THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR THOSE WHO WANT A BRIEF HISTORY OF MUSLIMS IN EARLY AMERICA. THIS BOOK FOCUSES MAINLY ON MUSLIMS WHO WERE BROUGHT HERE AS SLAVES AND WHAT BECAME OF THEM. SOME BECAME MEMBERS OF THE CALVERY OR BOUGHT THIER FREEDOM AND RETURNED TO AFRICA. THERE WAS THE PRINCE OF SLAVES ,CALLED SO BECAUSE HE WAS A PRINCE WHEN HE WAS CAPTURED, THERE WAS BROTHER YARRO WHO LIVED IN GEORGETOWN IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THERE IS ALSO INFORMATION AND PICTURES ON BURIAL SITES AND SLAVE LIVNG QUARTERS AND WELL AS PICTURES OF THE MUSLIM SLAVES THEMSELVES. THEN THERE IS THE STORY OF THE FIRST NATIVE BORN MUSLIM CONVERT WHO WAS A CAUCASIAN. THERE IS MUCH MORE OFFERED IN THIS MODEST WORK.

Mallat's excellent, pathbreaking study reveals the story of the most important intellectual development of our era in Shi'i Islam, what he calls the Islamic Renewal (or, more grandly, the Islamic Renaissance) which took place in the city of Najaf in southern Iraq during the 1960s and 1970s. The renewal focused on two areas of Islam's Sacred Law, constitutional law and economic issues (labor law, banking, etc.). How, the jurisprudents asked, from an Islamic viewpoint does one form state institutions and produce and distribute wealth?

Muhammad Baqir as-Sadr (1935-80) provided key answers to these questions in his dozens of books. Two stand out. According to Mallat, Sadr's brief study Sources of Power in the Islamic State provided "the blueprint of Iranian fundamental law" after the Islamic Revolution. In a massive and now-renowned study, Our Economics, Sadr almost single-handedly developed the notion of Islamic economics. All of this had direct political consequences, for ideas developed in Najaf spread through a "Shi'i International." Ruhollah Khomeini was there in Najaf (though, Mallat adds he was only "one scholar among many") as were Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah and Muhammad Mahdi Shams ad-Din (today, leaders of Lebanon's Shi'is) and Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim (head of the Iraqi Shi'i opposition movement). In brief, the violent and aggressive politics coming out of Tehran has deeper intellectual roots-and so probably greater staying power-than many of us would like to see.

Middle East Quarterly, June 1994

I was very poor in computers.i knew nothing about computers.when i got the book i was scared wether i could read it.it was really good .all you have to know is the subject wise .i got a very good grade in the subject which have a lot a spice projects.

Nothing written about the Gulf region has been better reflected than what Al-Murr has in these pages. His stories talk about a place and a time that is truly unrique to this place and the surrounding area. A westerner would never truly undestand the meaning of the whole cultural background and so forth until he reads this book. Some of these stories are true, fabricated with a bit of fiction to entice the reader. All of them can happen or have happened. This is a great book recommended for all those that think that this region is made up of yahoos riding camels. It isn't, as the book point out, and that should be corrected in the minds of people from the west. It is made up a rich society with a rich culture. The way of thinking is different, but through it all it is true.

I used this book 6 years ago for my thesis on Islam and feminism. It cleared up many preconceptions I had about Muslim women and the religion of Islam itself. I never revisited my research about Islam until September 11, 2001. This books shows the historical reasons behind oppressive interpretations and explain Muhammad's egalitarian vision. I use this book to educate people and show that the violent, woman-oppressing Islam is a product of hisotry and culture and not religion. This is not a time for merciless overreaction; it is a time to learn about those things few understand.

