No god but God: The Origins and Evolution of Islam

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No god but God: The Origins and Evolution of Islam

4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 · rating details · 3,517 ratings · 449 reviews

In this invaluable introduction to a faith that for much of the West remains shrouded in ignorance and fear, Reza Aslan, an internationally acclaimed scholar of comparative religion, examines Islam: its rituals and traditions, the revelation of Muhammad as Prophet and the subsequent uprising against him, and the emergence of his successors. Aslan's comprehensive text explo...more

Hardcover, 176 pages

Published February 8th 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (first published March 15th 2005)

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Sep 05, 2007 Conrad rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, history

An astounding work. This book really took the top of my head off. Aslan is an excellent writer, and the book isn't too academic, but his command of Arabic and, at the same time, comprehensive familiarity with not one but at least three or four different English translations of the Quran (and the misunderstandings that result therefrom) makes this well worth reading.

Aslan makes a strong case for the Hijaz as a place of prelapsarian cultural intermingling for Jews, Christians, and Muslims; his po...more An astounding work. This book really took the top of my head off. Aslan is an excellent writer, and the book isn't too academic, but his command of Arabic and, at the same time, comprehensive familiarity with not one but at least three or four different English translations of the Quran (and the misunderstandings that result therefrom) makes this well worth reading.

Aslan makes a strong case for the Hijaz as a place of prelapsarian cultural intermingling for Jews, Christians, and Muslims; his portrait of Muhammad makes the Prophet both a divinely inspired revolutionary and a reformer with secular concerns and family problems of his own for whom it would be impossible not to feel sympathy. Aslan also touches on the liberalizing effect of the spread of Islam, which allowed adherents of the three monotheistic religions to live peaceably in Spain for a time, introduced strict laws limiting legal retribution and encouraging forgiveness, redistributed wealth with an eye to enriching the impoverished, and spurred reforms in the way women were treated in inheritance laws.

The book also discusses the Iranian revolution, and the vexed relations between Iran and the United States. Aslan seems to think that the aims of Iran's revolutionaries and those of American liberals were/are more alike than either group bothers to recognize now. This is a perspective that I would imagine is unlikely to make Aslan many friends in either country, both of which are now run by cynical men. How unfortunate.

My only objection to the book, and it is a minor one, is that Aslan spends a lot of ink criticizing the Ulama (conservative academic interpreters of the Qu'ran) over the past several hundred years, but he does not specify exactly who these people are, saying only that the Ulama did this and the Ulama did that and everything they did was always all wrong. This could use a little more parsing; I find it hard to believe that the Ulama is quite as univocal as that, even if it is as stultifying and traditionalist as he suggests.

Anyway, this is an excellent book, readable, relevant, profound, subtly ideological but also very persuasive. Prepare to leave this book with a very different perception of what it means to be Muslim than you will ever get from Christiane Amanpour.(less)

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Jan 19, 2010 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone with the slightest interest in religious studies or current affairs

Recommended to Kelly by: Conrad

Shelves: inshallah, current-affairs-and-politics, 21st-century

"Don't like the question? Don't accept the premise. Then change the conversation."

This quote (from West Wing- yeahyeahyeah) kept coming to mind while I was reading this book. Reza Aslan has done this to absolutely brilliant effect. This book, which functions both as an introduction to the religion of Islam and a political statement on current affairs, frames Islam and its history in terms meant to make it sympathetic and understandable to an audience raised in Judeo-Christian based, secularized...more

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Oct 22, 2007 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: about-islam

"Religion, it must be understood, is not faith. Religion is the story of faith." That is the reader's key to this fascinating account of the origins and development of Islam. Faith is a way of moving and being in the world; religion is a body of traditions and practices and institutions that preserve the story of how to move and be in the world that way. In order to speak to new generations, traditions adapt, but faith is eternal. From this perspective, Reza Aslan retells the story of Islam. Wri...more "Religion, it must be understood, is not faith. Religion is the story of faith." That is the reader's key to this fascinating account of the origins and development of Islam. Faith is a way of moving and being in the world; religion is a body of traditions and practices and institutions that preserve the story of how to move and be in the world that way. In order to speak to new generations, traditions adapt, but faith is eternal. From this perspective, Reza Aslan retells the story of Islam. Written in clear prose and filled with memorable stories both personal and traditional, I found my mind and heart easily staying engaged with this book.

"This book," writes Aslan, "is, above all else, an argument for reform. There are those who will call it apostasy, but that is not troubling. No one speaks for God - not even the prophets (who speak about God). There are those who will call it apology, but that is hardly a bad thing. An apology is a defense, and there is no higher calling than to defend one's faith, especially from ignorance and hate..." In these words, I perceive at once an acceptance and a desire for dialogue, and a fatalistic attitude. Just as Islam's beginnings took place 600 years after the beginnings of Christianity, Aslan argues, so the Islamic Reformation is taking place now, 600 years after the Protestant one. Just as pre-Reformation Christianity was divided into Orthodox and Roman confessions, so today's Islam is divided into Sunni and Shi'ah. Whirling around early Christianity were ascetics and mystics, as Sufism does around Islam. And as did Christianity during the Reformation, Islam today is finding its way into a more literate citizenry's hands. "[T]he Christian Reformation was an argument over the future of the faith - a violent, bloody argument that engulfed Europe in devastation and war for more than a century. Thus far, the Islamic Reformation has proved no different. ... It took many years of violence and devastation to cleanse the Hijaz of its 'false idols.' It will take many more to cleanse Islam of its new false idols - bigotry and fanaticism - worshipped by those who have replaced Muhammad's original vision of tolerance and unity with their own ideals of hatred and discord. But the cleansing is inevitable, and the tide of reform cannot be stopped. The Islamic Reformation is already here. We are all living it."

