Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance

Book Description

Ian Buruma returns to his native land to explore the great dilemma of our time through the story of the brutal murder of controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh at the hands of an Islamic extremist.

It was the emblematic crime of our moment: On a cold November day in Amsterdam, an angry young Muslim man, Mohammed Bouyeri, the son of Moroccan immigrants, shot and killed the celebrated and controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, great-grandnephew of Vincent and iconic European provocateur, for making a movie with the vocally anti-Islam Somali-born Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali that "blasphemed" Islam. After Bouyeri shot van Gogh, he calmly stood over the body and cut his throat with a curved machete, as if performing a ritual sacrifice, which in a very real sense he was.

The murder horrified quiet, complacent, prosperous Holland, a country that prides itself on being a bastion of tolerance, and sent shock waves across Europe and around the world. Shortly thereafter, Ian Buruma returned to his native country to try to make sense of it all and to see what larger meaning should and shouldn't be drawn from this story. The result is Buruma's masterpiece: a book with the intimacy and narrative control of a true-crime page-turner and the intellectual resonance we've come to expect from one of the most well-regarded journalists and thinkers of our time. Ian Buruma's entire life has led him to this narrative: In his hands, it is the exemplary tale of our age, the story of what happens when political Islam collides with the secular West and tolerance finds its limits.

Customer Reviews:

Informative Read!!.......2007-09-29

"Murder in Amsterdam" was able to shed new light on the immigration plight that The Netherlands is experiencing. The author explains how some of the immigrants, especially the second generation, are having a difficult time assimilating into a compeletely different culture than that of the Middle East. Ultimately, many of these immigrants, probably more so the males (since they have more freedom) find themselves being sucked into the thoughts and ways of radical Islam.

I thought this book was divided up pretty well. Not only does the author explain why and how the death of Van Gogh happened, but he also mentions how other political leaders in that country are also targeted by radical Islam. There is also a chapter devoted to Van Gogh's killer.

In doing so, he relates this to how the Dutch culture has felt guilty for turning a blind on the Jews during the Nazi occupation. For this reason, the Dutch feel that they need to be more tolerant to present day immigrants, mostly from Morocco and Turkey. But too much appeasement, may be doing more harm than good. In addition, the Netherlands since the 1960's is becoming more secular which makes it easier for radical Islam to penetrate a country that doesn't hold much religious convition.

I had no idea that Van Gogh's and Pim Fortuyn's murder had such a great impact on this tiny nation. If anyone is looking for a closer read on not only the murders, but the national psyche of the Netherlands, then "Murder in Amsterdam" will be a fulfilling read.

Problems of Muslim Community in Europe.......2007-07-16

This is not a murder mystery. We learn up front about the death of Theo van Gogh, why he was killed by Mohammed Boyeri over a film critical of Islam he made with Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The book explores the life and thought of these three Dutch persons in great detail. The real topic of the book is given by the last line of the subtitle, what are: "the Limits of Tolerance" in an open, democratic society towards culturally very different immigrants?

The Netherlands has a Muslim minority of about 15 percent, immigrants and descendants of immigrants, who form a separate community which is assimilating to Dutch ways only slowly if at all. Virtually all intend to maintain their adherence to Islam, and Islamic culture. How great differences can a society tolerate? Surely not murder, not killing for religious, political, or family honor reasons. Can a western society tolerate polygamy, permitted by the Koran? Sending children "home" to be religiously educated in a madrasa, and to learn the parents' language to the exclusion of the national language? Forced marriage of young women?

Ian Buruma, a journalist who grew up in the Netherlands, is well placed to explicate many of these issues. In Theo van Gogh he examins a writer who was outspokenly critical of Islam and the multi-cultural ideal. In Hirsi Ali he assesses a woman who has entirely turned away from her birth culture, and in Boyeri the exact opposite, a Dutch born individual who became an Islamist radical. The role of the Islamic immigration community is a major issue in Europe today. The book is well worth reading for examining part of this question through the life of three individuals.

Beyond right and left.......2007-06-20

Most of the reviews of this books have misunderstood the complexity of its story. Some seem to have been looking for a book that confirmed their prejudices about Muslim immigrants in Europe. Instead, Buruma tells a story that cannot be assimilated to either the ¨¨war on terror¨¨ or apologistsfor terrorists. He paints a picture of a society which is tolerant of lifestyles but very homogeneous culturally and perfectly happy to stay that way. Tolerance means becoming Dutch and any conception that a person could be Dutch and a devout Muslim seems inconceivable to many of Buruma's compatriots. This is in spite of the fact that he interviews many Dutch muslims who see no contradiction in that identity and are in that way like millions of Muslims in the US. The circumstances of Van Gogh's murder are explained straignt-forwardly and the author offers no excuses for the murderer. But he does make it clear how Dutch society creates the conditions in which people like that develop. That is not the same as justifying or apologizing. Read this book with an open mind and a willingness to chalenge all your presuppositions--whether they come from Bernard Lewis or Noam Chomsky. This is not a book to comfort those who already think they know the truth.

much more than a murder.......2007-06-19

more than the murder of Theo Van Gogh the author explores how such a thing could happen in small liberal loveable Holland of all places.How could such a place welcome people from all over the world allowing Amsterdam to become 45percent foreign born now be a place where freedom of speech is dangerous?How does it follow that this enourmous population of Moroccans and Turks who receive every possible state assistance and then some be so resentful of the country that welcomed them?
Holland is of course, a microcosm of the European Welfare State.

