The Place of Tolerance in Islam
by Khaled Abou El Fadl, Joshua Cohen, Ian Lague
List Price:
Our Price: $8.99
You Save: $7.01 (44%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.05 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Ian Lague, Joshua Cohen, Khaled Abou El FadlEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-11-08
ISBN: 0807002291
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: Beacon Press
Book Reviews of The Place of Tolerance in Islam
Book Review: A MUST READ for exploring the question of peace in Islam
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an excellent read for those who are interested in exploring different ways to think and speak of the question of peace and tolerance within the context of Islam. This book (written post-9/11) is an anthology of Muslim writers (one of which is a woman) responding to Khaled Abou El Fadl's piece (the first writing in this book) on his own view of the peace question.
For example, Abou El Fadl states, "... the Qur'anic text assumes that readers will bring a preexisting, innate moral sense to the text. Hence, the text will morally enrich the reader, but only if the reader will morally enrich the text," (pg. 15); "Consequently, the meaning of the text is often only as moral as its reader. If the reader is intolerant, hateful, or oppressive, so will be the interpretation of the text," (pg. 22-23). Therefore, the "burden and blessing" of moral action within Islam is the responsibility of contemporary Muslims (pg. 23).
Some of the writers of this book responding to Abou El Fadl agree with his statements, but many disagree and/or bring differing perspectives to the table. Undoubtedly, all the writers believe their religion is very peaceful, though some argue this is not the proper question to ask in grand scheme of things. For example, R. Scott Appleby says that, "... the impoverishment of the Islamic educational system and the growing illiteracy of the Muslim masses," is largely the problem in regards to those Muslims who are intolerant (pg. 86-87). Tariq Ali believes, "The answer (regarding peace & tolerance in Islam) has very little to do with religion, but a great deal to do with history and politics," (pg. 38); "We need to move beyond discussing whether or not the Qur'an promotes tolerance and grapple with the urgent social and political problems that affect the Muslim world," (pg. 41). Abid Ullah Jan asks, "Why are the lectures on tolerance directed at Islam alone? Simply because the victim of September 11 was the United States," (pg. 46).
At the end of the book, the first writer, Abou El Fadl, has the chance to respond to his critics. He responds, in part, by asking, "After all, isn't the real question whether non-Muslims are willing to tolerate Muslims, instead of the other way around?" (pg. 96).
This book is an interesting conversation (albeit one-sided) between Muslims as to the various ways and problems of thinking of peace and tolerance within Islam. As a non-Muslim American woman who sees the beauty in this religion, my eyes have been opened further upon reading this book. Those of us who respect the religion of Islam must not only assert that it is a peaceful religion; we must also learn how to ask and point out the right and respectful questions in regards to this matter.
Islam Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Islam Books
The Jahangirnama: Memoirs of Jahangir, Emperor of Indiaby Jahangir
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1999-11-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $799.95
Jihad: The Origin of Holy War in Islamby Reuven Firestone
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1999-12-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.00
Price in other shops:
Stalin's Peasants: Resistance and Survival in the Russian Village after Collectivizationby Sheila Fitzpatrick
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1996-01-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $33.00
Price in other shops:
Islam: From the Prophet Muhammad to the Capture of Constantinople Volume 2: Religion and SocietyOxford University Press, USA; Published: 1987-06-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $26.22
Price in other shops:
Islam: The Straight Pathby John L. Esposito
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1988-10-06; Hardcover; Book
Price in other shops:
The Koran (Penguin Classics)by Anonymous
Penguin Classics; Published: 2004-09-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.66
Price in other shops:
The Koran (Penguin Classics)by Anonymous
Penguin Classics; Published: 2000-07-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.79
Price in other shops:
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics Hardcovers)Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2004-07-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $17.38
Price in other shops:
The Essential Rumiby Jalal al-Din Rumi
Harper SanFrancisco; Published: 1995-06-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.46
Price in other shops:
An Introduction to Islam, 2nd Editionby Frederick Mathewson Denny
Macmillan Publishing Company; Published: 1993-07-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $32.98
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelationsby MIchael Sells
White Cloud Press; Published: 2007-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.60
Price in other shops:
Muhammad: A Story of the Last Prophetby Deepak Chopra
HarperOne; Published: 2010-09-21; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.96
Price in other shops:
Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?by Susan Moller Okin, Azizah Y. Al-Hibri, Sander L. Gilman, Joseph Raz, Saskia Sassen, Cass R. Sunstein, Yael Tamis
Princeton University Press; Published: 1999-08-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.50
Price in other shops:
How to Read the Qur'an: A New Guide, with Select Translationsby Carl W. Ernst
The University of North Carolina Press; Published: 2011-12-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $18.86
Price in other shops:
Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Timeby Karen Armstrong
HarperOne; Published: 2007-08-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.85
Price in other shops:
Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspectiveby Amina Wadud
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1999-06-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.85
Price in other shops:
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2008-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
Picturing Islam: Art and Ethics in a Muslim Lifeworldby Kenneth M. George
Wiley-Blackwell; Published: 2010-01-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.50
Price in other shops:
Islam Observed: Religious Development in Morocco and Indonesia (Phoenix Books)by Clifford Geertz
University Of Chicago Press; Published: 1971-08-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.60
Price in other shops:
The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremistsby Khaled M. Abou El Fadl
HarperOne; Published: 2007-01-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.26
Price in other shops: