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good book but with western view for Religion 2010-04-25

Reviewer: Ramy Waly

Karen in this book, as far as I read, states many views and explanations of the history of Islam and Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayer be upon him).

Some of these views I , as a Muslim, agree with and some I do not.

With a western, material view of the religion, she see the situations in a more human psychology related events than a Muslim religious view, which believes that psychology and material events are overwhelmed by the supreme power of the creator.

These historical debates are clearly stated as an erratum in the Holy Quran. Erratum as regard the history, the actual reaction of the prophet and others and also the proposed reactions of both. So, as a Muslim , with many historical scripts, the Quran for me acts as the final guidance in explaining the whole situation , with some range of explanations accepted. Karen, in some explanations, became out of this range.


Also, there is some translation problems from Arabic, like in page 89 , line 7, it was not sheep uterus, it was placenta, remnants of birth of a sheep.

Page 68, line 16 onwards, this is completely a vague assumption by the author, as it is well known that monotheism was the 1st issue raised in Islam, without any debate from any historian as far as I know. I totally disagree with this assumption from line 16 till the page end !!

Page 48, translation of Al-Qadr= high value, not Al-Qadar= destiny ( Surat- Al-Qadr) in the middle of the page.

Page 38: conservative about the word (adored his daughters), which carries a meaning of holiness , done only to God in Islam.

Page 33 line 4, circumambulations around Kaaba is counter-clockwise not the reverse.I do not see any relation between this ritual and trade movement at all!

Page 37, Also, as a reader of the Islamic history, , line 12,I do not know who is (Fakhitah)?!!
my email : ramywaly@yahoo.com
thanks

I still like the bio by Yahiya Emerick better 2010-02-07

Reviewer: Merlin99

I have read five biographies of Muhamad over the years. When I got this one it covered many of the bases but it did not give a good feel for the totality of the man. I like books that tell more sides of a personality. This one was a bit sanitized, as other posters noted. I think the best I have read so far is The Life and Work of Muhammad (Critical Lives) That one reads like a story or novel and it presents what you could call the good with the bad without justifying everything. I liked that so I could make my own opinon about what he stood for.

Creative Scholarly Biography 2009-12-13

Reviewer: R. S. Lillard

I had been looking for a readable but scholarly biography of Muhammad for several years. I heard this "Karen Armstrong" biography reviewed on NPR and quickly ordered it. I have found the work which I desired. Anyone interested in understanding Muhammad and the message which he transmitted to the Arab peoples in the 7th century needs to read Armstrong's book.

Quoting from a Quran with half the pages missing; offensive and disparaging 2009-10-29

Reviewer: S. Unmack Larsen

Everything is carefully picked and sanitised, every action sweetly and convincingly interpreted and explained.
Accepting the muslim assertions and traditions at face value, hardly a hint of any doubt whatever as to veracity and impact. From the muslim/Arab viewpoint entirely, and quite abjectly admiring at that .....or too accepting would be more accurate perhaps.

But on reflexion and closer inspection that is not quite true: Karen Armstrong does not hide all that is uncomfortable. Such as the politically or socially expedient causing a revelation, and this or that revelation being a short-time solution to calm things down. The problem for me is there's a deep, heartfelt and sincere explanation to justify everything, even the most horrendous. And Karen Armstrong's renderings of Muhammad's thought patterns and motives really cannot be anything but guesswork.

I see that those who resist Islam are "corpulent", "playing disgusting tricks", "strutting around haughtily and adressing others in a offensive, braying manner", "irascible and ambitious", "virulently hostile", "elderly" AND "corpulent", "hostile and insulting". They obviously MUST be the bad ones. What today also automatially is called "islamophobic", it being a crime to be afraid.
In contrast to the Muslim's inner peace, serenity and tranquility. Quran 9:40 is quoted .....which strikes me as rather daring, considering it is in the middle of virulent and insulting attacks on idolators and unbelievers and what will happen to them and their property now and hereafter.

It IS a book written to make things look good. And a few gems can only make me shake my head in wonder. Islam suddenly has a world empire, sprung out of nowhere it seems: on the very next page arrive the nasty crusaders, and they are very very bad indeed.
"... (the) sister faiths, which were so powerfully endorsed by the Quran": Well, as far as I can find often it doesn't, not a lot; in fact rather the opposite in many places.
"The rest of the year was spent in routine raiding" ....I like that one. Remember though, the muslim is always the victim.
"The hijab was not devised to devide the sexes". Ah, it seems Umar is to blame for this "external barrier", whereas Muhammad really preferred internal barriers in order to change peoples' attitudes, and anyway it primarily was to prevent unbelievers heckling his wifes. I personally find that a holy book filled with imperatives is pretty far removed from spiritual attitudes, but I admit everything has to begin somewhere. Whether Karen Armstrong accepts that the hijab since then is the great divider of the sexes I can't quite fathom.

If you want to believe that "Islam signified peace and reconciliation", you'll do just fine and feel nicely safe and comfortable. If you take a look at the half of the Quran that is not mentioned, the answer will be more complex. "For Our Time"?? I certainly cannot see how, or why.
But I can now see why Karen Armstrong in some circles is regarded as a leading apologist for Islam.

The real Muhammad! 2009-10-24

Reviewer: Jorge Colon

What a difference when you think you know something and when you decide to study and read about it. Islam is just completly different now to me because this book present the origins and the real end in mind that the Prophet Muhammad had; very different from what the media, politician and specially religious fanatics whants you to believe.