit every nail he finds.

Several other things which I found not worth coming from a Muslim:
- He asks, what's in the female Muslim hair, why can't they leave it open? Seriously? And this author considers himself to be part of "House of Islam" and he doesn't even know the answer to this.
Ayesha bint Talha niece of the Prophet's wife Ayesha refused to wear veil - the narrators of this incident are not reliable and hence cannot be considered true.
To him covered women in Muslims countries are oppressed and the male of the society who are to be blamed. If only this author had taken time to interview few females instead of simply assuming, then he would have known what the Muslim females really want.
- He wants women to lead prayer as a sign of freedom and liberation of Women- OMG is that the kind of freedom he want? He is unaware that never ever Prophet said that. If prophet could say Fatima to be the leader of females in Jannah, if Ayesha his wife could narrates so many Hadith, why didn't Prophet ever announce any female Imaams?
- He says scrutinize Hadith with human logic - OMG! again! Hadith had already been scrutinized much (understanding who narrated, when and why - the context) and and only then there are classifications such as Sahi (True), Fabricated, Weak, etc. He scrutinize the content as well....that will leave the door to avoid every Hadith then, wouldn't it?
- About Israel he says "it is full of great people - for how much longer do these people suffer annihilation?" and also "Hamas is a terrorist organization and Israel is only retaliating" Seriously do the author even hear himself. The Palestinian refugees are considered to be world's largest human crisis. UNO has condemned Israel many time because they have done greatest human rights violations in the last half century. Why didn't the author mention all these. But he wants Muslims to be apologize.
- King Hasan of Morocco handed over vital intelligence on Arab plans to Israel and he becomes a hero for him, but a group who wants protect one's own family and community and want to fight back the oppression are terrorist and they must be stopped. WTH!
- He mentions dervish swirls around, takes the energy from right hand and passes on the left hand which then goes to Mother earth - "Mother earth" which house of Islam did he learnt that?

I will stop here....

[Suraj Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Originally published on https://booksnmyself.wordpress.com *

The House of Islam by Ed Husain is a remarkable book that clears several misconceptions surrounding Islam. In this book, he accounts for the present situation of Islam, that is for the negative spotlight in which it is viewed in the present time. He does so first by explaining what Islam truly is and then goes on to trace the course of Islam after the Prophet’s death which eventually led Islam to where it is standing presently.

The book is divided into four parts. In each part, he views Islam from different dimensions. He gives thorough knowledge and deep insight into certain concepts of Islam that are often misunderstood. For instance, the Sharia law and Jihad. Among other topics of concern, he talks about the Sunni-Shi’a conflict, Sufism, Salafism and also about what Islam actually says about women, education and sex.

The author’s intention in writing this book is to bridge the widening gulf between Islam and the west. And it is this very intention that makes this book a must read for the present generation. But does the author succeed in achieving his task? Well, he does. He makes the readers understand what Islam truly is and how it has come to be misunderstood and viewed as something that is quite contrary to its true nature.

It is imperative for everyone (including the Muslims too) to understand that the Prophet’s idea of Islam was not what most of us see Islam today as. It is the extremists’s wrong conception of Islam and their wrong interpretations of the Prophet’s sayings that has led to the decline of the Muslim world.

Although the author does succeed in showing a clearer picture of Islam, he forces upon the reader certain things that could have been left out of the book. Several chapters of Part II and Part III seemed unnecessarily exaggerated to me. These topics could have been shortened and even covered in one long chapter. It is here that I felt the author lost the track.

Besides this I enjoyed the book a lot. It is an expository and insightful book. It sure does provide an insider’s view of the Islam. Recommended for sure.

My Rating: ****(3.75/5)

[Sakshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-fiction has never been my game. It's too full of facts, too dry, too realistic with lengthy sentences. I find reading fictionalized accounts of real events much more enjoyable and relatable rather than reading about the event itself. The House of Islam changed that.

