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Islam: A Short History Paperback – 6 August 2002
by Karen Armstrong (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 394 ratings
No religion in the modern world is as feared and misunderstood as Islam. It haunts the popular imagination as an extreme faith that promotes terrorism, authoritarian government, female oppression, and civil war.
In a vital revision of this narrow view of Islam and a distillation of years of thinking and writing about the subject, Karen Armstrong s short history demonstrates that the world s fastest-growing faith is a much more complex phenomenon than its modern fundamentalist strain might suggest."
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Product description
Review
"A small gem bristling with insight." --The Washington Post
"A valuable corrective to the hostile caricatures of Islam that circulate in the English-speaking world. . . . Engaging and provocative." --The New York Times
"Karen Armstrong, a respected and popular author of several books about religion . . . takes on a useful and formidable task in presenting the history of Islam in a single short volume. As many other such works have been written either by apologists or by those hostile to Islam, Armstrong's comprehensive and sympathetic work is welcome." --Los Angeles Times
"In Armstrong's brisk narrative, the clichés evaporate fast. . . . A book like this is suddenly essential." --Entertainment Weekly
About the Author
Karen Armstrong is one of the world's foremost scholars on religious affairs. She is the author of a number of bestselling books, including The Battle for God, Buddha, Jerusalem, A History of God, and Through the Narrow Gate, a memoir of her seven years as a nun. She lives in London.
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Top review from Australia
Yeves
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, this book will inform and change perspectives
Reviewed in Australia on 16 March 2022
Verified Purchase
I really liked that the author has in under 200 pages, provided a thorough historical summary on Islam, up to the point of explaining our present situation of apparent conflict between the west and Islam. Her insights are balanced, fair, and she will change your views on how the west must handle the Islamic world.
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Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars "Seek Knowledge" | Amazing book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 January 2021
Verified Purchase
I had an epiphany recently than many of my close family friends who I admire as well as my heroes such as Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali are Muslim. In addition to this, many of the scientific insights we have in the western world stem from the innovation of Muslims. Muslims re-popularised the classic greek texts; set up international scientific establishments in the Middle ages such as Timbuktu which popularised science, maths and astronomy; and sky rocketed literacy rates due to the importance of being able to read Quran Arabic.
My friend recommended this book and it hasn't disappointed.
Karen Armstrong does a fantastic job at chronologically documenting Islam since the life of Muhammad.
Key takeaways are
- Muhammad's instruction to "seek knowledge" revolutionised mankind's understanding of the world we live in by finding divinity through scientific exploration
- Islam's focus on rationality has provided a beautiful framework for spiritual self-exploration and refinement to be the best person possible. From a Christian perspective, I found the guidance on what one SHOULD do far clearer in Islamic texts than in Christian texts.
- Religion has undeniable utility given the context in which Islam and other religions developed
- One must separate religion from the the followers of that religion. Both can change as they adapt to the world
I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a concise of chronology of Islamic history. No word is wasted, here. Karen Armstrong also does a fantastic job at regularly providing context and meaning
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R. Wright
5.0 out of 5 stars Karen Armstrong's book is nothing short of excellent. If you are looking for a short introduction ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 October 2016
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Karen Armstrong's book is nothing short of excellent. If you are looking for a short introduction to Islam written from a relatively neutral perspective I would defiantly recommend this book.
It follows the history of Islam from its conception to the modern day and writes in a compelling way that holds your interest. The book explores important topics like how Islam spread throughout Europe, the schism between Sunni and Shi'a and how that came to be, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Western Colonialism and more.
Although the book is small, it manages to chronologically summarises the history of Islam well and I can not fault this book for what it is.
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Mr Tea-Mole
4.0 out of 5 stars Brief, concise & easy to read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2009
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Armstrong achieves a remarkable feat with her presentation of over 1400 years of Islamic history into a succinct and very readable mere 160 pages. The different strands of Islamic development in intellectual, spiritual and political dimensions are systematically chronicled to present the picture of a faith with a long, vibrant and chequered past. Major events such as the Crusades and the Mongol conquest and their implications on the Muslim world are nicely covered.
