Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Islam: A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles #2)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 2,598 ratings · 243 reviews

No religion in the modern world is as feared and misunderstood as Islam. It haunts the popular imagination as an extreme faith that promotes terrorism, authoritarian government, female oppression, and civil war. In a vital revision of this narrow view of Islam and a distillation of years of thinking and writing about the subject, Karen Armstrong’s short history demonstrate...more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published August 6th 2002 by Modern Library (first published January 1st 2000)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X

Best Books About Islam & Muslims

22nd out of 184 books — 190 voters

The News About the News by Leonard Downie Jr.

Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle

4th out of 50 books — 6 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 04, 2009 Renee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Honestly, why do I keep picking up Karen Armstrong's books?
It's not that she is a bad writer, just an exceptionally boring one. When I listen to 'Islam: A Short History' I feel like I'm being hit by a verbal machine gun fire of names, dates and places. Unfortunately few of these fact 'bullets' remain in my brain.
She starts off innocently enough, giving an account Muhammad's life and then ....'BANG, BANG BANG!' she hits you with a blitzkrieg of boring, impersonal facts.
About three quarters of t...more

7 likes · like · see review

May 01, 2008 Kevin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Armstrong's brief (circa 190 pages) history of Islam is necessary reading, but not particularly well written. Her account is based in the fact that there can be no separation of religious from political histories when it comes to Islam: for the Islamic notion of 'salvation' "does not consist in the redemption of an 'original sin' committed by Adam and the admittance to eternal life, but in the achievement of a society which puts into practice God's desires for the human race" (24).

A true history...more
Armstrong's brief (circa 190 pages) history of Islam is necessary reading, but not particularly well written. Her account is based in the fact that there can be no separation of religious from political histories when it comes to Islam: for the Islamic notion of 'salvation' "does not consist in the redemption of an 'original sin' committed by Adam and the admittance to eternal life, but in the achievement of a society which puts into practice God's desires for the human race" (24).

A true history (rather than a cultural study), the book is full of names and dates--many of which, I must admit, were embarrassingly unfamiliar to me. The book is divided into five chapters: "Beginnings," the story of Muhammed's sacred visions, the Rashidun (first four caliphs after the Prophet's death), and the first fitnah (the civil strife that came in the wake of mutiny by the supporters of Ali, Muhammed's cousin, and Ali's subsequent assassination, leading to tensions between Syrian (i.e., Sunni) and Iraqi (i.e., Shia, reformist, loyal to Ali) Muslims that would set the pattern for the following centuries); "Development," detailing the newly monarchical Umayyads (whose capital was in Damascus), the Abbasids (who violently overthrew the Umayyads, ca. 750), and the emergence of the esoteric movements, notably Falsafah (i.e., "philosophy," rationalist interpretation of the Quran) and Sufi (mystic); "Culmination," describing the (largely minimal) impact of the Crusades, and the expansion of Islam, particularly under the Mongols (1220-1500), who had no deep religious identity and thus absorbed and diffused Islam; "Islam Triumphant," an account of the Safavid (Iran), Moghul (Indian subcontinent) and Ottoman (Turkey and Middle East) empires in the 14th-17th centuries--the time of Europe's awakening from its backwater status; and "Islam Agonistes," a quick run-through of Islam since 1750, an account of the decline of the empires, and the rise of Fundamentalism.

Armstrong makes no mistake about her intent: to clarify and counter Western misconceptions about Islam (this approach comes to a head in the last chapter). However, the brevity of the book makes it difficult for her to do more than make assertions.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 15, 2007 Adam rated it 4 of 5 stars

From Publishers Weekly
Readers seeking a quick but thoughtful introduction to Islam will want to peruse Armstrong's latest offering. In her hallmark stylish and accessible prose, the author of A History of God takes readers from the sixth-century days of the Prophet Muhammad to the present. Armstrong writes about the revelations Muhammad received, and explains that the Qur'an earned its name (which means recitation) because most of Muhammad's followers were illiterate and learned his teachings no...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 12, 2009 Saquib11c rated it 5 of 5 stars

the book is written by an author who has complete grip on the subject. although she is not a muslim but she expressed herself in an absolute superb way and brought the correct perspective of islam. although in west the religion of islam is misunderstood as the religion of killings or it is being spread by sword etc but the history of islam tells us it is not so. the writer show up all the important events and depicts that no where in islam it is ever encouraged to kill other human beings if they...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2013 Kevin Bensema rated it 3 of 5 stars

The downfall of what could be an otherwise good history of Islam is Karen Armstrong's attempt to whitewash history. She repeatedly distorts history and makes apology for Muslim violence throughout the centuries, while blaming Christianity (no stranger to violence) for introducing violence to Islam.