The book talks about a topic that is centuries old and yet so relevant in the modern world. It talks about the origins of Islam, the nature of its people, their struggle into acceptance into society and how despite all that they don't just survive, they thrive and prevail because of the strong foundations of their religion. In Hinduism, people have these days become more concerned with the tangible idea of having an idol, a place of worship itself. We pray, and we forget. But in Islam, you live your religion every breathing moment. Reading this book made me realize that Islam is not just a religion, for Muslims, it is a way of life.

This book has been an eye-opening event for me. It's not that I was anti-Islam or misunderstood the religion. I just didn't know. That ignorance has been cured a bit. The book is enriching and rewarding. I have never been a fan of non-fiction but this one I just couldn't put down. I'm sure I'll be coming back to this reading again in the future and as a consequence, other readings of other cultures and religions as well. The writing is absolutely immersive and captures you through the perfect balance of the stories of Prophet Mohamed and the current status of the Islamic world and it's relationship and impact on the rest of the world. A review on the cover says that it's should be compulsory reading and if I had to give a review in one line, that would be it.

[Tissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful look at Islam and the historical journey of 'modern' muslims. It captures the political/economic struggles between religion and the West and even the layered intricacies of Arab vs non-Arab muslims.

The author also has a way of shining a light on things that you may have already known but he frames them in a very pragmatic and articulate way. For instance the passages on the Enlightenment era - many of us know that some of the 'great' philosophers came up with some interesting and groundbreaking ideas on life but they were also very arrogant, flawed and racist individuals. This kind of gets whitewashed/ignored in the school books but I'm glad whenever it's pointed out.

I found the writing style was almost conversational which kept the pace moving nicely - like you're in a lecture hall having a discussion with your professor. It's a very engaging book but there were some blocky passages which could have done with tightening up. Overall though it was very informative and quite balanced.

[Rachel Dick Plonka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book is obviously coming from a more Western/liberal approach, and I really appreciate that he was able to be very candid about the issues facing the Muslim and Arab world, including jihadism, Salafism, and oppression of women while still conveying the beauty and mystery of the Muslim faith.

[Nick Parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal, clever and clear, House of Islam: The Hearts and Minds of a Billion Believers was a wonderful surprise. I saw it at the library and picked it up without ever having heard of Ed Husain. What I found was a brilliant book that juggled an ambitious scope with a smart structure, clear writing, interesting historical titbits, spiritual reflections and practical policy measures.

I shouldn't be surprised. Ed Husain's previous work—The Islamist: Why I Joined Radical Islam in Britain, What I Saw Inside and Why I Left—was widely acclaimed and all but predicted the rise of ISIS. This book is equally insightful and, in particular, the chapters on Sufism, Salafism, Israel and humiliation provide food for thought.

I do have a gripe with the references. Some chapters have only one reference and often it is hard to know which Qu'ranic verses or hadiths the author is referring to. A more in-depth bibliography would have made this book more versatile: while it is great of a general audience, it is probably not suitable for academics to reference.

Finally, I should note that there is a lot Husain says I disagree with (e.g. conservatism as a solution). Still, he convinced me of a whole lot too!

And so for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, House of Islam: The Hearts and Minds of a Billion Believers will provide much to mull over.

Here are some of my favourite quotes because boy oh boy have I got a lot of sticky notes plastered on the pages of this book.

