Rating: 
Summary: Ibn Warraq is a thorough scholar, read his other books!
Review: I haven't read this book yet, but I am currently most of the way through "Why I am not a Muslim".
The reviewers below who accuse Ibn Warraq of not knowing his stuff, and not being scholarly enough, ought to have a read of "Why I am not a Muslim". It is quite dense reading, as it reviews and combines masses of scholarship, from some of the most respected sources (by which I mean, people working in the tradition of scientific inquiry, not defence of dogma). Please read "Why I am not a Muslim" (and perhaps some of the sources referred to frequently throughout it) before you accuse Ibn Warriq of being someone who is blindly out to destroy Islam out of malicious hate. The scholarship looks extremely solid to me - but perhaps it is a little academic for the general reader, or a bit too daunting in its size for some people to be able to absorb it.
I would be very curious to know how many of the people who rated this book as 1 star, actually READ the book from cover to cover. I rather suspect that many of them have never really read anything critiquing Islam before (note: not CRITICISING, CRITIQUING - they are different), and so their reaction is pure knee-jerk rejection. A religion (which after all is supposed to provide you with some perspective in your most desperate times) should be able to stand against some logical inquiry, both from inside and outside the faith.
Rating: 
Summary: Open your eyes to the truth
Review: I know Ibn Warraq and many of the people whose testimonies are featured in this book. Ibn Warraq is indeed a former Muslim, and the testimonies in this book are genuine. Islamic apostates are among the most persecuted people in the world. They do not even have the basic right that most of us in the US take for granted; the right to choose their own religion (or no religion.) In Muslim-majority countries these people live tenuous underground extistences. The brave ones, the ones who speak openly about leaving their religion, are often killed or physically intimidated. No Islamic nation has "freedom of religion" as we have in the West. The "moderate" Muslim nations put apostates in jail or "faith re-education" camps; the more strict ones execute these people. What is frightening is that these people are now not even safe in the "free" West as we take in more and more immigrants from Islamic nations. Recently a former Muslim turned politician was sentenced to death by Muslim clerics -- in Holland! Christian organizations such as Barnabas Fund, Open Doors and Freedom House all have extensive documentation of the extreme persecution that Muslims who convert to Christianity or other religons are subjected to in their countries of origin. Wake up and smell the coffee folks. The freedom of Islamic apostates should concern us all -- as it's our freedoms that are on the line as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Further Reflections on this Book
Review: I wrote a brief review on this book a year ago (see below) where I saluted the brave souls speaking out that had forsaken dogmatic religion. I am a secular humanist, and an ardent admirer of Carl Sagan and Richard Dawkins. My culture is Hindu and I am very proud of it. However, let me say at the outset that it does no good to forsake fundamentalist Islam and become a fundamentalist Hindu. Since I wrote my review, many new reviews including ones by Muslims have appeared on this book. Understandably, Muslims are not going to rate this book highly. However, some of their diatribes about the apostates are merely that - frustrated rantings and ravings. As an example, see the review by Yaseen from Oakland. He says that one of the secularist reviewers who has applauded this book has 'peanut-sized brains'. Yaseen, you must have peanut sized brains if you believe that a 1400 year old text is the literal word of God. The Quran is at best a historical text that represents the creation myths of the Arabs. Likewise the Bible and the Bhagvad Gita represent the creation myths of the Jews/Christians and the Hindus. Over the past year I have been given several books by a colleague at work who is a devout and tolerant Muslim. These books seek to reconcile the Quran with the findings of modern science. Unfortunately, even a cursory reading of this Islamic propaganda is enough to show the hollowness of these wildly stretched claims. One of the key points these books make is that you have to read the text in the original Arabic to truly appreciate how well the Quran foretells modern scientific findings. Strange indeed must be a universal God that needs his readers to understand perfect Arabic (of all languages!) to get his message. There is no mention in these books that the Quran endorses the creation by God of Adam from dust and Eve from his rib. I would like to know how anyone with more than a peanut size brain can believe this ridiculous story in the light of the findings of evolutionary science. I have no difficulty understanding that all Muslims are proud of their cultural heritage and revere the Prophet(PBUH). He was in all probability a very wise man (undoubtedly, he was a superb military commander) whose teachings were relevant to the times that he lived in and to the harsh desert environment. I will also not quarrel with Muslims that the Prophet may have improved the lot of women in those times. However, taking the Quran as the literal word of God today and as the only source of knowledge has led to a decline in Islamic societies. Look everywhere around the world - to quote President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, Muslims are the most backward of all societies. Muslims are either killing fellow Muslims or are being exploited by non-Muslims. Witness how a small country like Israel with 5 million odd Jews is able to dictate terms to the entire Islamic world. The world's only superpower (led by a fundamentalist Christian President who claims that the God of the Old Testament gave him the green signal!) can invade and occupy an Islamic country with impunity in a war that has killed many thousands of Muslims including innocent women and children and face no more than a few pathetic whimpers from Islamic governments. Here in the US, Muslims are viewed with suspicion and fairly or unfairly, as Yaseen from Oakland states 'venom is being spewed on Islam'. In my native India, it appears that most of the outsourcing boom has conferred wealth and comfort on the scientifically educated Hindus while leaving the Madrasa educated Muslims way behind. I worry that this is rapidly leading India to an explosive two-tier society of haves and have-nots on religious lines. Meanwhile Islamic leaders and clergy are spreading the 'reassuring' message that Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. Whereas this growth may be true, how does that really matter? Most of the people who convert to Islam are likely to be underpriviledged minorities or poor or disaffected in some way. How will it help if a 100 years from now half the human population is Muslim, is poor and is exploited by the non-Muslim half ? Muslims, please note that whereas there are billions of humans on this planet, there are trillions of insects. Bottom line: mere numbers are not enough - all power flows from advanced technology. The US could destroy much of the Islamic world if it really wanted to. This whole sad state of affairs is not likely to change until Muslims accept modernization and stop believing that all truth flows from the Quran. Sadly the Muslims can believe what they want but the universe will not care - it will go inexorably on. Ultimate power for humankind will rest with those who open their minds and accept the scientific way to harness the forces of Mother nature. The true heroes of today should not be Jesus Christ, Prophet Muhammad or Krishna but great secular scientists and philosophers like Stephen Hawking and Betrand Russell.
Rating:
Summary: Further Reflections on this Book
Review: I wrote a brief review on this book a year ago (see below) where I saluted the brave souls speaking out that had forsaken dogmatic religion. I am a secular humanist, and an ardent admirer of Carl Sagan and Richard Dawkins. My culture is Hindu and I am very proud of it. However, let me say at the outset that it does no good to forsake fundamentalist Islam and become a fundamentalist Hindu. Since I wrote my review, many new reviews including ones by Muslims have appeared on this book. Understandably, Muslims are not going to rate this book highly. However, some of their diatribes about the apostates are merely that - frustrated rantings and ravings. As an example, see the review by Yaseen from Oakland. He says that one of the secularist reviewers who has applauded this book has 'peanut-sized brains'. Yaseen, you must have peanut sized brains if you believe that a 1400 year old text is the literal word of God. The Quran is at best a historical text that represents the creation myths of the Arabs. Likewise the Bible and the Bhagvad Gita represent the creation myths of the Jews/Christians and the Hindus. Over the past year I have been given several books by a colleague at work who is a devout and tolerant Muslim. These books seek to reconcile the Quran with the findings of modern science. Unfortunately, even a cursory reading of this Islamic propaganda is enough to show the hollowness of these wildly stretched claims. One of the key points these books make is that you have to read the text in the original Arabic to truly appreciate how well the Quran foretells modern scientific findings. Strange indeed must be a universal God that needs his readers to understand perfect Arabic (of all languages!) to get his message. There is no mention in these books that the Quran endorses the creation by God of Adam from dust and Eve from his rib. I would like to know how anyone with more than a peanut size brain can believe this ridiculous