The Place of Tolerance in Islam

by Khaled Abou El Fadl

Book Overview

Khaled Abou El Fadl, a prominent critic of Islamic puritanism, leads off this lively debate by arguing that Islam is a deeply tolerant religion. Injunctions to violence against nonbelievers stem from misreadings of the Qur'an, he claims, and even jihad, or so-called holy war, has no basis in Qur'anic text or Muslim theology but instead grew out of social and political conflict.

Many of Abou El Fadl's respondents think differently. Some contend...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807002291
• ISBN13: 9780807002292
• Release Date: November 2002
• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

More valuable than most

This book is much more valuable than a lot of the polemics floating around on the new-found hot topic of Islam. Fadl's work demonstrates the rich diversity of contrasting ideologies within Islam and demonstrates that the vision of one band of fanatics cannot be painted onto a global community, despite the best efforts of countless fear-mongers.

A MUST READ for exploring the question of peace in Islam

This is an excellent read for those who are interested in exploring different ways to think and speak of the question of peace and tolerance within the context of Islam. This book (written post-9/11) is an anthology of Muslim writers (one of which is a woman) responding to Khaled Abou El Fadl's piece (the first writing in this book) on his own view of the peace question. For example, Abou El Fadl states, "... the Qur'anic text assumes that readers will bring a preexisting, innate moral sense to the text. Hence, the text will morally enrich the reader, but only if the reader will morally enrich the text," (pg. 15); "Consequently, the meaning of the text is often only as moral as its reader. If the reader is intolerant, hateful, or oppressive, so will be the interpretation of the text," (pg. 22-23). Therefore, the "burden and blessing" of moral action within Islam is the responsibility of contemporary Muslims (pg. 23). Some of the writers of this book responding to Abou El Fadl agree with his statements, but many disagree and/or bring differing perspectives to the table. Undoubtedly, all the writers believe their religion is very peaceful, though some argue this is not the proper question to ask in grand scheme of things. For example, R. Scott Appleby says that, "... the impoverishment of the Islamic educational system and the growing illiteracy of the Muslim masses," is largely the problem in regards to those Muslims who are intolerant (pg. 86-87). Tariq Ali believes, "The answer (regarding peace & tolerance in Islam) has very little to do with religion, but a great deal to do with history and politics," (pg. 38); "We need to move beyond discussing whether or not the Qur'an promotes tolerance and grapple with the urgent social and political problems that affect the Muslim world," (pg. 41). Abid Ullah Jan asks, "Why are the lectures on tolerance directed at Islam alone? Simply because the victim of September 11 was the United States," (pg. 46). At the end of the book, the first writer, Abou El Fadl, has the chance to respond to his critics. He responds, in part, by asking, "After all, isn't the real question whether non-Muslims are willing to tolerate Muslims, instead of the other way around?" (pg. 96). This book is an interesting conversation (albeit one-sided) between Muslims as to the various ways and problems of thinking of peace and tolerance within Islam. As a non-Muslim American woman who sees the beauty in this religion, my eyes have been opened further upon reading this book. Those of us who respect the religion of Islam must not only assert that it is a peaceful religion; we must also learn how to ask and point out the right and respectful questions in regards to this matter.

The one sad thing about this book...

More popular books on Islam like to prattle on and copy each other about the _lack_ of tolerance in Islam, but that's like focusing on the most intolerant Christian sect and using incidents of their intolerance as proof that Christianity is uniformly intolerant. This book was written, in part, to counteract books such as _Islam Unveiled_, _The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam_, and _The Sword and the Prophet_. These screeds are as misleading as they are popular. The sad fact about this book is that the people who need to read it the most never will -- at least not with an open mind.

El Fadl's essay and the responses are most helpful

This book includes a well thoughtout statement, by El Fadl, about Islamic responses to impacts of colonial and neocolonial exploits in the Middle East and South Asia. Responses to El Fadl's statement provide a dialogue that helps clarify the range of perspectives from puritanical responses on the one hand and to reinterpreting Islamic sacred writings in the context of today's world, on the other hand. The major economic, political and religious forces involved in this struggle are discussed. I would like to have seen a discussion of how the systems of honor and shame relate to the scale of systems of justice that range from tribal and patriarchal scales to global scales. The cultural system of honor contributes to energizing the conflict, as personal identities and group identities are affected in these struggles. I discuss this latter point in my E-Book - Depolarizing a Hostile World.

Excellent Short Volume

This is an excellent short volume. The best thing about the book is that various viewpoints are presented. Fadl writes his opinion on how classical Islam is tolerant, and that it has only recently been perverted. In response we get to read other opinions ranging from those who feel that Islam is naturally anti-tolerant, to those who feel that Fadl is a "sell-out" for lack of a better word, for trying to fit Islam into a Western ideaology. Excellent reading.