•"Just as Jews and Muslims venerate prophets and cherish their tombs, so too does the modern, liberal West its philosophers." (10)
•"Only 20 per cent of the Islamic world's population is Arab, but the conflicts and ideologies shaping global Muslim communities stem from Arab countries of the Middle East... the Muslim world is undergoing a renewed Arabisation, led by Saudi Arabian-influenced Salafism and the international activism of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood." (12, 40)
•"In the age of Twitter and free-flowing information, this accusation, heinous to Sunnis, is being revived by Shi'a clerics, who depict Ayesha, her father Abu Bakr, and others as murderers." (47)
•"The second-most important source is the traditions of the Prophet Mohamed [the hadiths]... the difficult is in knowing whether the Prophet really said the things attributed to him". (65)
•"And then everything changed. In 1789... France witnessed the overthrow of a repressive royalty, attacks on the clergy, the ransacking of chruches, discarding of tradition, and the veneration of godless thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau. It was Voltaire who has entertained audiences by writing plays for French theatre mocking Muslims and their Prophet... A brash, new, modern, civilisation grew from the corpse of European Catholicism — and within a decade sent its emissary to the Muslim world". (106)
•"The Tanzimat reforms sought to Westernise fully... homosexuality was decriminalised in 1858, more than a century ahead of Britain's legalisation of gay rights." (109)
•"Islam, for al-Banna, was more than a relationship with God... 'Tell me, Brothers: if Islam is something other than politics, society, economy and culture, what is it then?'" (124)
•"Prominent Saudi clerics, such as the popular television personality and author of school textbooks Saleh al-Fawzan, have declared in recent years that 'slavery is part of Islam'." (135)
•"Maqasid al-Sharia, or the five Higher Aims of the Sharia... essentially to preserve life, religion, property, family and human intellect." (147)
•"From the very earliest days of Islam... there was a group of people who claimed to be within Islam but against whom the Prophet Mohamed issued a warning.... I am referring, of course, to ISIS and its allies... King Abdullah of Jordan correctly identified them as Kharijites." (156)
•"Now, however, with the exception of Tunisia's transition to democracy, the dignity, social justic and freedom sought by the Arab uprisings has been taken away again. The Arab's great sense of loss and defeat has been handed down to yet another generation." (172)
•"We [need to] reinstate Arab thymos by supporting the democratic and reformist strains within governments and civil societies." (177)
•"The Jews belong in the Middle East, and deserve a dignified and safe home, as do the Palestinians who have been languishing in refugee camps for three generations." (186)
•"Today, book-reading culture (except for religious material) is nearly absent in most Arab countries. An Arab individual reads on average a quarter of a page a year." (196)"

[Maryam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note to self:

What an absolute shame, I am greatly disappointed.

If I could describe this book, it felt like the author was continuously knocking on the West’s front door but, never really being invited in. A complete apologist for this beautiful religion.

One commendable thing to me was the mention of Waraqah upon the prophet’s (pbuh) revelation. Waraqah is often forgotten in this story but was pivotal to the nature of Khadija’s response to the Prophet’s pbuh revelation. When I read this towards the beginning, I thought that I was going to be reading the words of someone who is critical yet upholds religious integrity. I was wrong.

My main issues:

1. This man is a Zionist sympathiser. He mentions how he is criticised for this, and Mr Husain, you always will be. The way that he wrote about the Nakba was as if it was just a necessary part of the establishment of a Jewish state. The holocaust was one of the worst tragedies in history, but will we support the establishment of a Jewish homeland via hypocrisy? Are Arab lives less valuable than the (contentious) right of Jews to a homeland? I couldn’t believe what I was reading! I wonder what his attitudes are towards the current genocide of Palestinians. This man is even reluctant to classify Israel as an apartheid state, his argument being that other countries also bestow fewer rights to whole groups within them (such as the treatment of the Aboriginal people by Australia). What I say to you Mr Husain is that, just because someone else is doing it, that doesn’t make it right. And just because someone else is getting away with it, it doesn’t mean that if called out, you should not be held accountable. A murderer caught or a murderer escaped is a murderer nonetheless. Due to the religious interest in the region, it simply means that this particular apartheid state has garnered more attention than others and so is more likely to be called out. And no sir, the disrepair of the Dome of the Rock has nothing to do with the Muslims. They barely have basic human rights in that land let alone have the ability to fundraise enough money to maintain the Al Aqsa compound. What a joke.