But first, the good: With a few minor exceptions, the first two-thirds of the book is a good history of the spread of Islam, and a reasonably engaging read. Some other reviews have criticized the reada...more The downfall of what could be an otherwise good history of Islam is Karen Armstrong's attempt to whitewash history. She repeatedly distorts history and makes apology for Muslim violence throughout the centuries, while blaming Christianity (no stranger to violence) for introducing violence to Islam.

But first, the good: With a few minor exceptions, the first two-thirds of the book is a good history of the spread of Islam, and a reasonably engaging read. Some other reviews have criticized the readability of the post-Rashidun sections, but for a history text, it is excellent.

Unfortunately, the book makes unfounded and unsourced assertions, and is rather clearly biased. Armstrong's liberal Christian heresies are interjected here and there, which is rather annoying. The worst part, however, is the repeated assertion that Islamic fundamentalism is more characteristically fundamentalist than Islamic, and that (p149) "equally prevalent and violent fundamentalisms of other faiths" are somehow the same. Sorry, but I can't remember the last time fundamentalist Buddhists got a whole state to themselves (Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc.) or Christian fundamentalists killed a few thousand civilians. Armstrong likes to quote the Fall of Jerusalem in 1099A.D. as Crusader brutality and, hilariously, the "first experience of the West" for Islam. Spain, Southern France, Sicily, and parts of Italy, which had been conquered or raided by Muslims centuries before, would like a word. She likes to talk about the slaughter at Jerusalem, but never mentions the slaughter at Constantinople. The truth is, that when cities fall without a surrender agreement, there is no organized end to the fighting, and massive numbers of civilians die, whether the attacker is Christian or Turk. It gets funny at times. In her attempts to portray Europe as a backward backwater, she brushes off the *88 year* occupation of Jerusalem and multi-century Crusader presence in the Holy Land as brief and unimportant. Aside from the mountain of evidence demonstrating at least the parity and probably the technological superiority of Medieval Europe over the Dar al-Islam, how could a tiny band of backward soldiers hold off the might of Islam, camped out in their 3rd holiest site, for nearly a century?

I'd give the book a pass. I'd suggest [Placeholder] instead.(less)

like · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Gregg Wingo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Gregg by: Hal Holladay

Ms. Armstrong has created a concise and excellent historical narrative of Islamdom and the evolution of Islamic thought, theology, and law, and its tensions with the secular and political world. This is not pure history but rather a pondering of many peoples and their relationship with a religion. However, it is also much more than that, it is an insight into our Postmodern world and our reaction to modernity. The following passage reflects her brilliance of thought on our condition:

"Fundamental...more Ms. Armstrong has created a concise and excellent historical narrative of Islamdom and the evolution of Islamic thought, theology, and law, and its tensions with the secular and political world. This is not pure history but rather a pondering of many peoples and their relationship with a religion. However, it is also much more than that, it is an insight into our Postmodern world and our reaction to modernity. The following passage reflects her brilliance of thought on our condition:

"Fundamentalism is a global fact and has surfaced in every major faith in response to the problems of our modernity....This type of faith surfaced first in the Christian world in the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century. This is not accidental. Fundamentalism is not a monolithic movement; each form of fundamentalism, even within the same tradition, develops independently and has its own symbols and enthusiasms, but its different manifestations all bear a family resemblance. It has been noted that a fundamentalist movement does not arise immediately...but only takes shape when the modernization process is quite advanced. At first religious people try to reform their traditions and effect a marriage between them and modern culture...But when these moderate measures are found to be of no avail, some people resort to more extreme methods, and a fundamentalist movement is born.

