A Short History of Islamic Thought

by Fitzroy Morrissey

For general readers, a compact and illuminating introduction to Islam, from its beginnings almost 1500 years ago to the present moment.

While much has been written about Islam, particularly over the twenty-five years, few books have explored the full range of the ideas that have defined the faith over a millennium and a half. Fitzroy Morrissey provides a clear and concise introduction to the origins and sources of Islamic thought, from its beginnings in the 7th century to the current moment. He explores the major ideas and introduces the major figures--those who over the centuries have broached life's major questions, from the nature of God and the existence of free will to gender relations and the ordering of society, and in the process defined Islam. Drawing on Arabic and Persian primary texts, as well as the latest scholarship, A Short History of Islamic Thought explains the key teachings of the Qur'an and Hadith, the great books of Islamic theology, philosophy, and law, as well as the mystical writings of the Sufis. It evaluates the impact of foreign cultures-Greek and Persian, Jewish and Christian-on early Islam, accounts for the crystallization of the Sunni and Shi'i forms of the faith, and accounts for the rise of such trends as Islamic modernism and Islamism. Above all, it reveals the fundamental principles of Islamic thought, both as a source of inspiration for Muslims today and as illuminating and rewarding in their own right.

Genres: History, Religion, Islam, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Theology, Middle East

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Rudyard L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was better than it had any right to be considering how difficult a topic this is to get right and also narrate. This was very well done, researched and written. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 is those are books which blow my socks off and change how I see life. This was not one of those

[Kumail Akbar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book, and these unfortunately are necessarily tainted by my exposure to an incredible alternative – the podcast History of Philosophy without Any Gaps by Professor Peter Adamson, especially the section on Philosophy in the Islamic World. that podcast, and its accompanying written book, to me are the platinum standard on how a History of Philosophy text for the Islamic or Muslim world ought to be written – you have the flow of ideas as separate sections, with earlier ideas and philosophies preceding the latter ones. This is also how you would find most history of philosophies for the western world written – whether you pick up Anthony Goettlib or Bertrand Russell.

The alternative method employed by this author involved tracing the history of Islamic theologies and the politics from which they emerged (or interplayed with) and then present competing ideas (or philosophies) narrated not sequentially as ideas but as they spar with history itself. This method gets confusing for all except for readers for whom it can already be presupposed that they know much of the history (or the narrative arc of history at least) and are only waiting for the philosophical pieces of the puzzle be plastered into their historical narratives. Furthermore, the author has to spend a lot more time discussing personalities, politics and history than they would have otherwise. While this may not have been as much of a problem for a thorough long read, it becomes a major issue for a ‘short history’ as now the author has to pick and choose between what he details, and what is left out.

And finally, the author’s lack of distinction between philosophical ideas, and theological belief systems (the book is on Islamic thought after all which is too sweeping to do justice to either theology or philosophy). All of these unfortunately, make the book unappealing, and inadequate for anyone except those who want a teaser view of the history of intellectual thought in the Islamic world. Its sole redeeming value lay in its efforts to give space to more marginal sects, schools and ideas, which smatters given how short of a read this was. Otherwise, far too many better resources out there for anyone interested in the subject matter.

Hard pass, Rating 2.5 of 5 stars rounded to 3.

[Zain Aslam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly concise history of islamic theology, philosophy, legal thought and mysticism. This book has opened my eyes to the vast depth of the Islamic tradition and how much I was not taught growing up.

A must read for any young muslims like me who did not get a proper intellectual grounding in Islamic thought and assumed it was no longer worth exploring.

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book in short stints because it kind of makes my brain hurt. I really do appreciate the Arabic translations of most essential words, original texts, and Qu’ranic verses, but I spent so much time trying to pronounce or remember them that it definitely slowed me down.

Super interesting but SUPER compact— I know it’s a short history, but maybe at the detriment of any of these names or places having staying power? Also, points conservatively deducted for the author being a British dude. Fitzroy, you’re great, but you know…

Hoping that continuing to read related content helps expand on and improve my ability to understand the relationships between historic Islamic communities and scholars :)

[Ali Akbar Zaidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a student of history and philosophy and belonging to a country like Pakistan(a country born in the name of islam) where discources on islamic history, theology, sufism, umma and sectarian divides are common practice, this book by Fitzroy is a remarkable treat to read, understand and even remember by heart.
The book is a short and brief version of islamic thought and its progression in the last 1500 years. Fitzroy does not miss anything. The contents of the book will appeal to those who know nothing about islamic history and philosophy but is an eye opener for someone who is already well-versed in the different schools of thought in terms of shia, sunni, sufi and theological concepts. The writer has made an exhaustive list of thinkers, both rational and theological. The book covers almost all schools of thought, sects, branches of radicals and includes muslim philosophers, scientists and reformers alike. The writer does an amazing job in co-relating the historical events and how they have shaped the flow the islamic evolution of thought, research, schools of arabic, persian descent of thinkers leading upto the present age.
The impressive part of the book is the comparison of the Turk Caliphate, Mughal empire and Safavid empire existing side by side. Two predominantly sunni empires and one shia. The book compares the schools of thought or madhabs and how and where they originated and how they differed in their interpretation of Quran and Sunnah. There is hardly any prominent jurist, scholar, thinker, philosopher, reformer, leader of the Muslim world who has been missed. The story of islamic thought in this book is brief but complete.
The Muslim history is divided in four parts,the time of the pious caliphs, the umayyad caliphate, the abbasids and the ottoman turk empire. The influence on islam was from four schools of sunni belief namely, maliki from mecca/medina, shaffi from mecca and hanafi from kufa/baghdad and then finally hanbali and the fifth being the Shia fiqh. Other then that, there are the ashari school of the theology and the maturidi.
The time of the umayyads was one of turmoil and then during the Abbasids, the philosophical movement became part of Islamic world. Aristotle became the first teacher and Quran and Sunnah were interpreted in rational terms. Among rationalists were Al kindi, al farabi, ibne sina among many others. In the andalusians, there was ibn rushd. These philosophers alongwith mutazilla were shunned by theologians like Imam ghazali who were later taken over by the sufi tradition set by people like Maulana Rumi and his meeting with shams of tebriz. The sufi schools namely shadilis, chistia, naqshbandi, qadriya became the torch bearers of conversion. These sufi mystics moved to different parts of the muslim empires and made a name for themselves. Among them, ibn arabi holds a special place.
During the downfall of the muslim empires, baghdad at the hands of mongols, turks at the hands of europeans and finally the dissolution of islamic territories by western powers gave rise to hardcore thinkers like ibn tamiya, ibn al wahab, allama maudoodi and others, which have given rise to puritanical versions of islam in the form of Taliban, Al Qaeda and ISIS.
With the downfall of the caliphate, reformers like Al jabari, amhur, sir syed ahmad khan were born all over and have been trying to fix the umma.
Overall, fitzroy has written a materpiece and i will be reading this book many a times. It is like a large piece of a puzzle that completes a picture. Highly recommended for anyone who does not understand or wants to the make sense of the Muslim world today, including the school of sufi mysticism and the sectarian divide all over the world.

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, readable, well-written and concise overview of 1400 years of Islamic intellectual history. I am happy to assign this book for undergraduate classes.

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a good book and i enjoyed it as much as i am capable of enjoying a history book i think. thorough! easy to read! i recommend.

[A.A. Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interpreting True Islam

*

"Reason, revelation, and mystical inspiration would all be relevant to Islamic thought"

"As a wise scholar of Islam once wrote, ‘Islam in the end must be what Muslims say it is’"

*

***

Given the limited size of this book – a mere 210 pages of text – Morrissey accomplishes his task exceptionally well; his task, moreover, is no mean feat: he sets out to chronicle the origins and evolution of Islamic thought from the 7th century to modern times.

Central to the book are the 4 main strands of the Islamic intellectual tradition: fiqh (legal jurisprudence), tasawwuf (Sufi mysticism), kalam (revealed or scholastic theology), and falsafa (philosophy); though there is evolution within and between each of these traditions, they largely dominate Islam’s intellectual tradition – particularly during the medieval (c. 600 - 1500) and early modern (c. 1500 - 1800) periods.