Several useful appendices add significantly to the value of this book. These include a very detailed chronology recording every major date, event and development, an alphabetical list of key figures, a glossary of Arabic terms and a detailed list of suggested further reading material
The book is worth reading for the value of the final section alone entitled "Islam Agonistes" where Armstrong moves out of her abstract "narrator" mode and provides a profound analysis of the contemporary Muslim situation vis-à-vis the West, modern technological society and the challenges of secular modernity for Muslims.
Her conclusion is that many Muslim societies have commitments and attachments to their faith which they are unwilling to jettison wholesale similar to Christians in the West. They would like to participate in the modern world but on their own terms, whilst remaining faithful to the central tenets of their own religious understanding.
I gave the book 4 stars as opposed to 5 because - as a practising Muslim who has experienced being a member of the faith for many years - I was unable to relate fully with Armstrong's central thesis - namely that the supreme Islamic mission is the establishment of a just society. Her assertion is that Muslims have experienced history as a divine theophany, a manifestation of God's historical presence and the supreme Muslim challenge is to incarnate the principles of the Quran into their political and social institutions. Her research (which needless to say will be much greater than mine) has probably led her to this conclusion but my experience of being a member of this faith prevents me from fully attesting to this.
There was also the conspicuous lack of mention of the "Tabligh Jama'at" in the closing pages of her book where she detailed brief sketches of the significant religious movements animating the Muslim world since the last century. Although she talks about the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan) at length (which has lost much of its impetus in recent decades) she remains conspicuously silent about the Tabligh Jama'at which exerts one of the most significant global influences on Muslim masses today. Recent sociological studies (see Yoginder Sikand) have indicated Tabligh Jama'at participants as being around 80 million worldwide, and the Jama'at is ubiquitous in the majority of Muslim lands as well as most Muslim minority communities in the West. Maybe Armstrong's lack of mention is due to the movement's avowedly apolitical nature which contravenes the central thesis around which this book revolves: that the supreme Muslim duty is the incarnation of Quranic principles into a political reality.
Overall, an excellent snapshot of 1400 years of Islamic history.
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18 people found this helpful
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May 04, 2015Riku Sayuj rated it it was ok
Armstrong tends to view all of history through the prism of the specific conflicts of our day -- to be accurate: from a vantage point situated near the Arab-Israeli Conflict. That is helpful, but also distorting, occasionally. Not a good book to learn about Islamic history, but useful as a corrective read for those already familiar. It gets quite tiring to be repeatedly referred back, even if with every justification, to the crusades and to the colonial harassments when referring to the west, and to the cultural superiority and religious universalism of Islam... (less)
Feb 12, 2009Saquib11c rated it it was amazing
the book is written by an author who has complete grip on the subject. although she is not a muslim but she expressed herself in an absolute superb way and brought the correct perspective of islam. although in west the religion of islam is misunderstood as the religion of killings or it is being spread by sword etc but the history of islam tells us it is not so. the writer show up all the important events and depicts that no where in islam it is ever encouraged to kill other human beings if they are non muslims. but i dont know when the westernes will look in to it and learn it is not the religion which make some of the muslims extremists but it is the sufferings which some of their brother undergo in palestine, bosnia, afghanistan, iraq and other parts of the world whihc force or tend them to do some undesirable things. which are certainly prohibited in islam like suicide but they in their wrong perception and just like to take revenge do it. but there is nothing wrong wiht the religion and its followers but with the wrong and unjust behaviours of the west towards some of the muslim countries. (less)
Honestly, why do I keep picking up Karen Armstrong's books?
It's not that she is a bad writer, just an exceptionally boring one. When I listen to 'Islam: A Short History' I feel like I'm being hit by a verbal machine gun fire of names, dates and places. Unfortunately few of these fact 'bullets' remain in my brain.
She starts off innocently enough, giving an account Muhammad's life and then ....'BANG, BANG BANG!' she hits you with a blitzkrieg of boring, impersonal facts.
About three quarters of the way through the book Armstrong picks you up, dusts you off, and tries to console you with a bit of modern history on Islamic fundamentalism. But it's too late. I'm already suffering from academic PTSD.