Fundamentalist movements in all faiths share certain characteristics. They reveal a deep disappointment and disenchantment with the modern experiment, which has not fulfilled all that it promised. They also express real fear. Every single fundamentalist movement I have studied is convinced that the secular establishment is determined to wipe religion out...Fundamentalists look back to a “golden age” before the irruption of modernity for inspiration, but they are not atavistically returning to the Middle Ages. All are intrinsically modern movements and could appear at no time but our own. All are innovative and often radical in their reinterpretation of religion...They are all – even in the United States – highly critical of democracy and secularism...The fundamentalist community can thus be seen as the shadow-side of modernity; it can also highlight some of the darker sides of the modern experiment.”

What Ms. Armstrong has uncovered is one of the historical roots of Postmodernism, not the progressive antithesis of the arts and philosophy but the regressive synthesis of the religious community to Capitalism, Globalization, secularism, and Modernity in general. A reaction that rejects rationalism for faith and distorts faith for real world objectives. The book reveals how these forces have polarized all societies within the global community and returned religion to the civic sphere and the body politic.

The writer is considered an expert on religions but more importantly due to being a nun for seven years she approaches the subject both objectively and subjectively. She feels the spiritual forces that are inherent in the human psyche and understands the internal battle in all faiths between mysticism and theological studies, and the difficulties of resolving religion with philosophy, law, and societal needs.

A short read but a revealing one for all of us.

(less)

like · see review

Jan 01, 2013 Jay rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wrote this in 2002...

Islam: A Short History -- a better title there never was. In 200 short pages, Karen Armstrong succintly but seemingly comprehensively explains the impact of the Muslim faith on world history. Through this telling she tears down many of the misconceptions we Westerners have about Islam, and she emphasizes those persons and events most influential to the religion and to the current political situation (as of 2000 when the book was first published). Some highlights include:

•...more I wrote this in 2002...

Islam: A Short History -- a better title there never was. In 200 short pages, Karen Armstrong succintly but seemingly comprehensively explains the impact of the Muslim faith on world history. Through this telling she tears down many of the misconceptions we Westerners have about Islam, and she emphasizes those persons and events most influential to the religion and to the current political situation (as of 2000 when the book was first published). Some highlights include:

• a short biography of the Prophet Muhammad (based on another Karen Armstrong book) -- Salla Allahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam
• the story of the Rashidun, followers of Muhammad who grew the faith after the Prophet's death
• how Islamic life has always been intertwined with politics
• the consequences of the Crusades and the Mongol invasion on Muslim civilization
• two eras of Islamic supremacy as embodied by (a) Islamic civilization during the Middle Ages and (b) the Safavid, Moghul, and Ottoman Empires of 1500-1700
• the influence of Western expansion on Islamic society

This last section was the most interesting to me and the most relevant to our current conflict with terrorism. It's fascinating to read how some people have subverted the words and tradition of the Quran, and how in some ways terrorism is just a reaction to the Islamic world's inability to modernize. This is not the fault of Islam. The Western world had centuries to become modern, by developing and exploiting technology gradually. The rest of the world had to modernize suddenly or be left behind. Many Islamic nations had the bad luck of being near the West and were colonized. Contrast this with Japan, which has accepted Western culture and has become a technology superpower, in part because the country was never coerced to do so. Add all this to some 20th Century rulers (some sponsored by the West) in Islamic countries with some anti-religious policies, and it's easy to see how some might believe that violence was the only way to create the kind of world they want to live in.(less)

like · see review

Apr 06, 2012 Clif rated it 5 of 5 stars

A few years ago I took an undergrad course on the Ottoman Empire. There was a great deal of reading on the history of Islam so I was exposed to the material before reading this book.

Karen Armstrong has done a perfect job of telling the history of the religion and it's prophet without creating a huge off-putting and overly detailed account that would drive away many readers.

The history of Islam is exciting and probably alien to most Americans. Looking from the other direction, America has been un...more

