Rating: 
Summary: Misses the point!
Review: Manji really misses the point in her book. The real question is: Is Islam a revealed religion or not? It would be foolish for any of us in the 21 century to go to the Arabian Desert, find an illiterate man, and ask him for guidance in our daily lives. It would be even more foolish for us to listen to advice of an illiterate man living in the Arabian Desert in the seventh century. Unless that man and his claim that he received revelations from God through Angel Gabriel was indeed true. The issue is not that there is trouble with Islam, for if it is the product of the mind of an illiterate man that Muhammad was, we are better off discarding it all together instead of trying to reform it. The reality is, those who have studied the life of Prophet Muhammad and those who have studied the Quran and have cut through all the hype, propaganda and negative stereotypes, have come to follow Islam because they have found it to be a revealed religion and Muhammad a messenger from God. Whether they come from a Jewish background, such as Michael Wolfe, Margaret Marcus (AKA: Maryam Jameelah) or Leopold Weiss (AKA: Muhammad Asad) or Christian background, such as Cat Stevens (AKA: Yusuf Islam), Jerald Dirks (ordained minister), or Suzanne Haneef, these men and women all have come to see this universal message of Islam as a revelation from God to Muhammad for all mankind. They are all authors whose books are available at Amazon. Islam means peace attained through submitting to God and living the way of life that is based on God's guidance. This is the message taught by all the prophets from Adam, Noah, and Abraham to Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. There is no man, woman, angel, star, etc. worthy of worship, praying to and asking for help and forgiveness except the Creator of the universe: the One who gave us life. This simple belief frees the person from servitude to all that is created to attain true peace and full potential as a human being. The most important point to keep in mind is that Islam invites humanity to the way of Abraham and that no one is worthy of worship but God. This means there is no true peace, lasting love, real happiness, complete security, and honor except true God. Human beings should submit only to God, pray only to him, ask forgiveness only of him, follow the way of life prescribed by Him through the prophets and messengers He has sent, instead of following guess work and man-made ways of life. In short, show our love to Him by making him the center of their lives. We are given ninety nine attributes to understand and feel close to God. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, The One, The Holly, The preserver of Peace, the Creator, The Lord of The worlds, The First, The Last, and so on. There is nothing like unto Him. The following verse is one of my favorites: God is He than whom there is no other god. Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He is the Most Gracious the Most Merciful. God is He than whom there is no other god, the sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection). The Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (high is He) above the partners (angels, saints, sun, moon, idols, men, women) they attribute to Him. He is God, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or colors). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: Whatever is in the heavens and on earth does declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the exalted in Might the Wise. (Qur'an 59:22) In fact no one shares or can be a partner in any attributes of God, such as psychics who claim to know the future, clergy who claim they can forgive sins, or those who ( by themselves or selected by people, such as saints, cows, trees, etc.) claim they can hear our prayers. Again Islam is a totally God-centered religion. In fact if you take away everything else from Islam, this one concept revolutionizes the lives of individuals as well as families and communities. Living in the West, we are bombarded with anti-Islamic messages through the news, the media, the movies, and the educational system. Every effort has been made to vilify Islam and Muslims in order to justify taking their land, oil, resources, etc. This is of course not a new phenomenon and has been going no for centuries, so we do have a challenge to be willing to overcome the stereotypes in order to appreciate Islam. Some good books I can recommend for beginners: Islam in Focus by Abd Al-Ati, Towards Understanding Islam by Maududi, What Everyone Should Know About Islam and Muslims by Suzanne Haneef, The Life of The Last Prophet (Yusuf Islam). "O mankind! There has come to you a counsel from your Lord and a healing for your hearts (from worry, anxiety, fear, stress, envy, sadness, greed, etc.), and for those who believe, a guidance and a mercy."(Qur'an 10:57)
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book
Review: I realize that some Islamic people will be uncomfortable with Irshad's book. For anyone in any fundamentalist religion is uncomfortable with digging in and really examining its believe system and rules. Including fundamentalist Judism, Christianity. I appreciate her fire and willingness to put herself on the forefront of asking for change within her religion. For asking questions of those who are in the lead. For people everwhere Muslims and non-muslims to encourage the change. The attitude toward the more than 1/2 worshipers of women is disgraceful. Patriarchal religions have caused much misery for its followers. I did not know until reading her book that Muslims have their foundation in the first 5 books of Abraham also. There hatred against Jews seems bizarre to say the least for they are breatheren. But Christians can be accused of the same baloney over the centuries. The bible and the Quran has caused enough suffering it is time to bring change and humanize these religions. Perhaps it is time that people are forced to face the misery they have themselves causes by others speaking out. All of you Muslim women here is your chance to join forces with Irshad and fight for your liberties. I wish all those well in Islam, and hope they find true spritual freedom. Rebellion is what brings change. Men have no God given right to rule over women. That is a scam of men who wrote both the bible and the Quran. I appreciate my freedom as a woman in the West and do not subscribe to any religion. Never to a relgion that surpress women and demands subservience to men.
