Rating: 
Summary: This book is a complete waste of time
Review: I am a student of religion, meaning that I studied many religions and their histories, and I find Islam to be a very fasinating religion. I was at the bookstore and in a hurry to grab a book, I saw this, and wondered what does she mean "Trouble with Islam"? Out of curiousity I picked it up. Upon reading it I felt like the author was a 15 year old girl, I even stopped reading the book for a moment to make sure that the author wasn't 15!! Her writing is filled with teenage angst that has no credentials except for her personal experiance, which is bias not credential.
The writing style borders on a trashy novel/average jouranlist vibe.After finishing the book, I was regretful that I had wasted my money on this trashy novel. It becomes evident that Irshad Manji wantes a fatwa on her head. She seems like a Rushdi wanna be, which is just sad.
But, thankfully Muslims haven't played into this one like they did in the 80's. Muslim or not, anyone with an ounce of intelligence will realise this book is just a desperate attempt to make money on personal loss blamed on religion. Summary: Avoid this book, you'd be better off reading a trashy romance novel, which this book resembles, but instead of romance there is teenage angst, now that just doesn't work.
Rating:
Summary: Another Propaganda by Islam Haters
Review: As a Muslim-American, I was shocked at how ignorant Ms. Manji is in Islamic history and philosophy and yet allowed to publish this book! She shows lack of knowledge of Islam by proclaiming that Quran is anti-semetic. This is furthest from the truth. Quran criticizes all people for not being in the path of God. And most vehement criticism in Quran is for the people of Muhammed's(PUBH) own sect, the Quraish. Ms. Manji also misquotes Quran often. So in conclusion, I feel this is just another book funded and pushed by the Israel-Lobby of the world who has much to gain by showing Islam in a negative light to the rest of the world!
Rating:
Summary: Ms.Manji sees her father in every Muslim
Review: Irshad Manji, during her childhood has went through mental and physical torture by her father, that is what we perceive in this book. She feels that every Muslim is blameworthy as her father, who was a merciless man. She is very successful in describing her bitter childhood whereas throughout the book Ms.Manji kept on hurling venom on the beauty of Islamic culture and its 1.2 billion Muslim adherents. With lack of Islamic scholarship, she has failed to convince her readers, Muslims or non-Muslims. It is inappropriate for Irshad Manji to relate her unpleasant childhood experiences with today's condition especially in the Muslim world. TOTAL WASTE OF TIME reading this misinformed "money making" intend book.
Rating:
Summary: On the back of a carefully crafted, self-serving wave...
Review: ...of publicity, Irshad Manji promises much - but ultimately delivers precious little. As a lapsed Jewish woman living amongst the great cultural-ethnic melt-pot that is America, I have learned to appreciate other cultures and their beliefs. However, finding my own ethical feet within such a diverse social structure has proven to be far more of a challenge than when I first envisaged after leaving the narrowing confines of university. Picking up Irshad's eye-catching book, I had an overwhelming desire to absorb all of her much anticipated research, hoping that it would answer many of my own personal questions about contemporary Islam and Muslims today. Instead, I have found a book that seems to be a bloated account of a failed tabloid journalist trying to bridge the gap between trash and true intellectual reading. Irshad consistently skirts around any issues that deal specifically with facts (probably due to her own emaciated academic qualifications), preferring to expound upon her own discoloured opinions whilst convincing the reader that facts are not really necessary. Concealing her own inadequacy of understanding the root subject, she relies on the rage and misgivings that we in the West perceive about Islam to carry forward her points. She assumes that her readers have never researched Islam, and so further compounds her opinions by basing them upon other opinions authored by herself. Complex questions that other, more notable, scholars have addressed are missing - again this is probably due to the inadequacies of the author in researching her material to an acceptable academic level. Listening to Irshad Manji live on radio interviews whilst promoting her book, I couldn't help but think that behind the facade that her and her publishing company are projecting, Irshad comes across as a smug and inward looking sensationalist, playing on the tension of the West and Islam - but without contributing constructively to disable it. The trouble with "The Trouble with Islam" is that it tries to take itself seriously, aiming at a reading group that is on the wrong side of sixteen years old, whilst simultaneously hoodwinking everyone with its highly dubious "academic" merit. Maybe if Irshad re-categorised this book under fiction, it may be taken more seriously.
Rating:
Summary: Total waste of time
Review: I believe this book comes with an extremely poor understanding of muslim history and a pathetic analysis of muslim values and culture. It seems to be an attempt to gain fame without providing some quality material. I have watched the author a few times on the TV also and all she has is self-praise and an unnecessary reaction to Islam. Overall, I believe this book is a waste of time.
Rating: 
Summary: you know something when you know you don't know anything
Review: I picked up Irshad Manji's book with hope to get some insight
into Islam from a modern, intelligent woman. I've been trying to learn as much as I can about Islam and Arab countries for the past 6 years, to counteract the ideas I feel were fed to me while living in Israel. My hope is to understand, and spread the hope for peace. At first I was delighted to read the merits of Israel through the eyes of an outsider. I needed to remind myself that Israel is a true contradition, in every single way, and one of the facets of it is its democracy and humanity. On any subject, there are as many opinions in Israel as there are people. I've been judging Israel for too long as the "viper", when, I think maybe another type of savage animal that is being cornered is a more appropriate metaphor. I also enjoyed reading about ijshtihad, the reform of Islam, and about author's hopes for ijshtihad to be rekindled. The idea about Islam's dual view of America was enlightening - considering America as the corruptor but secretly wanting to enroll the son/daughter in an American school. The desire to be saved by U.S.... etc. My criticism about this book is that I cannot trust it. There is enough evidence throughout the text that this is not a scholarly research of any weight. I cannot learn from this book because I was not given all the facts, I was given the ready-made opinions of the author and barely anecdotal evidence to support it. It it too shallow to be taken as an authority on the subject. This would be acceptable if the book would be entitled "My trouble with Islam", but no, the book touts itself as "THE trouble with Islam". The arguments always felt one-sided, very personal and bitter. I don't think it's possible to have a complete objective view of anything, but one can at least try. I think I'm going to go back to Orientalism by Edward Said.