4 likes · like · see review

Sep 23, 2011 Ilya rated it 1 of 5 stars

Karen Armstrong is a former Roman Catholic nun who writes popular books about the history of religion. Here she tells the conventional story of Islam from the revelations of Muhammad till the present day: the rises and falls of empires, of dynasties, of religious schools. I do not know the relevant history well enough to criticize Armstrong's handling of facts, though I was surprised to read that the importance of Battle of Poitiers is often exaggerated by Westerners. How could it be unimportant...more Karen Armstrong is a former Roman Catholic nun who writes popular books about the history of religion. Here she tells the conventional story of Islam from the revelations of Muhammad till the present day: the rises and falls of empires, of dynasties, of religious schools. I do not know the relevant history well enough to criticize Armstrong's handling of facts, though I was surprised to read that the importance of Battle of Poitiers is often exaggerated by Westerners. How could it be unimportant, if different historians estimate that it involved 15,000 to 80,000 Frankish and 20,000 to 80,000 Muslim soldiers at an age when Western European nations had about 10% of their present-day population? Her interpretations, however, are apologetic. She never says anything bad about Muhammad: did he really want to create a community where everyone, rich or poor, commands absolute respect? Did he really work for the emancipation of women? She condemns the West for being prejudiced about Islam since the Crusades, yet writing about present-day Muslims, Armstrong says that when they look at Western society, "they see no light, no heart, no spirituality." This is wrong: all three are very much present in Western society, yet she does not condemn the Muslims for this view. I sense double standards. I was also unsettled by her insistence that she knows that Islam is really a religion of peace and tolerance, and everyone who disagrees is wrong. Armstrong writes that Pakistan spends too much money on nuclear weapons while a large part of its population lives in abject poverty, "a situation that is abhorrent to a truly Muslim sensibility." The only truly Muslim sensibility is one that is expressed by the Muslims themselves, not by a former Catholic nun, and somehow I've never heard of a Pakistani antinuclear movement. Likewise, she says that Sayyid Qutb's vision of Islam distorted both "the message of the Quran and the Prophet's life." The message of the Quran is whatever the faithful read in it - not her, and as the story of Qutb's student Ayman al-Zawahiri and the movement he now heads shows, this vision is quite significant. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2011 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this to be a really appealing and succinct history of a topic that I feel like I should already know, but which I am almost totally ignorant of. It's a short history, and I'm sure there's a lot more I could learn, but I thought Armstrong did the best job I've read so far of explaining the Shia/ Sunni thing, and also in later sections laid out the different strains and approaches to Islam that I can sort of see a bit more clearly what the competing modern strains are all about.

I don't thi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 17, 2010 Jatining Siti rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

Sebenarnya ini buku udah nangkring lama di rak, secara dulu belinya pas pameran buku and diskon gede-gedean. Tapi baru aja dibaca bener-bener. Ternyata ini buku bagus banget; ringkas, padat, dan jelas. Ditulis oleh seorang Islamolog yang mantan biarawati. Karen Armstrong memaparkan sejarah Islam dengan cukup obyektik dan terstruktur rapi. Bahasa yang mudah dicerna dan mengalir membuat pembaca sangat menikmati perjalanan agama yang dibawa Muhammad ini hingga akhirnya mendunia.

Selain pemaparan yan...more Sebenarnya ini buku udah nangkring lama di rak, secara dulu belinya pas pameran buku and diskon gede-gedean. Tapi baru aja dibaca bener-bener. Ternyata ini buku bagus banget; ringkas, padat, dan jelas. Ditulis oleh seorang Islamolog yang mantan biarawati. Karen Armstrong memaparkan sejarah Islam dengan cukup obyektik dan terstruktur rapi. Bahasa yang mudah dicerna dan mengalir membuat pembaca sangat menikmati perjalanan agama yang dibawa Muhammad ini hingga akhirnya mendunia.

Selain pemaparan yang naratif, Karen juga memaparkan sejarah Islam secara kronologis berdasarkan tahun kejadian secara ringkas. Buku setebal 200-an halaman ini juga disertai peta wilayah kekuasaan Islam dari masa ke masa.

Karena buku ini tidak ditulis oleh seorang Muslim, namun sangat menguasai tentang Islam, buku ini terkesan 'obyektif'. Karen memotret sejarah Islam dari 'luar', atau bisa dibilang secara 'bird's eye view'. Karenanya, Karen tidak menghakimi siapa pun. Karen memandang konteks sejarah Islam secara luas. Bahkan menurutnya, ketika Muhammad terpaksa membunuh ratusan orang Yahudi yang berkhianat pada ummat (sebelum Perang Khaybar), itu bukanlah sebuah genocide. Pada konteks sejarah saat itu, langkah tersebut merupakan langkah tepat yang diambil Muhammad untuk mencegah kekerasan yang lebih kejam lagi oleh Yahudi. Bahkan Karen menilai, masyarakat Arab pada saat itu sangat primitif, dimana perang hanya bisa dijawab oleh perang, karena mereka belum mengenal kata 'damai'.

