The Muslim Jesus: Sayings and Stories in Islamic Literature (Convergences: Inventories of the Present)

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Summary: How much Islam has in common with Christianity
Review: As an Arab Christian who have lived in an Islamic environment, I have always known that Muslims cherished and respected Jesus as one of their prophets, but little did I know about the actual sayings they ascribe to him. I was therefore intrigued by the topic of this book: what do Muslims really think about Jesus, and how does their conception differ from ours? I found this book to contain excellent answers to satisfy my curiosity and arouse further interest in the subject.

This book is the first collection in English of all the sayings in early Islamic literature (Hadith) attributed to Jesus. Thus they are the authoritative guide to what Islam knows and thinks about Jesus. The rendering into English is excellent and easily readable, and the author's commentary on each saying is a useful addition. I decided to read the introduction before the sayings, and was thankful for doing so (despite its length), as the introduction adds a wealth of background material about the origin of the sayings, their relationship to Christianity, and their evolution within the early Islamic context. The scholarship of the author is impeccable, and the work is a superb example of how unbiased objective scholarship should be, as the author takes no sides, except that of deep curiosity to find out the truth.

While reflecting the certain theological differences between the Islamic Jesus and the Christian Jesus, these sayings are evidence for a surprising similarity in attitude and values between the two religions. No doubt some of these sayings are influenced by translations of the gospels and apocryphal texts into Arabic and by the large Arab Christian community during that period. However, much of the wisdom therein is of a universal nature that transcends religious divisions and reflects a common human denominator.

Another feature of this book is its insights about the early Islamic period. Although I have read many books about Islam, most of them portray the religion as a stagnant system that was revealed at a single time to the Prophet Mohammad. Instead, this book demonstrates how Islam evolved dynamically over its first few centuries, much like how early Christianity was an evolving religion. Thus we see how various factions of Islam competed and had their own concepts of what the religion should be, and 'used' lore from prophetic figures such as Jesus to strengthen their arguments. This whole concept of an evolving religion throws great doubts upon the ideals of modern-day "fundamentalists" who apparently wish to recreate "early Islam". By exposing the myriad differences between Muslims themselves, and the closeness of some important Islamic elements to Christianity, "The Muslim Jesus" also throws a lot of doubt on some Westerners today who somehow feel threatened by Islam and lump all Muslims together as "enemies of Christianity".

For all these reasons, I strongly recommend The Muslim Jesus for a highly enjoyable, and thought-provoking read.

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Summary: Multicultural Jesus
Review: The Muslim Jesus: Sayings And Stories In Islamic Literature is the English translation of the largest collection ever published for a western readership of the sayings and stories of Jesus as found in Arabic Islamic literature. A unique and invaluable resource for the study of Jesus's role and position within an Islamic context, The Muslim Jesus documents how the Islamic movement assimilated the figurehead of Christianity and its implications for contemporary intersectarian relations and ecumenical dialogue between Christians and Muslims. Tarif Khalidi's informative introduction and commentaries place the sayings and stories within an historical context. This compendium of some 300 sayings and stories of Jesus are arranged in chronological order, revealing how the image of Jesus evolved throughout a thousand years of Islamic history and lore. The Muslim Jesus is an indispensable and greatly appreciated addition to Islamic Studies.

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Summary: The Perfect gift for Muslim/Christian families
Review: This book has soothed alot of nerves in our mixed household...you know the relatives that just have no idea how a Catholic and a Muslim can share life without conflict of religion. Everybody has questions, and this book is lovely for helping inform people who don't know our similarities, just the differences.