story in the light of the findings of evolutionary science. I have no difficulty understanding that all Muslims are proud of their cultural heritage and revere the Prophet(PBUH). He was in all probability a very wise man (undoubtedly, he was a superb military commander) whose teachings were relevant to the times that he lived in and to the harsh desert environment. I will also not quarrel with Muslims that the Prophet may have improved the lot of women in those times. However, taking the Quran as the literal word of God today and as the only source of knowledge has led to a decline in Islamic societies. Look everywhere around the world - to quote President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, Muslims are the most backward of all societies. Muslims are either killing fellow Muslims or are being exploited by non-Muslims. Witness how a small country like Israel with 5 million odd Jews is able to dictate terms to the entire Islamic world. The world's only superpower (led by a fundamentalist Christian President who claims that the God of the Old Testament gave him the green signal!) can invade and occupy an Islamic country with impunity in a war that has killed many thousands of Muslims including innocent women and children and face no more than a few pathetic whimpers from Islamic governments. Here in the US, Muslims are viewed with suspicion and fairly or unfairly, as Yaseen from Oakland states 'venom is being spewed on Islam'. In my native India, it appears that most of the outsourcing boom has conferred wealth and comfort on the scientifically educated Hindus while leaving the Madrasa educated Muslims way behind. I worry that this is rapidly leading India to an explosive two-tier society of haves and have-nots on religious lines. Meanwhile Islamic leaders and clergy are spreading the 'reassuring' message that Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. Whereas this growth may be true, how does that really matter? Most of the people who convert to Islam are likely to be underpriviledged minorities or poor or disaffected in some way. How will it help if a 100 years from now half the human population is Muslim, is poor and is exploited by the non-Muslim half ? Muslims, please note that whereas there are billions of humans on this planet, there are trillions of insects. Bottom line: mere numbers are not enough - all power flows from advanced technology. The US could destroy much of the Islamic world if it really wanted to. This whole sad state of affairs is not likely to change until Muslims accept modernization and stop believing that all truth flows from the Quran. Sadly the Muslims can believe what they want but the universe will not care - it will go inexorably on. Ultimate power for humankind will rest with those who open their minds and accept the scientific way to harness the forces of Mother nature. The true heroes of today should not be Jesus Christ, Prophet Muhammad or Krishna but great secular scientists and philosophers like Stephen Hawking and Betrand Russell.
Rating:
Summary: Islam Smothers Dissent and Basic Human Rights
Review: Ibn Warraq, who has several Fatwas issued against him by Islamist clerics has bravely sallied forth to explicate the tenuous status of former Muslims who for a variety of reasons have abandoned the faith. These apostates are under the threat of death given the clerical rulings in Islam. Some of the testifiers have been brave enough to use their real names! Most prominent among these testimonials is the clear evidence of the lack of basic human rights as allegedly guaranteed under the UN Declaration of Human Rights circa 1948. Muslim countries have signed the UN declaration but consider the act as religiously correct dissimultude-taqqiya in Arabic. Among the more stunning revelations among the testimonials is the genocide wreaked on the Bengalis by the Islamic Paki overlords in the early 70's of the last century. An estimated 3.5 million Bengalis were slaughtered in this religious Jihad. Some of you may be old enough to remember the plaintive Beatles tune: Bengladesh. This genocide cries out the certification before the World Court and prosecution of some of the organizers of this heinous event. Testimonials of former Muslim women, brave enough to reveal their actual identity, clearly indicate the second class status in violation of the UN declaration of human rights. Former converts to Islam who are included in these testimonials have given witness to the lack of basic human rights and the atavistic male domination prevalent in Muslim cricles and countries. Overall, Ibn Warraq-his nom de guerre, has given us a powerful insight into the fundamental failings of the islamic faith to build reform from within and protect basic human rights. It is no wonder several Fatwas demanding his death have been issued. He's very religiously incorrect, but courageous. His works deserve a wide readership in a western world ignorant of the fundamentals of the islamic faith.
Rating:
Summary: Muslims: The First Victims of Allah
Review: Let me begin by saying that like the many authors whose testimonies comprise this anthology, I am a former Muslim, an apostate, and a liberal secular humanist. The Western-born son of a moderate Sunni Muslim family comprising of Turkish and Persian ancestry, I related completely to the sentiments expressed in the various declarations of kafiri (unbelief). It is quite rare that one comes across the idea of ex-Muslims, since apostasy is for most Muslims outside the realm of possibility, both because it goes against everything one has been taught and because it carries the penalty of death. I was once a slave to this type of thought process, though I was never a fundamentalist and never espoused any of the hate-rhetoric that one normally associates with extremist Muslims. I left Islam after reading its holy revelation, the Qur'an, which revealed itself to be nothing more than reworked Bible stories (which are themselves rehashes of pagan myths) peppered with ever-present threats of Allah's fury. I first started to question Islam when I fell in love with a man (who was a Jew, no less!) and went in search of an outlet which would allow me to live with human dignity in full light of my homosexuality. Like so many religious people who know better, I tried to reconcile with my ancestral faith's apparent irrationality, but Logic and Compassion won out.
'Leaving Islam' is probably the most reader-friendly of all of Ibn Warraq's anti-Islamic endeavors. It offers not only a historical account of the heretical teachings and persecution of Islam's most famous apostates, but also a comprehensive and global view of why an increasing number of Muslims are leaving the faith, either in favor of other religions (namely Christianity) or, more probably, atheism. The stories come from all corners of the world: Iran, Turkey, Bangladesh, Morocco, Tunisia, Malaysia, India, and even America. A disproportionately large percentage of the accounts come from (of all places) Pakistan. One wonders why this is--are Pakistanis more prone to doubt than other Muslims? Regardless of the disparate national origins of the authors, there is a concurrent thread through all the stories that binds them together: traditionalist (even fundamentalist) faith transmuting into deep disillusionment upon closer scrutiny of Islamic texts and doctrines. You might wonder why if that's all that it takes to get Muslims to abandon Islam why more haven't done so. The reasons are many and complex, and each author explains why apostasy was the only choice.
Though I don't expect many to be inclined to read it, I would recommend this book to any practicing Muslim. Many of the traditional Islamic arguments about its validity are deconstructed in this deeply personal and profoundly logical compilation. Though I was disappointed not to find a personal account of Ibn Warraq's own apostasy, the others were fascinating, revealing, and, frequently, heartbreaking. All the accounts are worth reading, but the one's which stood out most for me were those of Ali Sina, Abul Kasem, Parvin Darabi, Azam Kamguian, Taner Edis, Nadia, Denis Giron, Faiza, and Ben Hoja. Sina's account is particularly striking in that it outlines the various stages one goes through when one chooses apostasy (Faith, Denial, Confusion, Guilt, Anger, Sadness and, finally, Enlightenment: I think I am embedded in the Sadness stage, mourning constantly for all the lost lives and wasted potential). Five of the testimonies in the book are those of converts who adopted Islam only to leave it. Giron's story is exceptionally witty and humorous. Hoja's chapter, entitled 'Dark Comedy', had me chuckling and laughing out loud (the footnotes are uproariously funny) only to completely sock me in the gut and leave me in tears at the end. His story alone is worth the cover price.
Like all of Warraq's books, this one too shall incite fury and outrage because it shows the growing skepticism and self-loathing among Muslims who happen not to be Ibn Warraq, Salman Rushdie, or Irshad Manji. In his introduction Warraq refers to the various accounts as 'Cassandra Cries', which might give the impression that these apostates view themselves as helpless victims; they are anything but. Every contributor makes powerful, searing indictments of Islam, Muhammad, the Qur'an and God, which cannot be ignored or dismissed. It is no small thing to assert that Muhammad was a rapist, a warmonger, a mass-murderer and a pedophile. List these charges and images of Hitler, Idi Amin and Genghis Khan immediately come to mind, not the noble and humble Arabian sage who populates the hearts of billions. How can it be that the founder of one of the 'great' religions has enacted such brutality? But any balanced and honest reading of Islamic tradition can only lead to this conclusion. Either we accept that History lies about Muhammad or that we lie to ourselves about him. Will we, as humans, seek the Selective Salvation religion offers, or will we seek Truth? As Sina proclaims at the end of his story, 'Truth is a pathless land.'
