Reviews for Islam in European Thought

The average rating for Islam in European Thought based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-04-04 00:00:00 Oliver Will This is another wonderful intellectual history of the Muslim world by Albert Hourani. A compendium of essays on several different European thinkers interactions with Islam (mostly in the early modern period) the book also segues into some time capsules of life in Arab Muslim and late-Ottoman society that are really priceless for their novelty and historical value. There are many beautiful vignettes, including that of Louis Massignon's experience in the Muslim world, as well as an examination of the themes of Marshall Hodgson's history of Islam. As one could expect there are many beautiful turns of phrase and philosophical insights that pepper Hourani's writing in this book. His work is always enjoyable not only for its incredibly edifying contents but also because it is clearly a reflection of a cultivated and thoughtful mind at work. There are many passages to highlight and save, and many insights not only into the world of Islam but also the perceptions of that world from those on the outside. Given the times, this book is a also good reminder of the historical depth and complexity of the relationship between European thinkers and Muslims, as well as the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in the region we call the Middle East today. Neither relationship has historically been as fraught or inevitably hostile as we make it out to be today, and in fact it has often been quite the opposite. For many it long it did - and perhaps can again - entail mutual respect, cultural collaboration and a sense of shared destiny. Like "Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age" this book is an intellectual history that is priceless in its value. Through beautiful prose and deep (yet effortlessly conveyed) research, it offers a window into a past that has vanished but whose lasting effects are still felt around us today.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-07-22 00:00:00 Tracy Nowik *تصحيح سنة النشر 1994م عدد الصفحات: 258