The question is, how shall we live it? Are there enough people in today's world who understand the futility of violence and will not charge or be led into it? Are there enough of us who understand that power is only valuable as a means and bankrupt as an end? Can the foundational principles of true faith - tolerance and dialogue - guide us in the ways of peace and toward the spirit of mutual love? Can we peaceably contain the bigots and fanatics? Collaboration, not coercion, is the ideal in every healthy heart. Shall we choose many more years of violence and devastation to achieve any goal, or shall we choose tolerance, dialogue and justice made in the spirit of mutual love? During the Christian Reformation, Socinians in Poland and Unitarians in (now) Romania chose the latter. There weren't enough of them to turn the tide of violence in their day. I have to believe that there are enough people today who would choose and rely upon love rather than power, tolerance rather than force. All it takes is simple human choice.(less)

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Jun 18, 2007 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

this review first appeared on [http://intraspace.blogspot.com]

this was a book that mike recommended to me, and it just so happened that our local library had a copy.

i think most of us in the 'west', and certainly a good number of us christians, like to think we know a bit about islam. we hear about it in the news almost everyday, and we hear the rhetoric that comes from all sides. unfortunately, it is usually only sensationalist material that makes it to the news, and i have to admit that the sa...more this review first appeared on [http://intraspace.blogspot.com]

this was a book that mike recommended to me, and it just so happened that our local library had a copy.

i think most of us in the 'west', and certainly a good number of us christians, like to think we know a bit about islam. we hear about it in the news almost everyday, and we hear the rhetoric that comes from all sides. unfortunately, it is usually only sensationalist material that makes it to the news, and i have to admit that the same is probably true as far as what we hear in christian circles too.

'no god but God' is written by a muslim (albeit a reasonably 'liberal' one) of iranian descent. reza aslan is young academic living and researching in the usa.

he has set out to write a book that explains islam, from his perspective, to the western world. and i think he has been very successful. the book is very well written and accessible, and aslan manages to look at the issues fairly, without surrendering his own personal beliefs - although some of his comments about christianity, i felt, were a little ill-informed. all up, i found myself wishing that there were more books like this written by christians.

aslan relates the history of islam from the days just before mohammad, through the life of the prophet, and then into the subsequent development of the religion, with it's three main branches: sunni, shi'ite and sufi. he didn't mention much about the crusades, which i found a bit strange, but he picks the story up again strongly around the colonial area and in the modern age.

the overall premise of aslan's argument, is that islamic beliefs (as practiced by mohammad) were tolerant and inclusive. he says that, for example, mohammad welcomed christians and jews and was content for them to retain their own faiths. mohammad had a collective term "ahl al-Kitab", meaning "people of the book", to describe muslims, christians and jews. and under mohammad's regime, these people were considered "dhimmi", that is, protected by islamic law. mohammad considered the torah, the christian scriptures and his own revelations to be one complete work. aslan also argues that in mohammad's society, women were esteemed and protected - not subjugated as they are in a number of muslim cultures today.

aslan says that islam is currently in the throes of a reformation, much like the one that christianity went through a few hundred years ago. his point, if i understand correctly, is "if you think there's strife between western ideals and islam, you should see the strife going on inside islam". he believes that out of this strife (between the branches of islam, and more generally, between fundamentalist and moderate ideologies) will come a reformed islam. he says that if this reformed islam truly returns to its tolerant and inclusive roots, then such a thing as islamic democracy (a political and legal system democratically based on islamic morals) can exist and islamic people can be liberated from violence and tyranny. interestingly he sees islamic violence against the west as being an overflow of the internal violence. he does not see that the future of islam, and an islamic political system, lies in the hands of extremist groups such as the taliban, but in the hands of a moderate (and more genuine) brand of islam.

highly recommended.(less)

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Dec 22, 2007 Sithara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In this interesting book, Aslan starts each section by presenting 'the idealized' view of a topic, as narrated by early Muslim scholars (what he terms as 'myth') and then presents what he believes 'really happened' (objective history). Myth typically includes miracles, and heroic portrayals of people involved. Those inclined to believe in miracles may have difficulty with this approach, as he says that it doesn't matter whether miracles happened, but what role such myths play in shaping the beli...more In this interesting book, Aslan starts each section by presenting 'the idealized' view of a topic, as narrated by early Muslim scholars (what he terms as 'myth') and then presents what he believes 'really happened' (objective history). Myth typically includes miracles, and heroic portrayals of people involved. Those inclined to believe in miracles may have difficulty with this approach, as he says that it doesn't matter whether miracles happened, but what role such myths play in shaping the beliefs of a particular religious community. I disagree with Aslan - it matters a great deal whether the beliefs of a religious community are shaped by actual historical events (including amazing ones) or whether such beliefs are based on falsehood.

I greatly appreciated Aslan's candor about the religious personalities involved. Sunni Islamic scholarship presents early Islamic historical figures almost absolutely perfect human beings. I was always struck at the incongruity of such idealized descriptions and the fact that within a few decades after the death of the Prophet (s), the early Islamic community entered a massive civil war from which one could argue Islam never recovered. How could such a supposedly perfect community get into such a serious mess so quickly? Reading Aslan's descriptions of the personalities involved was very helpful in this regard: they weren't perfect people, but were deeply religious, well meaning people who had their share of faults, misunderstandings, and disagreements which built up over the years, and in the chaotic transition after the Prophet's death, exploded into civil war.

Aslan is unable to hide his obvious, and rather unobjective, disdain of the Ulama. He paints them entirely in a negative light, as a power hungry, control-mad group which has stifled all flexibility from the religion. While this view undoubtedly has a good deal truth to it (I am extremely sympathetic), it must also be admitted that the Scholars did a great deal of work to preserve the religion, and its history, without which we may not even have the religion today, and certainly would know far less about the events surrounding its birth and rise.

On the other hand, Aslan is positive about Sufism, defending all its variations, despite admitting that at least some Sufi beliefs don't square well with the basic Islamic creed, "No God but God." Aslan correctly states that Sufism is not generalizable. But he tries to generalize anyway, which leads to occasional contradictions: for example Aslan states that all Sufis follow Islamic acts of worship such as 5 daily prayers, but then also says that some Sufis believe acts of religious worship are only important for the masses, and others believe it is a shell that can be cast off once deeper layers of spirituality are realized.

Aslan's finishes by presenting his vision of Islam's future. He believes in Islamic pluralism, and believes that it can best be represented by a democracy. Furthermore, he believes that when God's law and the popular will contradict, the popular will should win out. The limits of Islamic pluralism is hotly debated today in the Muslim world, but for me, the claim, "No God but God" is the key to Islam, along with the belief in Muhammad (s) Prophethood. These two aspects should be the backbone of anyone calling themselves a Muslim.

The issue of popular sovereignty over divine law (properly understood and contextualized) is complex. I agree with Aslan, one cannot force on a community any law, including a law from God, over a people who want it implemented in their community. But Aslan leaves it there, but I would argue that every effort should be made to make the community see the wisdom of divine laws, emphasizing positive consequences in implementing them (improved justice, social harmony, etc) and pointing out negatives of not following them (chaotic society, broken down families, etc), both in this world and in the afterlife.
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Aug 23, 2007 Steph rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middleeast

An excellent introduction to Islam from a thematic standpoint. If you want to understand the subtleties of faith, belief, and passion that sustain the religion and characterize its relations within and outside the Muslim world, this book is a wonderful choice. For those who have absolutely no knowledge of Islam, the amount of information presented on Islamic customs, origins, and figures may be somewhat overwhelming. Chronology is only as important as its relevance to themes in this book, so hav...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Kirk Battle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A solid historical examination of the origins of Islam told with a narrative sensibility. Other than Aslan's really obnoxious habit of prefacing sentences with 'Indeed' constantly, it's pretty good. Of particular interest are the economics of religion, particularly the Ka'ba.

It really is one of the most interesting economic and social stories I've heard in a while. A tribe takes over the local religious icon and reorganizes the town around it. The closer you live to the Ka'ba, the wealthier you...more A solid historical examination of the origins of Islam told with a narrative sensibility. Other than Aslan's really obnoxious habit of prefacing sentences with 'Indeed' constantly, it's pretty good. Of particular interest are the economics of religion, particularly the Ka'ba.

It really is one of the most interesting economic and social stories I've heard in a while. A tribe takes over the local religious icon and reorganizes the town around it. The closer you live to the Ka'ba, the wealthier you are and a part of the elite class. You get some thugs together and steal every other shrine and idol in the area so the local tribes have to visit you to worship. Since these are mostly Bedouins, they don't really own it per se. You then become the religious capital and charge an entry fee.

THEN, because you're the religious capital, you easily persuade everyone that no violence or theft is allowed in the area because it's holy ground. Which means merchants are happy to setup shop there and you don't have to maintain a standing police force or army. More taxes, and holy shit do you make some cash. And man does that wealth concentrate fast. He doesn't go into this part much, but wealth concentration is a really interesting discovery that you should google sometime.

The sections of Sufism and other branches become hard to follow and there is a shitload of vocab. I liked the mysticism though, every now and then I'll go off on the deep end for a few months with that stuff. Maybe I'm due again.

I still ultimately think they have a branding problem. Because of the close relationship between religion and government, it is consistently difficult to distinguish what is directing who and why. Aslan makes a very strong argument that the West is no better, pointing out our own Christian origins and that in reality nobody is a secular society. He's right. Whether it's colonialism or the brutality of US/CIA interference in the 70's & 80's, we all practice a kind of doublespeak.

But that's the problem: Aslan doesn't want to speak of Islam or the various factions in doublespeak. I particularly loved this quote after the Ayatollah died by the new President of Iran, “We no longer claim that a genuinely religious government can be democratic, but that it cannot be otherwise.” Aslan echoes this sentiment in his own description of the ideal Islamic state:

“The Islamic state is a state run by Muslims for Muslims, in which the determination of values, the norms of behavior, and the formation of laws are influenced by Islamic morality. At the same time, minority faiths would be protected from harm and allowed complete social and political participation in the community, just as they were in Medina…all legal and moral considerations would be considered by the citizens of the Islamic state."

That freaks me out. Completely and utterly. Because for as much as Christianity is a founding principle of the USA, it's also mostly a religion about what's going on in your head and relatively light on shit you're actually supposed to do. I agree with Aslan that terrorism is specifically a blowback to colonialism, foreign involvement, and awful atrocities. But the looooong list of political issues that developed when attempting Islamic States, whether it's people using the tithe to fund an army or clergy members assuming political power based solely on their religious authority, is hard for me to ignore. Priests are shitty politicians for the same reason generals are: they aren't used to being questioned or being told they're wrong.

I don't know. I'm glad I read this book because it helped me understand a lot of my own prejudices and concerns about Islam in a way that enables conversation as opposed to knee jerk reaction.(less)

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Jan 13, 2013 Justin Evans rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-etc

I want to write two reviews for this book. In one I say well done, and thank you Reza Aslan, for your clear prose, your sympathetic defense of Islam, the remarkable way you cram so much--religious history, political history, theology, religious practice--into so few pages.
In the other I say for the sake of all that's holy Reza, will you stop banging on about how Islam is a liberal-democrat's wet dream religion? Because that doesn't sit very well with your endless claims that the Ulama comprises...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Andrew Doohan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have today finished reading a very well written, balanced and well developed book on the history and development of Islam. The book, entitled No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam, is written by Reza Aslan, an Iranian born American academic.

To quote the blurb:

To many in the West, Islam remains shrouded in ignorance and fear. What is the essence of this ancient faith? Is it a religion of peace or of war? How does Allah differ from the God of the Jews and Christians? Can an

...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Deni Aria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

No god but God is really fascinating yet handy book for me in finding out and understanding my quest of life meaning that is absolutely inextricable to the need of transcendental power within called God. The God that I live and affiliate is formed into term of Religion, mine is Islam. My never ending journey of understanding this faith will never stop as I believe and also this book narrates that the mighty of Allah and His'wills want us to keep searching as Allah/Lord instructed my prophet Muha...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Tim rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Aslan begins his apologetic story talking of modern Islam as in a period of reformation, comparing it to the Reformation of the 16th century. This would be compelling if 1) he ever returns to this argument in any sustained fashion later in the book and 2) if he understood the Reformation as anything more than a violent religious response to modernity that threw off authority. The Reformation in Europe was tied to the rise of the power of the nation-state and the end of religion as a political po...more

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May 24, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, islam, non-fiction

No god but God: the Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam is an articulate, scholarly primer on the history of Islam. Starting with the religious beliefs of pre-Islamic Arabia, Resa Aslan describes the life of the Prophet, and the social, political, and economic context in which this new religion—based on religious pluralism and social egalitarianism—developed. It's the familiar story of how a prophet's message is altered by successors that have institutionalized it while sometimes promoting t...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Najim Mostamand rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dr. Reza Aslan's knowledge of the subject matter is profound, to say the least. In a book so engaging and heart-felt, No God but God delivers the unthinkable: a truly balanced, perceptive portrayal of a topic we thought we have understood for so long. In a little over 300 pages, Aslan gives readers a chance to understand Islam in the lens that it is supposed to be understood: through the religious, societal, and cultural context dictated through the Prophethood of Muhammad and the community of f...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Ron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a highly readable book, not because it simplifies a huge and complex subject - Islam - but because it is so well written. Aslan brings more than 1500 years of history to life like an investigative reporter, using the techniques of a first-rate journalist. While himself a Muslim, he is able to communicate to Western readers both articulately and compellingly, dismantling a good many misconceptions about his religion, fiercely held in his opinion by many, including members of his own faith...more This is a highly readable book, not because it simplifies a huge and complex subject - Islam - but because it is so well written. Aslan brings more than 1500 years of history to life like an investigative reporter, using the techniques of a first-rate journalist. While himself a Muslim, he is able to communicate to Western readers both articulately and compellingly, dismantling a good many misconceptions about his religion, fiercely held in his opinion by many, including members of his own faith.

As a reformer, he calls for a return to the foundations of Islam in the divinely inspired populist social experiment of the Prophet's first followers in Medina - in particular the egalitarianism that included all, regardless of gender, tribe, or social status, and encouraged generosity of heart and spirit, while calling for direct and unmediated devotion to a single loving God. His book, a history of Islam, illustrates centuries of struggles between those who attempted to preserve this initial vitality that accounted for its rapid growth into a world religion and those who attempted to suppress it or subvert it to their own ends, while it splintered into various factions - some political, some not - ranging across centuries of divisions between Shiites, Sunnis, Sufis, and puritanical reformers of many stripes including the modern-day Taliban and al-Queda.

Christian readers, if they know their own history, will be struck by the close similarities and the vast differences between their own religion and Islam. Aslan himself draws his central argument from an analogy to the 15th century reformers in the Christian church, and in his final chapter - more a manifesto than a convincingly reasoned argument - he asserts that the real war in the post-9/11 world is within Islam itself, and that the West is not more than an implicated bystander. As Aslan lays out his subject historically it seems that only history, and a lot of it, will reveal the outcome of the struggle he describes.

The extensive bibliography and end notes give credibility to this provocative book that it might not have otherwise. Highly recommended for readers who already have some knowledge of the subject. A paradigm-shifter for those who don't.
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Nov 28, 2011 Susan Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Our Bible study class decided we wanted to learn something about Muslims. We were woefully ignorant on the subject and needed to learn something about the religion. Someone recommended this book and it turned out to be a great choice. I have to be up front that I knew nothing about Muhammad and so it was great place to begin. One thing that came as a surprise to me was that Muhammad, like Jesus, did appreciate women and their contributions. It was the followers who came after both of them that t...more

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May 24, 2011 Seth Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: islam

As someone who is relatively unfamiliar with Islam, aside from a few conversations with some scholars of Islam and the acknowledgment of the 99 names of God in Islam brought up in a lesson against anthropomorphism in an Introduction to Religion course, this book is a great introduction to the "Origins and Evolution of Islam," as the subtitle suggests.

Aslan treats the origins and evolution of Islam as a very human and historically-informed religion began by a man of an Arabic 7th century, Muhamma...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

A clear and well-written introduction to Islam for young readers. The sections describing Muhammad's life and family and the history of the faith are particularly strong. I had a couple of quibbles: after a lovely story illustrating Muhammad's reverence for Jesus and Mary, Aslan explains, "What the Quran does not accept, however, is the belief of Orthodox Trinitarians who argued that Jesus was *himself* God". (page 120). This is confusing. Is Islam inimical to Christianity, or isn't it? To say,...more

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Reza Putra I wish I could answer your question by my own explaination. Yes, there's a dispute between Jesus in Islam and Christian, particularly how he "died"; d...more
Aug 24, 2012 08:49am

Umer Ismail Mary, with all due respect, but Catholicism can hardly be considered among the 'oldest' branches of Christianity, there is a lot that became part of C...more
Oct 21, 2012 02:43pm

Umer Ismail PS: Meister Eckhart on Christian beliefs is precious and worth looking into.
One of the deepest Christian writers I ever read. Him and St.John of the...more
Oct 21, 2012 02:45pm

Jan 17, 2011 Lucblondeel added it · review of another edition

Shelves: islam

Geen god dan God (en Mohammed is zijn profeet)
Oemma=islamitische geloofsgemeenschap
In de loop van de vorige eeuw, in het bijzonder nadat het kolonialisme in het Midden-Oosten de kiem voor een nieuw soort islamitisch radicalisme had gelegd, is de klassieke leer van de jihad op de preekstoelen en in de koranscholen ... weer nieuw leven ingeblazen. In Iran ontketende de ayatollah Khomeini (1902-1989) aan de hand van een militaire interpretatie van de jihad eerst de anti-imperialistische revolutie v...more

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Nov 18, 2010 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

With an almost lyrical writing style and the skill and scholarliness to carry it off, Reza Aslan has given us a book that blends history, religious study, and treatise. Islam, he contends, is in the throes of its Reformation, being torn apart from within and cleansed of its "new false idols -- bigotry and fanaticism".

To lead us into his conviction about Islam's present state, he unveils the context and the story of the life of Muhammed, the formation of the Islamic community, and the codificatio...more With an almost lyrical writing style and the skill and scholarliness to carry it off, Reza Aslan has given us a book that blends history, religious study, and treatise. Islam, he contends, is in the throes of its Reformation, being torn apart from within and cleansed of its "new false idols -- bigotry and fanaticism".

To lead us into his conviction about Islam's present state, he unveils the context and the story of the life of Muhammed, the formation of the Islamic community, and the codification of the Quran following the Prophet's death. Unblinking, he presents the struggles for power and myriad tyrannies that have beset the religion's evolution, the rise of its various sects, the creation of Shariah law, and the waves of fundamentalism.

Recapitulating the events of modern Islamist movements arising from the destructive effects and aftermath of colonialism, Aslan writes an unflinching reminder of the co-creative role Britain, the United States, and other countries played in the establishment of al Qaeda, the Taliban, and the spread of the Muslim Brothers.

If one were solely looking for an understanding of and possible defense for Islam, in our post September 11 world, this book would be invaluable. It both sheds light on the reality behind the common assumptions about Islam and violence while illuminating the message of "divine morality and social egalitarianism" many find at the heart of Muhammed's revelation.

Aslan's optimism for the success of Islamic Reformation and its necessary sibling, Islamic Democracy, seems to stem not only from his faith in the morality and egalitarianism but also from his observation of the Iranian Revolutions. The second one, in 1953, repressed with the help of the United States, the next, in 1979, usurped by Ayatollah Khomanni, and, presently, the ongoing struggle for truly free elections stand as a kind of proof of the organic need for a pluralistic community to act together on its own behalf.

The entire tome was a compelling read. However, the last thrid, speaking of Sufism and colonial history forward became a "page-turner" for me, I closed the book with many preconceptions still in tact, and my mistrust of all religion firm. Nonetheless, Aslan opened my mind to the elegance one might find in Islamic values and my heart to those who are courageous enough to inhabit and give voice to its Reformation.