***

Morrissey begins his work by detailing the centrality of the Quran to Islam and Islamic thought. He also explains and describes the emergence of the schism between the early Islamic community resulting in the Sunni’s and Shia’s. I was very interested to learn how each emerged and how differences between them crystalised (quite late in the 10th and 11th century). It was also fascinating to learn that, contrary to its modern depiction, Sunni Islam was, as Morrissey describes, a form of the faith defined by compromise – and not the radicalism of present times; the origins of the schism between Twelver and Ismaili Shi’ism were largely unknown to me and of equal interest to learn.

Morrissey swiftly moves onto the early historical period of Islam. Here he outlines how each tradition originated, and how it developed over the ensuing centuries. Fiqh grew out of the ulema’s devotion to collecting and transmitting Quranic knowledge, and what they saw as their task the interpretation and teaching of divine law. Later, the 4 main Sunni madhhabs (schools of thought) developed (the Maliki’s, Hanafi’s, Shafi’i’s, and Hanbali's) with each having their own characteristic approach to Islamic law. Later, the Ja’fari madhhab in Shia Islam also emerged.

Another tradition that grew in the early years of Islam was kalam. This emerged during the Abbasid caliphate out of the inter-religious debates between Muslim and those of other religions. Kalam had as its aim the object of defending Islam intellectually from those of other faiths. Though Islamic theology is dominated by the Ashari’s and Maturidi’s, I was very surprised to learn of the Mu’tazila’s, a theological school of great eminence under the early Abbasid rule who sought to demonstrate the veracity of the Islamic doctrine not through sword or scripture, but through (unconstrained) rationality; reason, as Morrissey details, is not foreign to Islam but native to it.

Though reason may have been native to Islam, falsafa (or philosophy) was not. As its name may indicate, philosophy was incorporated into the Islamic intellectual tradition during the translation movement under the Abbasid’s. Though it was not native to Islam, the Muslim philosophers, starting with Al-Kindi, became some of its greatest practitioners in the medieval age; philosophers like Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina and Ibn Rushd became commonplace in the libraries of the Muslim and Christian worlds. Though Islamic philosophy developed on its own, it was greatly inspired and influenced by the Greeks, not only in its personality – Aristotle, for instance, was given the honorific of al-mu’allim al-awwal (i.e., the ‘First Teacher’) – but also in terms of its foundational philosophical concepts. Philosophers and their ideations were not widely accepted, however, and in time the tradition became integrated with kalam – largely by the 11th and 12th century under the influence of Al-Ghazali and Al-Razi – leading to the emergence of ‘philosophical theology’.

Tasawwuf, the spiritual and mystical branch of Islamic thought, would also face trenchant criticism in its early years but would, by the 12th and 13th centuries, come to be widely accepted and beloved. This was likely due to, as Morrissey describes, the tempering influence of Al-Junayd, the brilliance of Ibn Arabi and Rumi, and the embrace of Al-Ghazali who, perhaps more than any other figure, helped Sufism become more widely accepted in Islamic world. Sufism placed greater emphasis on batin, the inner spiritual dimension, and not zahir, the external, outside world; each Sufi would also follow his or her own tariqa (i.e., Order). Again, like with most traditions, Sufism was not invulnerable from critique; perhaps the harshest came under the reactionary Ibn Taymiyya who, though he was of little consequence in his own age, would go on to greatly influence Islamic revivalism in the later centuries.

What was quite interesting to note as one read through the development of each of these traditions was how each sought to establish some measure of dominion over the valid interpretation of Islam: the ulema of fiqh in their interpretations of divine law; the philosophers in their reasoning and philosophical inventiveness; and the Sufi’s in the primacy of their own prescient insights. There always existed, it seems, an inherent tension between the more freethinking and more orthodox elements of Islam – it would be incorrect to label the dichotomy ‘rationalistic’ against ‘traditional’ as, Morrissey quite judiciously demonstrates, even the more traditionalistic elements, like those expressed by Al-Ghazali or the Ashari’s, were quite open in their embrace of reason, but sought to circumscribe it when they felt it went beyond their perceived purview of scripture; the consequence of this circumscribing is hotly contested and equally fascinating.

