Islam: A Very Short Introduction

Rating:
Summary: Academic Judgments Now Eclipsed By History
Review: As usual this Very Short Introduction is right on target, that is, a quick and lucid overview of a major world religion. Yet, the post-September 11th times have sadly eclipsed the author's judgment about the future pietist or quietist trend in Islam. Perhaps in the long view his opinions will be justified at a future date, but for now they just seem to be prematurely dated. Despite that apparently negative comment from this reviewer, there is no better place to start learning about Islam than with Ruthven's book.

Rating:
Summary: Yep, it's a disappointment
Review: The author begins by complaining that such a short introduction can't adequately present Islam. Fair enough, but Ruthven then proceeds to waste much time critiquing certain points of view rather than just giving an exposition. Even worse, he often makes offhand allusions to people and historical events and takes an abstract, high-handed tone, so that I feel I would have to already be acquainted with Islam and the history of the Arab world in order to understand what he's talking about. Jeez, this was supposed to be an intro, not a refresher!

Rating:
Summary: Islam a very short 'philospohical' introduction
Review: The Author Malise Ruthven obviously made a lot of effort, which I believe was genuine, to display Islam in the form he believed in it, not necessarly what Islam really is. Although he has embedded a lot of correct contributions and beliefs of Muslims, he has missed some fundemental and "constitutional ones" on several occasions. His approach is a more philospohical one, that would leave a person coming for the first time to know Islam to be more confused with the author's ideas on Islam than the basics and essence of Islam and its meaning to Muslims.

He starts with a chapter on the politics of Islam, which I see very uneccesary to start a "short" introduction to Islam. He corrects important misconceptions on Islam, but blurrs and misinterpret others. For example in his description of the understanding of Jesus in Islam, he was very accurate, while he makes baseless and swooping conclusions that the trip of the Prophet Mohamed Peace be upon him to the heavens was most probably an imagination, even though it is mentioned in the Quran. I think the book would have benefited hugely if it was reviewed by a Muslim scholar to iluminate for the author where he definetly got it wrong. This book may serve for theological and philosphical debates and discussions but definetly not a first introduction of Islam to non-Muslims.