Type of bind: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 240
Printing Date: January 16, 2004
Sale Popularity Level: 775367
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'I have to be honest with you. Islam is on very thin ice with me....Through our screaming self-pity and our conspicuous silences, we Muslims are conspiring against ourselves. We're in crisis and we're dragging the rest of the world with us. If ever there was a moment for an Islamic reformation, it's now. For the love of God, what are we doing about it?'
In blunt, provocative, and deeply personal terms, Irshad Manji unearths the troubling cornerstones of mainstream Islam today: tribal insularity, deep-seated anti-Semitism, and an uncritical acceptance of the Koran as the final, and therefore superior, manifesto of God. In this open letter to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, Manji asks arresting questions. 'Who is the real colonizer of Muslims - America or Arabia? Why are we all being held hostage by what's happening between the Palestinians and the Israelis? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God's creation? What's our excuse for reading the Koran literally when it's so contradictory and ambiguous? Is that a heart attack you're having? Make it fast. Because if more of us don't speak out against the imperialists within Islam, these guys will walk away with the show.'
Manji offers a practical vision of how the United States and its allies can help Muslims undertake a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities, and fosters a competition of ideas. Her vision revives Islam's lost tradition of independent thinking. This book will inspire struggling Muslims worldwide to revisit the foundations of their faith. It will also compel non-Muslims to start posing the important questions without fear of being deemed 'racists.' In more ways than one, The Trouble with Islam is a clarion call for a fatwa-free future.
Amazon.com Review:
This 'call for reform' reads like an open letter to the Muslim world. Irshad Manji, a Toronto-based television journalist, was born to Muslim parents in South Africa. Her family eventually fled to Canada when she was two years old. Manji shares her life experiences growing up in a Western Muslim household and ask some compelling questions from her feminist-lesbian-journalist perspective. It is interesting to note that Manji has been lambasted for being too personal and not scholarly enough to have a worthwhile opinion. Yet her lack of pretense and her intimate narrative are the strengths of this book. For Muslims to dismiss her opinions as not worthy to bring to the table is not only elitist; it underscores why she feels compelled to speak out critically. Intolerance for dissent, especially women's dissent, is one of her main complaints about Islam. Clearly, her goal was not to write a scholarly critique, but rather to speak from her heartfelt concern about Islam. To her fellow Muslims she writes: I hear from a Saudi friend that his country's religious police arrest women for wearing blue on Valentines Day, and I think, Since when does a merciful God outlaw joy—or fun? I read about victims of rape being stoned for 'adultery' and I wonder how a critical mass of us can stay stone silent.
She asks tough questions: 'What's with the stubborn streak of anti-Semitism in Islam? Who is the real colonizer of the Muslims—-America or Arabia? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God's creation?' This is not an anti-Muslim rant. Manji also speaks with passionate love and hope for Islam, believing that democracy is compatible with its purest doctrine. Sure, she's biased and opinionated. But all religions, from Christianity to Buddhism to Islam should be accountable for how their leadership and national allegiances personally affect their followers. One would hope that this honest voice be met with a little more self-scrutiny and a little less anti-personal, anti-feminine, and anti-Western rhetoric. --Gail Hudson
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Rated by buyers 
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I enjoyed this book, and came to respect the author. Mind you, it was different from what I expected. For one thing, Irshad Manji turned out to have more in common with me than I expected -- she grew up in Richmond, just up the road a couple hours, and in many ways seems more a Northwesterner than a "Muslim" in her outlook.
Manji is not a scholar, as many negative reviewers below point out. But she also does not fit easily into anyone's easy stereotypes or set caricatures, the same reviewers to the contrary. (My own caricatures of lesbians and journalists took blows.) It seems to me this book is the record of a sincere and passionate search for truth. She's a good writer, with great stories to tell. She's read a lot -- I often found her citing sources I'd stumbled across in obscure places -- and asked a lot of brash questions.
Admittedly, her position does seem incoherent. What part of Islam does she believe? God? Apparently, but that would make her a theist, unless Mohammed is His prophet. It's not at all clear she thinks he is. I certainly don't, which is why I'm not a Muslim. But you begin wondering if the only reason she calls herself a Muslim is so she can write books like this one -- either that, or out of the more respectable desire to maintain ties with some she loves.
Some seem offended by her views. Understandably. "To this day, Muslims use the white man as a weapon of mass distraction -- a distraction from the fact that we've never needed the 'oppressive' West to oppress our own." "Those who wish to flog women on the flimsiest of charges can get the necessary backup from the Koran . . . Then again, those who seek equality can find succor, too." (She flirts a bit with that kind of relativism at times, but usually pulls away from it at the last second.) "What else aren't we Muslims telling ourselves so we can keep surfing on sympathy and subsisting on victimhood?" "Despite obscenely overstuffed money vaults and a whole lot of land to spare, the Saudis won't take in Palestinians as citizens. They will, however, broadcast telethons to raise millions for the financing of suicide bombers."
Maybe the best way to understand Manji is as a second-generation child of immigrants. It is hard under the best of circumstances to fit between two cultures. When your parents' culture seems at war with the world, and the culture you grow up in itself faces the challenge of clashing tradition and modernism, and if to boot you add a domestic tyrant like Manji's father seems to have been, this is the sort of thing that can result -- more Canadian bacon than Kehbab, but plenty of spice and a fair chunk of meat, too. I hope she continues to search, and finds what she's truly looking for.
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Oddly enough, I'm not surprised at the obscene amount of negative feedback on here. It's almost exactly what I expected. I particularly enjoyed one reader's saying that "She's just the tool of Zionists and Christian fundamentalists in an endeavor to discredit Islam!" LOL.
I enjoyed this book because, to me, it's an effort to open at least a discusion about Islam and its place in the world today. Is this such a far-fetched idea? Is it such a horrible one? I understand trying to preserve faith and practice, but when some members of that faith think it a good idea to start blowing up publishing offices and embassies over a string of cartoons...maybe a group discusion is in order.
Irshad presents some interesting ideas concerning bringing Islam into the modern world. She proposes, among other things, dialogue with Israel, dialogue between Muslim sects and the reconsideration of Quranic scripture. This last one is probably a little scary. As a student of Islamic and Arab histories, I have a vague understanding of the light of supreme perfection under which the Quran stands. So perhaps her ideas are a little...let's say...overly liberal. But at least she's bringing in new ideas.
I am not a Muslim. I am not a resident of a predominantly Muslim country. Therefore it's unfair of me to really venture an opinion, as the book was not directed towards me. However, I will just say that it's an interesting read, like seeing "The Last Temptation of Christ" is an interesting flick for a practicing Christian, like myself. It's jarring, a little frightening, but in the end, fascinating for its radicalness.
Rated by buyers 
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and this thing is this woman! Comparing the prophet, peace be upon him, to Osama Bin Laden...Wow! The most ridiculous, the most offensive, the most close-minded thing that ever lived. Trying to make money with such NASTY, grossly false assertions, no scholalry work whatsoevr, everyhting as RADICAL and as selective as ever. She should compare Osama bin Laden with HERSELF! If you're a blinded, racist, hateful beast, then this is just a treat for you. If you're not any of the above, then stay away!!
Rated by buyers -
The author presents a much needed gap filler for why Islam, current events, and insufferable Western politically correct apologizing can't tell us why modern Islam is the way it is.
The thrust of the book describes the influence of tribalism and an Arab-centric viewpoint as the driving factor behind Islam as perceived and practiced today. So much of the anti-intellectualism, intolerance and inter-Islamic factionalism seen among Muslims is directly related to 14th century Arab tribal behavior that came about through racism and classism. She calls this trend "desert Islam", appropriately enough.
The decline in Arab-language printing, inventions, universities, and free thinking in general can all be traced to the backward looking doctrine of "desert Islamicists" hell bent on preserving tribal loyalty, which eventually was interpreted as Islam itself. With original thinking punished, pretty soon all the books start to sound the same, and eventually, authors stop bothering to write many new ones - what would be the point of risking your neck? This may not be Islam, but even among the mainstream, old habits of conformity are hard to break.
Think my comments are a little harsh? Read some of the negative comments for an indication of how permeated the followers are with the "desert Islam" branding. Now you know why I don't put my real name on Amazon. Maybe if the day comes when Islam cleanses itself of violent retribution towards dissent I won't have to do this for the sake of my family.
As one might expect, the author has serious doubts about her faith, but to her credit she has not abandoned it. However, the fact remains that there is not a version of the Koran printed anywhere in the world which accepts or advocates an openly lesbian lifestyle and living together with a same sex partner. It's forgiveable to wonder how committed she might be to sorting out the troubles with Islam yesterday versus how she might have a more personal bone to pick with the true tenants of the faith. Nevertheless, even if she were motivated by personal interests, there are too many examples and too many important questions brought up to dismiss this book as the disgruntled rant of an apostate.
The concomitant aspect of violence coupled with an insatiable need for Westerners to blame themselves very first explains why a book like this was never written, but I'm glad that it was.
Rated by buyers 
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First of all, I would like to make it quite clear that I have no problem with Irshad Manji publishing this book. God states in the Quran that there is no compulsion in the system as per the Quran 2:256 , "There is no compulsion in the system; the proper way has been made clear from the wrong way. Whoever rejects evil, and believes in God, then he has grasped the most solid branch that will never break. God is Hearer, Knower."
Second of all, I would like to make it known my position on Islam. In this I differ from many, but my position is backed up by the Quran, not by narrations from other than the author of the Quran (and I believe this to be God). In summary, I believe as per 18:54 `And We have clarified in this Qur'an for the people from every example; but mankind was always most argumentative'. I do not accept other than the Quran as a source of religious law. I believe it to be an amazing book, but a book which has been denigrated primarily by those claiming the name of Islam through made-up narrations which they claim to have been made by the Prophet Muhammad and a second source of law in `Islam'. Not only are these narrations themselves backward illogical and contradictory to the Quran, but they also encourage their adherants to look at the Quran in an intolerant and illogical way (in order to justify their narrations). The Quran forbids anything else besides it to be taken as a source of religious law:
45:6 These are the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.) of Allâh, which We recite to you (O Muhammad SAW) with truth. Then in which speech (HADEETH) after Allâh and His Ayât will they believe?
As for her book:
Irshad Manji is a Muslim everyone. She is a lesbian Muslim and she wants everyone to know. Muslims are backward and hypocritical and the Quran is a schizophrenic mix of misogyny, violence and contradictions. Most of the problems in Muslim societies are due to the Quran. Muslims should look to Israel as an ideal country with religious tolerance. Muslims need to reform the message of the Quran for today's society by interpreting it. This is called itejehad. This is her message and she thinks she is very clever. She is hailed as a role model by the right wing, who only wish more Muslims would be like her.
Below are the problems I have with her book:
She commences her book with a semi-autobiographical description of her early days in Canada, her family having been forced out of Uganda by Idi Amin. You can tell that she has had no positive male role-models in her life. Her father was a violent man (as she makes out) and the men who `taught' her `religion' at the local `religious school' were all nasty and misogynistic. In this, I am sure is an explanation for what she would call her `lesbianism'.
She then goes onto imply that the Asian Muslims in Uganda because of the Quran, which never forbids slavery took slaves and treated them badly! This is blatant ignorance. There are currently plenty of non-Muslim Africans who enslave each other during the multitude of wars that are unfortunately going on in Africa. Furthermore had she even attempted to explore the question rather than falling in love with herself for asking it, she would have realized that the Quran has numerous verses encouraging the manumission of slaves, e.g. 90:12-13 : `Do you know which is the better path? The freeing of slaves' The Quran makes it clear that in an ideal society, slavery should not exist. Why does the Quran not advocate clearly a total ban on slavery? Simple, an immediate ban on slavery in a country with many slaves would leave slaves impoverished and with nowhere to go.
She displays another example of her shallow morality by stating that if God did not want her to be a `lesbian' then why did he make her `fall in love with a woman'! This is worse than even Hollywood movie morality! The Quran is clear on same sex lewdness : 4:15 And those women who commit lewdness, you shall bring four witnesses over them from amongst you; if they bear witness, then you shall restrict them in the homes until death terminates their lives, or God makes for them a way out.
4:16 And the two men who commit it from amongst you, then you shall punish them (the punishment mentioned in the previous verse! ). If they (both women and men) repent and amend, then leave them alone. God is Redeemer.
Presumably she feels this verse needs `interpreting'. She then implies that other religions have no problem with this issue! No religion will ever approve/give equal recognition to same sex lewdness. Again, she is completely wrong and has an opinion devoid of any moral principles.
Next on her list is another Islamic falsehood (although unfortunately adopted by Muslims who have no idea what the Quran says) concerning an income tax which the Quran allegedly states that all non-Muslims must pay. In fact ... Read More
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