Penulisan sejarah yang cukup obyektif ini juga terlihat dari cara Karen menulis tentang fitnah pada masa Rasyidun yang menyebabkan terbunuhnya 2 khalifah, yaitu Usman bin Affan dan Ali bin Abi Thalib. Di sini, Karen tidak hendak menyalahkan kaum Syiah maupun kaum Sunni. Ia hanya memaparkan alasan-alasan logis mengapa para pendukung Ali memberontak dan mengapa pendukung Muawiyyah dab Bani Umayyah tidak puas dengan kepemimpinan Ali.

Dalam buku ini, Karen berkali-kali menuliskan bahwa Islam adalah agama damai, seperti asal kata "Islam" (damai). Dan ajaran perdamaian ini dibuktikan oleh Muhammad di penghujung dakwahnya ketika ia bersama 10.000 umat Islam berhasil menaklukan Kota Mekah tanpa pertumpahan darah.(less)

like · see review

Jan 15, 2011 Salem rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This is a very important book. Required reading, regardless of the nature of your religious views, or whether they exist or not.

As a Muslim, I know most of the historical figures and events explored in this book, but with varying levels of familiarity and in a discontinuous manner. This book is excellent in formulating a relatively complete (albeit somewhat shallow) picture of Islamic history, stemming from the Rashidun Caliphate, to the Ummayyad, Abassid, and Ottoman medieval empires, to the st...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 24, 2011 Fiansyah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Menulis tentang sejarah Islam yang telah terukir selama belasan abad jelas bukan pekerjaan mudah. Itulah yang dilakukan oleh Karen Armstrong dalam bukunya, Islam: A Short History. Tidak seperti kalangan Orientalis (sarjana Barat yang mengkaji tentang masalah Islam) pada umumnya, Karen bisa dibilang sedikit dari sarjana Barat yang menulis tentang Islam secara "objektif". Ya, dengan bahasa yang sederhana dan mudah dipahami, dalam tulisannya kali ini Karen memang terlihat empatik terhadap umat Isla...more Menulis tentang sejarah Islam yang telah terukir selama belasan abad jelas bukan pekerjaan mudah. Itulah yang dilakukan oleh Karen Armstrong dalam bukunya, Islam: A Short History. Tidak seperti kalangan Orientalis (sarjana Barat yang mengkaji tentang masalah Islam) pada umumnya, Karen bisa dibilang sedikit dari sarjana Barat yang menulis tentang Islam secara "objektif". Ya, dengan bahasa yang sederhana dan mudah dipahami, dalam tulisannya kali ini Karen memang terlihat empatik terhadap umat Islam. Ia menempatkan dirinya berada di tengah-tengah ketika menyinggung konflik teologis dan politik di kalangan intern umat Islam, tetapi berdiri di pihak Islam ketika membahas hubungan Islam dengan Barat. Disinilah menurut saya keunggulan buku Karen, ia terkadang melihat dari atas dan terkadang menyelami pelaku-pelaku sejarah tersebut tanpa perlu menghakimi.

Buku ini mencoba menelusuri sejarah Islam dari mulai Muhammad s.a.w mendapat wahyu hingga merebaknya gejala fundamentalisme dewasa ini. Sesuai judulnya, tulisan ini tidak akan memuaskan dahaga Anda untuk mengeksplorasi kekayaan sejarah Islam. Ya, buku ini hanya setebal 200-an halaman. Saya sarankan untuk membaca buku Sejarah Dunia versi Islam karya Tamim Ansary untuk mendapatkan wawasan tentang sejarah Islam sedikit lebih banyak. Sayangnya, di awal ketika menjelaskan sejarah Nabi dan khalifaturrasyidin, Karen sedikit sekali membahasnya. Hal ini berbeda ketika Karen menulis tentang hubungan antara Islam dan Barat, terutama pada era kolonialisme dan imperialisme Barat ke dunia Muslim pada abad ke-20, Karen tampak bersemangat menjelaskan tentang masalah modernisasi, demokrasi, dan fundamentalisme. Mengapa umat Islam begitu tampak "kesulitan" berhadapan dengan modernisasi dan demokrasi? Mengapa fundamentalisme Islam bisa muncul? Karen menguraikan argumennya dalam buku ini.

