Rating: 
Summary: "Islam is as Islam does"
Review: Feisal Abdul Rauf is an honest and decent man who sincerely believes what he writes. He has an excellent reputation, well deserved.
Having said that, I must now address what he has written.
Part of the book's title is, "A New Vision for Muslims and the West." Unfortunately, that's all it is, a vision, a fairy tale told to those who want to believe it.
The dark and sinister forces who are radical Islamists will have none of it, and if we are lulled into complacency, the events of 9/11 will become repeated events.
Like it or not, the hardliner Islamists are at war with the West, where the objective is total world conquest, where everyone either becomes a Muslim or he dies (the exceptions being Jews and Christians who, as People of the Book, will be treated as second class citizens).
What Raef refuses to acknowledge is that there are earlier verses in the Qur'an that _do_ preach peace and tolerance....but their are the later verses calling for subjugation and death to the infidel. Islamic scholars have decided that the later verses abrogate (trump) the earlier ones.
For this reason, in my opinion, the book misleads and is fatally flawed.
Rating: 
Summary: Earnest, I think, but far too simplistic nonethless
Review: I am a beginning student of Islam. I am also American. While initially excited by Immam Rauf's insights, they began to unsettle me in terms of their apologetic and overly simplistic tone. In trying to present a one-to-one correspondence-type analysis between Islam and American democracy, much of the complexity of Islam is either lost or ignored. America, in a sense, becomes the yardstick by which Islam is explained. I think this is a very dangerous approach. It gives people-Americans, especially-the impression that they understand Islam when, in fact, they do not. Islam must be explained on its own terms (complete with its profundities and its limitations), not the terms of an other political system and culture. While certainly not as harmful and aggressively wrong headed as Irshad Manji's, "The Trouble with Islam," I do not recommend Rauf's exegis as a place to begin the study of Islam. A far more productive and insightful book is Carl W. Ernst's, "Following Muhammed."
Rating:
Summary: Earnest, I think, but far too simplistic nonethless
Review: I am a beginning student of Islam. I am also American. While initially excited by Immam Rauf's insights, they began to unsettle me in terms of their apologetic and overly simplistic tone. In trying to present a one-to-one correspondence-type analysis between Islam and American democracy, much of the complexity of Islam is either lost or ignored. America, in a sense, becomes the yardstick by which Islam is explained. I think this is a very dangerous approach. It gives people-Americans, especially-the impression that they understand Islam when, in fact, they do not. Islam must be explained on its own terms (complete with its profundities and its limitations), not the terms of an other political system and culture. While certainly not as harmful and aggressively wrong headed as Irshad Manji's, "The Trouble with Islam," I do not recommend Rauf's exegis as a place to begin the study of Islam. A far more productive and insightful book is Carl W. Ernst's, "Following Muhammed."
Rating: 
Summary: A Deeply Insightful Book!
Review: I fervently hope that the White House will read and understand the implications of this fine book!Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has written a work of extraordinary importance. Going far beyond the usual cliches about the Muslim world, he sheds fresh light on the history and origins of today's Middle East tensions. His thesis regarding the historic economic factors that have added to Muslim frustration - the Islamic rejection of interest, the Western invention of the corporation, etc. - makes fascinating and compelling reading. Rauf picks up where Samuel Huntington left off; and in so doing, he offers a more complete and nuanced picture of how things "went wrong" between the Muslim world and the West. As an American Muslim who is clearly committed both to his religion and his country, Rauf's views are refreshingly fair and balanced. If we are ever to create a world free from terrorism, understanding the wisdom in this book will be absolutely essential.
Rating:
Summary: The most refreshing perspective in years
Review: Imam Feisal speaks for all Muslims who find themselves defending their religion. His moderate voice is consistent with the philosophical basis of Islam. His approach and vivid examples provide Muslims with a framework to best articulate how Islam and the West are not only compatible but also made for each other. This is also a must read for anyone whose impressions of Islam have been formed through the events and coverage of the last few years. Many are perplexed by the seeming inconsistency of terror "in the name of Islam" and our leaders' statements such as "Islam is a religion of Peace." Without addressing the 'expert analysis' given full reign in the media to besmirch Islam, this book effectively discredits those theories. By identifying the common threads between West & Islam, the 'us vs. them' thoughts dissolve. This should serve as the foundation of reconciliation and peace between Islam and the West.
Rating:
Summary: Islam, back to the basics of the philosophy.
Review: Imam Feisal's holds my attention and has taught me a lot about Islam and its history. It is aimed at people who are not knowledgeable about Islam--be they Muslim or not. Anyone who wants to know what the Koran says and how it was originally interpreted with find this interesting. Feisal has gone back to the early days and described the ideal then compared it to how practice has evoved and changed away from its original flavor. The approach is thoughtful, positive and hopeful. He makes Islam appealing to a non-Muslim in a very matter of fact way. I hope it is read as much by Muslims as by others, both here and overseas.