Yet I sense that I'll still read her next book, 'A Short History of Myth'... (less)
It's not that she is a bad writer, just an exceptionally boring one. When I listen to 'Islam: A Short History' I feel like I'm being hit by a verbal machine gun fire of names, dates and places. Unfortunately few of these fact 'bullets' remain in my brain.
She starts off innocently enough, giving an account Muhammad's life and then ....'BANG, BANG BANG!' she hits you with a blitzkrieg of boring, impersonal facts.
About three quarters of the way through the book Armstrong picks you up, dusts you off, and tries to console you with a bit of modern history on Islamic fundamentalism. But it's too late. I'm already suffering from academic PTSD.
Yet I sense that I'll still read her next book, 'A Short History of Myth'... (less)
A few years ago I took an undergrad course on the Ottoman Empire. There was a great deal of reading on the history of Islam so I was exposed to the material before reading this book.
Karen Armstrong has done a perfect job of telling the history of the religion and it's prophet without creating a huge off-putting and overly detailed account that would drive away many readers.
The history of Islam is exciting and probably alien to most Americans. Looking from the other direction, America has been unfortunately a large and meddlesome presence in the Arab world for over a century. The interaction of the Ottoman Empire with Europe has caused friction for centuries. For those who want to understand why Muslims have an attitude about the West, this book is a valuable resource. It takes the reader up to modern times and Armstrong's comments are most illuminating as she writes with sympathy for both Islam and the West.
Empires come and go, rise and are put in the shade. This story offers a period of 1400 years to examine the process involving the Byzantines, the Persians, the Mongols and, of course, the Europeans as seen from the lands of Islam.
You will get a lucid explanation of the varieties of Islam, the leading thinkers of the religion and a nice sprinkling of Arabic words that are helpfully contained in a small glossary.
I was so impressed by this book that I decided to read the author's account of her experience being a nun (Through the Narrow Gate) and intend to investigate other books in the "Modern Library Chronicles" series from the publisher of which Islam is a part.
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Karen Armstrong has done a perfect job of telling the history of the religion and it's prophet without creating a huge off-putting and overly detailed account that would drive away many readers.
The history of Islam is exciting and probably alien to most Americans. Looking from the other direction, America has been unfortunately a large and meddlesome presence in the Arab world for over a century. The interaction of the Ottoman Empire with Europe has caused friction for centuries. For those who want to understand why Muslims have an attitude about the West, this book is a valuable resource. It takes the reader up to modern times and Armstrong's comments are most illuminating as she writes with sympathy for both Islam and the West.
Empires come and go, rise and are put in the shade. This story offers a period of 1400 years to examine the process involving the Byzantines, the Persians, the Mongols and, of course, the Europeans as seen from the lands of Islam.
You will get a lucid explanation of the varieties of Islam, the leading thinkers of the religion and a nice sprinkling of Arabic words that are helpfully contained in a small glossary.
I was so impressed by this book that I decided to read the author's account of her experience being a nun (Through the Narrow Gate) and intend to investigate other books in the "Modern Library Chronicles" series from the publisher of which Islam is a part.
(less)
Sep 23, 2011Ushan rated it did not like it
Karen Armstrong is a former Roman Catholic nun who writes popular books about history of religion. Here she tells the conventional story of Islam from the revelations of Muhammad till the present day: the rises and falls of empires, of dynasties, of religious schools. I do not know the relevant history well enough to criticize Armstrong's handling of facts, though I was surprised to read that the importance of Battle of Poitiers is often exaggerated by Westerners. How could it be unimportant, if different historians estimate that it involved 15,000 to 80,000 Frankish and 20,000 to 80,000 Muslim soldiers at an age when Western European nations had about 10% of their present-day population? Her interpretations, however, are apologetic. She never says anything bad about Muhammad: did he really want to create a community where everyone, rich or poor, commands absolute respect? Did he really work for the emancipation of women? She condemns the West for being prejudiced about Islam since the Crusades, yet writing about present-day Muslims, Armstrong says that when they look at Western society, "they see no light, no heart, no spirituality." This is wrong: all three are very much present in Western society, yet she does not condemn the Muslims for this view. I sense double standards. I was also unsettled by her insistence that she knows that Islam is really a religion of peace and tolerance, and everyone who disagrees is wrong. Armstrong writes that Pakistan spends too much money on nuclear weapons while a large part of its population lives in abject poverty, "a situation that is abhorrent to a truly Muslim sensibility." The only truly Muslim sensibility is one that is expressed by the Muslims themselves, not by a former Catholic nun, and somehow I've never heard of a Pakistani antinuclear movement. Likewise, she says that Sayyid Qutb's vision of Islam distorted both "the message of the Quran and the Prophet's life." The message of the Quran is whatever the faithful read in it - not her, and as the story of Qutb's student Ayman al-Zawahiri and the movement he now heads shows, this vision is quite significant. (less)
Apr 07, 2008Kevin rated it liked it
Armstrong's brief (circa 190 pages) history of Islam is necessary reading, but not particularly well written. Her account is based in the fact that there can be no separation of religious from political histories when it comes to Islam: for the Islamic notion of 'salvation' "does not consist in the redemption of an 'original sin' committed by Adam and the admittance to eternal life, but in the achievement of a society which puts into practice God's desires for the human race" (24).
A true history (rather than a cultural study), the book is full of names and dates--many of which, I must admit, were embarrassingly unfamiliar to me. The book is divided into five chapters: "Beginnings," the story of Muhammed's sacred visions, the Rashidun (first four caliphs after the Prophet's death), and the first fitnah (the civil strife that came in the wake of mutiny by the supporters of Ali, Muhammed's cousin, and Ali's subsequent assassination, leading to tensions between Syrian (i.e., Sunni) and Iraqi (i.e., Shia, reformist, loyal to Ali) Muslims that would set the pattern for the following centuries); "Development," detailing the newly monarchical Umayyads (whose capital was in Damascus), the Abbasids (who violently overthrew the Umayyads, ca. 750), and the emergence of the esoteric movements, notably Falsafah (i.e., "philosophy," rationalist interpretation of the Quran) and Sufi (mystic); "Culmination," describing the (largely minimal) impact of the Crusades, and the expansion of Islam, particularly under the Mongols (1220-1500), who had no deep religious identity and thus absorbed and diffused Islam; "Islam Triumphant," an account of the Safavid (Iran), Moghul (Indian subcontinent) and Ottoman (Turkey and Middle East) empires in the 14th-17th centuries--the time of Europe's awakening from its backwater status; and "Islam Agonistes," a quick run-through of Islam since 1750, an account of the decline of the empires, and the rise of Fundamentalism.
Armstrong makes no mistake about her intent: to clarify and counter Western misconceptions about Islam (this approach comes to a head in the last chapter). However, the brevity of the book makes it difficult for her to do more than make assertions. (less)
Islam is one of the most talked about and least understood subjects that has bearing on our foreign policy and security today. But Islam is so rich in history, theology, tradition, literature, and practices that it is a challenge to grasp it on a cursory level. Armstrong makes a valiant attempt to bring much of this to light in the space of fewer than 200 pages. She devotes much ink to the political traditions of Islam and their bearing on today's events. She does well at giving us food for thought about the history of Islam's relations with the West over the past two centuries, and why some streams in Islam (the ones we tend to hear most about) are in conflict with the West. I believe it is critical for us to become more knowledgeable about Islam before rendering superficial judgements about it; this book offers a good starting point. (less)
This is a very important book. Required reading, regardless of the nature of your religious views, or whether they exist or not.
As a Muslim, I know most of the historical figures and events explored in this book, but with varying levels of familiarity and in a discontinuous manner. This book is excellent in formulating a relatively complete (albeit somewhat shallow) picture of Islamic history, stemming from the Rashidun Caliphate, to the Ummayyad, Abassid, and Ottoman medieval empires, to the state of the “dependent Islamic block” that constitutes the Muslim World in modern times. The book’s scope spans at least 1300 years; miraculous if you consider its small number of pages.
It also presents condensed biographical accounts of many major Islamic figures, including religious reformers such as Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, al-Afghani, and Sayyid Qutb. Figures discussed are not exclusively political or scholarly (or, as is common in Islamic history, a combination of both), but also cultural and philosophical, including Rumi and Ibn Khaldon (figures that are rarely incorporated into the orthodox Islamic historical canon).