I think many of Burumas"s explanations for the turn of events happening in Holland described by other readers are interesting but the one that captured me was the collective feeling of guilt which started in the 60s when the world finally faced and spoke of the Holocaust. With some exceptions such as Anne Frank most of the country and the rest of Europe as well did little but watch their citizens be hauled away to be murdered.Now with the facts out in the open the Europeans had to face their share of the blame and the guilt.Surely they would be careful never to be racist again.Very very careful.
And who should arrive just about then but first the Moluccans and Surinamese(who after all were Dutch Citizens)paving the way for the Turks and Moroccans to do the dirty work the Dutch would not and then their families and then anyone who called themselves "refugees".This continues to this day.
So the irony is that guilt for the slaughter of the jews is what allows the Europeans to bend over backwards enabling and protecting the people who would slaughter the jews again.
And need I mention bringing about the demise of western civilization.

Lots to Digest.......2007-03-04

My headline is not original. It's a quote from another review below. I used it because it is so apt.

Buruma's writing flows. It's like having coffee with him as he recounts his experiences with Theo and describes Theo's life, TV show and art. He explains the earlier, but separate, murder of Pim Fortuyn. The flamboyant libertarian/conservative Fortuyn, killed by an animal rights activist, credits the Enlightenment with his ability as a gay man to be elected to public office. He saw the intolerance of Muslim culture as a threat to the fullfillment of civil rights that Dutch society has finally evolved to provide.

Most provocative are Buruma's interviews. He meets with Ayaan Hersi Ali and (something like) her Dutch foster family. He talks with a psychiatrist, friends of Theo, Theo's mother, young Moroccan women who work in a shelter for Muslim women, welfare workers, teachers... and many others representing a wide range of opinion.

Buruma explains how WWII and its myths and legends hang over the Netherlands of today. Buruma cites the influence of this recent past on the immigration policy and the climate of tolerance. The book takes us to the last "home" of Anne Frank and into "dish cities". The question posed by the subtitle, how to be tolerant of an intolerant society is debated on many levels.

I highly recommend this book.

Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World

Average customer rating:

A Must Read For The Uneducated Westerner
Interesting but flawed thesis
Contrarian worth reading . . .
Important points, but...
Islam covered

Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World
Edward W. Said
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Media Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Orientalism
The Question of Palestine
Culture and Imperialism
Power, Politics, and Culture
Out of Place: A Memoir

ASIN: 0679758909
Release Date: 1997-03-11

Amazon.com

While the 16 years that have passed since the first edition of this book hit the stands have been marked by an increase in sensitivity toward many ethnic, racial, and sexual minorities, the easy acceptance of stereotypes and prejudices in the portrayal, depiction of, and reporting about Islamic peoples has remained largely constant. In this updated version of this rigorous but engaging volume Edward Said looks at how American popular media has used and perpetuated a narrow and unfavorable image of Islamic peoples, and how this has prevented understanding while providing a fictitious common enemy for the diverse American populace.

Book Description

From the Iranian hostage crisis through the Gulf War and the bombing of the World Trade Center, the American news media have portrayed "Islam" as a monolithic entity, synonymous with terrorism and religious hysteria. In this classic work, now updated, the author of Culture and Imperialism reveals the hidden agendas and distortions of fact that underlie even the most "objective" coverage of the Islamic world.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read For The Uneducated Westerner.......2006-06-27

Edward Said is one of my favorite social writers when it comes to Middle Eastern politics. Being a Palestenian Christian, it is obvious he wouldn't simply side with the East because of his religious ties with Islam. The book is very fair in showing exactly how the West's propaganda against the Middle East is a self-fulfilled prophecy. It's undoing will certainly be its downfall. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand some tenets of journalism and is definately a must read for anyone who has ever taken an anthropology class. Pick it up!

Interesting but flawed thesis.......2006-06-10

In the latter stages of `Orientalism', Edward Said's monumental and controversial treatise on the `otherness' of Eastern cultures as perceived by Western writers and colonial figures, the German anti-Islamist Gustave von Grunbaum - writing some five decades ago - is taken to task. Said notes his `essentially reductive, negative generalisations' about Islam and supplies quotations to substantiate the charge. Despite Said's strictures, though, von Grunebaum's statements concerning the `basic anti-humanism of Islamic civilization' which `does not separate the things of Caesar from those of God' have a definite bearing on one side of the current debate in the light of more recent catastrophic events. This view of Islam as prescriptive, authoritarian, resistant to change is by its nature `Orientalist', in the pejorative sense which Said implies, because it is held by an outsider whose Western intellectual baggage must inevitably compromise any attempt on his part to be objective. Much as I usually defer to Said's prodigious scholarship I find myself in serious disagreement with him here. Likewise, the sequel `Culture and Imperialism' contains a discussion of W.B. Yeats in which Said objects to two American commentators on post '79 Iran quoting Yeats in their reports. He feels that the words of Ireland's greatest poet about `the worst being full of passionate intensity' would be better applied to the Western colonial intervention of 1953 than to those caught up in, or leading, the upheaval which would be its eventual outcome. Of course, many would take the view that Yeats' `Second Coming' could quite legitimately be referred to when the subject of the Ayatollah Khomeini's bloodstained Islamofascist regime is under discussion.

