Irshad Manji calls herself a Muslim refusenik. "That doesn't mean I refuse to be a Muslim", she writes, "it simply means I refuse to join an army of automatons in the name of Allah". These automatons, Manji argues, include many so-called moderate Muslims in the West. In blunt, provocative and deeply personal terms, she unearths the troubling cornerstones of Islam as it is widely practised: tribal insularity, deep-seated anti-Semitism and an uncritical acceptance of the Koran as the final, and therefore superior, manifesto of God. In this open letter to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, Manji breaks the conspicuous silence that surrounds mainstream Islam with a series of pointed questions: "Why are we all being held hostage by what's happening between the Palestinians and the Israelis? Who is the real coloniser of Muslims - America or Arabia? How can we read the Koran literally when it's so contradictory and ambiguous? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God's creation?" Not one to be satisfied with merely criticising, Manji offers a practical vision of how Islam can undergo a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities and fosters a competition of ideas. Her vision revives Islam's lost tradition of independent thought. This book should inspire Muslims worldwide to revisit the foundations of their faith. It might also compel non-Muslims to start posing the questions we all have about Islam today. In that spirit, "The Trouble with Islam" is a clarion call for a fatwa-free future.

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	67% buy the item featured on this page: The Trouble with Islam: A Wake-up Call for Honesty and Change 3.4 out of 5 stars (10)
	33% buy The Trouble with Islam Today: A Wake-up Call for Honesty and Change 3.7 out of 5 stars (11) �5.31

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

3.4 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)

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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An uncompromising critique of our faith, 26 Jul 2004

By	L. Salisbury "fariba123" (NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a British Muslim I wanted to hate this book. It isn't easy to take criticism of one's own faith, especially if one has been brought into that faith from childhood. Too often our peers describe the extremists as something other than the mainstream; well it's up to us to show the world that this is true.

Manji's book isn't perfectly written, in fact it's rather disjointed in places, but her knowledge and erudition cannot be questioned and I scoff at the one-star ratings given in some reviews; obviously her incisive analyses have raised some heckles.

I advise Muslims to read this book with as open a mind as they can. She advocates a reformation in Islam and makes an excellent case for change. For her courage I commend her, hers is a voice that has been lacking for too long.

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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The reality of islam, 15 Jul 2004

By	"nickfrost4" - See all my reviews

The book sets out some excellent arguments about islam and supports these arguments with solid evidence.
The writer identifies many of the problems islam faces today and highlights changes needed to bring islam into line with western society.

Through out the book are case studies of how backward islam can become if led my an individual with a poor understanding and incorrect interpretation of the Koran, but the book highlights valuable experiences that the writter has experienced following this faith.

It is a shame to see that many of the people that have rated this book with a low rating fail to draw attention to what the writer is arguing about.

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21 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest, Open Minded and Courageous, 3 Oct 2004

By A Customer

It is refreshing to see a Muslim who can not only view her own faith as outsiders see it, but also have the unmitigated courage to go into print and say what most non-Muslims would love to say but are afraid to in case they incur the wrath of the Mullahs ! (You'll note I use my anonymous mode for writing this !!!). This book should be read, and re-read, by the said Mullahs and perhaps they will then see why there is so little public respect for Islam amongst non-Muslims. I truly wish it were not this way, for Islam, Judaism and Christianity all come from the same roots, worship the same God, and should be partners rather than antagonists. What impresses me about Irshad Manji is the fact that she not only criticises, but gives positive pointers to how the situation can be healed. The reviewers who panned the book clearly are still in the mediaeval period mentally, and are not yet ready to see impartially. May The One God give them wisdom. This is the most useful, and important, book on religion published in recent years and NEEDS to be read, not only by Muslims but by those who would wish to build bridges towards Islam. Buy it ...... Read it ... And be inspired that the World can be changed.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars The trouble with, The trouble with Islam
As a british muslim I read the book with an open mind. I wanted to believe that Irshad had a view that i could accept and that she would be able to give muslims in the west a... Read more

Published on 17 May 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars Wake up call for West and East
The book's great strength is the author's personal experience as a Muslim. She is a talented observer and is determined to ask the right questions however politically awkward and... Read more

Published on 26 Jul 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars An uncompromising critique of our faith
As a life-long British Muslim I wanted to hate this book. It isn't easy to take criticism of one's own faith, especially if one has been brought into that faith from childhood... Read more

Published on 26 Jul 2004 by L. Salisbury

4.0 out of 5 stars An unusual perspective
Reviews of this book tend to be extremely polarised: readers either love it or hate it. The reality is (of course) somewhere inbetween, but on the whole the book is well worth... Read more

Published on 1 Jul 2004 by jonathanjones10

1.0 out of 5 stars Utterly Hilarious !!!
Aside from the fact that Manji has no obvious credentials for interpreting Quranic text (yes, it generally does require an educational grounding), I find it difficult to take such... Read more

Published on 10 Jun 2004 by natball

1.0 out of 5 stars Highly emotional diatribe
To critique a subject adequately a rudimentary knowledge of that subject is a pre-requisite. This highly emotional diatribe shows that Manji has a lot of personal scores to settle... Read more

Published on 17 May 2004 by M A Chaudry

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must-read
This is a book brimming with wisdom, constructive ideas, hope and if that isn't enough; accurate information about the history of Israel. Read more

Published on 10 May 2004 by Ellen Goudsmit

› See all 10 customer reviews...

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