Rating:
Summary: The Islamic Crossroads: Reformation or Self-Annihilation?
Review: As a former Muslim and someone who considers himself a secular humanist, I plowed through the pages of this extraordinary "plan for salvation for Islam" with unmitigated awe and delight. If nothing else, "The Trouble With Islam" is above all an extraordinary work of THOUGHT. The author is direct, tactful, honest and exacting of her faith, her fellow Muslims, and herself. The book and its author are not anti-Islam: they are anti-stupidity, anti-blindness, and anti-futility, all of which (that is, a blind, futile irrationality) pervades contemporary MAINSTREAM Islam. As the author brilliantly points out, the problem with Islam today is not the extremists: that fringe of 'foundamentalists' has and will always be around. It is the job of moderates (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to police their extremism. In this respect, Mainstream Muslims have failed. Where their most resounding failure lies, however, is in their refusal to be self-critical and to analyze (literally and metaphorically) the tenets and practices of their faiths-that they have in effect rendered themselves "religious robots". Because of this, the overwhelming majority of Islamic adherents endure under a heavy veil of racism, bigotry, anti-Semitism, homophobia, misogyny, (the list is truly endless...) all of which amounts to one giant suffering mass of self-delusional self-loathing (she quite acutely points out that part of the Islamic world's opposition to the West is that it envies the given freedoms and civil liberties of America, Europe, Canada, etc.). So long as the Muslim world insists on enduring under the self-pitying guise of victims of Western colonialism and ignoring/condoning human rights violations (be they as prevalent as enforcing the chador or as rare and vile as the stoning of women and homosexuals or the very existence of female genital mutilation) Islam and Muslims will perpetuate in a state of festering ignorance and inevitable self-destruction. Do I agree with every word that appears in this book? No. Do I agree with the vast majority of it? Absolutely. But that's not the point. The point is that the complacent silence of religious arrogance is at last being broken, that fear is being confronted and truth is finally being sought. Islam, the Koran, Hadith, Sharia, Muhammad, even the very nature of God: all must be brought under scrutiny, deconstructed, meticulously, systematically, repeatedly analyzed and reanalyzed, and then, if the findings warrant it, reconstructed with knowledge and true faith. The author is very candid in her own appraisal of Islamic traditions, and this is sure to perturb a great many Muslims: She asks the Big questions: why does the Koran tell Muslims to hate Jews and to kill non-Muslims? Why do Muslims have to pray toward Mecca if God is Everywhere? Why can't women and girls lead prayer? She also raises the question of Muslims being the victims of their own faith: "the Lebanese Civil War cost at least 150,000 lives, most of them . . . Palestinians . . . more than ten times as many deaths as Israel has inflicted in fifty years of combat." She says at various places in her book that "all mentions of black dogs [in the hadiths] appear alongside degrading references to women and Jews", "over the past one thousand years, the entire Arab world has translated only as many books as Spain translates every year", "The obsession with [women's] honor in and of itself oppresses" and that "Muslims today are not so much an international community as an Arabian tribe." She even refers to the white chador she once wore: "as if the condom over my head had properly inoculated me from 'unsafe' intellectual activity." But she isn't concerned with trampling fragile sensibilities. As she says in an open letter to Muslims worldwide, "Is that a heart attack you're having? Make it fast." Perhaps the greatest thing about this book is that it not only outlines the inner dilemmas of Islam, it offers a viable, detailed solution ("Operation Ijtihad"). Islam stands at a critical crossroads today: it can either reform (no small task) or collapse upon itself under the weight of ignorance and centuries-long standing conceit (a virtually apocalyptic disaster). The time for change is Now, Today. Thus, only one question remains: will Muslims answer the plaintive call of reform of their faith? Regardless of how the change takes place, one thing has already been proven by Ms. Manji: it will be the Muslim WOMEN who reform Islam. Bravo to her and all freethinkers who value humanity and intellectual autonomy over repressive dogmatic literalism.
