Islam Without Illusions: Its Past, Its Present, and Its Challenge for the Future

by Ed Hotaling

Overview

Hotaling describes how Muhammad created the first Islamic state. He was an innovative general and diplomat who respected women's rights. Hotaling draws the stunning conclusion that if the Prophet were alive today, he would be an American. Hotaling explains, "Just as he did in the heat of persecution, embattled leadership and war, he would have stood up today for his principles, debated and negotiated with his rivals, tolerated their ideas until he could win them over . . . and fought in the open." Here is the amazing story of how Muhammad's followers conquered half the world, exceeded early Christian Europe in the arts, sciences, and government and won the bloody battles of the Crusades. Hotaling traces the path of Islam to modern times and the spread of Islamic Revivalism spurred by the Iranian Revolution. He reveals its connection to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. With compelling precision, he uncovers alternatives to an impending cataclysmic clash of civilizations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815607663
Publisher:	Syracuse University Press
Publication date:	08/01/2003
Series:	Contemporary Issues in the Middle East
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	218
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.89(d)

About the Author

Ed Hotaling is the winner of six Washington Emmy Awards. He was Middle East Bureau Chief for both CBS News, based in Beirut, and McGraw-Hill World News/Business Week, based in the Persian Gulf. He also reported from the Middle East for ABC News. His assignments have taken him to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Bahrain, Cyprus, and beyond, covering war and terrorism, diplomacy and business. He is the author of four books. In Washington, he has reported for NBC radio and NBC-4 television.

Table of Contents

	Preface	ix
1.	What Would Muhammad Do?	1
2.	Paradise and Islam's Four Core Beliefs	15
3.	The First Islamic State	27
4.	The First Women of Islam	39
5.	"General" Muhammad and the First Jihad	55
6.	Separating from Judaism and Christianity	69
7.	One Worldwide Religion?	81
8.	Conquering Half the World	93
9.	The Crusades: A Christian Jihad	111
10.	A (Personal) Persian Interlude	133
11.	The Terrorists' Handbook	151
12.	A "Clash of Civilizations"?	163
	Notes	183
	Bibliography	189
	Index	195

Editorial Reviews

Timely, welcome, and eminently readable. . . . A fair and balanced picture of Islam.

CBS News Dan Rather

Hotaling, author and former Middle East bureau chief for CBS News, offers a fine book that lives up to its title: it covers a variety of topics, focusing on Islamic history and politics, in an honest and fair fashion. The book is admirably succinct, addressing core beliefs of Islam, the prophecy and life of Muhammad (probably the strongest portion of the book), Muhammad's wives and daughter Fatima, jihad, and more in fewer than 200 pages, drawing on credible sources and exemplifying a skilled understanding of Islam and Muslims. His juxtaposition of the widely accepted Yusuf Ali translation of the Qur'an with the more political and extremist Saudi Arabian translation is rarely done, and shows how interpretation diverges greatly in the Islamic world. Anecdotes from his days as a correspondent and bureau chief are enjoyable. He even compares President Nixon's directing Air Force One to avoid flying over the then-enemy airspace of Israel with Muhammad's miraculous night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem. Hotaling concludes with a chapter that addresses several common "illusions" Americans have about Islam. The book does lack a strong guiding theme, as some sections seem to serve no purpose, and Hotaling's discussion of jihad is weak. It is inaccurately described as a sixth pillar for many Muslims, which causes them to attempt to convert the world to Islam. These shortcomings, however, can easily be overlooked. Hotaling's bold observations-for example, giving reasons why Muhammad would want to be an American if he were alive today-will engage the reader. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly