Reza Aslan?

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Thanks for the reference. I just ordered his book. I’d be interested in a review if you have any thoughts.

Have you read Irshad Manji? if so, can you compare and contrast the two?
 
LaMar said:
Thanks for the reference. I just ordered his book. I’d be interested in a review if you have any thoughts.

Have you read Irshad Manji? if so, can you compare and contrast the two?
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No, but I’ve seen her interviewed on TV and was really impressed.

I’m reading his book “No god but God” right now, I think their both quite impressive.
 
IvanKaramozov said:
No, but I’ve seen her interviewed on TV and was really impressed.

I’m reading his book “No god but God” right now, I think their both quite impressive.
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I just got done with Edward Said’s Orientalism (which I should have read ten years ago). His work isn’t relevant to today’s conflict, but it sheds a great deal of light on the historical context. Check that out when you’re done, if you haven’t already. It’s great stuff.
 
Reza Aslan is a very good writer–that’s my opinion. I have not read his book, and I just want to remind you of one thing–he is Shi’a (85% of Muslims are Sunni) and so sometimes only represents a minority opinion of Muslims, although usually not on many more significant issues.

I wouldn’t put him at all in the same category of Irshad Manji, however–not at all.
 
LaMar said:
I just got done with Edward Said’s Orientalism (which I should have read ten years ago). His work isn’t relevant to today’s conflict, but it sheds a great deal of light on the historical context. Check that out when you’re done, if you haven’t already. It’s great stuff.
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I’ll make a not of it:)
 
Sister_Amy said:
Reza Aslan is a very good writer–that’s my opinion. I have not read his book, and I just want to remind you of one thing–he is Shi’a (85% of Muslims are Sunni) and so sometimes only represents a minority opinion of Muslims, although usually not on many more significant issues.
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I know his family is from Iran, but I didn’t know he identified with a specific sect of Islam.

I do, however, keep in mind that his views can, at times, be a bit unorthodox in Mainstream Islamic thought.
I wouldn’t put him at all in the same category of Irshad Manji, however–not at all.
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Why?
 
Reza Aslan has seriously studied the religion, and religion in general. He knows what he is talking about, even though as you say he might be a “bit unorthodox.” He’s not really a scholar of Islam but he is a scholar in the Western sense and he can capably and intelligently and fairly speak about Islam. And frankly, I think he is an author that the West in general should be very familiar with when it comes to Islam and the Middle East perspective of religion.

Irshad Manji on the other hand is not somebody who has studied religion at that level so I would argue that her understanding is not as sound. Moreover, her criticism of Islam, unlike Aslan’s which you described as “a bit unorthodox,” is frankly offensive and reeking of a poorly-informed secular bias.
 
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