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Summary: Interesting take!
Review: This book is a collection of sayings and stories attributed to Jesus in the Muslim community, mostly in the first few centuries of the Islamic Empire. Many are just plain fascinating. Some take the form of "Jesus said" followed by some quotable moral lesson that makes Jesus sound like a teacher of eternal truth, like Confucius. Some prop up Quranic orthodoxy and sound more like Mohammed than Jesus ("Women are the ropes of Satan"). One would even fit perfectly into the Dao Dejing ("If people appoint you as their heads, be like their tales"), but then some Chinese philosophers say Lao Zi and Jesus share that idea in common, anyway. Sometimes I even spot a touch of what could be Zhuang Zi. But in quite a few others, the Jesus of the Gospels appears, healing, doing acts of compassion, offering forgiveness, speaking in words that challenge, even bringing people back to life. (There are some very odd twists to these stories!) Often even the sayings that do not sound like Jesus (which is most of them) are elegant and noteworthy. I didn't find the work as a whole much more revisionist or self-serving than, say, your average Jesus Seminar Gospel. And it sure beats the hard-core Muslim Gospel of Barnabas or the stories of Jesus going off to Tibet and studying magic and Advetic philosophy.

I read the text itself first, then the introduction, and that seemed the best way to do it. Better let "Jesus," or the scholars who invent or rewrite sayings by him rather, speak for themselves. But the Khalidi's introduction and explanations are lucid, insightful and helpful. This is a classy bit of scholarship.

Edward Said, in his review on the back cover, seems to see this book as an answer to those who make "bellicose and false claims about the clash of civilizations," an obvious jab at Samuel Huntington. I don't think the book is any such thing, nor does Khalidi seem to present it as such. Europeans who called themselves Christians did not see any conflict between singing the psalms of David, and persecuted David's descendents, even on the same day. (July 15, 1099, for example.) Even less does the fact that Mohammed called Jesus "breath of God" nullify the centuries-long war of conquest he launched against his neighbors, or the fact that in many Muslim lands today, a Muslim who chooses to go beyond what the Qur'an allows in regard to Jesus, will be in danger of his life. In fact, the limits of that orthodoxy are defined in many passages of this book. One should not confuse literary influence with religious tolerance.

At the same time, this book reminds us that Islam allowed for more than one prophet, and that the character and teaching of one alternative, anyway, did balance the tone and substance of the other to some extent. Some of the sayings of Jesus in this Gospel ("The folds of heaven are empty of the rich;" "If you desire to devote yourselves entirely to God. . . be kind to those who are unkind to you;") could even be read as a rebuke to that prophet who set out to conquer the world for Allah with a sword -- or followers who seek to do the same with more high-tech weapons today.

author, Jesus and the Religions of Man

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Summary: Derivative Drivel
Review: This book is typical of Islamist apologetics; pure ...... The contents of this book are mere revisionist scripture and spin on writings long considered heretical by orthodox Christian leaders and disciples. It is just another clever ruse by apologetics of Islam to try and "[take]" the legacy of Judeo-Christian history and beliefs in order to make their claims to legitimacy seem palpable and pragmatic. If you are familiar with this ruse, this book is nothing new.

It certainly is interesting to read; especially if you already know the true purpose for books such as these. I should know. I was born a Muslim and lived as one in Syria for 40 years. I was once one of the individuals who used such materials as these to convert non-Muslims. I have not been a Muslim for twenty years now, but I know Islamic propagandist tools for proselytizing when I see it.

Rating:
Summary: How much Islam has in common with Christianity
Review: This is a wonderful book. If you truly wish to understand the Islamic view of Jesus, this book is a must. Through its pages are many stories and sayings of Jesus, some instantly recognizable, others less so.

Rather than studying 'dry' comparative religious texts discussing 'Islam vs. Christianity/Jesus' (which are foundationally necessary), try reading this book as an alternative. Not only will you come to understand how Jesus is viewed in Islam but you will also get a sense of the 'spirit' of Islam.

The introduction presents the major themes in any discussion on this topic and raises many questions, yet leaves them open ended. Yet the answers make their way through the pages of the rest of the book. This book will enlighten you to the fact that in the earliest days of Islam, the bitter and often violent antagonism that seems so apparent these days was not always so and in that sense perhaps hope will spring eternal from these pages.