This book also attempts outlining Shiite historical and theological topics, immensely useful for those who belong to the mainstream, Sunni Islam (including myself) whose typical school curriculum deliberately leaves out any mention, let alone comprehensive study, of Shia Islam.
Along with compassion and an earnest desire for understanding, Karen Armstrong brings an informed, inductive eye to why disconnected events occurred and general trends prevailed at one point or another.
I’ve read this right after Armstrong’s other seminal work on Islamic history, Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time; something I would undoubtedly recommend.
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As a Muslim, I know most of the historical figures and events explored in this book, but with varying levels of familiarity and in a discontinuous manner. This book is excellent in formulating a relatively complete (albeit somewhat shallow) picture of Islamic history, stemming from the Rashidun Caliphate, to the Ummayyad, Abassid, and Ottoman medieval empires, to the state of the “dependent Islamic block” that constitutes the Muslim World in modern times. The book’s scope spans at least 1300 years; miraculous if you consider its small number of pages.
It also presents condensed biographical accounts of many major Islamic figures, including religious reformers such as Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, al-Afghani, and Sayyid Qutb. Figures discussed are not exclusively political or scholarly (or, as is common in Islamic history, a combination of both), but also cultural and philosophical, including Rumi and Ibn Khaldon (figures that are rarely incorporated into the orthodox Islamic historical canon).
This book also attempts outlining Shiite historical and theological topics, immensely useful for those who belong to the mainstream, Sunni Islam (including myself) whose typical school curriculum deliberately leaves out any mention, let alone comprehensive study, of Shia Islam.
Along with compassion and an earnest desire for understanding, Karen Armstrong brings an informed, inductive eye to why disconnected events occurred and general trends prevailed at one point or another.
I’ve read this right after Armstrong’s other seminal work on Islamic history, Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time; something I would undoubtedly recommend.
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Oct 24, 2013Shawn Thrasher rated it it was ok
A short history is right and sort of a shame. 1,404 years of history squashed into 222 pages (including index and two glossaries) - its possible to do, but the result isn't much fun. This is mostly a case of "just the facts, ma'm" with much of the personality and romance of Islam pretty much stripped out. It's well written, but dryly so - the "wet" of history lies in those personal stories. One of my biggest complaints about the book, however, was the tremendous amount of Arabic words, italicized, that weren't defined in glossary in the back. What's the point of having a glossary if all the unfamiliar words aren't listed in it? What was interesting was this is a pre-9/11, pre-Afghani & Iraqi War, pre-Arab Spring and pre-Syrian uprising - but just barely so. The last chapter hints at things to come; Karen Armstrong isn't a fortune teller, but she did have a good idea at the clash of Islam and the West would continue. That last chapter was the best; several new chapters could easily be added. (less)
Apr 08, 2015Ogo rated it did not like it
Mediocre writing and it is highlights some of the important historical events in Islam. However, the author is either too rosy-eyed, afraid of being labeled an Islamophobe or literally afraid of ending up like Charlie Hebdo, Isioma Daniel or Theo Van Gogh to narrate the negative aspects of the history of Islam such as the religiously-justified slave trade, imperialism, colonialism, slavery and cultural genocide. The author is a biased apologist for Christianity and Islam; although it's good to hear another view, she is simply too biased for her books to be read alone. Perhaps read her book alongside a more critical book so you can get both sides of the story. I had to give her such a low rating because she sites the long-debunked statistic that Islam is the fastest-growing religion and she makes no mention of the rise in atheism and apostasy in the Muslim world. If she wrote an entire book citing such a wrong statistic then it's hard to take the rest of it seriously. (less)
Should be titled "Islam: A Short History, and Why All Religion is Bunk Anyway." Armstrong does a decent job of tracing the history of Muslim political movements, but gives short shrift to the actual beliefs driving these movements. Some of what she says simply defies belief, such as her insistence that Muslim Fundamentalism is less prevalent and less threatening than the fundamentalism of virtually every other religion. She writes with the clear objective of promoting interfaith dialogue by insisting on a picture of Islam that simply does not exist in the modern world. Her hypothetical Islam is peace-loving, tolerant, and egalitarian. Find me one Muslim country actually characterized by these things and yes, we can talk. (less)
Apr 27, 2020Kaelan Ratcliffe ▪ كايِلان راتكِليف rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Karen Armstrong truly knows how to tackle the difficult task of making the human spirit and desire for understanding God comprehensible to the uninitiated. This introductory book is a truly beautiful work. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to grasp such a complex and historically, spiritually rich religion. Outstanding.
