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 | | The First Muslims: History and Memory by Asma Afsaruddin ISBN-10: 9781851684977 ISBN-10: 1-85168-497-2 ISBN-13: 9781851684977 ISBN-13: 978-1-85168-497-7 Paperback 2007-12-25 Oneworld Publications Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description A fresh look at the origins and development of Islam, this is a fascinating reconstruction of the formative era of the Muslim community. Using a wealth of classical Arabic sources, it chronicles the lives of the Prophet Muhammad, his Companions, and the subsequent two generations of Muslims, together known as the the Pious Forebears. This accessible book takes a close look at the embryonic Muslim communities and explains the impact of the earliest converts on the development of Islam and its current beliefs. | ||
Reviews | ||
A Timely and Insightful Book Asma Afsaruddin's "The First Muslims" is an important source on the origin of Islam. Following a concise summary of the Prophet's life, the book elaborates the periods of the four "Rightly-Guided" caliphs and ends with an insightful discussion on the multiple constructions of the "first Muslims" by contemporary modernist, salafi, and mainstream Muslims. The book provides a compact and consistent picture of the early Islamic history and lets the reader to come up with his/her own interpretation of it. The author's analysis of the conceptualization of "jihad" is particularly worth reading. | ||
Beautiful insight into Islam's past... Prof. Asma Afsaruddin has written an insightful, thoughtful book which reviews the first three generations of Muslims & then compares the issues which they faced to our contemporary times. It's a fascinating glimpse into how the understanding of religion is influenced by place & time - a fact which is sometimes forgotten in the rush to condemn that which we don't understand. She leaves the reader with hope that the true nature of Islam - one of tolerance, pluralism, equality, & justice - will prevail. Whether it's under the guise of 'progressive, moderate, or modern Islam' - it's basically a return to the ideals of those first few generations who were the founding fathers of the Muslim community. As the co-author of 'The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook' - it's marvelous to see this important addition to the body of scholarly work on contemporary Islam. Thank-you! The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook | ||
Eloquent, Timely! This is a fascinating, accessible book for the general reader who wants to know the importance of the Islamic past for contemporary Muslims. Afsaruddin deals with amazing clarity how burning issues like the meanings of jihad, women's rights, and democracy are dealt with by both fundamentalists and modernists as each constructs the past in different ways. Not your typical work of punditry - the author is widely read and grounds her analysis in primary sources, often challenging established stereotypes. Check out p. 127 where the author takes down neo-con Bernard Lewis a peg or two. Highly recommended; eloquently written! | ||