general

This wonderful book by a Muslim takes fundamental Islam to task for its suppression of women. Manji, who is Canadian, calls for a new birth of freedom for Muslim women and through her tale she exposes he truth behind the Koran and behind the radical Wahhibists. This books passionate argument should not be passed up by anyone interested in the 'religion of peace' because it not only exposes the dark underbelly of middle eastern culture but it also is a rallying cry for all the 'progressive' Muslims yearning for the education and equal treatment of women. This is a must read, a wonderful, singular account. Is their more proof of the accuracy of this book then the fact that the author has received death threats and hate mail? Obviously those this book targets have something to fear from it due to the many denunciations of it. A very valuable account.

For straight talk, it's hard to top Manji. Reading her book, one feels much the same delight as a child receiving a rare visit from a favorite aunt. Here is a dashing, erudite young woman unafraid to tell us exactly what's what. No mom-and-pop euphemisms for Manji. She's been there, she's done her homework, and she's more than willing to field those awkward questions hardly anyone dares talk about. In short, she wants to make sure you get it: Islam has seen better days - and it could see much better ones - but not without change.

Manji knows something about change. She and her parents are Canadian Muslims, born in Uganda. They were among the 45,000 people of South Asian heritage exiled from Uganda in 1972 by the dictator Idi Amin. Growing up Canadian, Manji inevitably faced the inherent contradictions between her rights as a citizen of a free society and the medieval constraints imposed upon women (and men) within mainstream Islam in the Arabist tradition. This slim volume (217 pages) is not so much a biography as a believer's journey, focusing on her spiritual struggles and how they have informed her views on Islam's origins, development and future.

Buddhists, Hindus and Christians all have their strict literalists. "The trouble with Islam," says Manji, is that only in Islam do these literalists dominate the mainstream, insisting that their faith is the only true faith; their interpretations, the only permissible interpretations; their way of life, the only moral way of life. Engaging in critical thinking and free speech becomes a dangerous proposition. The fatwah authorizing the murder of Indian-born author Salman Rushdie is only the most familiar of many, many examples, in which Muslim intellectuals and reformers have been threatened with paying the ultimate price for speaking their minds - or actually have been killed.

Predictably, Manji too now lives with death threats. She remains a woman of faith. Refusing to abandon either Islam or her rights in a civil society, she insists upon both. In particular, she calls upon Muslims who enjoy civil liberties in the West, to also speak out. She envisions a day when mainstream Islam worldwide would recognize and promote women's equal rights, repudiate rampant anti-semitism, and condemn such evils as slavery and cruelly excessive punishments.

Those who condemn Manji's stand would more credibly direct their energies to ending the evils above. In every religion, what one does counts for more than what one says.

This book lacks accuracy but it is also full of mistakes. On page 44 she states that Muhammad preached for "25 years or so." All books of history tells us that Muhammad received his first revelation from Angle Gabriel at age 40 and passed away at age 63. That's 23 years. She has many other mistakes too; however, I prefer to give some facts about the life of Muhammad she should have included:

Muhammad was born in Arabia in 570 years after Christ. He was the descendant of Abraham and Ishmael. He was orphaned as a child and grew up poor. By the age 25 he came to be known for his honesty and good character. People called him Al-Ameen meaning trustworthy and truthful. At the age of 25 a wealthy widow impressed by his honesty and good character proposed marriage to him. Although she was 40 he accepted her proposal, and they lived for the next 15 years a comfortable and blissful marriage.

Until the age of 40 Muhammad had lived as a good citizen--a quiet uneventful life. One night while he was meditating in a cave Angel Gabriel appears to him and asks him to, "Read in the Name of Your Lord." Muhammad was illiterate so he said I can't read. But eventually he repeated the words after Gabriel. This began 23 years of revelation that we know now as the Qur'an. When he proclaimed the message people laughed at him. They wondered why God has chosen him instead of much wealthier more intelligent and powerful leaders of Mecca. But God chooses whomever he wills! They attacked him and early Muslims physically and verbally. At one point due to severity of persecution, a group of Muslims that migrated from Arabia to a nearby country, Ethiopia, rules by a just Christian king. At his court facing extradition to Mecca, they explained to the Christian King why they had left the religion of their forefathers in the following manner:

"O King!! we were plunged in the depth of ignorance and barbarism; we adored idols, we lived in unchastity, we ate the dead bodies, and we spoke abominations, we disregarded every feeling of humanity, and the duties of hospitality and neighborhood were neglected; we knew no law but that of the strong, when God raised among us a man, of whose birth, truthfulness, honesty, and purity we were aware; and he called to the Oneness of God, and taught us not to associate anything with Him. He forbade us the worship of idols; and he enjoined us to speak the truth, to be faithful to our trusts, to be merciful and to regard the rights of the neighbors and kith and kin; he forbade us to speak evil of women, or to eat the substance of orphans; he ordered us to fly from the vices, and to abstain from evil; to offer prayers, to render alms, and to observe fast. We have believed in him, we have accepted his teachings and his injunctions to worship God, and not to associate anything with Him, and we have allowed what He has allowed, and prohibited what He has prohibited. For this reason, our people have risen against us, have persecuted us in order to make us forsake the worship of God and return to the worship of idols and other abominations. They have tortured and injured us, until finding no safety among them, we have come to your country, and hope you will protect us from oppression."

The above summarizes the effect of Muhammad and his message on humanity. In this regard renowned British Historian Arnold Toynbee remarked in his Civilization on Trial, "The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue...This Islamic spirit (of submission to divine guidance) maybe expected to manifest itself in many practical ways, and one of these manifestations might be liberation from alcohol, which was inspired by religious conviction and which was therefore able to accomplish what could never be enforced by the external sanction of an alien law...Here then in the foreground of the future we can remark two valuable influences which Islam may exert upon the cosmopolitan proletariat of the Western society..."

Many historians have attested to this fact and consider his accomplishment nothing short of a miracle. Yet as he said through out his mission he was only a man conveying God's message.

Historian Michael Hart wrote in his book The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels."

French Poet Lamartine wrote in Histoire de La Turquie, "Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a religion without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, which is Muhammad. If Greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad?"

I think you get the idea that Muhammad was more than a reformer or philosopher. He brought about real change, real peace, all in the name of God, never taking credit, live a humble simple life and died with no possessions.

Thus, I believe a serious study of his life and accomplishments are something to consider, especially his claim of receiving a message from God. Please visit http://www.islam101.com.