Unfortunately this propensity for denial and omission to some extent pervades `Covering Islam'. Written in the wake of Iran's 1979 `revolution' and the ensuing hostage crisis it deals with Western media perception of Islam and the Islamic world. Essentially what is presented is a further ramification of the argument in `Orientalism', which is referred back to, concerning the problem of negative, sometimes racist, Muslim stereotypes in mainly the US media. `I have no quarrel with the view that the Islamic world is in a dreadful state', Said concedes, acknowledging that at least some of the criticism might be justified. He also admits that most Islamic societies are `poor, tyrannical, militarily inept' and `incompetent, crude dictatorships', although without any attempt to analyse the possible underlying reasons for this. When even a respected authority like Bernard Lewis refers to Islam as something `static, determinist and authoritarian' - as distinct from the rationalist, secular West - he is in effect shouted down, possibly because Said senses in the remark some hint of an explanation which Lewis would like to offer for the inherent backwardness of Islamic countries. John Kifner of the New York Times gets similar treatment for an article in which he contrasts the Western mind - post-Reformation - with Islam, noting that the latter observes no separation of Church and State and remarking on the difficulty we in the West are bound to have in grasping the power exerted by Islam. Again, these seem to me pertinent observations although Said disallows them.

The main focus of the book is Iran and the various references to Khomeini, far from being critical, seem calculated not to offend his supporters whose hysterical adulation was dramatically pointed up at the time by the Western media. Incredibly, as an example of the hostile media slant Said even mentions an edition of Khomeini's `Islamic Government', published under the title `Khomeini's Mein Kampf' and carrying a preface by one George Capozi Jnr of the New York Post which compares Khomeini with Hitler. Given the nature of the regime and the psychology of its leader this would seem fair comment, but Said chooses instead to focus on Khomeini's reputation at home as a great reader of Islamic law who thus, as the nation's guide, fulfils the requirements of Iran's new constitution. His moral teachings are mentioned in passing along with his call for an Islamic republic which should `institutionalize righteousness' and act in the best interests of the oppressed. Sadly, these reassuring indications of the tyrant's honourable intentions merely disguise the brutal reality of a system which claimed many innocent lives. Nor, with the benefit of hindsight, is this regretted in the revised 1991 introduction. We have to look elsewhere to be informed about the regime's routine murder of gays, atheists, apostates, prostitutes and adulterers, not to mention the righteous Mullah's revolting prescriptions regarding bestiality and sex with children.

Said also states, at various points, his opinions on what qualifies anyone to report from Muslim countries or comment from the outside looking in. He regrets the fact that those who express negative opinions about the Islamic world often have no grasp of Islamic jurisprudence and are unfamiliar with the languages of the region. Zionist author Michael Walzer, for example, is referred to in this light. I would not normally defend Walzer (his characterisation of the Palestinian resistance as religious rather than political is patently absurd) but this seems a little unfair. By the same logic it might be argued that, in the `30s and `40s, to have criticised Hitler one should ideally have been a German speaker and possessed an in-depth knowledge of Germany's history and culture, also its legal system.

I have too high a regard for Professor Said to dismiss his thesis out of hand. It is valid up to a point. He is right to condemn the media charade of the hostage crisis following the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, the whole point of which was to force the return of the exiled Shah from the States to face trial. Over the 444-day period of the standoff a cavalcade of network `pundits', with their 3-minute soundbite approach to history, did little to advance public awareness of the background to the crisis. Of the struggle unfolding between the clergy and various political groupings in Iran very little was said. Of course, had there been serious analysis of this and other important issues it would probably have detracted from the entertainment value of the discussions centering upon conspiracy theories rather than facts. Thus, George Ball of the Washington Post's claim that the embassy takeover was `orchestrated by well-known Marxists' (how well known or who they were, exactly, was not specified) typified the general ambience of rumour and paranoia. Other equally informed contributors to the debate alleged PLO involvement and, because the Cold War still had a decade to run, inevitably the Soviet Union must have had a hand in it also. That the Iranian people might actually have suffered under the Pahlavi dynasty and therefore wished to bring its deposed head to account seems scarcely to have been considered. When the crisis was finally resolved rumours of torture and ill-treatment inflicted on the hostages by their captors were shown to have been a cynical lie conceived as part of the media's sensationalist agenda. This attention-grabbing, racist stereotype of the Muslim whose moral backwardness is bound to lead to uncivilized behaviour - played upon at length during the seige - unfortunately continues to have wide currency.

Said also notes hypocrisy in the charge that Islamic societies are theologically backward-looking if it is not equally applied to Israel. The terrorist Begin's citing of Biblical precedent to justify his war on the Palestinians is brought to mind. Indeed, the plethora of pro-Israeli books and journals masquerading as serious scholarship and responsible journalism, in their eagerness to portray Israel as a victim of Islamic violence, say little or nothing about the bombing and invasion of several Islamic countries by Israel and the US, or Palestinian dispossession. This is familiar territory and all of a piece with, elsewhere, Said's excoriating and entirely proper denunciations of Israeli oppression in the occupied territories. Various examples of hate propaganda in American right-wing publications are mentioned, one particularly repellent example being Martin Peretz of the `New Atlantic' who is shown nailing his racist, anti-Arab colours firmly to the mast in a theatre review. Such unpleasant media stereotypes seem to have multiplied following the OPEC price rises of 1974 and the increase in the cost of imported oil. This strand of Said's argument ultimately connects with his analysis, in the concluding chapter, of the corporate or government-driven agenda which dictates the angle of Islamic studies in American universities and the careers open to graduates in the subject area.

In sum, more than twenty-five years after its initial publication `Covering Islam' remains thought-provoking and merits reconsideration in the context of the post 9/11 debate. For the sake of balance, however, I would strongly recommend Muslim apostate scholar Ibn Warraq's rigorous critique of Islam `Why I Am Not A Muslim' as a powerful refutation of Said's assertion in his introduction that the religion is `doctrinally blameless' vis-à-vis the absence of personal freedoms in many Islamic societies. Also, those who might be persuaded of Islam's allegedly benign attitude towards women could do worse than read `Price Of Honour', Jan Goodwin' chilling account of its practical realization in some of these very societies. Of particular relevance to this discussion is her chapter on Iran entitled `There Is No Fun In Islam' - those being the Ayatollah's very words - which shows how the initial euphoria following the Shah's overthrow soon gave way tragically to the realization that one barbaric torture state had been swept away only to be replaced by another.

Contrarian worth reading . . ........2006-06-08

First published in 1981 and updated in 1997, Said's critique of the media's coverage of Islam, particularly in the Middle East, is a thought-provoking challenge to any reader's perceptions of what is reported as news from that war-torn part of the world. Written before 9/11, subsequent military intervention in Afghanistan, and the current conflict in Iraq, the book's interpretation of events unfolding there (the aftermath of the Islamic revolution in Iran) are often prophetic. An understanding of Islam based solely on Western "interest," he argues, will lead to further and protracted conflict rather than resolution of differences.

Despite a carping tone that becomes irritating and a tendency to make its points with a thoroughness that seems like overkill, the book throws a searching light on how Islam is represented by news gatherers, experts, and policy makers. Emphasis on violence, anti-American rhetoric, and resistance to "modernization," for example, belie the fact that there is not a single monolithic Islam but many Islams and that what news organizations perpetuate is an undifferentiated form of cultural stereotyping - as if it were sufficient to say about the Dutch that they all wear wooden shoes.

Said's arguments are dismissed (see other reviews here) for reasons that may have some validity (as a Palestinian-American, his sympathies are clearly not pro-Israeli), but readers can benefit nonetheless from his contrarian views, especially since they throw into question assumptions about the Middle East, which so far show a tendency (as in the case of Iran and Iraq) to seriously misjudge political and cultural realities.

Important points, but..........2006-01-04

In Covering Islam, Edward W. Said makes some vitally important points that remind us that our relationship with many countries (and not just in the countries/cultures/peoples who are Arabic or Islamic or in the Middle East) is informed by a media that does not always do justice to the people they cover -- in many cases, the media generalizes and demonizes. Making one of the most important points in the book, Said reminds us that Islam (like "Christendom" or "the West" or any broad cultural category) is not a monolithic homogeneous structure, but that many journalists, pundits, spokespeople, and citizens see and portray it as such.

Said cites many examples of journalists (and academics) who fall into lazy habits when looking at and writing these cultures. Unfortunately, it seemed to me that Said makes many generalizations himself, about American media and journalists (although, to be fair, he does give some examples in the last chapter of academics and writers who he believes have a more broad and insightful and accurate viewpoint) which made it harder for me to stay engaged with the book.

Finally, I wanted to know his solutions and suggestions, not just the problem. If everything an American journalist or adademic touches in a country such as Iran or Iraq or Afghanistan is tainted by post-colonialism and oil and government, how can the average person learn about that part of the world in a genuine manner? What information is trustworthy? Said has told us the problem, or part of it, but did not seem, in this book anyway, to offer solutions.

Islam covered.......2005-08-19

How Islam is portrayed in the Western media shows how the tail wags the dog - a minority determines how the majority sees the rest of the world by giving them access to selective information about the Other.

This book should be added to your post-9/11-book shelf.

Average customer rating:

A classic
dated , interesting, but overcome by recent events
First of Its Kind
Objective, direct, accurate: Excellent
A classical work on the Muslim Brotherhood from 1928 to 1954

The Society of the Muslim Brothers
Richard P. Mitchell
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Egypt | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Social Justice in Islam
Milestones
Wahhabism: A Critical Essay
From Secularism to Jihad: Sayyid Qutb and the Foundations of Radical Islamism
Muslim Extremism in Egypt: The Prophet and Pharaoh, With a New Preface for 2003

ASIN: 0195084373

Book Description

First published in 1969 as part of a series edited by renowned Islamic scholar Albert Hourani, this book has been the standard source for the history of the revivalist Egyptian movement--the Muslim Brethren up to the time of Nasser. The Muslim Brethren are now well-recognized for their foundational role in the Islamic revival which has now taken on new, and perhaps dangerous, life in recent times. After having been out of print for over a decade, this reissue of the classic work makes it accessible to a new generation of scholars and students interested in the Muslim revival--a group whose numbers have increased dramatically in the past decade. The new paperback edition has a foreword by John Voll, a leading American Islamic scholar, discussing the subsequent history and continued significance of the Muslim Brethren.

Customer Reviews:

A classic.......2006-11-24

This is the sole book that needs to be read in order to understand the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt from its founding until the 1950's. Richard Mitchell presents a balanced coverage of their history and ideology. It's only limitations is it does not cover modern movements within the brotherhood, but an array of other books do (although they are not all unbiased and balanced like this). This book is definitely the primer for anyone hoping to understand the Muslim Brotherhood. After reading this you can get into books focusing on modern movements of the brotherhood.