This might better be subtitled "A Short Defense" rather than "A Short History", as Armstrong is mainly writing to address common Western prejudices against Islam (and I would have appreciated her disclosing this, rather than disguising her book as a history). The section on Muhammed is particularly painful in its overly apologetic tones, as Armstrong is obviously minimizing the less savory parts of history (the massacre of the Jewish Qurayzah for example is explained away as a normal feature of a chronically violent society) while she magnifies the parts about Muhammed bringing peace to Arabia. She is also a little too overtly choosy over which parts of history she wants to paint as authentic divine revelation: she describes Muhammed as "being the recipient of a divine revelation". On the flip side, a few pages later she describes how the leaders of a later rebellious revolt "claimed to be prophets, and produced Quranic-style 'revelations'". In the second instance, revelation gets put in ""'s, I guess so we know which part of history Armstrong's deity was really behind.
As long as I could keep Armstrong's biases in sight, I enjoyed learning about the history. I enjoyed her theory about fundamentalism being a reaction to modernity. Unfortunately, the book was published in 2000, so lacked commentary on the more recent controversies surrounding Islam (such as the Islamic/Islamist distinction that seems to have cropped up in Western circles in more recent years). But my interest has been piqued enough that I think I will pursue some more recent books on Islam. (less)
As long as I could keep Armstrong's biases in sight, I enjoyed learning about the history. I enjoyed her theory about fundamentalism being a reaction to modernity. Unfortunately, the book was published in 2000, so lacked commentary on the more recent controversies surrounding Islam (such as the Islamic/Islamist distinction that seems to have cropped up in Western circles in more recent years). But my interest has been piqued enough that I think I will pursue some more recent books on Islam. (less)
Feb 19, 2011Anum rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: 3-stars-not-bad, non-fiction, islam, history
A Non-Muslim's view of Islam...
Considering that this book is written by a Non-Muslim author about Islam, I found this book very interesting. Karen Armstrong has summed up the history of Islam in about 170 pages, which is an achievement on its own; however, I did feel that in parts the book presented a very garbbled up mess of the facts.
However, one thing is for sure, this book is uniquely thought-provoking. The muslims need to be creative and think of a solution for themselves. They need to free themselves from the clutches of the past and the influence of the west to come up with a unique solution of their own, which will specifically target their problems.
It was a good read and I would recommend this book for all who want to read an unbiased version of Islamic history. (less)
Feb 15, 2021Jeff rated it really liked it
Recommended to Jeff by: Ahmed Abdelrazek
Shelves: non-fiction, atheism-religion, year-2021-read
This is another book I wish would've been written, and read by me decades ago. As a lad growing up Catholic, I learned all about the various denominations of Christianity but knew virtually nothing about Islam before reading this book. Like most Christians, or former Christians such as myself, most of the what we know if Islam is from what we see on the news. This book is an excellent, very short, history of Islam starting with a nice detailed description of the life and times of Muhammed and telling its history all the way through its epilogue, written in 2002 after the 9/11 attacks.
The book does a great job outlining how Islam changed from Muhammed's original vison to the modern day, and interestingly points out how world events around the Middle East such as the Mongols in the 13th century and the Crusades in the 11th century shaped the religion and its followers. We also learn of the major leaders and the different factions, and how their interpretations of Islam's ideals changed the course of things.
My favorite parts were the chapters about the beginnings, particularly the life and teachings of Muhammed, the chapter about the arrival of the West, and the epilogue. I highlighted large portions of the chapter describing how Islam was affected by the rise of Europe in the 18th century and the subsequent rise of America. It was basically two worlds colliding. The epilogue is a nice wrap-up and brings Islam's history right up to the current time, although I would really like to hear the author's take on the murders related to Charlie Hebdo cartoons.