One of the things I am constantly baffled by is the standard Muslim response to critiques and attacks of their faith: instead of utilizing rationalist techniques of debate, argument and logical defense, they respond with violence and death threats to silence the dissenters. These are the actions of people who either have no prepared way to defend their dogmas or know that the only way to uphold these doctrinal 'truths' is to make sure that no one is allowed to question them. Fascism, anyone? But it would be wrong to lay the blame on Muslims themselves; rather it is that 'pie-in-the-sky' deity who is culpable. Those who have read the Qur'an will concede that Allah makes all his proclamations about 'the one true faith' the same way: not by appealing to Reason or Logic, but with force and threat. 'Believe this, behave accordingly, or burn eternally in Hellfire.' This is basically the theme of the Qur'an. It is of extreme irony that all such threats are always preceded by the standard 'In the name of God, the Universally Merciful, the Singularly Compassionate.' Indeed. How, therefore, can we expect Muslims to project and live in any other way than through violence and irrationality when God himself dictates life's truths to them in the same way? If anything, they are merely mimicking God's way, which is what anyone would want to do. Muslims are the first victims of Allah.
I must also say that this relatively unknown and small field of Islamic Criticism owes great gallows of gratitude to freethinkers like Ibn Warraq, Salman Rushdie, Ali Sina, and Irshad Manji. It is our duty as freethinkers, reformers, and, yes, even as ex-Muslims, to assume a prominent role in the way Islam adopts to the shrinking modern world. We are, after all, unique in that we know firsthand the extremes to which Islam can be carried and carry its adherents. Yet we apostates have resisted, and in this 'reclaiming of the self' we have shown that Reason has the ability to retain as strongly as Revelation.
Islam is a Bedouin Fable, a tribal Arabian Mythology created to validate the Arab Imperialism of the 8th and 9th century. At some point, however, we all outgrow these moralistic, 'do-this-or-else' fairy tales, and--hopefully--learn to live with dignity instead of out of fear. Fourteen hundred years of self-annihilation and delusion is enough. Cassandra's Cries have, at last, become her Courage.
Rating: 
Summary: Deceptive Writing
Review: Somebody commented on this book and said it was "one of the best books about ISLAM available." With all do respect, you must have a brain the size of a peanut if you believe that. Let me comment on a few things I remember that were not true or acceptable by Muslims:The Prophet killed 900 men, women, and children from the tribe of Banu Qurayza. This story is told by Ibn Ishaq, who died 150 years after the event took place. Malik the jurist and others have called him an impostor his sources were unacceptable. There were three tribes in Medina; Khaybar, Fadak, and Qurayza.
The first two surrendered before and after Qurayza surrendered to the Muslims, but they were all let go. It makes no sense that Qurayza were slaughtered when the others were not harmed. The rule in Islam is to punish only those responislbe for treason. as the Koran says "No soul shall bear anothers burden."
The conclusion is that the ones who committed the crime were punished, not the whole tribe. There are a few more testimonies that I could shred to pieces but I will comment on the one that said it was impossible for a flood to cover the whole world and that Noah could not have possibly gotten all the animals in the world in his ship. The flood destryoed the people of Noah, not the entire world. It says in the Koran, "When the people of Noah denied the Messengers, We drowned them and We made of them a sign for mankind" (25:36) This apostate was confusing the Koran with the Bible which says the flood covered the entire world. Yes, there are a few verses that say kill non believers. I am guilty as charged, BUT, it seems that IBN WARRAK has neglected to mention every time that it says to "kill non believers who attack you first. Then if they repent, still give them mercy.(4:89-90) I suggest one read this book only if he wants to see all the venom that is being spewed on Islam. I recommend Understanding the Koran for Idiots and this website http://www.allaahuakbar.net/misconceptions/
Rating:
Summary: Deceptively Effective
Review: The book is in a series that "Ibn Warraq" has produced to argue that Islam is incompatible with today's age.
