Rating: 
Summary: Objective It Is Not
Review: I agree with the reviews that praise this book for it's wealth of factual information, but criticise it for its lack of objectivity. The author is an American convert to Islam, which, as you might expect, means he has a very earnest attitude to his topic. That might be OK, but what is really irritating is the way the author feels the need to defned each and every aspect of Islam and say that it is appropriate for the 21st century.
Take polygamy. The author begins by reassuring the reader that it is actually an extremely rare phenonomen among modern Muslims. Then, just a few paragraphs later, he goes on to say how wondeful a system for men "who find it hard to be monogamous" (Oh, please!!!) and suggests it is an ideal solution for "Career women who haven't got the time to look after one husband all by themselves". I mean really, who does this man think he is fooling?
The author also praises the laid back Islamic view on sex, mentioning that sex exists in the afterlife, but neglecting to point out that these pleasures are reserved for men only. Then he goes on to remark that divorce is very easy in Islam, but glosses over the fact that while a man can divorce a woman on a whim, a woman must go through a complex divorce procedure to seperate from her husband.
That said, this book does is clear and well-written. The reason I'm giving it 3 and not 2 stars is because of this: I like to think I'm reasonably well-informed about Islam, but still I managed to learn a lot for this book. If you can read this book in a skeptical manner, and don't find the gushing tone too irritating, you might well learn a lot from it.
Rating:
Summary: A mix of facts and propaganda
Review: This book is, on the whole, a pretty good guide for Westerners who know very little about Islam and want a basic description of what this religion is about, how it was started, and what it purports to stand for. It is well organized and informative without being either simplistic or intimidating. Unfortunately, it is seriously marred by a lack of objectivity once it moves beyond the realm of factual information and delves into issues of interpretation and judgment. The author, an American convert, seems to feel obligated to offer up an apologia for every aspect of his newly chosen religion, no matter how offensive or contradictory. For example, he blames the colonization of the Middle East by Western powers in the past couple centuries for the current decline of Islamic civilization, yet he crows about the "advanced" state of Spain after being invaded by Islamic armies in medieval times, never mind that the Spaniards never accepted this foreign domination and fought valiantly for centuries until the hated invaders were finally expelled in the late 15th century. In short, the author sees imperialism as bad when done by Christian Westerners against Muslims, yet it is perfectly OK when the reverse happens. This kind of blatant double standard hardly buttresses the author's credibility. Finally, his "explanations" for such incidents as the bounty put on Salman Rushdie's head by the late Ayatollah will strike any liberal-minded person (regardless of their nationality) as being downright bizarre. "The Satanic Verses" may (or may not) have been religiously offensive, but by no means does this justify incitation to murder, as the author breezily suggests. His lame excuse that Rushdie was never in any "real" danger just does not fly, civilized people simply do not behave this way. And that, ultimately, is the problem with this book. As long as the author sticks to the facts as regards Islam, he performs a useful service. But when he delves into inserting his opinions, all he does is support the notion, held by many Westerners, that Islam is a backward, primitive, and barbaric religion.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: This is one of the best books I have read about Islam. It covers many topics including Islamic history, philosophy, Shari'ah,..etc.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about Islam
Rating:
Summary: Good introduction of islam for non muslims
Review: This book represents a good survey book on islam for non muslims especially in the west when islam has been misrepresented. as i read the other reviews, the ones that gave it poor marks, it just reminds me of the anti islamic attitude and ignorance of the masses on refusing to learn about other cultures and religions through the words and eyes of those who practice it. the people who gave it a poor review should be ashamed of themselves. this is why there is hate crimes and harassment of innocent muslim americans. this book is a way to end religious bigotry.
Rating:
Summary: This book is factual
Review: I've read both the on-line reviews and the book and would like to comment on some of the negative comments I've read here. Basically, the author was laying out what the religion of Islam teaches and how religious minded Muslim in the mainstream view their faith. This is how any honest author trying to explain a subject would proceed. I find it strange that some people are telling us to look at the terrible governments of the Muslim world and to judge Islam by that. Well then, let's judge Christianity by some very terrible governments in the Christian world. For example, the Nazis were all Christians, as were the Soviets (despite the veneer of Communism), the Conquistadores that killed millions in Latin America were all Christians and the dictatorships of southern Africa, Latin America (as they come and go) and also of eastern Europe are all Christian as well. Christians have persecuted and murdered Jews for over a thousand years in a brutal and systematic way. Should we judge Jesus and his teachings? The British and French looted half the world on the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, do we say that wasa Christian act? Half the people in Libya look white because under Italian occupation, the "Christians" raped every Arab woman they came across. Is this Jesus' fault? A person writing a book about Christianity would rightly overlook all these instances and merely say that those acts of brutality are not consistent with the religion.
Why should we not give Islam the same slack? Look, before Sept. 11 no one gave half a peanut about Islam. Now because of fifty guys who were angry about the U.S. army in Arabia, now suddenly the whole world is villifying Islam as if it were a demonic religion of baby-eaters.
In actual fact, and I have studied Islam extensively, this religion is basically the combination of Judaism and Christianity. The morals are the same, the practices are essentially on the same philosophical plain and the Qur'an is no more a violent book than the Bible, Old or New Testament.
If you want to read about Islam as it is, not about the sorry SECULAR governments in the Middle East or fringe religious extremist elements that twist the teachings of Islam just like McVeigh or Koresh twist Christinity, then this book is for you. It is about Islam as it is supposed to be followed and presents the worldview of the mainstream Muslim community which is a welcome breath of fresh air showing that Islam is compatible with the modern world. Don't let the religious extremists, and the Western hate-mongers win and make you think Islam is something else besides a respectable and tolerant faith. Where did Jews go for the last thousand years to be safe from Christians in Europe? To Muslim lands. The proof is in that. It's only because European Jews, fresh from the Holocaust, forced the establishment of homeland in a land that had not belonged to them for a long time that Arabs and Jews have come to fight.
Rating: 
Summary: almost perfect...
Review: an intersting account about the nice factes of Islam
that forgets to mention the more murderous and violent
aspects of this popular religion. Wishful thinking...
but unfortunately I still remember 9/11.
Rating:
Summary: If you believe in the tooth fairy, read this book.
Review: The book does an adequate job of describing the core beliefs and other details of the religion. However, a lie pervades the entire book. After reading it, one would think that Islam is a gentle, accepting religion of peace and kindness. The author mentions nothing of the mean, intolerant, war-like attitude that has characterized this religion since its founding. He mentions nothing of the squalor, tyranny, degredation of women and filth that characterize virtually all Islamic societies. And he mentions nothing of the smug arrogance of a religion that thinks it has received the last and final word of God, and that therefore all non-Muslims are inferior beings, not even worthy of life! Islam cannot be sugar-coated, and the author has done exactly that. Either he is morally and intellectually dishonest, or he has serious problems with reality testing. If you want to know something about Islam, read anything by Bernard Lewis, but not this...
Rating:
Summary: Whitewash of Islamic History and Pratice
Review: This book seeks to portray any negative aspect of Islam and un-Islamic and thereby perpetuate the myth of Islam as completely benign. The chapter on Jews and Islam, for example, is more fairy-tale than fact, neglecting the entire concept of the dhimmi, or second-class citizenship given to Jews during the Islamic empire. The discussion of terrorism is nothing but apologetics. A recent Washington Post front page story documented how Islam is taught here in the US, citing examples of maps of the Middle East that delete Israel and texts that say the day of Judgment will arrive when Muslims kill Jews and Christians. This book is Islam as it should be perhaps, or as the author wishes it to be, but not as it is practiced by most Muslims in the Middle East.
Rating:
Summary: Indescribable!
Review: What a wonderful piece of historical facts, consice and unambiguous BOOK "The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Understanding Islam" IS!!! As a confused soul trying to understand What Islam is about, after the devastation of 11th Sept., I found this book extremely helpful in getting me aquainted with the Islamic world, their beliefs, and their culture. Mr. Emerick does a indescribable job in taking the reader from page to page, topic to topic and unveling the so called "myths" about Islam. As I read the other readers response, I was shocked to see and frankly coundn't comprehend why people didn't take as much from the book as I did. The author has a lot to say and relates it in a way that ANYONE can understand. Even a 4th grader! This book was exaclty what I was looking for as far as shedding brief, yet comprehensive light on every subject of Islam, from the Middle east conflict, to the "media bias" against Islam, and the history of the religion. It's my go to referece that I often use in my bookshelf, whenever I encounter a specific topic in the newspapers about Islam. So if you're like me who want to learn about Islam and don't have the free time to read volumes and volumes about this topic, I suggest and HIGLY RECOMMEND this book!!
Rating:
Summary: This book is a Trojan Horse BEWARE
Review: I read this work with amazement. Nearly every possible Western objection to Islam was addressed, white washed and smothered with misinformation. Why, Jesus and Mohammed were nearly twin brothers! According to Najar and Emerick Islam is a tolerant, muticultural, socially aware, Christian and Jewish friendly doctrine that has only gotten bad press because of some historical misunderstandings and some crazy people that use the name of Islam but are not Islamic at all. But where do they mention that death is the penalty for changing your mind and leaving Islam? Where do they mention that men can have four wives but women can be stoned to death if they are unfaithful? It didn't mention that slavery was outlawed in Saudi Arabia as recently as 1962 and that the Arab Muslims were very big slave traders across Africa. My own oppinion is that a book like this is very dangerous because it cleverly hides all truths of Islam. You need only read the Koran carefully and study the history of Islam and the Middle East carefully to see this book is indeed for complete Idiots as it promises.
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