Islam Today By Akbar S. Ahmed. London: I.B. Tauris 1998, 272 pp.

Abstract

As we approach the end of this alarming century there is a quiet sense of urgency
that the West come to understand the Muslim world. Although these ancient rivals
have clashed for over a thousand years - politically, intellectually, culturally, and
socially - it is not so much in the field of battle wherein has lain the danger but
in the world of ideas. A vitriolic polemic, begun with the advent of the Prophet
Muhammad, plays itself out today in images of book burning fanatics, darkly
veiled women and unstable nations willing to go to war on the mere whisper of the
word jihad. This has been a history of disinformation and stereotypes that has
served a single purpose: war - ooly this time the stakes are far higher. Propaganda
that was once concerned with moral licentiousness and sexual fantasy has largely
been replaced with one of violence and modem weapons, and the capitalist nature
of wealth accumulation. The world is overshadowed by a battle for its resources
that threatens to develop into an all-out war. In light of this and the sizeable number
of Muslims living in the West, it is imperative that the climate of fear be diffused
and a forum for dialogue and understanding initiated. While the media tirelessly labors to define East-West relations in its own terms, professor Akbar
Ahmed has written a book that endeavors to promote a deep understanding, bowledge
and respect for Islam - its history, peoples, and achievements. In so doing,
he opens new, more interactive, and peaceful parameters for a debate that argues
that the differences between the two civilizations are far outweighed by their deeper
and more permanent value systems.
The book is a logically structured analysis, concisely written and easy to read.
The author examines the basic features of Islam, the Qur’an and the Prophet to
whom it was revealed; the history of the golden age of Islam when its empires were
the superpowers of their day providing stability and order and generating great
architecture, art and science; issues of modernity, democracy, and identity, including
the core unit of Muslim society, the family; the reality of Muslims living in
non-Muslim countries and the problems and issues they face; and finally, the
power and strength of Western media as well as the technological developments
that challenge traditional Islamic values and beliefs. Being a thorough and complete
shrdy of the Islamic faith and its people, the book does not attempt to hide
some of the harsher realities, such as corrupt leaders and dishonest individuals
who, by violating Islamic laws and customs, can no longer be considered as behaving
according to the principles of Islam, and should therefore not be confused in
the West as representatives or followers of the faith ...