I find it interesting that another reader found, within the pages of this book, justification for a Muslim woman wearing a piece of cloth to cover her head. My perception of Ms. Mernissi's views is quite the opposite. What she was trying to say throughout the whole book can be summed up in one of the final questions she asks in her conclusion: "How did the tradition succeed in transforming the Muslim woman into that submissive, marginal creature who buries herself and only goes out into the world timidly and huddled in her veils?" Mernissi then questions why a Muslim man needs such a "mutilated companion." These ideas are what make this book so important. Mernissi clearly reveals the reasons why the tradition of hiding under a veil came about. Many Muslim women feel honored to wear a hijab (head covering) because, for one reason, they feel it earns them greater respect. Mernissi's view is that when the tradition first started, most (if not all) women were considered slaves. The covering of the head signified a woman was not to be considered a slave, but someone who had converted to Islam. I highly recommend this book to every woman, Muslim and non-Muslim, (and man, for that matter) who questions the present treatment of women in the Islamic religion.

Fatima Mernissi's book is a fascinating excursion through her own journey of discovery. She takes us from a man's put-down of her with the Hadith "those who entrust their affairs to a woman will never know prosperity", to an enlightened understanding of the historical context in which the oppressive traditions of Islam arose.

After explaining her background in the introduction she deals with the above hadith and how it came about, she analyzes the role of women in early Islam and especially the prophet's apparent view of women and a very in-depth and detailed discussion of how the veil, or hijab, came into being for Muslim women.

She shows that the denial of women's rights was not the intention of Allah, as the source of Holy Law, nor of Mohammed, but arose in the context of the pre-existing social values of the Arab world of the time, and of the vested political interests and power struggles of the period following Mohammed's death.

The study is very detailed and quite arcane, and although Ms Mernissi takes a lot of care to explain terminology and context, it really requires some background knowledge of Islam and Arabs. The book's main target audience is Moslem women, to show they do have rights within Islam, and possibly Moslem men. I believe westerners can learn from it, but are probably better served by reading more general books on Islamic history and culture. In particular non-Moslems need to understand that Islam is not a single culture, but in reality many traditions under one umbrella, in much the same way that Christendom encompasses many religious and cultural traditions.

This book is geared more towards people within Islam but is suitable for those who arent muslim as well. It is a compelling tale of a man who was once truly lost and has found his way simply by questioning tradition and actively seeking the truth. God would not have liked anything better fram His servants. Tjis book makes the reader think and question themselves like the author has questioned himself. A great read for anyone and very hard to put down once you start. People may have mixed feeling about the beliefes of the author but ultimately this book makes you want to go and search for answers yourself and a book that is able to do that is worthy of every accolade. Highly reccomended

People critisizing this book for lack of research should be reminded that this book is, as the author himself says, a story of a journey. It's a personal account of one man's search for the truth. As an autobiography, it's easy to read and very well written. I do think though that one needs to have at least a basic understanding of Islamic history and beliefs in order to understand some of what he talks about in this book. Above all, Tijani's journey illustrates that the best way to guide a person to the truth is through kindness and by appealing to one's sense of logical reasoning.

The material in this book provides only a glimpse of Dr. Tijani's extensive research, which lasted for over three years. Those wanting a more in-depth study should read one of his subsequent books...

This book holds Dr. Tijani's story to truth. It has been put in a nice way that is easy to understand. He also shows how he got convinced that the Shi'a sect of Islam is the right path to follow. I would rate this books at 5 because it has a nice story of his life. and the writer supports everything he says with historical evidence agreed by books from both the Shi'a sect and the Sunni sect of Islam. Although there were some errors in the book, but I disregarded them because this books is a translation and not the original form it was first written by the author dirctly. Frankly speaking, I liked the book, and started my own little journey of myself after reading it. Thank you!

Add Mark Kram to a list that includes George Plimpton, Norman Mailer and Nick Tosches of authors that attempt to take the most barbaric of sports and rise it to a higher poetic level with their prose. And also add Kram to a growing list of sports and non-sports writers who take what should easily be able to mold a great book out of a page turning, thrill a minute topic only to get their fighters lost in a swamp of alliteration and a metaphoric morass.

