The New Voices of Islam: Reforming Politics and Modernity - A Reader

by Dr Mehran Kamrava (Editor), Mohammed Arkoun (Contributor), Tariq Ramadan (Contributor)

At a time in our post-9/11 world when fundamentalist forces appear to dominate Islam, a vibrant and consequential discourse has emerged from many prominent writers seeking to change the direction of Muslim thought. This timely volume, representing a broad cross-section of this reformist trend in countries ranging from Malaysia to Algeria and Morocco, brings together the writings of thirteen of the most renowned and influential Muslim thinkers alive today. Individually and collectively, they argue for reforms in Islamic theology and jurisprudence and for reinterpretations of popular notions of Islam that are consistent with and supportive of the tenets of modern life. Their essays include broad overviews of Islam, its core principles, and the complex relationship between Islam, democracy, and civil rights; three works by Muslim feminist intellectuals; and more. The volume also places the life, career, and arguments of each thinker in national and historical context.
"Copub: I.B. Tauris "

Genres: Islam, Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

['Izzat Radzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

There isn't enough satisfaction reading this, since the writing by the prominent authors are only in partial (only 1 chapter each). Still, this makes me look forward to read Arkoun, Talbi, Nasr Abu Zaid and Soroush writing later.

However, the downside is the (almost alone) chapter by Leila Ahmed that went passed through my head, as it included historically wrong facts (I've no problem with the interpretation on her part on other things, just at least get it right) on (i) 'aisha's age, (ii) khadija' s age, (iii) Hind (Sufyan wife) 'war-crime', and last but not least, (iv) 'umar so-called' harsh treatment to wives and women (she even blatantly claimed assault). Reading this at times (especially near the concluding paragraph) was just borderline ridiculous, borderline insulting (to the Companions of the Prophet pbuh).
If your point of departure was already wrong/false, there's no wonder the conclusion you made at page 198 (... Marriage as sanctioned or practiced by Muhammad included polygamy and marriage of girls nine or ten years old). Besides, whats makes this reading felt worse was that it came after Nasr Hamid Abu Zaid chapter.
I just wished somehow the editor remove this chapter.

Nevertheless, it is, in general, a good read, for further reading of the authors.

7/10

[Rhesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here Kamrava gathers essays from leading Islamic scholars worldwide, from Mohsen Kadivar, Mohammed Arkoun, Tariq Ramadan etc. There are many essays here yet to be translated in English, Mr.Kamrava did a great job to bring them into us.

The central goal of this "New Islamists" is to reinterpret popular notions of Islam that are consistent with the tenets of modern life. here also for the first time I enocunter a thinking that provoke my pathos which is the writing of Iranian thinker Abdolkarim Soroush {chapter 14).

He is talking about freedom as the sole basis for the discovery of truth, nothing is taboo to be scrutinized or re-valued, only by this Islamic Descartian method, one would attain the truth.

Read this book together with Roin Wright's The Dream and the Shadows, and you shall got a big picture of the psyche of today's Islam.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

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