Islam – A Short History by Karen Armstrong, author of Fields of Blood and Religion http://realini.blogspot.com/2023/09/fields-of-blood-and-religion-by-karen.html and other capital works - 10 out of 10
Islam – A Short History by Karen Armstrong, author of Fields of Blood and Religion http://realini.blogspot.com/2023/09/fields-of-blood-and-religion-by-karen.html and other capital works
10 out of 10
Karen Armstrong is the ultimate expert on religion, at least I think I have read that in The Economist, and if not there, maybe in another respected publication, and finally, without that alternative, let me just pronounce her the most important source I know, and proof for that would be the oeuvres she has written on The Bible http://realini.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-bible-biography-by-karen-armstrong.html and other holy texts and religions
A Short History of Islam is a stupendous achievement, and beyond what it tells you about Islam, I was thinking that it is a glorious work also because it proves again the importance of reading, education oneself, seeking pertinent information, which, as is demonstrated by this Short history, would transform the world for you
If you believe that Islam is backward, violent, passé and many other bad things, then this opus will change that – yes, there is the jihad, which is misinterpreted by fanatics as being a conflict with others, but apparently, the original meaning in Islam, which is a Religion of Peace, was with emphasis on the internal, spiritual aspects, with respect for the others, especially the other major religions, such as Judaism, Christianity…indeed, the interpretation is that had Mohamed known about Buddhism and others, he surely would have included them with the rest, to be respected, and not bullied or abused
Muslims are not zealots, proselytizing, on the contrary, it was accepted that the other important faiths have received their own revelation from God, so in the beginning, there was no effort to bring others into the fold, things have changed in the meantime, but as Karen Armstrong points out, other faiths have also known periods when they tortured people (think of the Inquisition, as an example, albeit the institution has killed fewer humans that monarchies, for instance) and fundamentalist was once associated with other believers
We find that fundamentalist does not translate well, there is no word for that in Arabic (or that is my perception) and you know they have monsters, but those are the feature in all religions – I was aghast to find that Buddhists are involved in atrocities in Myanmar – and surely if in that land, then it must be elsewhere – when I knew that belief to be about seeking for Nirvana, eliminating cravings, which are the source of unhappiness…
If Short, this History of Islam is clearly able to modify misconceptions, and explains differences between the West and the Islamic world – take the insistence of Western societies to see democracy flourish in the Islamic realms, which makes sense, Winston Churchill has put it perfectly ‘democracy is the worst system, except for all the others’
However, democracy as the ‘system for the people, by the people’ meets with objections from the Muslims, for they believe that God is instrumental, not the people, and if there is a way to accommodate the two, then an advanced society can prosper, alongside a strong held belief, with compromises, said in the positive sense
Readers also get some of the background, such as the nefarious influence of the colonizers, the double standard our countries used (and still do) when looking for their interests, tolerating tyrant they like, and showing extreme hostility for the imams, religious leaders they do not like – the case of Iran is one, where the shah of Iran had been allowed to torture, kill innocents, and Khomeini and his zealots (that have been barbarous) were ostracized, when progress could have been encouraged in different ways
Mind you, Karen Armstrong is fair, just and does not present here the apology of this religion, for Iran, she indicates that the taking of the hostages after the ayatollah came to power was against Islam, which teaches that Muslims have to show respect for prisoners, that is allowed only during war, and there are other important provisions…the book is excellent in showing that Islam is a practical faith and all embracing
Muslims are those who respect the four laws, or rules, saying the prayers, accepting the ‘there is only one god, and Mohamed is his prophet’ principle, the zakat, giving to the poor and then trying to make the pilgrimage to Mecca (is it also Medina, both, one of them, well, I forget) for those who have the means
It is not a religion with a lot of scriptures, holy texts and promoting a sort of esoteric concept, as said before, as long as they respect the fundamental laws, to joke if allowed, they are in…you could join the community, or wait, there are complications, for after Mohamed came with this extraordinary vision, revelation (I think I have read elsewhere that this story is really magical, for the man was simple, and to have this whole new faith brought out by him, assuming you are like me, skeptical of the whole Allah told him everything, does show a magical aptitude, kudos for Mohamed, no matter what the ‘divine truth’ might be
Like with the other faiths, Islam became divided, mainly between the Shia and Sunni, Shia is predominant in Iran, and Sunnis are the majority throughout the Islamic world, with various changes and hues – the Saudis are Wahabbites and they have had a very strict interpretation, with sharia, cutting off limbs, killing gay people and other such gruesome attitudes – but this is because they read the texts and get the wrong messages, just like with the evangelicals that read in their Bible that the Messiah looks and acts like…Trump
Now for a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/unique-in-world.html?q=unique+in+the+world – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/realini-in-newsweek-participant-in.html
From To The Heritage:
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“the Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special. Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
Comentarii
Trimiteți un comentariu