Melalui buku ini saya mendapat jawaban mengapa umat Islam amat mensakralkan sejarahnya sendiri? Disini, Karen memberikan jawaban bahwa dalam pandangan Al-Quran, tidak ada dikotomi antara sakral dan keduniaan, agama dan politik, seksualitas, dan ibadah (hal.18). Hal inilah yang menjalar ke dalam realitas sejarah. Bagi umat Islam, peristiwa sejarah merupakan arena bagi pencarian makna religius. Suatu negara akan makmur jika benar-benar berlandaskan Al-Qur'an dan Sunnah. Masyarakat yang diridhai Tuhan akan sejahtera. Begitupula sebaliknya. Jika negara mengalami kekacauan, konsistensi pemimpin dalam menerapkan Al-Quran dan sunnah dipertanyakan. Disinilah, bagi keyakinan sebagian besar umat Islam akan adanya keberadaan (present) Tuhan dalam sejarah (hal.178).

Karen tampaknya lebih banyak mencoba "meluruskan" kesalahpahaman persepsi masyarakat Barat mengenai sejarah Islam. Hal ini memang dapat dijumpai ketika ia membahas berbagai masalah-masalah kontroversial yang menyelimuti sejarah Islam, semisal masalah istri-istri nabi, masalah eksekusi mati terhadap 700 orang Yahudi oleh Nabi, masalah "jihad ekspansif" yang dilakukan oleh khalifah Umar, masalah Sunni dan Syiah, masalah pemberlakuan monarki absolut sejak zaman Umayyah hingga masalah modernisasi di dunia Islam sekaligus fundamentalisme yang ia sebut sebagai "residu" dari modernisasi itu sendiri. Menariknya dalam buku ini Karen lebih banyak berbicara tentang aktivitas gerakan esoterik, yakni kalangan filsuf dan sufi, dibanding ulama, yang memang jarang tersingkap di mata Barat mengenai Islam. Misi Karen dalam buku ini memang berusaha merekatkan hubungan Islam dan Barat. Ia benar-benar menjadi pelindung Islam dari berbagai "serangan" para sarjana dan media Barat yang kerapkali menertawakan dan memojokkan Islam. Ya, tampaknya memang buku ini ditujukan untuk orang Barat. Tapi tidak ada salahnya bagi kita untuk membaca, terutama bagi Anda yang ingin mengenal sejarah Islam secara singkat.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 14, 2013 Travis Hamilton rated it 4 of 5 stars

A great book for an unbiased introduction to Islam and its history. The book gives the uninformed reader of Islam a great read from a nice objective perspective. The author seems to know what she is writing about and is a rather easy and interesting read. I was a bit skeptical trying to find an honest book on Islam with so many out there that are very biased one way or the other. This was a great intro into who the great man Mohammad was and his teachings. Like most religions, there are numerous...more

1 like · like · see review

May 05, 2012 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-12-washington, cultural-histories, middle-east

Portions of this book are excellent, and the first two chapters are especially good. But the long middle history of the rise of Islam (post-Rashidun forward) is quite tedious (in anyone's telling, in my view). Still, I pushed on. Armstrong makes several interesting arguments: 1. the early history of Islam is fraught with the Arabs' sense that they had finally been recognized by Allah and thereby invited into the community of chosen peoples; 2. the evolution of Islam is and always has been politi...more Portions of this book are excellent, and the first two chapters are especially good. But the long middle history of the rise of Islam (post-Rashidun forward) is quite tedious (in anyone's telling, in my view). Still, I pushed on. Armstrong makes several interesting arguments: 1. the early history of Islam is fraught with the Arabs' sense that they had finally been recognized by Allah and thereby invited into the community of chosen peoples; 2. the evolution of Islam is and always has been political so there is no possibility of separating the religious and theological spheres; 3. Islam is at its core egalitarian and the portions of its history that don't bear this out are contradictions and departures; and 4. the sense that Islam is and has been threatened by the West, particularly since the 60s, drives the current conservativism as well as jihad. However, since her account is not scholarly, it's a bit difficult for the nonexpert to recognize the pressure points of the arguments, but as I understand it, each of these key positions is a bit overstated. (For example, others would say the current jihad against the West originates fully 100 years earlier with British Imperialism in the Middle East and India, 1867 forward, but she seems too polite to state matters so baldly.) Indeed, her last chapter gets rather preachy about ways the West has antagonized Islamic states and seems to --if not empathize with, comes quite close to empathizing with--the sense of victimization that currently drives the jihad against the West. I'm highly invested in demystifying Islam for non-Muslims, but I do find the gushing a bit much.