Rating:
Summary: Full of mistakes
Review: I agree with the May 9 reviewer from California. This book lacks accuracy but it is also full of mistakes. On page 44 she states that Muhammad preached for "25 years or so." All books of history tells us that Muhammad received his first revelation from Angle Gabriel at age 40 and passed away at age 63. That's 23 years. She has many other mistakes too; however, I prefer to give some facts about the life of Muhammad she should have included: Muhammad was born in Arabia in 570 years after Christ. He was the descendant of Abraham and Ishmael. He was orphaned as a child and grew up poor. By the age 25 he came to be known for his honesty and good character. People called him Al-Ameen meaning trustworthy and truthful. At the age of 25 a wealthy widow impressed by his honesty and good character proposed marriage to him. Although she was 40 he accepted her proposal, and they lived for the next 15 years a comfortable and blissful marriage. Until the age of 40 Muhammad had lived as a good citizen--a quiet uneventful life. One night while he was meditating in a cave Angel Gabriel appears to him and asks him to, "Read in the Name of Your Lord." Muhammad was illiterate so he said I can't read. But eventually he repeated the words after Gabriel. This began 23 years of revelation that we know now as the Qur'an. When he proclaimed the message people laughed at him. They wondered why God has chosen him instead of much wealthier more intelligent and powerful leaders of Mecca. But God chooses whomever he wills! They attacked him and early Muslims physically and verbally. At one point due to severity of persecution, a group of Muslims that migrated from Arabia to a nearby country, Ethiopia, rules by a just Christian king. At his court facing extradition to Mecca, they explained to the Christian King why they had left the religion of their forefathers in the following manner: "O King!! we were plunged in the depth of ignorance and barbarism; we adored idols, we lived in unchastity, we ate the dead bodies, and we spoke abominations, we disregarded every feeling of humanity, and the duties of hospitality and neighborhood were neglected; we knew no law but that of the strong, when God raised among us a man, of whose birth, truthfulness, honesty, and purity we were aware; and he called to the Oneness of God, and taught us not to associate anything with Him. He forbade us the worship of idols; and he enjoined us to speak the truth, to be faithful to our trusts, to be merciful and to regard the rights of the neighbors and kith and kin; he forbade us to speak evil of women, or to eat the substance of orphans; he ordered us to fly from the vices, and to abstain from evil; to offer prayers, to render alms, and to observe fast. We have believed in him, we have accepted his teachings and his injunctions to worship God, and not to associate anything with Him, and we have allowed what He has allowed, and prohibited what He has prohibited. For this reason, our people have risen against us, have persecuted us in order to make us forsake the worship of God and return to the worship of idols and other abominations. They have tortured and injured us, until finding no safety among them, we have come to your country, and hope you will protect us from oppression." The above summarizes the effect of Muhammad and his message on humanity. In this regard renowned British Historian Arnold Toynbee remarked in his Civilization on Trial, "The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue...This Islamic spirit (of submission to divine guidance) maybe expected to manifest itself in many practical ways, and one of these manifestations might be liberation from alcohol, which was inspired by religious conviction and which was therefore able to accomplish what could never be enforced by the external sanction of an alien law...Here then in the foreground of the future we can remark two valuable influences which Islam may exert upon the cosmopolitan proletariat of the Western society..." Many historians have attested to this fact and consider his accomplishment nothing short of a miracle. Yet as he said through out his mission he was only a man conveying God's message. Historian Michael Hart wrote in his book The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." French Poet Lamartine wrote in Histoire de La Turquie, "Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a religion without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, which is Muhammad. If Greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad?" I think you get the idea that Muhammad was more than a reformer or philosopher. He brought about real change, real peace, all in the name of God, never taking credit, live a humble simple life and died with no possessions. Thus, I believe a serious study of his life and accomplishments are something to consider, especially his claim of receiving a message from God.
