The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists
by Khaled M. Abou El Fadl
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Despite President George W. Bush's assurances that Islam is a peaceful religion and that all good Muslims hunger for democracy, confusion persists and far too many Westerners remain convinced that Muslims and terrorists are synonymous. In the aftermath of the attacks of 9/11, the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the recent bombings in London, an unprecedented amount of attention has been directed toward Islam and the Muslim world. Yet, even with this increased scrutiny, most of show more the public discourse regarding Islam revolves around the actions of extremist factions such as the Wahhabis and al-Qa'ida. But what of the Islam we don't hear about? As the second-largest and fastest-growing religion in the world, Islam is deemed by more than a billion Muslims to be a source of serenity and spiritual peace, and a touchstone for moral and ethical guidance. While extremists have an impact upon the religion that is wildly disproportionate to their numbers, moderates constitute the majority of Muslims worldwide. It is this rift between the quiet voice of the moderates and the deafening statements of the extremists that threatens the future of the faith. In The Great Theft, Khaled Abou El Fadl, one of the world's preeminent Islamic scholars, argues that Islam is currently passing through a transformative period no less dramatic than the movements that swept through Europe during the Reformation. At this critical juncture there are two completely opposed worldviews within Islam competing to define this great world religion. The stakes have never been higher, and the future of the Muslim world hangs in the balance. Drawing on the rich tradition of Islamic history and law, The Great Theft is an impassioned defense of Islam against the encroaching power of the extremists. As an accomplished Islamic jurist, Abou El Fadl roots his arguments in long-standing historical legal debates and delineates point by point the beliefs and practices of moderate Muslims, distinguishing these tenets from the corrupting influences of the extremists. From the role of women in Islam to the nature of jihad, from democracy and human rights to terrorism and warfare, Abou El Fadl builds a vital vision for a moderate Islam. At long last, the great majority of Muslims who oppose extremism have a desperately needed voice to help reclaim Islam's great moral tradition. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
In a way, Abou El Fadl is neatly limning the political dimensions of the discourse he has started in his other book Speaking in God's Name. The book is indeed for a wider audience who is not fully equipped (perhaps not interested as well) with the nuances of Islamic law and theology. I liked the book but I don't believe it has enough to wrestle Islam from the extremists; however, it would serve well to find the least common denominators in scattered and extremely diverse Muslim thought.
This is basically how to argue theology with an Islamic fundamentalist. Very detailed, very indepth, totally not my thing.
About the author: quoting from the book's dust jacket, "Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl is one of the most important and influential Islamic thinkers in the modern age. An accomplished Islamic jurist and scholar, he is a professor at the UCLA School of Law, where he teaches Islamic law, immigration law, human rights law, and international and national security law. As the most critical and powerful voice against puritanical and Wahhabi Islam today, he regularly appears on national and international television and radio. . ." About the book, quoting from the dust jacket, " As the second largest and fastest-growing religion in the world, Islam is deemed by more than a billion Muslims to be a source of serenity and spiritual peace, and a show more touchstone for moral and ethical guidance. While extremists have an impact upon the religion that is wildly disproportionate to their numbers, moderates constitute the majority of Muslims worldwide." This work has extensive chapter notes. show less
"...I can recommend everything that Khaled Abou El Fadl has ever written. He has written great books on tolerance in Islam. His view is that extremists have hi-jacked his religion, and he presents an alternative, tolerant version of Islam. There is an argument going on in Muslim communities about whether or not a reformation, a revival of Islam is needed. He is the person to discuss this â he is educated in Islamic law, theology and jurisprudence and it would be great for people to read this book and to see that there is a push-back within the Islamic community against extremism. He has the background to give him authenticity and authority within Islam.
The extremists used to have a fringe, cult-like thing about them, but they have show more spread very successfully because al Qaeda and other groups like that have made arguments to people who donât have the education to counter them. Surveys in Europe have shown that the people most likely to be radicalised are those with no religious training or background, because they have no inoculation against the extremist arguments...." (reviewed by Mary Habeck in FiveBooks).
The full interview is available here: http://fivebooks.com/interviews/mary-habeck-on-terrorism show less
The extremists used to have a fringe, cult-like thing about them, but they have show more spread very successfully because al Qaeda and other groups like that have made arguments to people who donât have the education to counter them. Surveys in Europe have shown that the people most likely to be radicalised are those with no religious training or background, because they have no inoculation against the extremist arguments...." (reviewed by Mary Habeck in FiveBooks).
The full interview is available here: http://fivebooks.com/interviews/mary-habeck-on-terrorism show less
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Author Information
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Khaled Abou El Fadl is the Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Distinguished Professor in Islamic Law at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, where he is also chair of the Islamic Studies program. He received the University of Oslo Human Rights Award, was named a Carnegie Scholar in Islamic Law, and has served on the board of directors show more for Human Rights Watch, among other honors. He is the author of numerous books, including The Great Theft and The Search for Beauty in Islam. show less
Common Knowledge
- Dedication
- This book is dedicated to my teachers, who taught be beauty, compassion, and mercy, and that the true Islam is the Islam of moderation.
- First words
- Recently, a rather well-known Islam-basher wrote an article accusing me of being a "stealth Islamist."
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