Future of Islam

by John L. Esposito

Book Overview

John L. Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. Now, in this brilliant portrait of Islam today--and tomorrow--he draws on a lifetime of thought and research to sweep away the negative stereotypes and provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world.

Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect global...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199975779
• ISBN13: 9780199975778
• Release Date: April 2013
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Read!

One of the understandably scholalry reviewers has charged John L. Esposito of intellectual fraud for omitting any reference to Ibn Ishaq's work: Sirat Rasul Allah - Muhammad's earliest biography that brings across the allegedly dark and dirty side of his character. Such a criticism, however, is unwarrented and baseless. Any matured and discerning scholar of Islam does not take the Sirat Rasul Allah on its face value. The manuscript, compiled at least 150 years after Muhammad's death, was based on poetic narrations of some of the popular poets of Muhammad's era, and passed down the generations by word of mouth. That was a time (seventh to ninth centuries of Christian era) when human mind was dominated by fairy tales, legends and bizarre speculations. The poets were thus culturally oriented to present facts in highly emotional, embellished, fanatacised and exaggerated manner, primarily to appeal to the emotions of the listeners rather than to leaving hard historical records for posterity. There were indeed some critical scholars who denounced him. "Malik, one of the founders of four schools of Muslim theology, who was a contemporary of Ibn Ishaq, called him `a devil'. Hisham bin Umara, another prominent theologian of the time said, `the rascal lies.' Imam Hanbal, one of the greatest jurists of Islam refused to rely on the traditions collected by him. There were many other learned men who held similar views about Ibn Ishaq's works. The same is more or less true of his successors like al-Waqidi, Ibn Sa`d..." - Muhammad and the Qur'an, London 1992, p. 12. Hence, blaming Dr. Esposito for omitting any reference to Ibn Ishaq's work is unfair and unscholarly. His work greatly clarifies the misunderstanding and misconceptions about Muslims and Islam and at the same time assures the Muslims that they have many sympathisers in the West. It also brings across the evil paradigms of the modern era that are appropriated by the extremists, the radicals and the right wingers on both sides of the divide, and had been venerated by the past Bush administration, and their adverse fallout on the the mainstream Muslim community - in America, Europe, and the Middle East. The book also shows light at the end of the tunnel that the Islamophobes, the preachers of hate, the ultra-conservatives, the radicalised and militant Muslims and the media are jointly striving to block, with potentially terrible cosequences for the minority Muslim community in the West and globally perhaps. Mohammed Yunus

Some Review, but also some Fresh Insight

Content Summary: Esposito here reviews some of the radical elements in modern day Islam, from the ideology of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia, to the "godfather" of radical Sunni Islam, Sayyid Qutb. He demonstrates, however, that theirs is not the only or primary voice of Muslims today. In global surveys (from "Who Speaks for Islam Who Speaks For Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think) he illustrates that Muslims have condemned 9/11 and that many want the same democratic freedoms many North Americans also cherish. In fact there are quite a few "modernists", from Timothy Winter to Amina Wadud, who believe that Islam's interpretation is more open, tolerant, inclusive of all other religions, and open to democratic concepts. Analytical Review: Much of what Esposito has written here also appears in earlier works, such as "Unholy War" Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam and "Who Speaks for Islam?" Thus, parts of this book are not fresh and merely rehashing early works. That said, Esposito's section on Islamist reforms is very interesting, and Esposito makes some clear and definitive statements that only an inclusive, pluralist view of Islam will be able to reconcile itself to a more positive future with other religions. He does not pretend that problems do not exist, but fortunately does not confuse the problem elements and radical of Islam for the whole of the religion itself. The problem does not lie just with Muslims - but with any person (Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu or of any other ideology) who sees faith and belief as a zero-sum game, that some are right and others are damned. "The Future of Islam" is indeed open, and has a positive path before it, if Muslims and friends of Muslims everywhere are willing to take it.

A Must Read!

The Future of Islam taught me alot about Muslims in America and Europe and the challenges they face. The book provides easy to read background info on how Islam is used in politics and society as well as on the root causes of global terrorism around the world today. Esposito portrays Islam's future in terms of a diverse mosaic of Muslim reformers whose ideas on womens' rights, human rights, democracy, war and peace are eye-opening! In the last chapter the author's insights on how to improve the future not only for the Muslim world but for us in the West as well were inspiring. The book is a great read for anyone who wants a global understanding of terrorism and real alternatives for peace. I've also enjoyed Esposito's Islam: the Straight Path and look forward to more in the future.

"Handbook for a New Age of Engagement"

Dr. John Esposito's work, over many years, has attracted extreme responses. Right now, with the wounds of 9/11 and two wars still fresh in our American communities, anyone who takes a moderate stance on engaging Islam globally can become a target. So, in this review, I simply want to reflect journalistic responses to Dr. Esposito's latest book. First, the generally hard-nosed staff at the Financial Times declared the book a "handbook for this new age of engagement. Intolerant of the extremists bent on provoking a clash of civilizations--Western Islamophobes and violent Islamists alike--Esposito's book is a calculated appeal to the moderate middle ground." That's a staff widely respected around the world and that's their judgment. I agree. Now, you may take a strikingly different political stance than Dr. Esposito, but at least we should know what he's saying, since it has gained a great deal of interest in important places. Here's what the book is not: If you've already read a good number of Esposito books, you'll find that this book is not entirely new. He spends a good number of pages summarizing points he's made in other books and articles and talks. Also, if you're really looking for a good introductory look at Islam from Esposito's perspective, I would recommend What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam That's a better overall "reader" as an introduction to Islam for new readers and also for small-group study and discussion. Here's what this book is: It truly is a kind of "guidebook," summarizing the past decade of Esposito's own research and insight. The book is, indeed, intended as a sharp-edged look at the dilemmas the world faces right now. There are, indeed, very bad players out there in the world, he argues in the book, and there also are moderates doing creative work as well. In a nutshell, he urges Americans to engage with moderates because the world's future hangs in the balance. If your group already knows something about Islam and global issues--or, if your small group really likes to roll up its sleeves and grapple with timely topics--then this book can spark some spirited discussion.

finally an unbiased book that provides excellent perspective

excellent book, easy to read. it provides great and clear description of islam and excellent perspective of the future of this religion in general; a religion that has been tainted by terrorism and negative media, particularly in the US l highly recommend it for everyone, particularly for those individuals who have negative opinions or perceptions about Islam and muslims. It shed lights on so many unanswered questions that many people are afraid to ask