"Ghosts" recounts perhaps the greatest rivalry in sports history, the blood feud between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. It was a rivalry that was haunted with heavy racial overtones, Ali cast as the hero of the black man, Frazier as the sellout to the white establishment. In the end, it left Ali a punch drunk simpleton (and not just a victim of Parkinson's as Kram correctly points out) and Joe Frazier a man consumed by bitterness.

Not that "Ghosts of Manila" is easy to put down- in reality Kram builds to the climax, the apocalyptic brutal fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in the Philippines. So much so you are willing to read many sentences twice, and kick yourself for not paying more attention in College Lit. It's like suffering through a good undercard, but one you cannot appreciate because of the anticipation of waiting for the Main Event.

Kram does a terrific job breaking down both men's psyche and backgrounds, mapping the path in the 60s for the horrific collision course between the two great athletes in the 1970s. But just like many heavyweight title fights, you walk away from the main event with that sinking feeling the promoter just took you for a sucker.

To his credit, Kram shatters the Ali myth. It's not a pretty picture. The Greatest is reduced from the civil rights icon he has been portayed by the media as, to a semi-moronic easily lead tool of the American Islam movement, and even a con man. Ali as egotistical womanizer. Before someone mistake the author as some contrarian looking to make a quick buck by writing a controversial book, credibility abound: Mark Kram tips his hat to Ali as a fighter, and he should know, seeing he wrote numerous articles on him in Sports Illustrated.

But the most venom is reserved for Howard Cosell. Cosell liked to portray himself as Ali's partner in his crusade against the Man. Kram does not buy it- his Cosell is a cocktail swilling, ambulance chasing egomaniac and frontrunner.

Why do sportswriters feel the overwhelming need to impress the reader with their writing skills? Perhaps frustration from seeing their journalistic pedigree being dismissed because they are sports writers. But then why can I read Phil Berger's books without my head spinning?

"Ghosts of Manila" is a must read for boxing fans and those interested in learning more about Muhammad Ali, and for that reason, it is reccomendable. For casual readers, I recommend looking up his 1970s Playboy interview and drawing your own conclusions.

Mark Kram appears to know the boxing world inside and out. My biggest complaint is that at times the metaphors and allusions the author uses are more than a bit on the purple side. However, the book in general is well written and holds your attention. The author knows his subject well.

What a subject! He's somewhat merciless to Ali. But he cites more than a little evidence to show Ali as an arrogant, pretentious, and mean bully to his opponents, and frequently to his close associates. One has to feel sorry for many of the women that he got involved with--although with some of them you have to feel sorry for Ali. Ali comes off in Kram's book as being the perennial petulant child. As a political leader he is portrayed as laughably uninformed which could not be compensated for by his very real personal charm and charisma.

Kram sees the Black Muslims in a very negative light. He sees Ali as being almost totally dominated and manipulated by them. He touches on Ali's abandonment of Malcom X--a man of much distinction in Kram's eyes. He also hints that Sonny Liston might have thrown his two fights against Ali out of fear of the Muslims. He quotes George Foreman as saying that Liston was the only opponent who ever backed him up in a ring. He also draws a highly sympathetic portrait of Liston--much like David Remnick in his 1999 book. It's good to see the restoration of a man who has been maligned by so many people. Sonny was no saint, but then who would be with the kind childhood and life that he had to suffer from? May his spirit rest in peace. By comparison, Ali had a life of ease and privilege.

Kram is very kind towards some of the other of Ali's opponents. He obviously displays much sympathy and compassion for Joe Frazier. The poor boy from a family of 25 children in South Carolina. He was the real flesh and blood black model for Stallone's Hollywood treatment/white transformation. He portrays Frazier as a sympathetic person and great fighter with little of the meanness and malice of Ali. The author deals at length with Ali's racist taunts of Frazier.

The author is also obviously very fond Floyd Patterson. Another unfairly maligned heavyweight--and underrated one as well. Ali's verbal treatment of Patterson, Frazier, and others was not one of the highlights in his career. He apparently learned much from professional wrestling theatrics. And today's pro wrestling probably owes some of it's hype to his example.