Rating:
Summary: When the chips are down...
Review: If we are to believe that Irshad Manji wrote this book to help reform her faith, then either she is far more ignorant than she appears, or she is being quite disingenuous in her stated intentions. What Irshad actually succeeds in accomplishing is fueling the fire of hatred and bigotry among those who already know very little about Islam; perpetuating damaging myths and misconceptions about Islam due to her own lack of knowledge about the tradition; and flexing her marketing and PR muscle to promote herself and her agenda at the expense of "her religion". She offers no new insight, thought, or workable solution for the issues she raises, and unfortunately, many of her questions and commentaries belie a woefully inadequate understanding of, much less commitment to, the fundamental moral and ethical core of her stated faith. She snubs the value of knowledge as well as those who have dedicated their lives to addressing the very questions she raises in a much more credible, rigorous, and earnest, albeit much less sensational way than she has. She ultimately does far more damage than anything else, not only for Islam, but for the greater good of achieving a genuine understanding among people, fostering prospects for mutual cooperation, and ultimately, helping to diffuse the perpetual state of conflict rather than contribute to it. The greater tragedy is that someone like Irshad Manji can get the credibility and visibility she has. Someone of her caliber producing a comparable book in the Christian or Jewish traditions would become the laughing stock of her faith. However, given the extremely limited understanding of Islam in mainstream audiences today, it is easy to come across as an innovative thinker, revolutionary and even heroic symbol for change. Sadly, Irshad is none of these, despite outward appearances. Nevertheless, Irshad is an entrepreneur and marketer extraordinaire, and to the detriment of Muslims, will cash in as Muslims continue to suffer as a result. I expect that sometime in the not to distant future, we will be seeing her next hot-selling book, which undoubtedly will tell us how she could no longer handle being a Muslim, why she left the faith, and all of the many more reasons why Islam is a faith not to be trusted. Irshad may talk a good game, but when the chips are down for the religion, it's clear that Irshad will be cashing in hers.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, though repetitive
Review: This is a book worth reading, though it's not something you can/should read as THE source. Keep in mind it is more opinion than academic textbook on Islam.
It's repetitive after a while, so I only skimmed the last 1/4, having read the first 3/4s all through.
I do think a lot of what she says is worth investigating, and that (as I do know a number of muslims) there IS a problem with Islam. It does seem to be a beautiful religion at times (and given that I'm an atheist, this is an odd reaction) but it does also seem to be stuck in the middle ages. This culture helped start the scientific revolution, but now seems far too inclined to reject all modernity.
There is a lot in this book to recommend it, and the author's website. Read it, but don't expect answers, just more (interesting) questions.
Rating:
Summary: Potenial Wasted
Review: What could have been a book by and about born Muslims who have become dispassioned with their religion, turned out to be a book of bitching and spiteful revenge seeking.
There is a great need for Muslim authors who have the courage to criticize what their religion has become, intransigent, uncompromising, taken hostage by a minority of fanatics and legalistic old men. Ms. Manji doesn't seem fit to maturely contribute to this need.
After reading just the first few paragraphs, one can tell Irshad Manji isn't really concerned with rescuing and reforming Islam. She despises it. Even the few qualified postive aspects she grudgingly grants to Islam she later takes back. For Manji, Islam is a bogus faith, started by an illiterate merchant who heard and corrupted the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. How can she ever hope to engage her fellow Muslims in serious dialogue when she holds such contemptible opinions?
The bottom line for Ms. Manji is that she is a lesbian who had the misfortune to be born into a nationality (Pakistani) and a religion (Islam) which hold no compromise with the idea of homosexuality. This has made her bitter and spiteful and on a mission to exploit the current Islamophobia of the Western world by writing this screed that reads like mesageboard postings, full of anecdotal evidence, bitter memories and historical glossovers.
If you are not too familiar with Arabic or Middle-Eastern history or the origins and development of the Islamic religion, please do not take the statements of Ms. Manji at face value. Rather, remember that this is a very secular, proudly westernized homosexual feminist who has never been seriously interested in her religion or her ethnicity. A woman with no background training in the study of history or theology. Just a vengeful self-hater with journalistic credentials.
Rating: 
Summary: Applause
Review: In clear language, the author brings her well-reasoned case for reform. Every person who cares about what's happening in the world should take the time to read what Irshad Manji is saying. She speaks not only to the Muslim world but to the rest of the world. The venom and rage of young Muslim men (including the thousands who are studying at American universities) that spews out against the west and against her and what she is saying should be reason enough for every decent peace loving person to hear her out, and to applaud her courage. She is a Muslim who wants the Muslim world to stop demeaning their women, to become more tolerant and to value freedom and to recognize that Muslims have no one to blame but themselves for the plight they are in. It's the first crack in this wall of hatred and xenophobia.
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