Rating:
Summary: Stimulating and thoughful on Islam in America
Review: Rauf is Imam of a Mosque a few blocks from the World Trade Center site and has been passionately involved in the aftermath of that tragedy, interfaith understanding, and the place of Islam in the United States.
His essay is a useful source to stimulate thinking even on matters with which one can not entirely agree. Most contemporary and major historical and social questions about Islam are addressed in a manner and from a perspective that is unique with comparisons to American values and practices and just enough history to provide context.
There are some major reasons that disagreement and/or discomfort may be expected that do not reduce the stimulation from reading the book:
(1) There will be some small disagreements on details for historians but there are also many thoughtful perspectives that may be of considerable value even for scholars of the subject.
(2) The comparisons to American principles will seem forced at times both because they relate to an idealized Islam of moderates and because most of us have been strongly conditioned by Islam phobia our entire lives continue to be fed nonsense by those who should know better and often want to divert us from the real policy issues ("they attack because they hate our freedoms and way of life" as if elections, booze, and bikinis are reason for attack).
(3) He does not address the moralistic antagonism against what Muslims (like Right Christians and others) consider to be lewd and corrupt behavior.
(4) There is little about the cultural values regarding family, honor, community that are not parallel to the individualistic, sometimes selfish and egoistic, standards of our own society. (To that degree he somewhat idealizes Americans as well as Muslims).
(5) The discussion will seem unfamiliar to those informed only by the media with its obsession with the violent ("if it bleeds, it leads"), simplification, and historic ignorance and disdain or hatred of Islam.
One who knows and understands Islam will recognize many strengths in this book, not least of which is placing things in what could be called a sociological and historical context.
The book is a striking contrast but certainly no more propagandistic than academic works have almost always had an "agenda" and can be very misleading. Often the most promoted and best known is very much product of ulterior motives about which many readers with limited alternative sources are naive. There is an intellectual "Gresham's Law for pundits it seems.
The ideas, perspectives, comparisons, and examples should all engage a thoughtful reader to better understand Islam and America too. Reading this book with an open mind is enjoyable and time well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and Well Researched Book--A Must Read.
Review: This book is a must read for people of all faiths.American Muslims will benefit from the clarity, vision and the road map laid out by the author in addressing the current divide between the Muslims and the West. The author skillfully examines the history of previous religious groups--Jews, Catholics-how after immigration from Europe they developed an American identity. The result was they were able to influence Jews and Catholics outside USA, a great lesson for the American Muslims. For readers of other faiths, the author provides succint answers to contemporary questions--suicide bombings page 146,147,155, the emergence and influence of Wahhabism page 194-196, Womens role and rights p216, why Muslims are angry p234, 240.
With clear Quranic references the author demonstrates the compatibility between the Islamic principles and US constitution.
The final chapters describe in some detail the work American Muslims have to do in order to close the widening and dangerous gap between the 1.2 billion Muslims and the West.
This book is full of information and more importantly ends on a positive and hopeful note.
Rating:
Summary: 300 pages of information and inspiration
Review: This book is a refreshing alternative to the happy go lucky books about Islam which are being churned out by less then qualifed Muslim types, and by agenda driven academic types. Its feel good insights and inspiration are incorporated into the text without compromising the integrity of scholarship and factual information about Islam. Contrary to what some readers may suspect, this book does not make any concessions in the tenents of the faith to appeal to its audience, because it proves that no concessions are required.
Islam when truly studied and understood, speaks for itself. This book is a good first step in that study.
Imam Abdul-Rauf has successfully spoken on behalf of many Muslims, who no doubt, share his sentiments and vision. And anyone who is genuine about making a contribution to a peaceful Mideast and West will give these Muslims the platform they deserve.
A great book to gift to friends and collegues.
Rating:
Summary: Well-timed and Informative
Review: This book presents a concise, readable and insightful introduction to Islam, its past, present and possible future. He gets beyond the day to day stereotypes and develops a much more rounded picture of Islam and the huge similarity it has with both Christianity and Judaism.
He is very clear in stating and showing that what are often described as a conflict between religions are in fact political power struggles using religion as a cloak or as an easy way to divide people into "us and them". Even more to the point he demonstrates that what is often perceived as fundamental to Islam is actually solely due to historical or cultural influences, and that "fundamentalists" are pushing a distorted version as the truth.
He does a fine job of inserting simple common sense into the present debate on Islam and indeed the place of religion in general in modern society. If I have a minor quibble it is that he concentrates on the USA to the neglect of other western societies such as Europe, other than that it is a fine read, clear and with plenty of relevance. The hope is that some of the people promoting such conflicts, cease their shouting (and worse) matches, sit down and read it.
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