2. The way that only the romantic elements of Islam were celebrated here really bored me. Islam is concerned with spirituality yes, but equally it is a religion of practicality. If someone strikes you, you have a right to strike back, though it would be better to forgive. If you want to remain a Muslim in the sight of God, you must observe your 5 daily prayers. These are just some examples of the practical and unapologetic nature of Islam that Mr Husein so very conveniently sidesteps. Sufism is a deeply spiritual branch of Islam that is very admirable. Sufis worry less about the rules and more about intentions and the condition of the heart. In other words, this branch of Islam is digestible to the West and I suspect it’s why the writer has an affinity for it. Then we had the author’s commentary that was quite anti-salafism/Wahhabism. I completely understand his viewpoint but denoting a whole sect to terrorism is just silly. Salafis as a whole do not condone terrorism. Most “Islamic” terrorists identify as Salafis but not all Salafis are terrorists. The writer failed to make this distinction which could have gone a long way in demistifying Salafism. I suspect that the writer’s time in Salafist Saudi turned him against the sect, but there are Salafis around the world who do not incite violence and terror on others. The main issue between regular Salafis and the mainstream Ashaari creed followers are their literalist interpretations of Quranic verses/Hadith and whether or not to follow a particular madhab, not who will volunteer to blow themselves up today! I want to make clear that I am not a Salafi myself. Most Sunnis do not practice this way either. We usually follow madhab (schools of thought) that have very clear and specific rulings. We do not apologise for these rules and instead follow them knowing that we are pleasing God. Why didn’t the writer discuss this group, the real mainstream group? A non muslim from the west is much more likely to cross paths with this type of Muslim than a Salafi or even a Sufi. It would have been more responsible to discuss this group rather than perpetuating Western stereotypes of us. The writer should have explained the beauty of our customs and ways of life. It is different yes, but it isn’t any worse off.

3. I think many Muslims are becoming overly concerned with their “duty” to comment on and oppose terrorism. In the event that a terror attack occurs in the name of Islam, we should quickly denounce it and move on. Simple. Muslims are forbidden by God to be instigators of violence and even if we are defending ourselves, we are not allowed to transgress. I just think that we are giving too much time to these terrorists, ascertaining as to whether or not we consider their actions to be within the folds of Islam. Of course it’s not within the folds of Islam, next question! We need to separate ourselves completely from these lunatic people, which includes writing about them so vehemently. These terrorists are not our business so long as we make it our business to stop mentioning them. Since we (mainstream Muslims) have stopped conflating the Nation of Islam with mainstream Islam, we hardly have any kind of confusion between the two these days despite their similar names. We need to achieve something similar with “Jihadi” based terrorism and it starts with our attitude at home, ‘in the house of Islam.’

4. Sex. This topic was handled so very poorly. The writer should not have quoted statistics for assault when it is clearly not possible to sample the entire population. To honour the sensitivity of this topic, all information related to it should at least be accurate! Men in Muslim nations like to use religiosity to justify their sexual depravity. It is a common psychological method where it’s easier to get your own way with someone if you use against them something that they love. You see, a (perverted) Muslim man is much less likely to use his religion to justify raping a non-Muslim. The non Muslim has no deep love for the religion so his psychological tricks are useless here and it’s why they mainly stick to Muslim victims. This has been the case for centuries. We know that this isn’t something that our beloved Prophet Muhammad pbuh would have condoned let alone preached/practiced.
Yet again, this narrative is getting old. Men all over the world are sexually perverse, we can’t just credit this all to Muslim men now can we?
When it comes to ordinary sex between a man and a woman, Muslims have their instruction from god. Keep it brief, keep it polite and keep it PG before marriage. So the whole justifying dating thing is again, so very silly. After the nikkah (religious marriage) is completed, a couple can enjoy one another just as wildly and passionately as a non-Muslim couple can (there are a few exceptions but they are hardly dealbreakers). In fact, the use of contraception is permitted (unlike Catholicism) because Islam recognises female desire.
Also, the idea of Arab women walking around topless in early or even pre-Islamic days is absurd. Women used to wear khimars (head coverings) even before Islam was introduced. Sexual exploration was only celebrated within the confines of marriage. Even oral sex was not customary and was often used as a curse (the act was looked down upon). And this was all in pre-Islamic Arabia. So again, the notion that women were roaming around topless in Arabia is absurd.

I don’t want to spend any more time bashing a fellow Muslim’s writing. I wish him well and may God preserve him. However, I urge Mr Husain to really seek out God, even if it means that it may make his Western colleagues uncomfortable. Nothing is sweeter than pleasing your lord in the very manner that he decides.

[Murtaza Kuwarawala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so many reviews pending at this moment and have been procrastinating for quite a while on when to post the same. A lot of contemplation and I finally decided to take charge and go ahead on doing what is right which is helping people around chose good book. It has been a pretty long time since I picked up a Non-fiction book and this book turned out to be the perfect contender with everything that goes around the world. Read ahead to know my take on the book.



Blurb:



'Islam began as a stranger,' said the Prophet Mohammed, 'and one day, it will again return to being a stranger.'



The gulf between Islam and the West is widening. A faith rich with strong values and traditions, observed by nearly two billion people across the world, is seen by the West as something to be feared rather than understood. Sensational headlines and hard-line policies spark enmity, while ignoring the feelings, narratives and perceptions that preoccupy Muslims today.



Wise and authoritative, The House of Islam seeks to provide entry to the minds and hearts of Muslims the world over. It introduces us to the fairness, kindness and mercy of Mohammed; the aims of sharia law, through commentary on scripture, to provide an ethical basis to life; the beauty of Islamic art and the permeation of the divine in public spaces; and the tension between mysticism and literalism that still threatens the House of Islam.



My Take on the book:



As I had mentioned earlier, its been really long since I have picked up a non-fiction book and I did not know how to approach to review this one. Being a muslim myself, there were quite a few things that I was already aware of and this book is pretty straightforward in what it has to portray. Unlike many books that focus on religion, this book does not entirely try to give an image makeover to Islam but does sound pretty balanced on what is right and what is wrong.



Being a non fiction, quite a lot of historical references is added and as a person who used to dislike history in school days, this book was quite a surprise. The language is quite easy to grasp and the author has done a pretty good job making it simpler for people following other faiths.



The book has been divided into four parts where each focuses on different aspects of Islam. From analysing the differences between various clans/sects to their relationships with others to how the perception of the people have changed over the years, this book talks about it all.



This is basically my second book on Islam and when I compare this with the earlier one, this one is much more elaborated. If I had to give an opinion on this book, I would say, go ahead, pick it up but make sure you have an unbiased mind before delving into this one. I'm sure you will love reading it and have a much broader perspective on Islam is all about. Also, the cover of the book is very beautiful and I would like to thank Bloomsbury for providing me a review copy of it.



My Rating : 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 5



Book in Three Words : Informative. Elaborate. Myth-buster.

[Vidur Kapur · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written, informative, scholarly work from Ed Husain. House of Islam is a fascinating look at the history of Islam, but also a sombre reflection on how Islam has mutated over the centuries. For hundreds of years, its followers created relatively pluralistic and tolerant societies, confident enough to be open to new ideas from Greece, India and elsewhere. Yet, with the rise of Wahhabism in the 18th Century, the deadly alliance of this puritanical form of Islam with the Saudi regime, and the collapse of the Mughal and Ottoman Empires (the latter of which, among other things, legalized homosexuality in 1858, more than a century before Britain), the house of Islam has become increasingly insular, bitter and parochial.

This has only been compounded by recent technological developments, which allow regular Muslims to bypass scholars and theologians (who find it increasingly hard to make a living in Islamic countries) and arrive at their own interpretations of Islam, or, worse still, lead them into the hands of the Salafists and Wahhabists (many of whom, Husain notes, are engineers and doctors, not students of theology, history or philosophy). This "democratisation" has led to the complexity of Islam - through which Husain expertly guides the reader - being obscured. However, in some parts, Husain could have given the reader a better sense of just how orthodox or heterodox some of the theology he was writing about was.

Overall, though, this was an excellent book, and those of us who aren't Muslims can only hope that Husain's arguments win the day. He is also right to advocate for a Middle East Union - similar in scope to the European Union - to attempt to heal that fractured region, which has in any case, as Husain points out, been struggling with the Westphalian nation-state model imposed upon it by the Western powers.