dated , interesting, but overcome by recent events.......2006-02-23

In many ways the examination of the founding of the Brotherhood is a parallel to the founding of Islam itself. What Mohammed actually said about many issues will never really be known since the Koran as we know it today was not written for many decades and even centuries after his death. al-Bannah and the founding of the Brotherhood did not have the problem of contemporaneous recording of what he said, but it most certainly had the problem of what he really meant since there were many who had their own views of what he meant, and became prophets in their own right. Qutb's idiotic rantings in "Milestones" are really an expansion of al-Banna's preachings. It is really almost irrelevant as to who was Socrates or Plato in this relationship since they both rejected modernity in the search for "true Islam". Admittedly the socialist governments in Egypt provided a fertile feeding ground for a demand to return to the "roots" of Islam, even before the British were kicked out, but what the various players in the founding of the Muslim Brothers really intended is as irrelevant as what Marx and Engle's wanted Communism to be; it became what it became, a blight on humanity. From a historical perspective, this is an interesting book since it introduces many of the founding players of the Brotherhood to us. From the perspective of what the Brotherhood has become, and what it has started, it is not really very good since Qutb and his followers such as bin Laden have made it the modern-day equivalent of Nazism, regardless of its original intent. Admittedly Mitchell would not know what the movement would become writing 35 years ago, but it was pretty easy to see where it was headed, and it was much more insidious than Mitchell reports. This is a book worth reading, but it should be done as a companion to many others which have been written since.

First of Its Kind.......2003-05-26

This work still remains one of the best ever written on modern Islamism; it also happens to be one of the first. John Voll's preface to this reprinted edition is excellent and gives the work its due place in the history of the development of scholarship on Islamism.

Mitchell's work preceded the sensationalism so characteristic of the field today and, therefore, lacks many of the vices present therein today. In particular, one notices his consciousness that he is studying a *religious* group; therefore, his work doesn't suffer from the rampant reductionism that seeks to explain Islamism merely in terms of market fluctuations and changing birthrates. As Richard Mitchell wrote just before his death, "So deeply ingrained is secularism as to make even the most sympathetic observers floundering for meaning in simplistic explanations such as `Mahdism,' `Messianism,' `religious obscurantism,' `fanaticism,' `nativism,' `cover for power grab,' etc. All of these things exist in the Islamic movement. But it would not be a serious movement worthy of our attention were it not, above all, an idea and a personal commitment honestly felt."

Mitchell's works shows how Islamism began as a relatively conservative movement without any explicit aims for revolution at the governmental level. Rather, they desired a religious revolution that was later protracted into a larger arenas of social reform. Political opposition and activism-of the potentially seditious kind-actually came relatively late and in the atmosphere of despotic monarchy.

The books ends with the imprisonment of the Brotherhood by Nasser-ironically after the Brotherhood provided the major popular support for the Free Officers to enter into power-and thereafter the history of the Brotherhood was chronicled mostly by francophone authors such as Olivier Carré and Gilles Kepel.

Objective, direct, accurate: Excellent.......2001-05-22

In The Society of the Muslim Brothers, Richard P. Mitchell addresses the ideology of the organization. He takes the reader from the birth of the movement that would eventually challenge the Egyptian government to it's greatest and worst moments. He writes with an amazingly objective style, neither apologizing for the members who committed crimes, nor minimalizing the excellent social welfare contributions of Hassan Al-Banna, the leader. Of particular interest in this discussion of dualities is the point made about the dual legal systems. Al-Banna felt that the Western laws "corrupted and perverted the nation's thought, mind and logic." Mitchell's point on this seems to hold vivid clarity in the idea that manmade laws and shari'a are innately incompatible. The inharmonious combination of this dual legal system "served to shatter the `unity' of the nation." Mitchell's writing really catches the essence of a group of people struggling to come to terms with a rapidly changing society in flux in a rapidly changing world. His book was translated into Arabic and Arab scholars agree that his portrayal of this politically powerful religious movement is academically sound.

A classical work on the Muslim Brotherhood from 1928 to 1954.......1999-10-09

Mitchell's book is obviously dated by now, published in 1969 and has been republished in 1993. At first, I wonder whether it is still worth a reading given that there are a lot more recent works in the field as a result of the proliferation of literature on the Islamist movements in recent decades. Having read this book, I must admit that Mitchell's book continues to be a significant contribution in our understanding of Islamism.

The book covers periods of Ikhwan foundation in 1928 till its second suppression in 1954. The focus is on Egypt without dealing with various manifestations of the movement outside of the country. The book can be divided into three parts. The first and largest is history of the movement. It sheds interesting light on al-Banna, the founder of the movement, and the roles the movement played in political events including its attitude toward the 1952 revolution. The second part deals with the details of the organizational aspect of the movement while the third part concentrates on its ideology with special reference to its world-view as regards the West, Egypt, capitalism, communism, and Zionism. The final chapter assess the place of the movement in Egyptian social and political life. The most impressive aspect of this study is Mitchell's utilization of the sources. Through his field works in Egypt in 1953-5 Mitchell was able to witness the development first hand and to conduct interviews with many of the Ikhwan members and other Egyptians. Furthermore, Mitchell uses Arabic language sources, including the writings of the prominent figures of the movement such as al-Banna and Muhammad al-Ghazali, and Qutb along with the writings of other Egyptian unconnected with the society as well as Ikhwan's own publications and documents. In addition, the author also utilizes Egyptian newspapers and numerous Western studies on various aspects the subject.

One common (distorted) image of the movement according to the author is associating Ikhwan with violence. Mitchell dismisses the common view attributing the movement as revolutionary, and terrorist. Mitchell argues that the revolutionary image of the movement is misleading because whatever the(revolutionary) view of certain groups or members, the leadership had no wish to seize power either in 1948 or 1954. As a matter of fact, Mitchell adds that Al-Banna always emphasized that the movement primary roles were educational and to influence the policies of those in power in establishing the Islamic pattern of behavior in the society rather than to achieve power for themselves The revolutionary image of the society apparently derived from its semiautonomous "secret apparatus" which advocated violence, but this attitude was confined to this group and not the organization as a whole. In addition, Mitchell argues that tendency toward violence was not confined to some segments of the Brothers, but it was almost a universal tendency in the national politics as a result of disillusionment with parliamentary government which characterized Egyptian politics between 1942-1952.