Kram, the veteran sports writer, writes admiringly of Sugar Ray Robinson and sees him as being truly the greatest boxer of all time. He admits that Ali might be the greatest heavyweight of all time--although he claims he was not a particularly good inside fighter and did not have particularly impressive hooks. He admits to his very impressive skills and also his magnetic charm. However, in this book he more or less tells the Ali worshippers that they need to take a lot of cold showers. From his view, this guy is not the great hero that so much sports writing puffery has proclaimed him to be in recent years. It's very hard to be the great political figure and leader when you haven't a clue as to what politics is about. Writers should definitely cool any comparisons to Martin Luther King or Malcom X.

Finally, this book will not make you want to pick up the gloves for a career as a boxer. Moreover, if you have children, it will cause you to want to injure them if they ever even think about pursuing boxing. When I was younger I admired the courage and skill of those who were accomplished boxers. But now I have to agree with the ex-amateur boxer, Rod Serling, who portrayed the "sport" as a decadent, disgusting, barbaric aberration. This isn't sport, it's about brain damage to the participants and the moral degradation of the "fans". At one time I, too, was one of those "fans". Hopefully, boxing will eventually be seen for what it is and die a quiet death of irrelevance. Anyway, this book is truly about the "living death" of the two gladiators of the "thrilla from Manila".

The Thrilla in Manila occurred when I was just 16 years old. I used to be a student in a prestigious school in Manila. I was able to go around with my friends and watch Ali jog and run every morning at around five a.m. The book of Mark Kram really got me interested because I'm proud to be a Filipino.That the Greatest fight was held in my country and also that he was able to portray the human side of Ali and Frazier. Its different for others to even fathom what really happened during the fight.Kram really wrote the Ali that he knew and idolized all his life, writing in SI, in Esquire,in Playboy magazines, I read as much as I can about Ali and I praise the words that Mark Kram used in the book, he surpassed himself this time. I bow my hat to Mr Kram. Are there any great writers around like him? I hardly think so.

Gardell's impressive research results in a far richer and more subtle account of the NOI and Farrakhan. Immersing himself in the writings of the movement and in much else related to it (such as its connections to the FBI, Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi, and rap musicians) he has produced an impressively thorough account. The study usefully covers other NOI branches, including the Lost Found Nation of Islam, the Five Percent Nation of Islam, and the Ansaaru Allah Community. Here's where to find out about the NOI's tentative moves toward mainstream Islam, its connections to American neo-Nazis, and its challenge to the black Christian churches. Gardell's book is highly unusual in one way: although the author has many strange and tendentious ideas (that Reagan planned 'for a war on Libya' in 1986, that Farrakhan is not an anti-Semite, that a mistress of Elijah Muhammad's was his 'Islamic wife,' that the 1992 Rodney King riots were 'the bloodiest uprising of the twentieth century'), he does not slant the evidence but scrupulously offers information that directly disproves his own arguments. Most readers of In the Name of Elijah Muhammad will want to read the study for its facts while keeping a distance from Gardell's conclusions.

Middle East Quarterly, March 1997

but you needn't be one to enjoy this book. Mattias Gardell does an excellent job of explaining the history of and contradictions within the Nation of Islam. He explains their beliefs in a very straight forward manner. As a previous reviewer mentioned, you're best off ignoring Gardell's opinions on the NOI and drawing your own conclusions. To his credit, the author allows you to do just that.

After having read and viewed a wide range of books on the Nation of Islam and also works published by the NOI, I think Gardell's presentation of the NOI is the most balanced, encompassing, systematized, readable and reflected book on the subject. This work is a must for everyone that wants some real insight into the history and theology of the Nation, whereas most other books on NOI that are still in print are providing nothing but repetions of what we already know. Read this book, acquire new insights and become wiser.