Most troublesome: She has completely sidestepped important discussions of how the Quran was codified, losing the whole story in a rambling account of competing intellectual minority positions in the 10th c....boring!... and most readers will skip these pages. But in fact therein lies the whole story of how the Quran comes to be treated as sacred and for many beyond questioning--with enormous ramifications for women, Jews, and the history of the modern world. Not really a skippable topic, even in a short history.... Nevertheless, the book is an interesting introduction. Just don't let it be the only book you read on the subject.

oil(less)

like · see review

Sep 04, 2011 Melissa McHugh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-middle-east, nonfiction-religion

There's a lot that's useful about this book--particularly the final section that does a thorough job in discussing Islam during the twentieth century. I was really able to absorb how this religion that is so clearly based on peace and spirituality could develop and influence the Middle East. This is the strongest area, for me as a reader, and where Armstrong's knowledge about Christianity is useful.

The earlier sections of the book were somewhat harder to digest, if only because there is so much...more

like · see review

Feb 08, 2013 sarah louise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: thesis-annotations, pertinent-histories, religions

In this accurately-titled short history, Karen Armstrong makes a significant effort to deconstruct modern Western conceptions of Islam as a violent, “fundamentalist” religion by providing a framework beginning with the non-violent, tolerant, inclusive visions of the original prophet Muhammed and his translation of his vision into the Quran. She traces the importance of polity in the communal life of Muslims, citing the tenet of the ummah, the Islamic community, and its living in accordance with...more

like · see review

Apr 20, 2010 Sirr rated it 1 of 5 stars

OK I really did not like this book. First of all, the scholarship runs like FOX News with the little blurbs. It is clearly designed for an unintelligent audience with no clue about Islam. I was able to pick up some dates and clues about the generalisation of Islam, however on a whole there is much more to be learned from a single conversation with a born-raised Muslim than from this Western woman's book.

I've some points of contention, namely that she skips entirely over the schism at precise poi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2011 Nura Yusof rated it 3 of 5 stars

A balanced treatise on a sensitive subject especially given that it was written by a non-Muslim.

As with any organised religion out there, the problem is never the religion. It is always the interpreters and practitioners.

What I found interesting from Armstrong's book is how politics was never meant to be separated from the full practice of Islam. And yet, most of the turmoil and upheaval that has followed Islam's progress throughout the ages are precisely due to it. It was only during the Prop...more

like · see review

Oct 20, 2012 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: islam, religion, politics

Islam is one of the most talked about and least understood subjects that has bearing on our foreign policy and security today. But Islam is so rich in history, theology, tradition, literature, and practices that it is a challenge to grasp it on a cursory level. Armstrong makes a valiant attempt to bring much of this to light in the space of fewer than 200 pages. She devotes much ink to the political traditions of Islam and their bearing on today's events. She does well at giving us food for thou...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 18, 2008 Dino rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very good book that gives a nice perspective on the sociological and political dynamics of Islam.

Also this book was written by Karen Armstrong (a monotheist and former nun) before 2001. So it is not a part of the torrent of crappy books on the subject that we saw after sept 11.

Much appreciated.

1 like · like · see review

Nov 28, 2012 Sarah Jaweed rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sahi Bukhari :

Volume 1, Book 2:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:
The Prophet said, "A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up (abandons) all what Allah has forbidden."

Volume 1, Book 2:

Narrated Abu Musa:
Some people asked Allah's Apostle, "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands."

Volume 1, Book 2:

Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, "No...more

like · see review

Feb 27, 2012 Deb rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't know much about Islam, so am not sure if Armstrong got anything "wrong." (I thought her example of the Japanese industrializing all on their own was not quite right -- while they were/are remarkable in recovering from the WWII defeat, they were also occupied" by America -- or am I wrong here -- and "helped" a bit. Not that the help wasn't warranted.) The book seemed well organized and I have a better sense of the times, places, different styles of Islam, etc. Glad I read it. Hope I am be...more

like · see review

Jul 30, 2011 Ronald Wise rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A book of the Modern Library Chronicles series attempting to provide a basic understanding of the Muslim religion. It begins with the prophet Muhammad and his significance to Arab culture in the seventh century. It ends with an overview of current world tensions and the part that Islam and its various sects play in them — at least up to the year 2000. While I gave up on trying to remember all the Arab names along the way, I at least feel I have a better understanding now of second-millennium dev...more

like · see review

Mar 12, 2011 SnowyAngel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction, islam, 3-stars-not-bad

A Non-Muslim's view of Islam...

