No god but God

The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam

By: Reza Aslan

Narrated by: Shishir Kurup

Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Though it is the fastest growing religion in the world, Islam remains shrouded by ignorance and fear. What is the essence of this ancient faith? Is it a religion of peace or war? How does Allah differ from the God of Jews and Christians? Can an Islamic state be founded on democratic values such as pluralism and human rights? A writer and scholar of comparative religions, Reza Aslan has earned international acclaim for the passion and clarity he has brought to these questions. In No god but God, challenging the "clash of civilizations" mentality that has distorted our view of Islam, Aslan explains this critical faith in all its complexity, beauty, and compassion.

Contrary to popular perception in the West, Islam is a religion firmly rooted in the prophetic traditions of the Jewish and Christian scriptures. Aslan begins with a vivid account of the social and religious milieu in which the Prophet Muhammad lived. The revelations that Muhammad received in Mecca and Medina, which were recorded in the Quran, became the foundation for a radically more egalitarian community, the likes of which had never been seen before.

According to Reza Aslan, we are now living in the era of "the Islamic Reformation". No god but God is a persuasive and elegantly written account of the roots of this reformation and the future of Islamic faith.

©2006 Reza Aslan (P)2009 Random House

Excellent and fair-minded history of Islam

This book is a must read for anyone that wants to understand the current conflicts between the west and the Islam.

Amazing

Well written for the lay person and in depth enough fpr. The rest of us. Should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand current geo-political issues.

Very good overview/history of Islam

I am an Evangelical Christian trying to better understand the beliefs and history of Islam. This book has been incredibly helpful in my research. Although I fundamentally disagree with the author's worldview and how he approaches the study religins, it is nonetheless a very insightful book. I would recommend it for anyone seeking to learn more about the history and theological divisions within Islam.

Exactly what I was looking for

I had been looking for a book that would explain the development of Islam, especially it's interplay with the other Abrahamic religions of the region. This book kept my attention for the full duration for 3 reasons: it was well-written, well-researched, and beautifully and precisely articulated by the narrator. Don't worry about keeping track of all of the Arabic words, historical figures, and Middle Eastern scholars, they are beside the point and only included, at least as far as the scholars are concerned, to give academic credit where it is due. The message is clear (but I won't spoil it), and if more people were interested in learning about this history, it would go a long way to improving western relationships with the Islamic world.

Outstanding

I learned so much! I began this book knowing basically nothing about Islam. I now feel I have a general understanding of its beginning and its ongoing evolution in our current world.

A brilliant short history of Islam

Would you listen to No god but God again? Why?

I would listen again because the subject matter is not only critical to our modern day understanding of Islam, but also to familiarize myself with the history of the religion.

What other book might you compare No god but God to and why?

Zealot by Aslan follows a similar overview of the history of a major religion--in that case, Christianity--but No God But God differs a bit in that it looks at how Islam has been splintered off into various sects and the role of those sects in the Middle East.

Which character – as performed by Shishir Kurup – was your favorite?

This is a history, so this question is not really applicable.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was moved by the initial peace and egalitarianism espoused by Mohammed and his tolerance for people of other faiths. It is a stark contrast to the hatred of and by religious "fundamentalists," whose fundamental belief seems to always be composed of hatred of all others who may differ from them.

Any additional comments?

Do not believe the negative reviews of this book or of Zealot. Those reviews appear to all stem from the very same religious intolerance and ignorance that they accuse the author of possessing.

Muhammad more Joseph Smith than Jesus.

Would you listen to No god but God again? Why?

I will listen to this book again, It lays out a good line of events of how we have the Islam we know today. The claims of Muhammad being a divine prophet are baseless and unevidenced (as with any Divinity claim ever). But other than that it's a good book that attempts to humanize Muslims to the fearful and sheds light into the never ending internal strife within Islam Itself.

Great context

Very informative with wonderful insight into all religions from historical perspectives to modern day issues.

I learned a lot.

You read books to learn. I learned a lot from this book. I now have a better understanding of how Islam was formed.

Should be required reading!

I can only hope that more non-muslim peoples around the world will take the time to read or listen to this book! The connections between what is going on in their world and ours are stark and gaining abetter understanding of what connects all people's of faith rather than what sets us apart will do all of us a lot of good!