Rating: 
Summary: Desert Domination and other Controversies
Review: Irshad Manji sets out open a can of worms and succeeds forcefully. Her arguments about the "desert" religion and the culture of victimhood rang true in my ears. "Trouble with Islam" invites the reader to look critically at Islam today and get away from both the demonized and saintly images painted by polarized sources.
The tone is often angry, and the book focuses on the negative aspects of the religion. These thoughts should be kept in mind while reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: A good thesis in need of a revision
Review: Ms. Manji's thoughts are very much needed in this time when violence is so easily justified as being a spiritual response by the ignorant and misguided. Frankly speaking, Islam today is in bad shape and needs critical thought and leadership instead of the cult of personality that predominates much of it in the Middle East. Regarding such, Ms. Manji's book is a useful disscussion of such though there is some parts that require further editing since they are not accurate and do her work harm. If a *revised* second edition is printed, that would be an even better idea than what is now available, though it is still worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for non-Muslims
Review: I consider this book a must-read for every non-Muslim who is concerned with what is going on in the world today, the attack on us in the name of Islam, the violence in the name of religion. If a State sanctions putting a price on somebody's head because that person blasphemed Islam or if a Muslim says they are not going to rest until they put a Muslim in the White House, how are non-Muslims supposed to react? Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism or other religions are not going to go away and since the concept of separation of church and state is anathema to Islam how then are we going to accomodate each other in a secular setting like ours? This book has allowed me to feel that perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel and hope we can continue to keep the freedom to choose whatever religion we want to follow.
Rating:
Summary: Lacks accuracy!
Review: Manji states that Muslims do not dare to question the validity of the Qur'an. The Qur'an has always challenged people to question its validity. Muslims and non-Muslims have done just that. Among them is Jerald Dirks, graduate of Harvard Divinity School and an ordained minister, who after questioning the validity of the Qur'an came to accept it as a revelation and became a Muslim. He is the author of The Cross and The Crescent, in which he clearly demonstrates the validity of the Qur'an. You may read his fascinating life story at www.welcome-back.org. Here are the facts about the Qur'an: MEANING: The word Qur'an means reading and recitation. PURPOSE: The purpose of the Qur'an is to guide humanity to live based on the knowledge of the One who created them and knows their nature. "This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those who are conscious of God (pious, concerned about right and wrong). (Qur'an 2:1) "O mankind! There has come to you a counsel from your Lord and a healing for your hearts; and for those who believe, a guidance and a mercy."(Qur'an 10:57) MODE OF REVELATION: The initial revelation was given by Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad in 610 C.E. when he was forty. Many chapters of the Qur'an were revealed piecemeal over a 23-year period, changing Arabia from an ignorant, crime-ridden society of warring tribes into a sober, prosperous, and peaceful civilization. In some cases, though, an entire chapter was revealed in response to a question.
LANGUAGE: The Qur'an is a masterpiece in Arabic language, even though Prophet Muhammad was illiterate. Arabic is a living language of more than 250 million people. PRESERVED INTACT: "Indeed We (God) have sent down this reminder, and We will assuredly protect it." (Qur'an 15:9) This verse was revealed when the very survival of Islam was in doubt. Non-Muslim historians, such as John Esposito and Karen Armstrong, testify that not one letter of the Qur'an has been changed. Two original copies exit today in Turkey and Tashkent. EASY TO MEMORIZE: "Indeed We have made the Qur'an easy to remember." (Qur'an 54:40) Today, an estimated 10 million people have memorized the Quran. This is one reason the Qur'an has been preserved for more than 1400 years. MIRACLES: God, in His wisdom, gave miracles to his prophets as proof of the authenticity of their mission-miracles that would be accepted by their people. At the time of Moses, sorcery and magic was the predominant art, so the miracles given to Moses were related to magic. In Jesus' time, medicine was highly appreciated: hence, his virgin birth and healing the leper. The Prophet Muhammad was the last messenger of God, who was to complete the message of Islam (lit. submission and surrender to God) taught by all the prophets from the beginning of time, in its universal form for all. His miracle could be appreciated by the people of his time, but also by all others until the end of time. QUR'AN A MIRACLE
The Arabs were proud of their language. Thus, Prophet Muhammad was given a miracle in the form of a book. The beautiful language of the Qur'an and its wisdom led to the conversion of many. It was a miracle then and a living miracle for us to examine.