Mitchell also debunks the common view that the society was dogmatic, static and reactionary organization dedicated to restore the seventh century concept of the Muslim state. He states that despite its aspiration for the implementation of Islamic principles in the society, Ikhwan demonstrated its open-minded attitude toward the interpretation of Shariah as reflected in their readiness to open the door of Ijtihad. Although there is a tendency toward Hanbali strict uncompromising attitude in the movement, the author argues that there was also a strong consciousness among the brothers that they were part of Islamic reformist tradition of Abduh, Afghani, and Ridha and shared the same intent of adaptation of Islam to meet modern challenges. As a matter of fact Banna and Hudaybi are depicted as promoting a reformist role for the society. The society's dynamic commercial and welfare activities and to a lesser degree its effort to form an auxiliary Muslim sister "wing" demonstrate the "modernized" and pragmatic aspect of the society.

The success of the society can be attributed to al-Banna himself, whom Mitchell repeatedly refers to as a charismatic leader. In chapter one, Mitchell provides a brief account of al-Banna's early years regarding his gifted ability to communicate, to inspire and to influence. Furthermore, Mitchell presents considerable amount of evidence throughout the book demonstrating the charisma in Banna and his "brothers" relationship. However, the death of al-Banna and ascendancy of Hudaybi as the General Guide of the movement posed a serious challenge for the movement. Without a charismatic leader and effective leadership, the society failed in dealing with problems associated with leadership- succession, discipline, consensus and even the loss of control over secret apparatus.

My impression from Mitchell's account is that the relative success of the movement under Banna can be attributed to the leadership quality. However, the author's treatment of leadership is inadequate; primarily emphasizing the personality of Banna and leaving out the roles of elite members of the movement such as the Guidance Council and the Secretariat. In light of my own understanding that a good number of Ikhwan prominent figures are not (strictly speaking) the graduates of Islamic studies, It would also be desirable to learn something about the society's elite such as their educational training and class background. In this regard Mitchell's book is less helpful.

Despite the proliferation of literature on the Islamist movement in recent decades, Mitchell's book continues to have a class of its own, especially for those aspiring to learn about the development of the movement in Egypt from its foundation to 1954. One wish that the author could have also covered the influence of the movement outside Egypt, most notably in Palestine, Jordan and Syria.

The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760 (Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies , No 17)
Average customer rating:

Pretty exhaustive...

The Rise of Islam and the Bengal Frontier, 1204-1760 (Comparative Studies on Muslim Societies , No 17)
Richard M. Eaton
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Outside the Fold

ASIN: 0520205073

Book Description

In all of the South Asian subcontinent, Bengal was the region most receptive to the Islamic faith. This area today is home to the world's second-largest Muslim ethnic population. How and why did such a large Muslim population emerge there? And how does such a religious conversion take place? Richard Eaton uses archaeological evidence, monuments, narrative histories, poetry, and Mughal administrative documents to trace the long historical encounter between Islamic and Indic civilizations.
Moving from the year 1204, when Persianized Turks from North India annexed the former Hindu states of the lower Ganges delta, to 1760, when the British East India Company rose to political dominance there, Eaton explores these moving frontiers, focusing especially on agrarian growth and religious change.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty exhaustive..........2004-09-07

At first, I had thought Eaton will only cover the spread of Islam in the Bengal as a religious process but obviously 300+ pages isn't for all that. Not only does he start from the B.C. periods and provide an overview of the political, religious and agrarian developments in this part of the world but he also goes on to describe much of the politcal history of the Turkish invasion and later Mughal dynasty. Obviously, I realized that giving such a comprehensive background helps the reader form a broader picture of the frame of mind of the receivers of the Islamic faith at that time in Bengal and does a better job explaining exactly why Islam blossommed so rapidly there. Eaton expounds the already existing theories of mass conversion and then goes on to partially reject them. Then he carefully eloborates on his view (which I, being a Bangladeshi, find agreeable) on how Islam ACTUALLY spread in this region.

For those looking for a book on the spread of Islam around the world, go for The Spread of Islam by Thomas W. Arnold but this book by Eaton is much more micro in perspective and hence serves the purpose of exploring the conditions conducive to the spread of Islam more thoroughly, bearing in mind of course that what induced Bengali people to embrace Islam is not necessarily the same that encouraged people in other times and places to become Muslim.

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A good introduction but half propoganda
An excellent comprehensive survey
History is not pretty
NOT for beginners or the mildly apathetic
Detailed and Readable

A History of Islamic Societies
Ira M. Lapidus
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Islamic World
The Formation of Islam: Religion and Society in the Near East, 600-1800 (Themes in Islamic History)
The Venture of Islam, Volume 1: The Classical Age of Islam (Venture of Islam)
When Baghdad Ruled The Muslim World: The Rise and Fall of Islam's Greatest Dynasty
Islam

ASIN: 0521779332

Book Description

Long considered a classic, A History of Islamic Societies is now that much more useful a reference for general readers and scholars alike. Widely praised for its balanced and comprehensive account, Ira Lapidus' work has been fully revised in its coverage of each country and region of the Muslim world through 2001. It incorporates the origins and evolution of Islamic societies and brings into focus the historical processes that gave shape to the manifold varieties of contemporary Islam. The concluding chapters survey the growing influence of the Islamist movements within national states and in their transnational or global dimensions, including the Islamic revival, Islamist politics and terrorism. An updated discussion of the roles of women in Islamic societies is added, with new sections about Afghanistan and Muslims in Europe, America, and the Philippines. Ira M. Lapidus is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of California at Berkeley. His many books and articles include Islam, Politics and Social Movements (University of California Press, 1988) and Muslim Cities in the Later Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1984).

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Customer Reviews:

A good introduction but half propoganda.......2006-12-19

Like most books on Islam written in the west this is an introduction written from a Muslim perspective with no critique and no willingness to question traditional Muslim accounts. For an example of this one must go no further than the first chapter where Muhammed is referred to as "the prophet". But this characterization is strange, books on Western Christian history do not refer to Jesus as 'the son of god'. So why must one implicitly accept the tenants of Islam in order to read its history? Muslims beleive Muhammed was 'the prophet' but others do not. The early history of Islam is covered with competance and the later history is truly helpful for it covers Islam in far off places such as Southeast Asia, central asia and africa, areas not usually covered in histories of Islam.

But then there is the other strangely titled chapter: "colonialism and the defeat of Muslim expansion." How is it that 'colonialism' defeated Muslim expansion in Africa? Muslim expansion in Africa was colonialistic and it was built on the trade in slaves for profit. Much of Islamic expansion was based on the same colonialistic and racist models as the west, except that Muslim colonization of Europe, Africa and India began in the 10th and 11th century whereas Europeanc colonialism didnt begin until the 15th. Thus this book is full of semantics which are pure fabrications and it is because this book, like most on the subject, refuses to exact the same rigorous critique of Islamic history that western history is subjected to.

Seth J. Frantzman

An excellent comprehensive survey.......2006-11-27

This book is absolutely essential for any historian interested or concerned with Islamicate societies. It is certainly more readable than Hodgeson's 3 volume Venture of Islam and on the same level of scholarly mastery. Consider this the product of a top historian reflecting upon a career of work within this field. Each paragraph is like a synthesis of ideas from across the field.

For me, this was an invaluable book for preparing for my minor field exam in medieval Islamic history (a graduate level exam). While it is never a replacement for more detailed studies, it serves as an "all you need to know" for many topics/ or a great launch pad for further research depending on what your purpose for reading is. There are more accessible books available for somebody only casually interested in the field, and I would be hard pressed to recommend it for in that case. Berkey's 'Formation of Islam' is a slimmer and easier to handle introduction, though his writing style is a tad dense even for somebody already introduced to the field.

Overall, I highly recommend it for any historian as a go to book. As my focus is Europe in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it is perfect since enables me to have a huge field on hand without consulting numerous individual studies. As one reviewer remarked, though, this is most definitely a history book and so do not come looking for a poetic and emotional read.

History is not pretty.......2005-11-28

This is an excellent book of history. It was not intended, I am sure, to be an explanation of "true Islam" as called for by another reviewer. I have a reservation or two about Lapidus's conclusions, but his presentation of the material stands as the best overview of the course of history from Arabia to the entire globe you can buy today. For a more general introduction to the religion of Islam, try Carl Ernst *Following Muhammad* or Frederick Denny *An Introduction to Islam* and THEN dig into history with this book.

NOT for beginners or the mildly apathetic.......2005-03-04

This book is very comprehensive, which is either a blessing or curse depending on your background. As someone who knew nothing about Islam prior to reading this book, I was frequently overwhelmed by the mass of information that Lapidus has arranged. As you may notice by the sheer volume of this 970 page book, it is VERY wordy. Like most history texts, it is also very dry and devoid of emotion. The author does, however, provide a complex view of Islam that is fair and accurate.

Detailed and Readable.......2005-03-01

This is a classic work on the history of Islamic societies. I'm not a historian, but found the book very readable. Its 900+ pages present an in-depth analysis of the history of North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, leading up to the rise of Islam. Interestingly, Lapidus reveals the rise of Islam did not happen in a sudden, broad sweep, as I had been led to believe. Rather, Islam was adopted by Bedouins, merchants, etc. one tribe and village at a time. According to Lapidus, Islam has been marked with internal strife from the beginning when numerous civil wars over doctrine, leadership, and interpretation of the Prophet's message, led to the division of the faith into its Sunni and Shi'a sects. It is an incredible story that every westerner should read. The book covers the periods prior to Mohammed's revelations through the 20th century, and is divided into three parts:

The Origins of Islamic Civilization: 600 to 1200
The Worldwide diffusion of Islamic Societies
The Modern Transformation

As a Christian, I found the depiction of Christianity's role in the Middle East, especially in the early days of Islam, interesting. Lapidus is a noted scholar and has done us all a service by writing this book. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

reissued classic

Loyalty and Leadership in An Early Islamic Society
Roy Mottahedeh
Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1860641814

Book Description

An updated classic study of 10th- and 11th-century society in Buyid Iran. Arguing that medieval Islamic society must be understood in its own cultural terms, the author explains how it was able to function in a stable manner without the type of political institutions familiar to the West.