***

Islam reached its apogee – atleast in terms of conquest and dominion – during the early modern period where its great Empires (i.e., the Ottomans, the Mughals, and the Safavids) flourished. Islam’s intellectual tradition was not, moreover, neglected: from jurisprudence and philosophical theology under the Ottomans, to the philosophies of Mir Damad and Mulla Sadra under the Safavids and, ultimately, the Sufism and eclecticism of the Mughal’s, Islamic thought continued to develop in its own way – but perhaps with not as much brilliance or significance as it did during the ‘Golden Age’.

Ultimately, the Islamic world would begin its decline in the 17th and 18th century’s. Far from languishing in idleness, a new variety of Muslim thinkers would soon emerge calling for the ‘revival’ of Islam. In the Ottoman heartland’s, Mehmed Birgvi and later the militant Qadizadeli’s would preach their doctrine’s of shunning bid’a (innovation) and returning to ‘true Islam’; in the Arab world more broadly, it would be Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab who would exert greatest influence. Allying with the Sau’ds of Arabia, his thinking – largely inspired by Ibn Taymiyya – would give rise to modern day Salafism and Wahhabism. In Mughal domains, it was the Sufi Ahmad Sirhindi and, more consequently, Shah Walli Ullah who advocated for the revival of ‘true Islam’.

In the 19th century, the Islamic domains would enter another period of humiliating decline, this time at the hands of the European. This decline would give rise to Islamic modernism, based in the desire of emulating – and ultimately overcoming – the Europeans. Figures like Jamal al-Din al-Aghani, Sayyid Ahmad Khan, and Muhammad ‘Abduh, among others, would call for modernization through improvements in the education of Muslims and the adoption of Western science, economics and learning – it is interesting to note that all these various thinkers broadly held the view that science and reason were something inherent within Islam, and that by failing to uphold and continue this true Islamic tradition had the Muslim world fallen behind. Of further interest is to note how their views on the role of religion differed. Sayyid Ahmad would call for a comprehensive, rationalistic reinterpretation of scripture whilst al-Afghani would rail against this 'materialistic view' and would adopt a more utilitarian view of religious belief; it was perhaps in ‘Abduh that the strains of natural and religious science, modernity and tradition, struck the most even balance .

By the early 20th century, it would be the blended thinking of Muhammad Rashid Rida, a disciple of ‘Abduh, who combined the (circumscribed) modernism of his teacher and the religiosity and Salfism of al-Wahhab, which would ultimately win out in the Islamic world and would, in time, give rise to Islamism, a largely political ideology which sought to establish hakimiyyah, the sovereign rule of Allah, in order to resurrect Islam from its decline. This would give rise to the political ideologies of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Jama’at-i-Islami, as well as the more militant Al-Qaeda and ISIS – a most regretful development. As Morrissey summarizes, Islam today is divided into 3 broad swathes: (1) the liberal Muslims, (2) the neo-traditionalists, and (3) the Salafi’s and Islamists, each of whom seeks to effect what they see is ' true Islam '.

***
***

This work, as noted above, is very good for what it seeks to do. I have, however, some minor criticisms of it. Firstly, Morrissey, perhaps by initial design, fails to include any meaningful discussion on Islam’s contribution to science, particularly during the Islamic ‘Golden Age’; its inclusion would, in my view, only serve to further enrich the text. Additionally, much of the 200 or so pages are focused on the early developments in Islamic thought (upto around 1400 CE) and by comparison, the latter part receives briefer discussion – this, however, seems rectified given Morrissey’s recent publication on this very topic (see: The Renewal of Islam: Thinkers and Believers of the Modern Era). Lastly, though this work has a thematic-chronolgical structure, better signposting of which years or periods some of the developments occurred in would have further enhanced the reading experience. Despite these minor detractions, I thought this work was superb and is a must-read for any novice seeking to build or further enhance their knowledge of the intellectual tradition of Islam.

***




[Weak-Solid 4 Stars]

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

For what it is, a cursory account of the history of Islamic thought, it's decent. I found it more enjoyable to read than at least half of the Marxist stuff I've looked at this year. My main complaint is that an extra 50 pages or so that fleshes out modern Islamic thought from 1850 onwards would be beneficial. The book really cuts across about 400 years of development of Islamic thought in the last 50 pages, while the beginning and middle give a more detailed account of the rise of Islamic legal schools, heterodox philosophy and ghulat sects, revivalist and rationalist groups and the rise of Sufism. Worth reading.

