SENSE AND SENSIBILITY IN ISLAM

Linguistics, Context and Rationality

by Abdul Elah Nazer

Formats

Softcover

£18.95

Hardcover

£27.95

Softcover

£18.95

Book Details

Language : English

Publication Date : 28/04/2012

Format : Softcover

Dimensions : 6x9

Page Count : 815

ISBN : 9781469148304

Format : Hardcover

Dimensions : 6x9

Page Count : 815

ISBN : 9781469148311

About the Book

Islam, more than 1400 years after its revival by Prophet Muhammad is still misunderstood today. The traditional Islam practised today, is not the Islam of the Prophets, Abraham and Muhammad. It has been acutely syncretized with alien concepts of Paganism, Zoroastrian and Judeo-Christian.

This book will attempt to explain some of the misunderstood verses using linguistics within its various contexts. Resorting to reason, Sense and Sensibility in Islam “sieves” out words and expressions of literalism from historicity. The resulting exegesis closely mirrors the message of the Quran as understood by the Pagan, Persian and the Judeo-Christian weltanschauung of the days of the Prophet Muhammad.

The use of logic and context of the message is paramount. Arabic lexicons are frequently consulted and ancient metaphors revealed. Myths, legends, dogmas, miracles, superstitions, and historicity will be examined in the light of modern disciplines of archaeology and it sub-discipline of epigraphy, anthropology, cosmology and other scientifi c disciplines in deciphering and “teasing” out the message to its “original” rational intent.

Contrary to popular perception, Islam is not a religion. It is in fact opposed to it, states Nazer. Traditional Islam today is a syncretic medley of traditions from Zoroastrian, Jewish and Christian traditions. While Nazer attempts to separate Original Islam from this syncretism, he asks various pertinent questions on the origins of Prophet Muhammad; the rituals perpetuated in the name of Islam by the Pagan Meccans of the Omayyad Period and later Abbasside Zoroastrian Persians and question their authenticity through linguistics, common sense and unveiled metaphors from Arabic Lexicons. Like separating wheat from chaff, Nazer “teases” out ancient words and metaphors from commonly translated rituals in today’s Islam.

What was the essence of the ancient faith, he asks? Did Abraham travel all the way to Mecca to found a faith on the ritual of prayers, or did he found a system of socio-economic reforms, which Muhammad followed, for later generations? Did Abraham build the Kaaba in Mecca? Did Mecca exist during Abraham’s time? What do the words Kaaba and Bakkah really mean? Was Bakkah the Mecca of today, or was it the Baca or Bekah of the Judaic religion? Nazer explains these words through linguistics from context and the answer may surprise many, including the followers of traditional Islam today.

Finally, Sense and Sensibility in Islam examines whether Islam is compatible with Western democracy. Is Islam a democracy or an autocracy, allied to patristic bondage as practiced in Iran and Saudi Arabia? He comes to the conclusions that Islam is a set of social reforms that lead to peace, security and human rights for all.

About the Author

Customer Reviews

"

This review is from: Sense And Sensibility In Islam: Linguistics, Context and Rationality (Multilingual Edition) (Paperback)

For a non-Muslim reader, I think this book is a first of its kind! Controversial it will be for Muslims, but logical. From my limited knowledge of traditional Islam, this book should be considered as a revolution in Islamic intellectual thinking for it shatters myths long considered reality for a lot of Muslims. Being born a Christian and shunning rituals and mythical injections into my own religion, this book should make a lot of sense to intellectual Judea-Christians. Nazer explains away the miracles of Jesus and Moses as mere misunderstanding the ancient Arabic language of the time. Academics in Islamic Studies who might read this book may revise their understanding of Islam, which is mostly based on Traditional Islamic sources.

Following Chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10 requires an understanding of present Islamic beliefs. These chapters pierce a gaping hole to the traditional understanding of their rituals.

All in all, a very informative exegesis based on linguistics and reason. I would recommend the book to all who are interested in Islam."

Jonathan Fry
"Wonderful exegesis that makes sense, for Nazer is confident that the linguistics coupled with context and the unveiling of ancient Arabic metaphors clearly expresses the core message of the Quran as the formation of a socioeconomic system with human rights for all.

He goes on to explain how traditionally translated Quranic verses have been misinterpreted to conform to rituals, miracles, dogma and the like.

The readership should have a grounding on Traditional Islam to fully appreciate the content throughout the book.

Xlibris editorial ship have fallen short in correcting the few typos that are apparent throughout the book.

All in all, a wonderful read, but complicated for those unaware of Arabic linguistics and grammar."

J. Fazel
By

Jonathan Fry (Toronto) - See all my reviews

"

This review is from: Sense And Sensibility In Islam: Linguistics, Context and Rationality (Multilingual Edition) (Paperback)

For a non-Muslim reader, I think this book is a first of its kind! Controversial it will be for Muslims, but logical. From my limited knowledge of traditional Islam, this book should be considered as a revolution in Islamic intellectual thinking for it shatters myths long considered reality for a lot of Muslims. Being born a Christian and shunning rituals and mythical injections into my own religion, this book should make a lot of sense to intellectual Judea-Christians. Nazer explains away the miracles of Jesus and Moses as mere misunderstanding the ancient Arabic language of the time. Academics in Islamic Studies who might read this book may revise their understanding of Islam, which is mostly based on Traditional Islamic sources.

Following Chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10 requires an understanding of present Islamic beliefs. These chapters pierce a gaping hole to the traditional understanding of their rituals.

All in all, a very informative exegesis based on linguistics and reason. I would recommend the book to all who are interested in Islam."

Jonathan Fry
"

This review is from: Sense And Sensibility In Islam: Linguistics, Context and Rationality (Multilingual Edition) (Paperback)

For a non-Muslim reader, I think this book is a first of its kind! Controversial it will be for Muslims, but logical. From my limited knowledge of traditional Islam, this book should be considered as a revolution in Islamic intellectual thinking for it shatters myths long considered reality for a lot of Muslims. Being born a Christian and shunning rituals and mythical injections into my own religion, this book should make a lot of sense to intellectual Judea-Christians. Nazer explains away the miracles of Jesus and Moses as mere misunderstanding the ancient Arabic language of the time. Academics in Islamic Studies who might read this book may revise their understanding of Islam, which is mostly based on Traditional Islamic sources.

Following Chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10 requires an understanding of present Islamic beliefs. These chapters pierce a gaping hole to the traditional understanding of their rituals.

All in all, a very informative exegesis based on linguistics and reason. I would recommend the book to all who are interested in Islam."

Jonathan Fry
"Wonderful exegesis that makes sense, for Nazer is confident that the linguistics coupled with context and the unveiling of ancient Arabic metaphors clearly expresses the core message of the Quran as the formation of a socioeconomic system with human rights for all.

He goes on to explain how traditionally translated Quranic verses have been misinterpreted to conform to rituals, miracles, dogma and the like.

The readership should have a grounding on Traditional Islam to fully appreciate the content throughout the book.

Xlibris editorial ship have fallen short in correcting the few typos that are apparent throughout the book.

All in all, a wonderful read, but complicated for those unaware of Arabic linguistics and grammar."

J. Fazel

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