Customer Reviews:

reissued classic.......2003-02-18

This work is an excellent roadmap of social relations between various social actors in the Buyid dynasty, which ruled during the 10th and 11th centuries in much of modern day Iraq and Iran. The period is interesting in itself because it marked the end of the classical period of Islamic history and was both the site of both political decline and a cultural bloom. Mottahedeh's approach is straightforward, dividing the book into basically two parts. The first addresses acquired loyalties of a formal nature and the the second addresses categorical loyalties of a more informal character. His insights are too numerous to elucidate here because of the various levels of society he examines, but his examination of the ulema I found to be worth the price of admission alone. The overall picture, however, is a fascinating one of how during a period of immense upheaval a new Muslim society emerged with self-renewing and self-preserving values and institutions starkly different form the Abbassids period preceding it which also continued centuries after its disappearance.

Fez: City of Islam (Islamic Texts Society)

Average customer rating:

An excellent book
Memorable

Fez: City of Islam (Islamic Texts Society)
Titus Burckhardt
Manufacturer: Islamic Texts Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0946621179

Book Description

Fez: City of Islam is undoubtedly one of Titus Burckhardt's masterpieces. It conveys a profound understanding of the sacred roots that nourish Islamic culture and civilisation. As a young man in the 1930s, Burckhardt spent some years in Morocco where he became acquainted with several remarkable representatives of the spiritual heritage of the Maghrib. Although he committed much of this experience to writing, it was not until the 1950s that these writings were developed into a book. In Fez: City of Islam, Burckhardt writes of the history of a people and their religion—a history that was often violent, often heroic and sometimes holy. The book relates the teachings, parables and miracles of the saints of many centuries and demonstrates not only the arts and crafts of Islamic civilisation, but also its sciences and administrative skills. Burckhardt's unique black and white photographs from the 1930s are included. In addition 41 new colour illustrations have been specially selected to enhance Burckhardt's originals. Here, text and illustrations come together to provide an insight into the way the life of a people can be transformed at every level by a religious tradition.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent book.......2007-04-25

I am an American who lives in Fez. This book has proven to be quite useful in understanding the history of the local culture. I recommend it.

Memorable.......2004-06-29

First things first: I don't know why Amazon has this book listed as written by "Stoddart", presumably William Stoddart. While Mr. Stoddart no doubt had a hand in the book, it is mainly the work of Titus Burckhardt.

As anybody who has read anything by Burckhardt already kows, he is one of the most fascinating and perceptive writers on Islamic culture that the West has produced. Before reading this book I had already read "Islamic Art" and "Moorish Culture in Spain", both of which are enlightening books, as well as being interesting reads, so I was prepared to enjoy this one as well.

I have to admit that I liked this book even better than the other two. In addition to Burckhardt's in-depth knowledge of Islamic architecture and the Islamic concept of a city, he shows an appreciation and sensitivity of North African history and culture that is admirable. Most important, it was clear that he was talking about a place that he truly loved and cherished.

Book Description

Jonathan Berkey surveys the religious history of the peoples of the Near East from approximately 600 to 1800 c.e. After examining the religious scene in the Near East in late antiquity, he investigates Islam's first century, the "classical" period from the accession of the Abbasids to the rise of the Buyid amirs. He then traces the emergence of new forms of Islam in the middle period, deftly showing how Islam emerged slowly as part of a prolonged process.

Customer Reviews:

Good for Professionals.......2005-09-26

Berkey states that his book is for students and those interested in Islamic history. However, one would need to read a real textbook in order to have the foundation necessary to understand his work.
His scholarship and attention to detail are above reproach, but the style of writing and content assume that the reader already knows quite a bit about Islamic history. That, and the plethora of words in Arabic, leave his history as very bland and confusing.

War and Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7Th-15th Centuries (Medieval Mediterranean, Vol 9)

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War and Society in the Eastern Mediterranean, 7Th-15th Centuries (Medieval Mediterranean, Vol 9)

Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9004100326

Book Description

This volume focusses on the interplay between war and society in the Eastern Mediterranean, in a period which witnessed the Arab conquests, the Seljuk invasion, the Crusades, and the Mongol incursions. The military aspects of these momentous events have not been fully discussed so far. For the first time this book offers a synthesis of trends in military technology and its effect on society in the period from the Arab conquests to the establishment of an Ottoman hegemony. War and Society in the Eastern Mediterranean provides for medievalists an Oriental context to the military aspects of the Crusades, and for scholars of both Middle Eastern and military history a coherent treatment of an important topic over a long period and covering many different cultures.

A Mediterranean Society: An Abridgment in One Volume

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A Mediterranean Society: An Abridgment in One Volume
S. D. Goitein
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Loyalty and Leadership in An Early Islamic Society
The Jews of Islam

ASIN: 0520217349

Book Description

S. D. Goitein's magisterial five-volume work on Jewish communities in the medieval Mediterranean world offers an unparalleled view of how people lived, traveled, worshiped, and conducted their economic and social affairs. Living under Muslim rule, the Jews became increasingly urbanized and played a significant part in an expanding world economy. As major actors in the flourishing intellectual life of the period, they forged much of what constitutes traditional Judaism today and served as a conduit of Islamic learning to the Christian West.
Goitein's masterpiece is now abridged and reworked by Jacob Lassner in a single volume that captures the essential narratives and contexts of the original. To understand the value of this distillation, we need to picture the remarkable, all-but-impenetrable cache of unique letters and documents found by accident in a geniza, or repository of sacred writings, in Old Cairo. These materials, unlike historical chronicles and literary texts of the time, represent the living experiences of people in a wide variety of settings throughout the entire Mediterranean and stretching as far east as the Indian subcontinent.
Goitein explored and interpreted these texts as no other scholar had. Lassner, in turn, makes Goitein's findings available to a wide audience and then moves on to raise a host of new and tantalizing questions about the Jews of the Geniza and the relationship of their community to the hegemonic Muslim society.

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