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Mar 17, 2010 Nate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very nice introduction to Islam. Broad strokes. Whole history into a pretty short book. The most interesting part to me is the same thing that is interesting about Islam to a lot of people these days: Islamic Fundamentalism. In the last couple chapters the author really talks about where we are today and where he thinks we are heading. He thinks the reason there is so much doubt as to whether an Islamic democracy is possible is because people think of America as the way it is today and not how i...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Daniel Solera rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: current-events, history, religion

On March 2, 2010, Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri issued a fatwa in the UK toward the global Muslim community, declaring unequivocally that terrorism is forbidden by the Quran and should be abandoned completely. Ul-Qadri, a Pakistani scholar, is not the first to issue such a clerical ruling and is will unlikely be the last. Reza Aslan’s first book, No god but God, reinforces my supposition.

A year ago, I read Aslan’s second book, How to Win a Cosmic War, which discussed the clash of monotheisms in so...more On March 2, 2010, Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri issued a fatwa in the UK toward the global Muslim community, declaring unequivocally that terrorism is forbidden by the Quran and should be abandoned completely. Ul-Qadri, a Pakistani scholar, is not the first to issue such a clerical ruling and is will unlikely be the last. Reza Aslan’s first book, No god but God, reinforces my supposition.

A year ago, I read Aslan’s second book, How to Win a Cosmic War, which discussed the clash of monotheisms in sociopolitical terms, with regard to the role of young citizens and the rhetorical framework given to the conflict. It was my fascination with that book that led me to read his first, much more religious publication. God is a historical examination of Islam, comparing its current manifestation with its origin, established by the Prophet Muhammed in the 7th century AD. Aslan outlines the pre-Islamic Arabian peninsula, writing at length about the scattered pagan tribes that inhabited it, the expansion of Christianity and the ideological origins of Islam, which bore a striking resemblance to the two monotheisms that preceded it. Much page space is given to the origin and development of the Ka’ba, the ancient holy site upon which Mecca was built. The history of this site was my favorite part of the book, from the commercialization of Mecca by a young Arab named Qusayy, to the rise of the Quraysh, Muhammad’s birth and exile to the creation of Medina.

After several battles, Muhammad returns to reclaim Mecca. At this point, it became very difficult to really focus on the history. Islamic history is admittedly complex, but as a westerner it was tasking to keep track of every foreign name and concept without avoiding bewilderment. However, I did derive the points that Aslan was attempting to communicate: that in the 1400 years since the death of the Prophet, many factions have taken ownership of Islamic principles through their own interpretation of the Hadith and the Sunna to form their own versions of the religion. This usurpation, violent or otherwise, has led to various seemingly irreparable schisms within Islam. Many philosophical issues were raised during this evolution, some factions deciding that God is not a fixed thing but rather indescribable, and thus so is his word. It is this kind of unbridled exegesis that has allowed religious leaders to make the religion fit their agenda.

Aslan enters the current era of Islam by noting the struggle between those who sought to expand Islam from mosques to the political system and behavioral code (Islamism) and movements attempting to modernize or secularize the religion in the wake of colonialism, but strangely not globalization. In fact, for a book with “future” in its title, it spends shockingly little time in the last 20 years. For that, I highly recommend Lawrence Wright’s The Looming Tower (though it deals specifically with the events leading up to 9/11, it provides a great gloss of current events in the Middle East).

Given the current characterization of Islam as a religion of the sword, it is inevitable that Aslan adopt an apologetic tone. The entire book is framed around the idea that the Quran, Hadith and Sunna were all written at particular times with specific circumstances and therefore shouldn’t serve as referendums on Islam but instead on their authors. At the same time, he notes that contemporary Islam has fallen far from the tree Muhammad planted centuries ago, which advocated egalitarianism, tolerance and respect. As someone who believes that Muhammad was a person just like any other who, due to undiagnosed schizophrenia, heard voices in his head, I disagree with Aslan’s casual acceptance of Quranic stories as gospel.

Given that Islam has no center of moral or religious authority (like Christianity’s Pope), Islam is in a state of constant interpretation. Without a central figure to dogmatically manipulate the rules of the game, Islam is left to polarizing factions to make an internecine sideshow of a faith. It is with this in mind that I believe ul-Qadri’s fatwa shouldn’t be heralded, to use an ironic term, as a milestone. I personally would love everyone to drop arms after realizing that absolutely nobody can know what happens in the afterlife. But given the escalating conflict on the matter, I’m unsure that this enlightenment will happen soon, and Aslan’s book provides no suggestions for how to get there.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Donald Insomnian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reza Aslan, penulis Iran-Amerika yang juga seorang Syiah menceritakan dan memberitahu kita dalam prolog bukunya bahwa ia sadar akan dinyatakan sebagai orang yang Murtad oleh sebagian orang dan seorang Apologis bagi yang lain. Namun sebutan terakhir sepertinya tidak mengganggunya sejak dia mersa "ada panggilan yang lebih tinggi daripada mempertahankan iman seseorang", terutama di zaman kebodohan dan kebencian.

