Passion for Islam: Shaping the Modern Middle East: The Egyptian Experience

by Caryle Murphy

Book Overview

Owing to social and religous factors over the decades, the Middle East exists in the 21st century as a combustible environment and breeding ground for terrorism. The author explores the forces at work in the region, focusing on Egypt, in an attempt to understand the power and turmoil of Islam.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743235789
• ISBN13: 9780743235785
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Interesting look at Islam in Egypt

Caryle Murphy was the Washington Post's bureau chief in Cairo for a good long while, and she now covers religion for the Post now, living in Washington. This book was apparently in preparation before 9/11--almost all of the events in the text occurred in the late 90s or earlier. Murphy interviewed a number of people, including Islamists of various stripes, secularists, government officials, clerics, and other observers. The result is an interesting picture of Egyptian society and its relationship with its Muslim citizen. Many in the west equate Islam with evil intent, extremist politics and intolerance, misogyny, and a host of other very negative attitudes. All of these are held by *some* Islamists from the extreme portion of the religion, and in some ways they can't be called the fringe--they're too mainstream. The author does a good job of describing the various participants in the movement, and explains the roots of the Muslim Brotherhood, the start of extremist Muslim thought in Egypt and the place Ayman al-Zawahiri got his start in politics, before he went on to become #2 in Al Qaeda. The author works hard to discuss the various aspects of Islam and its relationship to Egyptian society, from how Islam deals with Christians in Egypt to the various ways the religion interacts with the government in Egypt to the way Al-Azhar University has dealt with the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism in Egypt. The result of the book is a clear picture of how Islamist thought, and extremism, have spread in Egypt, and why. I enjoyed this book a great deal, and thought that I learned a great deal from it. I would recommend if to almost anyone interested in the subject.

Where do Islamic Insurgencies come from?

I just caught up to an excellent book by Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Caryle Murphy, who spent three years in Cairo as Egypt's bureau chief for the Washington Post. During that time, Murphy covered the first Iraqi war and spent countless hours meeting and interviewing Egyptian citizens, as well as the powerhouses who help shape Middle Eastern policy. We Americans on the home front, traditionally ignorant about other cultures, have much to learn from this informative, easy-to-read book. In Passion for Islam Murphy produces a consolidated picture of a process that is taking place across the Arab world, and affecting the planet as a whole. Starting with the end of the socialist promise of the Nasser era all the way through the violence that rocked Egypt in the nineties, Murphy carefully follows the development of Islamist insurgency through its various forms. Breaking down each step in the movement's growth to its simplest parts, she is able to differentiate the facets of Islam in Egypt that played into the development of radical Islamist behavior. Murphy identifies three main parts of the radical Islamist movement, "Pious Islam," "Political Islam," and Cultural Islam." Her thorough discussion of each succeeds in illuminating the various and complex aspects of the web of Egyptian life, through which religion is a common thread. Whether it is the grounding force of a family living in poverty, or a tool by which the unscrupulous seize power, Murphy examines Islam's role in the lives of all Egyptians, and the trends both personal and national that have begun under its shadow of influence. In this new world after 9/11 many books have appeared that address this issue in one way or another, and do so with various success. Passion for Islam, however, stands apart from this crowd if for no other reason than its sheer readability. Where many illuminating accounts of the Taliban and radical militancy burden the shelves unread with their ominous association to things like textbooks, Passion for Islam jumps out as being equal parts sociology and travelogue. Murphy carefully blends erudite reporting and commentary with descriptive scenery and personal account, relaxing the tone of the book to comfortable page turning; and throughout the commentary, she demonstrates that her understanding of the situation comes from having actually been there, as much as having studied it. With an easy tone and thoughtful manner Murphy gives an exciting and critical account of the years she spent in Egypt, and at the same time crafts a clear and useful blueprint of a process of extreme historical and political importance. For the casual reader Passion for Islam provides an interesting look into a far away world that, though weighing on our daily lives, has remained one of murky fog and speculation. For those who know already something about the world of Islam and radical politics the book develops a new and lucid framework for understanding the situation

A great focused look by an on-the-scene observer

Passion For Islam is a great book for anyone interested in learning something about the rise of various Islamic movements in Egypt over the years. One of the books strengths is its focus on the specific experience of Egypt, where the author lived and worked as a journalist for several years during the 1990's. Murphy doesn't attempt to assess or explain what's happening in the Islamic world in general, or to draw broad conclusions on matters beyond the specific scope of the book, i.e. the Egyptian experience.Murphy works in historical details in a very clear fashion, mixing them with current-day journalism and interviews with people from all levels of the Egyptian social and political scenes. You get to hear from people inside or aligned with various movements, people in the Egyptian government, and most importantly, the ordinary people in the middle whose lives are affected by these forces. She shows in great detail the complexity and diversity of thought and feelings at work, and how what's happening cannot be understood in simple black-or-white interpretations.I found that my own understanding of the situation was greatly enhanced by reading this book. Murphy's book does not provide solutions as much as a look at what is happening and a warning. These rising movements are not monolithic in their beliefs or in their goals, and should not be treated as such. And they do not occur in a vacuum. Unless the climate in which they have sprung up -- a poor country under a corrupt, inept faux-democratic government that suppresses all discussion and dissent -- is changed, they will only continue to grow as the only alternative available.

Good Cure for Secret Ignorance

I have long been secrety embarrassed by my lack of knowledge about Egypt beyond the usual touristy stuff -- even though I spent some weeks there once seeing the sights and even though, more recently, I've recognized in sidelong ways that Egypt's modern history and in particular its struggle to cope with repeated waves of Islamicist extremism within its borders offers a lesson very relevant for those of us now trying to understand the Post-9/11 world. Murphy cured me of my ignorance with her compelling descriptions and analyses of the forces -- political, religious, cultural -- that have shaped that land.She does so in part with smart use of colorful characters she got to know during her time covering the region as a Washington Post reporter, and from scads of research... Cleanly organized, thorough, insightful. A very helpful and yet enjoyable read.

Excellent Study of Arab and Islamic Worlds

Ms. Murphy's considerable expertise and experience with the Arab World resoundingly comes through in this wonderful book. Ms. Murphy combines the intellect of Albert Hourani, the passion of Karen Armstrong and the travel narrative of William Dalrymple in bringing to light an intimate view of Egyptian society. Spanning a wide breadth of information, the reader is treated to a comprehensive history and background of the Islamic reform movement in Egypt, providing biographies of the movement's luminaries. Continuing with a cause-effect assessment of Egyptian and Islamic issues, Ms. Murphy offers insight as to what the future holds for the Islamic world. Moving effortlessly between the personal and the analytical, this book is a must read for Muslims and non-Muslims alike if they are interested in this region and its people.