Pride, Faith, and Fear
If the real value of a book – any book – comes from its ability to present itself as a subject of various, but not contradictory, readings, this book undoubtedly fulfils that value. From the point of view of a Muslim and nonwestern reader, the book reflects the western fear of Islam as a power in cr...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Institute of Islamic Thought
2004-07-01
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| Series: | American Journal of Islam and Society |
| Online Access: | https://www.ajis.org/index.php/ajiss/article/view/1784 |
| _version_ | 1818405927087243264 |
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| author | Ali Mabrook |
| author_facet | Ali Mabrook |
| author_sort | Ali Mabrook |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | If the real value of a book – any book – comes from its ability to present
itself as a subject of various, but not contradictory, readings, this book
undoubtedly fulfils that value. From the point of view of a Muslim and nonwestern
reader, the book reflects the western fear of Islam as a power in crisis
but adopts a line of argument against mainstream western writings on Islam. In other words, it argues against the prevalent claim that Islam, especially
after the collapse of communism, represents the most dangerous threat
to western values. Further, the book suggests that “opportunities for positive
engagement with Africa’s Muslim communities and states abound on the
political, social, religious, economic, and cultural level” (p. 150).
Motivated by the need “to find a reasonable avenue of exploration and
accommodation with countries and cultures that differ from our own (the
Western culture),” the book unveils the mutual misunderstanding between
the West and the Muslim world. Thus, it argues that the “Muslim world is
treated (by the West) as having a single dimension, as if Muslims in general
had bonded with Osama bin Laden” (p. 4). It also argues that the West
sees Muslims as “stubbornly holding the idea that Christians have not abandoned
the Crusaders’ mentality, zealously trying to destroy all traces of
Muslim civilizations in their entirety” (p. 4). Being aware of the harmful
impacts of these misleading images not only on the media, but also – and
this is the most dangerous – on the “contemporary (academic) analysis,”
the book invites the People of the Book (ahl al-kitab) to work together
toward peace and reconciliation, emphasizing that “it will be a difficult but
not impossible road.” Without this effort to make peace, the book suggests,
there will be chaos and violence ... |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:03:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9989336a5fb14181a2596fc3b3ef0622 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2690-3733 2690-3741 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:03:49Z |
| publishDate | 2004-07-01 |
| publisher | International Institute of Islamic Thought |
| record_format | Article |
| series | American Journal of Islam and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-9989336a5fb14181a2596fc3b3ef06222022-12-21T23:08:45ZengInternational Institute of Islamic ThoughtAmerican Journal of Islam and Society2690-37332690-37412004-07-0121310.35632/ajis.v21i3.1784Pride, Faith, and FearAli MabrookIf the real value of a book – any book – comes from its ability to present itself as a subject of various, but not contradictory, readings, this book undoubtedly fulfils that value. From the point of view of a Muslim and nonwestern reader, the book reflects the western fear of Islam as a power in crisis but adopts a line of argument against mainstream western writings on Islam. In other words, it argues against the prevalent claim that Islam, especially after the collapse of communism, represents the most dangerous threat to western values. Further, the book suggests that “opportunities for positive engagement with Africa’s Muslim communities and states abound on the political, social, religious, economic, and cultural level” (p. 150). Motivated by the need “to find a reasonable avenue of exploration and accommodation with countries and cultures that differ from our own (the Western culture),” the book unveils the mutual misunderstanding between the West and the Muslim world. Thus, it argues that the “Muslim world is treated (by the West) as having a single dimension, as if Muslims in general had bonded with Osama bin Laden” (p. 4). It also argues that the West sees Muslims as “stubbornly holding the idea that Christians have not abandoned the Crusaders’ mentality, zealously trying to destroy all traces of Muslim civilizations in their entirety” (p. 4). Being aware of the harmful impacts of these misleading images not only on the media, but also – and this is the most dangerous – on the “contemporary (academic) analysis,” the book invites the People of the Book (ahl al-kitab) to work together toward peace and reconciliation, emphasizing that “it will be a difficult but not impossible road.” Without this effort to make peace, the book suggests, there will be chaos and violence ...https://www.ajis.org/index.php/ajiss/article/view/1784 |
| spellingShingle | Ali Mabrook Pride, Faith, and Fear American Journal of Islam and Society |
| title | Pride, Faith, and Fear |
| title_full | Pride, Faith, and Fear |
| title_fullStr | Pride, Faith, and Fear |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pride, Faith, and Fear |
| title_short | Pride, Faith, and Fear |
| title_sort | pride faith and fear |
| url | https://www.ajis.org/index.php/ajiss/article/view/1784 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alimabrook pridefaithandfear |