While I am not Muslim but Reformed Christian, my interest in other cultures--their history, their faith, their music and their literature--has compelled me to read the Koran.

My fear about reading the Koran in translation and with study notes by the translator is the same as my fear about people from other faiths approaching the Bible with little or no background: we are dependent on the accuracy of the translation and the faithfulness of the study notes (to an extent, and assuming we regard the notes). However, a good friend--a Muslim from Pakistan who reads the Koran in its original language and who is very orthodox in his faith--has assured me of the accuracy of this translation of the Koran. He has also strongly cautioned me about the study notes--the translator is apparently quite liberal in his understanding of the Koran. As with the Bible, so with the Koran--read it for yourself first, then go back and compare your understanding with the study notes. Perhaps you missed a concept or misunderstood a passage, and perhaps the study note itself is incorrect. Also, study the background of the text--history of doctrine, the great interpreters and theologians, etc.--the better to inform your understanding.

In conclusion then, this is a fine edition of the Koran. A beautiful translation, thorough introduction to the whole Koran, brief introduction to each chapter, side-by-side English/Arabic text, exhaustive study notes, good index, and other features make this a worthy purchase. Five stars, minus one for the study notes!

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful...

As-Salaam-Alaikum! (Peace unto you)

This is the best translation of the Holy Qur'an in English. Marmuduke Pickthall, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, and others all acknowledge the wonderful work done by Mr. Ali. Mr. Ali's translation is both lucid and intelligent. He is not biased against women, trying to make them subservient and docile. His translation contributed to Islam becoming more respected at the time of the first printing back in early 1900's.

I'm not in the Ahmaddiyya movement. But let me say that it never cease to amaze me how many people restate the same old lies, either because they are being vicious, or more probably-because they are just ignorant. I'm not being vicious in saying "ignorant", just noting that I'm using that word in the context of saying they don't know what they are talking about. The Ahmaddiyya's never said that Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (PBUH) was not the seal of the Prophets. They said that they believed the Madhi had come. That's the difference-that's it. If you don't believe that the Madhi came as they say (and I don't believe it, in all due respect)-then fine. If not, then you are just still looking for him to come.

Critics use that one thing to attack Mr. Ali's work, or to slander him and the Ahmaddiyya Movement. But then, the Ahmaddiyya's at least let women drive,don't force them to be as chattel, etc. See, when one looks to dwelve into the word for foolishness, then that is what one finds. And one you go seeking
a translation, filled with notes about why the translator gave the translation he did (and note that Qur'anic Arabic is different than Colloquial Arabic-just as the Queen's Engish is way different than American English) and seeking to revive and renew the interests of the world in Islam-that's the book to read!

Mr. Ali also gives painstaking history on issues of controversy in his notes to the text-including one of the finest defenses I've read against the critics of the Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) (the Holy Qur'an gives the best!) This is the book to read, for all the reasons noted by the other supporters of this translations. I rather doubt if a single critic has ever read it. Instead, they are just repeating the same old tired lies.

This is the translation that shakes up the hypocrisy, lies, misapplications, and purposeful misinterpretations of some.

Sincerely,

P.Muhammad, Esq.

Another wonderful work from the Ahmadiyya Ishaat Islam. The original Koran is in the form of Arabic poetry and any translation into another language is as good as the the knowledge and the intentions of the translator. Many of Koran's translations have been twisted to meet different agendas and this is one major reason the world of Islam is in such a sorry state today. Maulana Muhammad Ali's translation is by far the most wholesome and realistic. Other highly recommended writings of the Maulana are : Mohammad The Prophet, and History of The Prophets.

Also recommended: The Muslim Prayer Book by Maulana Muhammad Ali, and Jesus in Heaven on Earth by Khawaja Nazir Ahmed

I have read the reviews of Evanzz' book on Amazon.com and BN.com and have been somewhat taken aback by the opposition to what he has done here. I read the book from cover to cover and have also read many of the major books and articles about the Nation of Islam or its members (especially Malcolm X). Based upon my own reading, Evanzz has turned in a work that is carefully considered and should be read with an open mind and heart by anyone who wants to learn more about Elijah Muhammad, the Nation of Islam, or Black politics in the 20th century.