Considering that this book is written by a Non-Muslim author about Islam, I found this book very interesting. Karen Armstrong has summed up the history of Islam in about 170 pages, which is an achievement on its own; however, I did feel that in parts the book presented a very garbbled up mess of the facts.

However, one thing is for sure, this book is uniquely thought-provoking. The muslims need to be creative and think of a solution for themselves. They need to fre...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 30, 2011 Debbie Blane rated it 4 of 5 stars

As usual a well written book by the author....condensing a mass of information down to a readable document. Since I don't know much about Islam I can only assume that she has written factually and knowledgeably. Her descriptions of fundamentalism, whether Muslim or Christian or Jewish, were very helpful to me. She says that fundamentalism is a reaction to modernism....modernism being that which diminished traditional and core values. When fundamentalism is the response/reaction the core values o...more

like · see review

Nov 21, 2010 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: religion, islam, nonfiction, unfinished-reads

In spite of my high regard for Karen Armstrong, I gave up 65% of the way through "Islam: A Short History", which reads about like this: "andthenthishappenedandthenthishappenedandthenthishappened." It's impossible to absorb, even if you are deeply interested in and have some familiarity with Islam. Name after name after name with minimal context. It's difficult to imagine a reader who would find this book useful--maybe a college student writing a paper on Islamic history? If you are looking for a...more

like · see review

Jun 26, 2011 David rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to read the Oxford History of Islam, but couldn't get it to work on the eReader, so I started with this. I through a few chapters, and feel it really is that --too short for me. Just as an era is developed, it is right on to the next. I am going to ditch, and go back to the (recommended Oxford history, if I can convert) Stil, I have a good introduction to the Sunni/Shi'a split.But as we breeze along, I am not stuck on it. It is better than wikipedia, but sometimes I would appreciate mor...more

like · see review

Jun 26, 2012 Annie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Written in a sparse, straightforward style that I've come to expect from Karen Armstrong's writing, this book introduced me to a time in history and a religion that I knew so little about. As the title implies, it is a short history; regardless it packs a punch. It should be required reading for high schoolers and on a too-read list for anyone that is intellectually curious but knows little or nothing about Islam beyond what is in the news and tossed around in conversation. Would a Christian rea...more

like · see review

Dec 07, 2009 Kristi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fantastic history of islam. The author is a former nun and has written a lot of books about religious history. It was a bit dry at points, but moves through and highlights the important parts of islamic history brilliantly. Most muslims were opposed to 9/11 which was a wicked abuse of religous power. It is not part of their religion to attack countries that allow them to practice their religion peacefully or kill innocent people. The history of this religion was of tolerance for other...more

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
page I am on	1	16	Jan 28, 2010 09:37am
Hello	1	8	Jan 24, 2010 08:20am

combine
Other Editions (28)

More editions...

Genres

History

149 users

Religion

144 users

Non Fiction

92 users

Religion > Islam

73 users

Spirituality

9 users

Religion > Theology

5 users

Politics

4 users

Religion > Faith

4 users

History > World History

4 users

Reference

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Karen Armstrong

British author of numerous works on comparative religion.

Elsewhere:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Ar...
http://www.islamfortoday.com/karenarm...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/kar...

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

More about Karen Armstrong...

Books by Karen Armstrong

A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness

The Battle for God: A History of Fundamentalism

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Islam: A Short Hi...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Islam: A Short History

“Religious ideas and practices take root not because they are promoted by forceful theologians, nor because they can be shown to have a sound historical or rational basis, but because they are found in practice to give the faithful a sense of sacred transcendence.” — 7 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Islam: A Short History
avg rating	preview: Islam: A Short History Goodreads rating: 3.77 (2598 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27306.Islam?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320515495l/27306.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27306.Islam?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong[/url]

Islam: A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles #2)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website