THE CHALLENGE: In the Qur'an God challenged those who do not believe it to be the Word of God to produce one chapter like it. And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down to Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a chapter of the like thereof and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah, if you are truthful. Qur'an 2:23) No one has ever met this challenge. In response to a question the entire , Chapter 12, titled "Joseph," was revealed. It tells the story of the life of Prophet Joseph in its entirety, in a unique beautiful literary style that could not be matched by anyone! How could have Muhammad produced such a work on the spot from his own mind and challenged everyone to match it? THE PROPHECIES: The prophecy regarding the preservation of the Qur'an has already come true, including the defeat of the fire-worshipping Persians at the hands of Christian Romans. This prophecy was called by Edward Gibbon, in his The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, an unthinkable prediction, which appeared impossible to come true within the nine years prophesied in the Qur'an. But it came to pass. (See Chapter 30 of the Qur'an,) SCIENTIFIC MIRACLES: After extensive study of the Qur'an, French medical scientist Dr. Maurice Bucaille concluded in his book The Bible, The Qur'an, and Science, "In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad's day, it is inconceivable that many of the statements in the Qur'an which are connected with science could have been the work of a man. It is, moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Qur'an as the expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on the account of the guarantee of the authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms." Dr. Keith Moore of the University of Toronto and author of The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, used at medical schools around the world, has an amazing analysis of the detailed description of the growth and development of human embryo as mentioned in the Qur'an. He considers the presence of such scientific facts discovered only a few decades ago proof that the Qur'an is a revelation from God. You can read and watch his analysis and those of other scientists at the following websites: www.islam-guide.com. Don't rely on Maji or the media, Read the Quran online and judge for yourself. Just copy and paste http://www.islam101.com/quran/yusufAli/index.htm. Recommended short chapters: 1, 13, 16, 19, 30, 39, 50, 67, 75-end
Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth reading
Review: I couldn't put it down. Manji writes engagingly and with energy about a topic that she has clearly thought long and hard about. I'm sure she'd be the first to admit she's no scholar, but there's no doubt she's spent time with the Koran, reading and genuinely trying to understand it. Her views are her own---and heartfelt.
She believes that reforms within Islam are necessary, and some will therefore dismiss her as an "Islam/Muslim basher." But she points to many serious problems and has the courage to suggest some possible solutions. Why not read her book with an open mind and decide for yourself what her ideas are worth?
Rating:
Summary: Bad Title, Interesting Book
Review: I remember seeing Manji's book in the store, and passing it by...because it sounded like another one of the Islam-bashing books so popular today. As a Muslim, I really don't need to hear anymore of that. I finally did order it, and was surprised that it is truly a book for Muslims. To be frank, I don't know if non-Muslims would enjoy it--or even understand it. Given that, her choice of titles is unfortunate--because she is alienating the audience she wished to engage. Also, sadly, too many Muslims will discard her points simply because she is a woman, non-Arabic speaking, or gay (or any combination of the three.) Manji raises some interesting and valid points--such as the treatment of Shi'as and women in 'Muslim' countries. Her point on why no other country except Jordan grants citizenship to Palestinians is also well taken. She loses me a bit on her other arguments, but they were nonetheless interesting to read. I wish her book would be taken up by halaqas (study circles) around the country, but I doubt that's the case. Instead, it will mostly be used by people who already have a prejudice against Islam to add ammunition to their hate. Sad.
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