[Rafia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Originally posted on my old blog in 2023.

I wasn't familiar with the author - I'm still not - but the title itself was the reason I felt compelled to buy it. Of all the sub-branches within Islamic Studies, theology and intellectual history are my absolute favorite. Sometimes I feel guilty that I don't like the other traditional sciences more, but I guess it speaks to my academic brain. Learning about kalam, the different arguments for God's existence, the different approaches different Muslims took... oh, I love it!

I have to admit though, I was a bit hesitant about this book, since I was not familiar with the author and had no idea what his ideological agenda may or may not be. But after having read the book, I can say he did a pretty good job with presenting the history without too much of a bias. And that's commendable. There were some turns of phrase that I took issue with, but the fact that I can't recall them presently is a sign that it really was minor. Much of this book was a trip down memory lane for me, revisiting historical figures I first learned about in grad school, but I actually learned a lot of new facts that got me excited again! Yay!

Perhaps because I was nearing the end and thus thinking about review-writing, the one criticism I would make, if there is one, is his characterization of modern-day Muslims fitting into one of three camps. Beyond the generalizations, I was not sure I agreed with his summary of Salafis, in contradistinction to neo-traditionalists and liberal Muslims, who "are not merely content to practice Islam correctly themselves, but also seek to purify others' religious practice and belief." I wrote in the margins, because I could, in pencil, as I often did in school, "Is this true?" I would wager not for the quietist Salafis, who by definition would only be concerned with their own practice.

For specialists, omission of details may prove to be frustrating, but for those interested in learning about Islamic thought or relearning it, I thought this was a really good introduction and overview. I found myself reckoning with my own Sunni bias. The author didn't leave me unsettled though. If anything, I was further reassured of my own beliefs, but nonetheless it was nice to be reminded that my very normative understanding of Islam was not the only one. I would say this is a very nonpartisan book, but Muslims of other sects may disagree. In my opinion, he was able to present the facts, make clear the biases of his interlocutors without betraying his own -- which honestly was such a breath of fresh air on a topic like this -- and it was so fascinating! I LOVED this book and am so glad I bought it.

[Seren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This rating has nothing to do with the actual religious content of this book, rather, formatting, readability and general structure.

When picking up this book, “a short history” implies it would be beginner friendly, however, this book is anything but beginner friendly. It lacks a glossary, key dates and written in huge blocks of texts with poor transitions to the next topic/person, which makes it a struggle to get through. New key figures are introduced from left to right, timelines jump backwards and forwards on each other and it is overall just a mess to read through which made me re read several sections and more often than not confused.

While the actual content of philosophy and theology was interest, although the main focus of the book, it is used sparingly. There is a huge emphasis on history, which while important, is not sectioned, but intertwined with the actual philosophy, WHILE also explaining a persons backstory, which makes it janky to read and also not very concise or focused. It feels like we jump from a range of topics too quickly and then back to another. Also, too much focus is put on history and peoples backstories, when the emphasis should’ve been (and was marketed) as the philosophy and theology!

The chapters are also inconsistent in quality. Some chapters are blocks of history, while others are purely philosophical and based heavily on quotes, which is what the point of the book is.

In conclusion, the actual content is engaging where is presented properly, but those moments are few and far between. The formatting of the book should’ve separated historical and people’s context and the actual philosophy, so it doesn’t come together as a muddy mess of confusing to navigate text. Because of the formatting, the actual content itself is also hard to recall, due to everything being lumped in together. .

Credit to the author however, for putting opposing views in every chapter. He will describe one viewpoint, then compare and contrast with another viewpoint so the reader can get an unbiased, two sided argument.

Perhaps this book would be useful to those versed in Islamic history, philosophy and theology, as a refresher, however, for beginners like me, it is not the best non fiction book to start with. Overall, it gets two stars for the interesting content, and both sides of philosophical arguments. But loses the other three to formatting, memorability and being not what it’s advertised.

[Lorenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is so free-flowing in its narrative and is very easy to read even for some who don't have much background in Islamic philosophy. Of course, the problem with a short history style of writing books, especially one that seeks to include as much information in just 200 pages, is that there will be a deluge of names, concepts and ideas that can overwhelm the reader. Another problem would be the reader would be left wanting more information on some things, as pointed out by another reviewer who said that he wished that the chapters pertaining to modern Islam would have had another 50 pages worth of discussion. But I would not fault the author for that, and in fact I think he does a great job of delivering what he promised - a short history book on Islamic thought. Nonetheless, I am giving this book only four instead of five stars, because I agree with another reviewer that there should have been a more pronounced distinction between the discussions of philosophical and theological ideas (and if I may add, political and legal ideas as well) so as to avoid confusion on the part of a reader. This silo-like approach (while probably unsatisfactory to academics and readers with advanced knowledge on Islamic thought) would have been better and more helpful for people with no background on the subject, which I presumed is the target audience for this book.

[Mbogo J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book lived up to its title though it's unclear what is the yardstick, maybe Robert Caro might take a crack at Islamic Thought and provide us with the long history....

The book is about Islamic thought across time and how the various Islamic scholars confronted current matters and their interaction with the Quran. There was a period which saw a lot of reason and Greek thoughts on philosophy being incorporated in Islamic thought before the takeover by zealots who pushed "pragmatic" scholars to the fringes.

The book is arranged in how Fitzroy or his editor saw fit and jumps across time and place unlike the usual way most people approach Islam; from Medina, the death of Mohammed and the sects that came after. Fitzroy jumped all over but the upside of it is that you get Islamic thoughts from places like India which is rarely mentioned in these kinds of books. For a book about Islamic thought it quotes sparingly from the Quran and was more concerned with quoting the actual scholars and as such it reads like a mild book of philosophy and less like theology as I had expected when I went into the book. Anyone can read this really, even if your knowledge of Islam is basic.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides insight into the history of Islamic beliefs, looking both at the four main schools of thought and at the various schools of theology. The author is very complete, looking both at ancient and modern beliefs, as well as various revivals associated with the faith. The author looks at both Sunni and Shia Muslims. The author provides the best explanation that I have seen as to the differences between the various legal schools, and how they came to be. Very much recommended as an introduction to the subject.

[Valentín Serrano García · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb summary of the main trends and schools of the Islamic Thought.
It includes not only rational and mystic (Sufi) threads, but also juridical, reactionary and liberal ones.

The main authors, such as Al-Kindi, Ibn Arabi, Ibn Rusd, Rumi, Mulla Sadra, Al-Afghani, Iqbal and Qutb (and many more) are explained and related with the historical development of the Muslims kingdoms and empires.

Morrissey goes to the point with concissioness and clairvoyance.

[Rashid Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a historical account of evolution in Islamic thought. Completely non-judgmental presents facts impartially and helps in understanding various Islamic factions and their leaders. Highly recommended if one wants an overview of the thoughts that are (and have) shaped the Islamic thought landscape.

[Boston64329 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a difficult book for me. So much history, people, teachings or interpretations and vocabulary in so few pages. As I write that I'm not sure I would have finished a longer book.

My plan is to keep the book handy and from time to time reread sections to strengthen my understanding of Islamic thought.

[Lee Behlman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Well-written and comprehensive, but ultimately too comprehensive for such a short book. I wish the author had focused on fewer figures in greater depth. It’s still the best introduction to historical Islam that I’ve come across so far.

[Karl Debbaut · Rating 2 out of 5]

Teleurstellend. Waarschijnlijk een extreem bekwame academicus. Maar je kan evengoed een boek over de religieuze debatten tussen verschillende "christelijke" denkers schrijven. Interessant maar zonder context niet verhelderend. En waarom is het hoofdstuk over de laatste 100 jaar zo kort?

[عبد الله القصير · Rating 4 out of 5]

تاريخ مختصر للعقائد الإسلامية وتطورها خلال السنين إلى وقتنا الحاضر.

[Greger Wikstrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book gave me a lot of insights into Islamic thought and how it has evolved over the years. Very compact and very informative.

[Ghost Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Yigit Koçak]

While it serves as an introduction to Islam for Western literature, it remains somewhat simplistic for us Turks. Nevertheless, it is readable. However, it is not a primary source.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Jack Malik · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best reads and starting in 2023. Simple and objective, however, there are several da'if (weak) and madhu' (fabricated) hadith mentioned. 4.8/5