In addition to the concise and interesting historical narrative, the book also contains ten maps, a 1,400 year chronology, a list of key figures in the history of Islam, a glossary of Arabic terms, a pronunciation guide, notes, index, and suggestions for further reading. There is a lot of information packed in to this short book. It is certainly a suitable primer on Islam. I think many Westerners have a tainted view of Islam and base opinions of it on the actions of some its followers. It's a good idea to read up on something you don't understand. It worked for me, I learned more in these 191 pages than I had in my prior 55 years. (less)
The book does a great job outlining how Islam changed from Muhammed's original vison to the modern day, and interestingly points out how world events around the Middle East such as the Mongols in the 13th century and the Crusades in the 11th century shaped the religion and its followers. We also learn of the major leaders and the different factions, and how their interpretations of Islam's ideals changed the course of things.
My favorite parts were the chapters about the beginnings, particularly the life and teachings of Muhammed, the chapter about the arrival of the West, and the epilogue. I highlighted large portions of the chapter describing how Islam was affected by the rise of Europe in the 18th century and the subsequent rise of America. It was basically two worlds colliding. The epilogue is a nice wrap-up and brings Islam's history right up to the current time, although I would really like to hear the author's take on the murders related to Charlie Hebdo cartoons.
In addition to the concise and interesting historical narrative, the book also contains ten maps, a 1,400 year chronology, a list of key figures in the history of Islam, a glossary of Arabic terms, a pronunciation guide, notes, index, and suggestions for further reading. There is a lot of information packed in to this short book. It is certainly a suitable primer on Islam. I think many Westerners have a tainted view of Islam and base opinions of it on the actions of some its followers. It's a good idea to read up on something you don't understand. It worked for me, I learned more in these 191 pages than I had in my prior 55 years. (less)
Dec 15, 2007Adam rated it really liked it
From Publishers Weekly
Readers seeking a quick but thoughtful introduction to Islam will want to peruse Armstrong's latest offering. In her hallmark stylish and accessible prose, the author of A History of God takes readers from the sixth-century days of the Prophet Muhammad to the present. Armstrong writes about the revelations Muhammad received, and explains that the Qur'an earned its name (which means recitation) because most of Muhammad's followers were illiterate and learned his teachings not from reading them but hearing them proclaimed aloud. Throughout the book, Armstrong traces what she sees as Islam's emphasis on right living (? la Judaism) over right belief (? la Christianity). Armstrong is at her most passionate when discussing Islam in the modern world. She explains antagonisms between Iraqi Muslims and Syrian Muslims, and discusses the devastating consequences of modernization on the Islamic world. Unlike Europe, which modernized gradually over centuries, the Islamic world had modernity thrust upon it in an exploitative manner. The Islamic countries, Armstrong argues, have been "reduced to a dependent bloc by the European powers." Armstrong also rehearses some basics about Islamic fundamentalism in a section that will be familiar to anyone who has read her recent study, The Battle for God. A useful time line and a guide to the "Key Figures in the History of Islam" complete this strong, brisk survey of 1,500 years of Islamic history. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. (less)
Readers seeking a quick but thoughtful introduction to Islam will want to peruse Armstrong's latest offering. In her hallmark stylish and accessible prose, the author of A History of God takes readers from the sixth-century days of the Prophet Muhammad to the present. Armstrong writes about the revelations Muhammad received, and explains that the Qur'an earned its name (which means recitation) because most of Muhammad's followers were illiterate and learned his teachings not from reading them but hearing them proclaimed aloud. Throughout the book, Armstrong traces what she sees as Islam's emphasis on right living (? la Judaism) over right belief (? la Christianity). Armstrong is at her most passionate when discussing Islam in the modern world. She explains antagonisms between Iraqi Muslims and Syrian Muslims, and discusses the devastating consequences of modernization on the Islamic world. Unlike Europe, which modernized gradually over centuries, the Islamic world had modernity thrust upon it in an exploitative manner. The Islamic countries, Armstrong argues, have been "reduced to a dependent bloc by the European powers." Armstrong also rehearses some basics about Islamic fundamentalism in a section that will be familiar to anyone who has read her recent study, The Battle for God. A useful time line and a guide to the "Key Figures in the History of Islam" complete this strong, brisk survey of 1,500 years of Islamic history. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. (less)
Oct 27, 2018Mehrsa rated it really liked it
This is, as advertised, a very short intro to Islam. I love Karen Armstrong's longer books on religion. She's a balanced scholar that is able to approach faith without hostility or total dedication. She's a rare gem of a writer. This book was too short for those who are familiar with Islamic history, but it's a great intro for those who do not. I loved her Fields of Blood as an explanation of violence and Islam. (less)
Apr 29, 2013Kevin Bensema rated it it was ok
The downfall of what could be an otherwise good history of Islam is Karen Armstrong's attempt to whitewash history. She repeatedly distorts history and makes apology for Muslim violence throughout the centuries, while blaming Christianity (no stranger to violence) for introducing violence to Islam.