[Susan Steed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is attempting to do a *lot* of things. First, it is trying to explain key concepts of Islam, secondly to chart out key historical events in Islam, Third apply all this to current challenges within Islam and the rise of ISIS, as well as set out the authors personal political viewpoints.

I found this stuff on Islam through history most interesting, and feel I understand now why attitudes within Islam, e.g. like drinking wine, are so varied in different regions. Although this is about the 5th time I've tried to read about the differences between Sunni and Shia I think I've just about got it now.

He brings in some political viewpoints that I would have like explained a bit more, that naturally Adam Smith type economics goes well with Islam, and any sort of socialism is a no go, but wasn't much to back this up.

He also does rather beautifully explain what it means to live with the divine:
“Everything from her Halal breakfast to her choice of modest clothes is influence by Islam, as explained in the Quran and lived by the Prophet. Through each act, she experiences and taste the joy of faith and feels her should growing ever nearer to a state of peace. A materialist, sceptical mind cannot easily surrender or submit to such divine ways. The world Islam share the same root as the Arabic istislam, or surrender, which also leads to another derivative, Salam, or peace. Through surrender to God, therefore, the soul finds peace.”

[Uday Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell for the book as soon as I saw the beautiful cover and as I started to read it I was adoring the writing style which was so subtle and interesting that it made me read the first of the four parts of it in a single day. And as I moved forward, the book dealt with the whole understanding of Islam as a religion, a culture and a historical heritage, which is so diverse and rich in itself that I wasn't sure if I'll be able to take it all in at once, but thanks to the author's creativeness, the book never felt like too much.

In the first segment of the book, named as A Millenium of Power we get to know the origin of Islam with the story of Prophet in detail from his birth and establishment of Kuran to the scenarios after his death whose roots are still spreading in various different seen and unseen forms even today. I also learned how the Islam is not only divided into Sunni and Shi'a but actually even more groups and knowing the difference between their practices, their habits, praying style isn't that hard too. 

And I dove deeper into it, the stories of all kind and the variations of the came forward to explain to me how people who have heard only one side of it may react to the others. This part of the book also unfolded a detailed history of the segment of Islam I consider the most interesting, the Sufism, and I got to read the story of one of my favourites, Rumi. 

Some of the stories in it inspired me, some taught me a lesson and many were just the result of some political and corrupt agendas which left me thinking. 

The second part of the book gave us the deepest analysis of the diversity in Muslim opinions that we see today along with the influences of various other communities towards it. The most interesting segment of it was the connections behind all the militant groups and the thoughts driving them, making even suicide bombing an act of justice. There were many pages in it which just made me think how confused and actually wrong I have been about various historical moments and people. 

This part has followed the changes Islam went through as the west rose to power and how the community that once ruled and developed most of the planet was struggling, and it somehow made me feel a deeper connection as a human towards these stories and explanations. The points of dedication and morals made me rethink how I've been treating life and how much more I can explore about all the other communities present out there. 

Before moving to the next part, I actually got a knowledgeable friend to explain me the writings of the book and somehow his words matched the book's and I gained more confidence to break some wisdom barriers in my life. 

The fourth and last part of the book tells us the glory and power that Islam still holds and how it will affect the future for the whole planet deeply connecting everything that I've read so far in this book and also got me thinking how many efforts must have been given to the book by the author to bring out such a masterpiece with almost every answer to the questions my mind was erupting with. 

This book is the bridge between the west and Islam, between the ignorant and wise and I can easily recommend this to everyone beyond their nationality, caste and religion. More than being wise, this book was also enjoyable which kept me going on.

[Diyali Bhattacharya · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world where there are shootings in schools, countries going up in smokes, hatred and meaningless killings, all in the name of holy religion, The House of Islam becomes an important book. It strives to return faith in a religion that has faced scrutiny since time immemorial. It provides a birds-eye-view of Islam as a religion and informs the ignorant about its various nuances.

Being a British-Muslim, the author's viewpoint acts as the perfect juxtaposition of both the Eastern and Western ideologies, thus giving his readers a very detailed view of the entire situation. A layman can well expect to know the basics of Islam by the time he finishes the book. In fact, Hussein allows us a thorough understanding of his culture and makes us believe that Islam is a religion which should not be feared. He lingers on the beautiful teachings of Prophet Muhammed, dealing with his and the religion's origins. This book not only attempts to state that Islam should not be feared as it is today but also gives a proper historical background by staying true to its title-The House of Islam: A Global History. Wonderfully researched, this book offers a deep insight into almost everything related to Islam. It pleads with its readers to accept Islam in its truest form, not the violent, bloody side that we know today, but the peaceful, harmonious version. No wonder it has been branded as "compulsory reading" by Peter Frankopan, author of "The Silk Roads".

[Abantika(hiltonjenkin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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House of Islam is a fascinating book that explores Islam from the very start . It tries to give us an engaging introduction to the religion from Mohammad, through the struggles, to the modern times. And does an impeccable job at that. The book is very well researched and the facts stated are so very informative, insightful and intriguing. The writing is also very easy to follow and thus keeps even a layman invested in the book.

It separates the original Islamic ideas and cultures that were stated by the prophet himself from that which are just propagated by the media or the pseudo religious leaders. It talks about the misperceived ideas that most people have about Islam's take on race, gender and sexuality. It shows us a picture that today's media won't.

I recommend this book to EVERYBODY. To the Westerners, the Easterners and also to the people to consider themselves to be the follower of this religion. I promise the journey would be delightful and eye-opening.

[Jonatan Risåsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very insightful and tells a lot about Islam that I never knew. It is a great starting point for getting into Islam, especially for people from the West that mainly see negative headlines about the middle East and Islam.

Great reflections of the feelings Islamic societies collectively feel today and how these feelings are relevant to the West.

One thing I do not like about the book, is that the author often brings up negative things the West have done in order to "justify" things we view as bad in the Middle East today. To me this seems like a kind of victim mentality the author explains does not help the Middle East.

I also experience the author as quite pro-Ottoman and that this view shines clearly through the book.

[Shahiron Sahari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, enlightening and very readable work by a former extremist who is now working as a bridge between East and West on Islamic issues, especially on the scourge of the Salafi-Wahhabi school - ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram etc - whom he argues are descendants of the original Kharijites from Mohamed's time and are really considered 'outside the religion'.
The problem is that, with funding from Saudi Arabia, these groups are having an outsize influence on the world and on other adherents to the religion.

[Rita Lønn Hammer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ikke så lett å gi en vurdering på denne. Jeg personlig syns den var vanskelig å lese, det er mye navn, steder, årstall å forholde seg til. Det er nok jeg som leser som ikke klarer å forstå alt jeg leser , at det blir litt komplisert. Men når det er sagt er det interessant å lese hvor alt startet, hvilken forskjeller det er ettersom hvilket land man praktiserer sin tro, og hvilke gamle historier man velger å stole på. Sånn sett ble jeg opplyst . Boken er nok sikkert en bedre nok for de som ikke trenger å konsentrere seg så mye som jeg. Jeg måtte lese en del to ganger for å forstå .

[E.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 How do I look at religion ? Religious texts have multiple interpretations. I ignore the religious texts/teachings and look for laws, societal behaviour and patterns in data. So, for example, if blasphemy/apostasy is punishable in all Muslim-majority countries, I will assume that it is a part of religion. It certainly is the most plausible interpretation followed by the religious.
This book takes the opposite approach. It talks of "The House of Islam" and the teachings of the religion. And the author sought to make the best case for his religion as a liberal, egalitarian, humanist, feminist and modern force.
This book gave me both hope and despair. Hope that more and more Muslims interpret their religion like the author. Despair that it may be impossible - for a no. of reasons.

[Rati Kobakhidze · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is not so much a history and certainly not a global history of islam, rather it is an interesting work that provides insights into the essence of Islam and helps us to better understand this religion. It also provides a compelling argument against extremist and literalist wings of Islam. Despite the somewhat misleading title, it is worth reading for everyone interested in Islam and the Middle East.