Hugh's review
The Politically Incorrect Guide(tm) to Islam (and the Crusades by Robert Spencer
Hugh's review
rating:
bookshelves: political
recommended for: People needing an introduction to Islam
status: Read in July, 2005
rating:
bookshelves: political
recommended for: People needing an introduction to Islam
status: Read in July, 2005
After having read an English translation of the Q'uran, I found this book extremely helpful. To anyone who has read the Q'uran, it seems disjointed and random, as Muhammad engages in discussions with Allah about questions of theology. In a number of cases, his questions are difficult to understand, as he makes allusions that the reader may not be familiar with. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) provides excellent context for the Western reader who is curious about Islam. This is not the only book one should read, but it does give a good introduction.
I believe the difficulty in reading the Q'uran in English is that is most "understandable" in Arabic. Considering the track record of Mr. Spencer, I would re-evaluate the types of allusions he selects to make sense of the religious texts.
Ahhh, to bask in the glow of elitism. I can't understand the Q'uran because I can't read Arabic. Actually, what makes the Q'uran difficult to understand is that it is not arranged in any particular order: it is not chronological or topical. When Muhammad asks Allah about Musa, Suleiman or Dawoud in a particular situation, the reader has to know what situation he is talking about from having read the Bible or other accounts of those ancient stories. He asks about Musa and the burning bush, for instance, but does not go on to explain that Musa proceeded to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. The reader has to know that Musa is Moses and he is about to lead the Exodus from Egypt. As to Spencer's record, he has received multiple death threats from jihadists, but they have never disproven anything he has said.