But first, the good: With a few minor exceptions, the first two-thirds of the book is a good history of the spread of Islam, and a reasonably engaging read. Some other reviews have criticized the readability of the post-Rashidun sections, but for a history text, it is excellent.
Unfortunately, the book makes unfounded and unsourced assertions, and is rather clearly biased. Armstrong's liberal Christian heresies are interjected here and there, which is rather annoying. The worst part, however, is the repeated assertion that Islamic fundamentalism is more characteristically fundamentalist than Islamic, and that (p149) "equally prevalent and violent fundamentalisms of other faiths" are somehow the same. Sorry, but I can't remember the last time fundamentalist Buddhists got a whole state to themselves (Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc.) or Christian fundamentalists killed a few thousand civilians. Armstrong likes to quote the Fall of Jerusalem in 1099A.D. as Crusader brutality and, hilariously, the "first experience of the West" for Islam. Spain, Southern France, Sicily, and parts of Italy, which had been conquered or raided by Muslims centuries before, would like a word. She likes to talk about the slaughter at Jerusalem, but never mentions the slaughter at Constantinople. The truth is, that when cities fall without a surrender agreement, there is no organized end to the fighting, and massive numbers of civilians die, whether the attacker is Christian or Turk. It gets funny at times. In her attempts to portray Europe as a backward backwater, she brushes off the *88 year* occupation of Jerusalem and multi-century Crusader presence in the Holy Land as brief and unimportant. Aside from the mountain of evidence demonstrating at least the parity and probably the technological superiority of Medieval Europe over the Dar al-Islam, how could a tiny band of backward soldiers hold off the might of Islam, camped out in their 3rd holiest site, for nearly a century?
I'd give the book a pass. I'd suggest [Placeholder] instead. (less)
But first, the good: With a few minor exceptions, the first two-thirds of the book is a good history of the spread of Islam, and a reasonably engaging read. Some other reviews have criticized the readability of the post-Rashidun sections, but for a history text, it is excellent.
Unfortunately, the book makes unfounded and unsourced assertions, and is rather clearly biased. Armstrong's liberal Christian heresies are interjected here and there, which is rather annoying. The worst part, however, is the repeated assertion that Islamic fundamentalism is more characteristically fundamentalist than Islamic, and that (p149) "equally prevalent and violent fundamentalisms of other faiths" are somehow the same. Sorry, but I can't remember the last time fundamentalist Buddhists got a whole state to themselves (Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc.) or Christian fundamentalists killed a few thousand civilians. Armstrong likes to quote the Fall of Jerusalem in 1099A.D. as Crusader brutality and, hilariously, the "first experience of the West" for Islam. Spain, Southern France, Sicily, and parts of Italy, which had been conquered or raided by Muslims centuries before, would like a word. She likes to talk about the slaughter at Jerusalem, but never mentions the slaughter at Constantinople. The truth is, that when cities fall without a surrender agreement, there is no organized end to the fighting, and massive numbers of civilians die, whether the attacker is Christian or Turk. It gets funny at times. In her attempts to portray Europe as a backward backwater, she brushes off the *88 year* occupation of Jerusalem and multi-century Crusader presence in the Holy Land as brief and unimportant. Aside from the mountain of evidence demonstrating at least the parity and probably the technological superiority of Medieval Europe over the Dar al-Islam, how could a tiny band of backward soldiers hold off the might of Islam, camped out in their 3rd holiest site, for nearly a century?
I'd give the book a pass. I'd suggest [Placeholder] instead. (less)
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