Several reviewers here have objected to Evanzz' use of FBI files, but it should be clear from reading this book, Bruce Perry's _Malcolm_, and the FBI files of Martin Luther King, Jr., Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, and many others that while the FBI has repeatedly been the enemy of Black people in America, it has also inadvertently provided excellent documentation of Black leaders' activities, for better or worse. Evanzz recognizes this, and even points out how ham-fisted the FBI could be in its attempts to undermine Black organizations, including the NOI.

Is Evanzz' account totally unbiased? Obviously, no. The further one gets into the book, the clearer his disdain for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the NOI shows through. Given the events he relates, however, it's easy to see why. That an organization that intends to save Black folks could be so cruel to those it would save should give any reader pause.

Evanzz forces us to confront a number of issues: 1) How and why religions are formed; 2) The relevance of the NOI; 3) The weaknesses built into the NOI and its theology; 4) The importance of having a clear-eyed view of ALL leaders.

Was/is Elijah Muhammad important to African American politics and history? Of course he was. Evanzz understands this. He also makes clear, however, that that importance should not excuse us from criticizing him or his spirtual or political heirs.

One final word: I recommend readers check out C. Eric Lincoln's _The Black Muslims in America_, Peter Goldman's _The Death and Life of Malcolm X_, Louis Lomax's _To Kill a Black Man_, and Bruce Perry's _Malcolm_ as sources that will alternately support and correct some of Evanzz' information. (Some minor facts are inaccurate in a few places.)

This is a stunning, scathing indictment of the Nation of Islam. People involved in this organization really need to read this book to get an honest account of its history that Farrakhan and his minister stooges would never provide. I am not a guy who generally criticizes Black militants... at least not for their politics... but I must make an exception for the NOI. It is true that the NOI helped reform many people who were lost in drugs and crime. This can't be denied. But NOI apologists cannot deny the many acts of violence committed by members of the group. Farrakhan and Elijah Muhammad did NOTHING to curb this violence. If this doesn't convince NOI supporters that the group is no good, consider that all of these crimes were committed against BLACK people. And if that isn't enough, consider that all of them are BLACK MUSLIMS. Followers of the NOI even drowned infants, yet never did any leader of the group so much as even imply that killing Black Muslim babies is WRONG. And must we even mention that they killed Malcolm X, a truly great Black leader? Members of the NOI today spit on his memory with their membership. You can't even say that what they practice is Islam. The NOI teaches that some bozo named Wallace D Fard is the Messiah, Allah in human form. This is as different from true Islam as Christianity is to Judaism. Farrakhan should at least respect real Muslims and call his religion Fardism. BTW, FBI files are very valid sources. No one needs to be skeptical of those. The FBI conducted massive illegal surveillance of social activist groups. Not just of militant groups like the NOI or the Black Panthers but also the supposedly harmless Martin Luther King, Jr. They documented this stuff thoroughly, never dreaming that the Freedom of Information Act would expose these files to anyone, like Evanzz, who wants to see them. I've seen some of these files from the `60's and early `70's. The information on them is amazing... details of private conversations are common... and that's stuff that HADN'T been hastily blacked out.

I disagree with many of the readers before me. This book is excellently researched and documented. I believe that many of the people who are upset with this book are members of the black muslims and they cannot handle the historical truths of their religion. This book is beyond theological debate. The messenger shows how a man can rise from an average person to an inspirational leader for thousands of people. I believe that this book should be read by all people who want to rise to the call of leadership, because every leader can learn from the mistakes of leaders of the past. This books gives in detail the wonderful contributions that Muhammad made to the stuggles of Africans here in America as well as showing his many mistakes that he made in his path.I highly recommend this book. Peace and Blessings