Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World (Islamic Civilization and Muslim Networks)

• Publisher:   The University of North Carolina Press
• Number Of Pages:   272
• Publication Date:   2003-10-27
• ISBN-10 / ASIN:   0807828378
• ISBN-13 / EAN:   9780807828373

Unlike many "Islam 101" books published since September 11, 2001, Following Muhammad avoids the traps of sensational political expose and specialized scholarly Orientalism. Carl Ernst introduces readers to the profound spiritual resources of Islam while clarifying diversity and debate within the tradition.

One out of five people in the world are Muslim; only 18 percent of those, however, are Arab. Ernst moves away from a Middle Eastern bias, addressing the pluralistic nature of Muslim societies and thought. Framing his argument in terms of religious studies, Ernst describes how Protestant definitions of religion and anti-Muslim prejudice have affected views of Islam in Europe and America. Ernst also covers the contemporary importance of Islam in both its traditional settings and its new locations and provides a context for understanding extremist movements like fundamentalism.

With translations of selections from Islamic texts, some appearing in English for the first time, Ernst offers access to Muslim voices and key themes, particularly the central role of the Prophet Muhammad. He concludes with an overview of critical debates on important contemporary issues such as gender and veiling, state politics, and science and religion. A concise selected reading list provides a helpful guide for future study. This engaging introduction to Islam should be every non-Muslim's first resource for learning about a religion that is a major presence in the world.

This is an excellent book, please ignore review by K. Acker "bookmuncher" (Defender of faith) because Mr.Acker recommends Bernard Lewis who everyone knows advised George W. Bush on Middle East (and was one of the minds behind Iraq war). The book is about Islam and what we should understand is, what some of (fanatic) Muslims do has nothing to do with teachings of Islam... thus this is a very timely book, when there are opportunities in abundance that lead towards misunderstanding of Islam, books like these are welcome. I encourage everyone to read it, absorb it, understand it with open mind... and stay away from Bernard Lewis and co. if you really want to have an understanding.

In the preface, Carl Ernst denies that he is defending Islam. According to him, he is merely trying to present Muslims as 3-dimensional human beings. That seems a valid approach, but in practice, it means emphasizing the good and enlightened side of Islam and either omitting the dark side entirely, or explaining it away. He speaks for those who believe that "fear of the other" is associated with ignorance, not with information and he sets out to persuade his readers that Islam is a lot less threatening, a lot more pluralistic, and a lot more freedom-loving and open-minded than recent events and lots of commentary seem otherwise to suggest. Who would deny the attractions of this viewpoint? Certainly not me. A typical American agnostic, who holds very few truths to be self-evident, I have traveled in several Islamic countries, known dozens of Muslims, eaten dinner in a least half a dozen Muslim homes. My experiences have been uniformly pleasant and friendly. Ernst says that Westerners often misunderstand Islam because of stereotypes that derive from colonialism, or from the apparent scientific backwardness of Muslim countries. Maybe so, maybe not. In any event, I am not aware of subscribing to any such prejudices. On the contrary, my disagreement with Ernst is not about what I would like to be the case - in that regard, I would like a liberal, tolerant, peace-loving Islam as much as he would - but rather about what I take to be his overly rosy vision of Islam as it actually exists. In the last analysis, what I want from books on Islam is the truth and I don't think Professor Ernst is giving it to me - thus the 2-star rating. Ernst uses one set of scales to judge the West and another to judge Islam. Take, for example, his comments about alleged Western prejudice. This is Edward Said's discredited notion of "orientalism", perhaps toned down a decibel or two. In reality, it is the West, and not Islam, that embraces the idea that all men are equal in rights and dignity. Whatever biases some Westerners may have, they cannot possibly compare with the dogmatic assertion of superiority held without apology or a moment's self-doubt by Islam, which divides the entire world into Muslim and Infidel, the House of Islam and the House of War, and worse - acts on that benighted dichotomy to discriminate and oppress. Yet it is the perceived bias of the West that grabs Ernst's exclusive attention. Why? Ernst complains that "Americans dismiss liberal Muslim thinkers as irrelevant" and mentions the work of the contemporary Iranian philosopher, Abdul-Karim Soroush - who believes that multiple valid interpretations of religious texts exist. But then he admits that Soroush has been "repressed" by the Iranian regime. It is precisely because liberals like Soroush have no influence that they are neglected in the first place - and certainly not because Americans don't agree with them. Ernst should blame Muslims, shouldn't he, for being so hidebound and doctrinaire. Instead, he blames Americans for not taking marginalized liberals seriously enough! Ernst seems to have a conditioned reflex to defend Islamic practices, no matter how appalling they are, by finding something in the West to which a strained comparison can be made. Iran, he tells us, has "an official state religion, which is Shi'a Islam, and religious authority is vested in a Guardian Council of judges having veto power over legislation." One feels certain that this is not how Carl Ernst would have designed Iran's government, if anyone had consulted him. Nevertheless, he must defend it. "In practice," he says, "... Iran can be compared to ...Israel in terms of religion as a decisive factor." Of course, the comparison is ridiculous because Israel has no council of rabbis who can veto legislation - not an insignificant difference, but a quantum leap. Ernst's discussion of the key doctrine of Jihad is inadequate and lacks credibility. He does not deny that "jihad" has been applied to "military struggle against enemies of the faith", but insists that the "primary meaning" is "struggle against one's baser instincts", or "struggle for truth." Anyone who wants to "struggle for the truth" of this important issue cannot do better than to read the Koran, which is replete with bloodthirsty rantings. Most authorities that I have encountered frankly admit that "jihad" means waging war against infidels for the purpose of enlarging the House of Islam. If Ernst wants to persuade intelligent readers otherwise, he will need to take far more than 2 pages in the effort. I will provide one more example of the double standards that undermine the credibility of Professor Ernst's work. With all the talk about European colonialism, which was brief and relatively benign, one might have expected at least some mention of the centuries of war waged by Muslims against their neighbors, as well as Muslim treatment of dhimmi, the term for Christians and Jews living under their control. One of the few references to this painful history is found on page 46. Here is how Ernst explains the situation: Christians and Jews were given "protection for their lives and property and for the practice of their religion; they were exempted from military service but were required to pay additional taxes." It almost sounds like a good deal, doesn't it? The truth is a lot darker. At its worst, dhimmitude was a fate hardly better than death: forced to wear clownish garb and sometimes a badge, dhimmi were subject to forced labor, crippling taxes and constant abuse and harassment. They could not defend themselves against Muslim assault or answer back. They were expected to keep their heads bowed in submission. They had no legal rights, as their testimony was not allowed in courts of law. They could be killed or robbed with impunity and judicially murdered through charges of blasphemy. They could practice their religions only in silence, could neither build nor repair church buildings and could wear no religious insignia in public. This is the status that Carl Ernst describes as "protection"! Professor Ernst provides a certain outlook on Islam that curious readers may wish to consider. But one cannot rely on his objectivity. Anyone who wants to achieve a balanced view must consult other sources that are less obviously wedded to the political correctness of the academic world - such authorities as Bernard Lewis, Bat Ye-or and Robert Spencer - whose opinions of Islam are far less sanguine than Ernst's are.

This is a splendid book for anyone who is trying to understand Islam. No other book situates Muslim concerns in global contexts and thoughout history. The author is a master at clear writing. In my experience when I have recommended this book to people, they come back with smiles on their faces and a new view of today's world. It does not get any better than this for students and the open minds outside the academy. Clean your glasses and read it again, fellow reviewers.

I began to read this book because I thought it would help clear up some of my western baggage (choke, choke). After all, how can we in the West even begin to understand Muhammad. But lets mention the good parts first. Ernst does mention the numerous accomplishments of Islam in the fields of medicine, art and spiritualism (the Sufis). He pays particular attention to the influence of the Greeks on Islamic thought. He does not say, but hints, that the writers of the Quran were probably influenced by Greek philosophers. However, this book is not really about Muhammad at all as one can not go through any chapter with seeing the following 2 words: 1.colonialism and Orientalism. Sure, one can read that Muhammad is seen as an ongoing model for "ethics, law, family live, spirituality not anticipated 1,400 yrs ago" (p.74). But where is the authors historical honesty. Is he talking of the same man who allowed his men to have their way with captive slave women and stated that: "the majority of people in hell are women." Later Ernst complains that Europeans (again)were cynical of Muhammads elavation of Mecca as the spiritual center of their faith. Certainly, he insists, Muhammad was never so gauche as to have political/relgious motives (that's to colonial). This, despite historical evidence, during and after Muhammads life which indicate that Muhammad was a colonial crusader in his own way. Even his contemporaries noted that;"prophetism is finished and the empire is beginning." And it was after Muhammads death that Islamic theologians began to spread the rumors that the Bible was corrupt and that Jesus did not die on the cross but obtained a double to take his place-thus assuring Muhammad the title he always wished-The Final Prophet.
Thus the title of my review: It's the same old song. Islam is no danger to Western thought or Christianity. If it appears so it is because colonialism has penetrated the Muslim mind and they are unable to return to the great old days under the Prophet.

I was recommended this book by a professor of comparitive religion from a respected private school near where I live. I had mentioned to him that I was nearly totally ignorant of Islam, but that I was extremely curious, given the recent history of the clash between east and west. While this book didn't delve deeply into the actual structure of Islam, it brought to light several things to consider before starting an indepth study. I'm very glad that I read this book before starting on my quest to understand Islam, because it helped me to understand the baggage that I'm bringing, just by being an American who watches western media and went to a western school.

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