Saat ini adalah masa sulit bagi Islam. Hal ini tidak hanya adanya friksi yang meningkat...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Roger DeBlanck rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

With his first book No god but God, Reza Aslan has constructed a magnificent and moving narrative history of Islam, bursting with the intellection of scholarship and the beauty of lyricism. He begins with an examination of pre-Islamic Arabia that reveals a religious culture tolerant and receptive of a multiplicity of beliefs and practices. Into this diverse, spiritual environment The Prophet Muhammad was born, and after a tough upbringing he received the divine Revelation from God--a message of...more With his first book No god but God, Reza Aslan has constructed a magnificent and moving narrative history of Islam, bursting with the intellection of scholarship and the beauty of lyricism. He begins with an examination of pre-Islamic Arabia that reveals a religious culture tolerant and receptive of a multiplicity of beliefs and practices. Into this diverse, spiritual environment The Prophet Muhammad was born, and after a tough upbringing he received the divine Revelation from God--a message of monotheistic and egalitarian ideals. Aslan shows how the essence of Islam that Muhammad preached embodies a pluralistic vision that is most reflective of a democratic society built upon freedom of beliefs, human rights, and protection of the marginalized. After the passing of The Prophet, the Muslim community (the Ummah) struggled to maintain Muhammad’s model of ethics and morality as compiled in the Quran. Over centuries, the religious elites (the Ulama or clerics) usurped leadership and violated the sanctity of the true teachings of Muhammad to install corrupted, rigid codes of juristic law (Sharia). Islam gone awry in its radical form can be seen among the brutal modern regimes of Khomeinism in Iran, Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia, and the Taliban in Afghanistan. In exposing the misguided turns that led to fundamentalism, Aslan explains how the turmoil taking place is “an internal conflict between Muslims” where the West is “an unwary yet complicit casualty of a rivalry that is raging in Islam.” Confronting this madness with open-mindedness, Aslan represents a visionary and hopeful voice for reforming Islamic states with a balance between the recognition of traditional religious values and the foundation of secular democratic principles. Achieving this balance will happen, Aslan explains, because Islam is built upon pluralism and is devoted to humanism and world unity as perfected in the true beliefs and examples set by The Prophet Muhammad. As a modernist, Aslan also cares profoundly about the fate of Muslims and the future of Islam. His book serves a reference point to empower readers with reason and understanding, for what he ultimately illuminates is how and why peace will flourish someday.(less)

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Sep 19, 2010 Khairul H. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: religion

Overall a very good book on Islam. Its history, briefly chronicled, makes a good primer for readers who have no idea of the origins of this faith.

If there is anything I didn't like, it would have been Reza's retelling of the history of the first three Caliphs of Islam especially the third Caliph, Uthman bin Affan. In this book, Uthman comes off looking like an inept leader who practised nepotism and corruption. Did Reza take notes from historical sources that were anti-Uthman? There have been m...more Overall a very good book on Islam. Its history, briefly chronicled, makes a good primer for readers who have no idea of the origins of this faith.

If there is anything I didn't like, it would have been Reza's retelling of the history of the first three Caliphs of Islam especially the third Caliph, Uthman bin Affan. In this book, Uthman comes off looking like an inept leader who practised nepotism and corruption. Did Reza take notes from historical sources that were anti-Uthman? There have been many over the centuries. Reza Aslan is after all an Iranian and therefore most probably a Shi'ah. The Shia'ah tend not to like any of the Caliphs except Ali bin Abu Thalib and all those who came from the line of the Prophet (the Abbasid Caliphs and the Fatimids to name two)

While Uthman may seem weak in the vicious eyes of contemporary politics (for example, telling his companions to stop protectng him and leave his home while he was besieged by his enemies and refusing to fight his murderers because he would not shed Muslim blood), he was actually acting out the prophecy that the Prophet foretold; that the Muslims would fracture after his death and would fight each other.

Reza charged that Uthman practised nepotism but significantly, Uthman did not appoint his own stepson to any position. Those relations whom he did gave positions were qualified for it. They had flaws in their character perhaps but their knowledge of Islam was vast (some of them were companions of the Prophet) and any wrong they may have committed were their own and did not affect the Muslim society of the time. It was under these so-called 'corrupt' governors that territories were added to the Muslim empire, expanding the borders rather than reducing them.

The murder of Uthman was allegedly due to the resentment of his ineptness and corruption but other sympathetic historians claim that the allegations against Uthman was cooked up by Abdullah bin Saba who pretended to embrace Islam but chose instead to create dissension from within. Allah knows best the truth.

Other than that, this is a cracking good book.(less)

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Jan 19, 2009 Jeff rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, current-affairs, religions, history

Everything you ever wanted to know about Islam, but were too afraid or too benighted to ask.

This book is a great antidote to the kind of ridiculous rhetoric we see about "Islamofascism" (essentially a contradiction in terms, btw) as it explores the history of Islam, and how that history is the real subject of the current divide in the Islamic world. The author's central thesis is that the collected textual and extratextual traditions of Islam, like those of any other religion, can be assembled t...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, library, islam, middle-east, non-fiction, religion

No God But God is a non-fiction book about Islam. It covers the life of the prophet Muhammad, the birth and development of the religion and also contemporary issues like the wearing of the veil, jihad and the evolution of what we in the West call fundamentalist Islam. Aslan explains the roots of different Muslim groups and how the split between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims first occured.

Despite not being a believer, I've always been fascinated with religion. I grew up in inner London so have been sur...more No God But God is a non-fiction book about Islam. It covers the life of the prophet Muhammad, the birth and development of the religion and also contemporary issues like the wearing of the veil, jihad and the evolution of what we in the West call fundamentalist Islam. Aslan explains the roots of different Muslim groups and how the split between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims first occured.

Despite not being a believer, I've always been fascinated with religion. I grew up in inner London so have been surrounded by people of different faiths from an early age and this has made me curious about them all. No God But God is simply the best book on Islam that I've ever read. It covers the development of the religion well and includes lots of discussion but more importantly, it's beautifully written in an almost narrative style that makes it easy to keep turning the pages. Aslan shows a lot of respect for his faith but at the same time is keen to separate historical fact from myth.

I think most readers could learn a lot from this book. Although I was already familiar with the history of Islam and the Sunni-Shi'a split (went to an amazing Karen Armstrong lecture at the British Museum once), there was much in this book I didn't know. I found the chapter on Sufi Islam fascinating, they are an almost mystical group that believe in destroying your ego in order to achieve 'oneness' with Allah. They practise many rituals to distract them from the sense of self, from breathing patterns through to dance, fasting and intense spiritual training. Interestingly, they believe that there are many paths to God and the path you choose is irrelevant as long as you are making the journey.

Aslan's main argument in this book is about what some call the 'clash of civilisations' following 9/11. It's certainly true that Muslims have been tarred with a fundamentalist/terrorist brush and that some in the West think we are the prime target of groups such as Al-Qaeda. However, Aslan argues that the West is simply caught up in what is an internal conflict between Muslims, a sort of Islamic Reformation where different groups are vying for the heart and soul of Muslims. He traces the development of Al-Qaeda through Saudi Wahhabism (and it's funding from the West) and contrasts it with nations and schools of thought that want Islamic democracy - to live in a state where Islam is important but to still have civil rights. If nothing else, Aslan's reminder that not all Muslims are the same is timely and one that certain groups in the West should learn.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was struck by how religion as an institution is certainly different from faith. After Muhammad's death his followers couldn't agree on how best to interpret his message and how to pronounce on matters that were not covered in the Quran. Although the arguments of the different theological schools were hard to follow at times it was fascinating to see how things changed over time (much like Christianity) and how different issues became relevant at different times through history.

My only complaints about the book are that I would have liked to read more about the Ottomans (but then I love anything to do with the Ottomans) and that I think Aslan missed a trick by not mentioning the scientific developments in Islamic countries whilst European countries were still in the Middle Ages. If you're interested in religion, this is definitely a book to read and it's also one to recommend to anyone who needs their perceptions about Muslims challenged.(less)

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Sep 20, 2012 Christopher Grau marked it as gave-up · review of another edition

So far 100 pages in, and while I'm dedicated to finishing the book and learning more about the history if Islam, this book's description is misleading.

I was expecting a straight history. While 350 pages could never cover 1500 years of history, I was at least hoping for highlights ala "Lost to the West," by Lars Brownworth. Heavy on the origins of Islam and the life of Muhammad, then hitting the highlights of the various caliphates over time, and ending up in modern day. Instead, this book cuts r...more

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Apr 13, 2012 David Prieto rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

Most of what we have been taught about Muhammad and the religon of Islam is from the media and word of mouth. We become pounded with information and facts. Much of it is out of context and without a thread of history tying it all together.

This book takes you back way before Muhammad and Islam existed. You learn the environment of pre-islamic Arabia was like. What Muhammad first relgion was. He didn't start the Islamic Religion, that came after he died.

This book explains the culture of the area...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Ishmael Seaward rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just started the introduction/now finished the book.

The author comes across as something of an apologic for Islam, but I don't think in this case that it interfers with the writing.

The bibliography is extensive, each chapter has a set of notes that are well worth reading, and the index is thorough. The glossary could be a little more complete, but that is minor.

When I think "What was that again?", I could always find the prior reference. The author usually gives the Arabic word for an important...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Robert rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very informative and interesting. Way too pro-religion for my tastes (by which I don't mean simply pro-Muslim), but nonetheless a probing and thoughtful examination of the historical and theological roots of Islam, and how they relate to its possible futures.

Some big takeaways for me:

Islam is more fractured than I had ever imagined, in pretty much every respect, to the point where it's barely even worth discussing as a unified subject. Not that surprising I suppose, given how many Muslims are sp...more

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About Reza Aslan

Reza Aslan is an Iranian-American writer.

Dr. Reza Aslan is an internationally acclaimed writer, a scholar of religions, Professor at the University of California, Riverside, and a contributing editor for The Daily Beast.

His books include No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam (published 2005) and How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization and the End of the War on Terror (pub...more

More about Reza Aslan...

Books by Reza Aslan

How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror

Tablet & Pen: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East: Literary Landscapes from the Modern Middle East

Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization

Muslims and Jews in America: Commonalities, Contentions, and Complexities

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“As with all journeys, the Way has an end, though it should not be imagined as a straight road leading to a fixed destination but rather as a majestic mountain whose peak conceals the presence of God. There are, of course, many paths to the summit-some better than others. But because every path eventually leads to the same destination, which path one takes is irrelevant.” — 5 people liked it

“Even the Quran, which Sufis respect as the direct speech of God, lacks the capacity to shed light upon God’s essence. As one Sufi master has argued, why spend time reading a love letter (by which he means the Quran) in the presence of the Beloved who wrote it?” — 1 person liked it

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