Unfortunately, the book follows the same style of his earlier work: "Start with a few presupposed hypotheses and support them by quotes from Islamic sources and tradition, selectively compiled and largely taken out of context." The book does not cite any of the scripture that would contradict the stated hypotheses. Also, it does not reflect honestly on the scholarly debate on some of the disputed incidents and show the other side of the opinion. One must note that this is the same style used by the fundamentalists who seek to perpetrate violence on innocent people. In both cases, the style is effective and highly persuasive, as it uses the sources of Islam itself to justify or support an arugment in a literal and superficial manner. Also, in both cases, it is dangerous.
The book cites many episodes and interpretations of the scripture to support the ideas that Ibn Warraq wants to communicate. Unfortunately, he does not go into any depth in discussing the scholarly work by Islamic jurists over 14 centuries. He does not seem to either understand this work or is aware of it. Interestingly, this style of literal interpretation of scripture is the same advocated by the Wahhabi sect, although they are 180 degrees in terms of goals.
To summarize, in spirit and style, this is book to Islam is equivalent to the slanted misinterpretations that I often find in Wahhabi writing, although they are obviously going after opposite goals. Not very useful, and should be balanced by books that support an opposite set of hypotheses before one would form a definitive opinion about the religion.
Rating:
Summary: A valuable resource on Islam
Review: The Warraq name has been used by Muslim dissidents for many centuries, including Harun al-Warraq, who died early in the tenth century. Now "Ibn Warraq" and others give us an interesting view of the objections to Islam by those who have basically abandoned it.
Ibn Warraq starts by making the point that it can be dangerous to leave Islam. Doing so makes one an apostate. Apostasy generally carries a death penalty, especially for men. And even for those who survive, it often results in the forfeiture of one's possessions and legal rights.
Nevertheless, some people do leave Islam. My own ancestors did so over a hundred years ago. And as this book mentions, some leave it in favor of polytheism, especially in Indonesia. Or for Christianity. But the main thrust of the book is to describe something about those former Muslims who have simply abandoned religion in general and why.
The main reasons for abandoning Islam have turned out to be its irrationality, its immorality (especially the treatment of Women), and the personal life of the Prophet.
Others have reacted negatively to the fanaticism and aggression of many Muslims, as well as to the increasing lack of economic competetiveness of Muslim portion of the world.
There were a few unusual points made in the book. One was simply that apostasy is not really applicable to Buddhism, let alone most polytheistic religions. Another was that if we humans were in need of divine guidance 15 or 20 centuries ago, surely we are in at least as much need of it now: why are there supposedly no more prophets to supply that guidance?
Another point is that Western media are prone to publishing pro-Islamic material. This is explained simply: Islam is in the news, so the media have to say something about it. And the media are reluctant to say anything negative for fear of being called Islamophobic.
One of the writers in the book points out that some of the articles about Islam generated by those who have abandoned it are virtually a mirror image of traditional apologetics for Islam. Is it proper to write so vehemently? The conclusion is that while vehemence often obscures otherwise sound arguments, vehement essays often make valuable points too.
The book concludes with some useful references to the Koran and on the life of the Prophet, followed by a list of websites critical of Islam and some books critical of Islam.
This book is interesting and worth reading. I think it fills an important niche between politically correct whitewashing of Islam and denunciations of Islam from those who never were a part of it.
Rating:
Summary: Courageous book about courageous Muslims
Review: This is a fascinating book about courageous Muslims from all parts of the world that have had the guts to forsake dogmatic religion. I hope that this will book will show Westerners that not all Muslims are fundamentalists and that not all of them believe in the literal truth of the Koran, including the injunction to wage jihad against the 'infidels'. It is very sad that Ibn Warraq should have fatwas declared against him. The Muslim clerics who issue these fatwas and preach hatred do great injustice to the magnificent Islamic culture, which has enriched humanity in many ways. Reading each clandestine account of these people leaving Islam, reminded me that I should thank my fate that I was born a Hindu and can tell the world that I have now converted to secular humanism without worrying about fatwas from Hindu fundamentalists! I hope that one day Islam too will have its reformation and become a tolerant religion like Hinduism and Buddhism. When that day comes, this book will become an anachronism! In the meantime, read this book and salute these brave souls.
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