Bernard Lewis is widely regarded as one of the best scholars of Islam.
i've read his book "What Went Wrong?" which covers several hundred years of history in which Islam's worldwide influence diminished from its historical peak. i found it useful in beginning to understand the hisotorical background for contemporary attitudes toward the West in the Muslim world.
In my wanderings I've come across recommendations for these books, though I've yet to actually read them myself yet:
Muslims: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by Andrew Rippin
What The Koran Really Says
by Ibn Warraq
Quest For The Historical Muhammad
Ibn Warraq
Islamic Art And Architecture
Henri Stierlin
The Holy Quran: Arabic Text-English Translation
Allamah Nooruddin
The Closed Circle: An Interpretation of the Arabs
by David Pryce-Jones
Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions about the World's Fastest-Growing Faith by Robert Spencer
The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis
Sheesh! So many books, so little time. I've just *got* to cut down on the tv time.
Dale:
Bet Ye'or's books on Eurabia and Dimmitude are fundamental.
I'll second Bernard Lewis but he downplays dimmitude so Bat is a help balance.
Spencer has just published a new book on Mohammed that looks interesting
Andrew Bostom's book on jihad appears solid. I think Oliver Roy's books are available in English.
That's all I can think of for the moment.
Check out Spencer,s website because he cites books here and there that might be of interest.
xavier
I'll likely get the spelling wrong, but A History of the Arab Peoples by Albert Hourani is a very good reference. It's long (600+ pages), but fairly readable. While the focus is on Arab history, there's necessarily a great deal of discussion about Islam, its history, and its various schisms.
Bill:
Thanks. That reminds me of Amin Maalouf's booklet The Europeans as seen through the eyes of the Arabs (I think that the English translation)
I read it in French and the conclusion was quite striking. By the 900s, Islam was already stagnating.
xavier
Thanks for the recommendations--good stuff, all.
BTW, I'm vacationing this week, so expect no posting.
Reading the Koran, I'm struck by how theologically unsophisticated it is; for example, it's obvious that the author doesn't merely disagree with the Christian doctrines of the Trinity or the Incarnation, he doesn't _understand_ them.
Yes, I've picked up on that in my admittedly cursory readings so far. There's even a claim in Sura 9 that Judaism held up Ezra as the "Son of God," thereby earning Koranic condemnation. That doesn't square with any form of Judaism history is aware of.
Robert Spencer's "Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Cruasades" is not the polemic its title might suggest; I found it well-written and well-sourced.
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