Never have I been more impressed with someone's thought process as I do his. It's amazing how he approached everything with such profound clarity and bravery -- no second guessing, or even any hint of a reserved reluctance. He just went straight at it, like a lion of his own. No wonder he is Muhammad Asad. I felt sad departing from the book, from his company and also Zayd. I have a What a powerful book.
I have a feeling I might visit you from time to time. May Allah preserve him and reward his outstanding efforts in the building of thriving Muslim brethren. View 2 comments. Aug 04, Miroku Nemeth rated it it was amazing.
An amazing narrative from a rare seeker with the sensibilities and powers of observation of a poet and the convictions of a convert warrior who had deeply internalized a vision of Islam. I had informed him of my study of Orientalism and post-colonialism and my thesis "The Orientalist and the Dervish: Representations of Al-Tasawwuf in the Writings of Captain An amazing narrative from a rare seeker with the sensibilities and powers of observation of a poet and the convictions of a convert warrior who had deeply internalized a vision of Islam.
I had informed him of my study of Orientalism and post-colonialism and my thesis "The Orientalist and the Dervish: Representations of Al-Tasawwuf in the Writings of Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton", and we had a remarkable conversation on so much literature and history--he had used the text in teaching at Zaytuna College, and, though I put off reading the text for months, once I began reading it, I finished it in a few days. As a convert to Islam myself at roughly the same age as Leopold Weiss Muhammad Asad , Asad's narrative was engaging to me on numerous levels.
He was a true seeker, as I had been. As a journalist, Asad knew and interacted with some of the most important figures in the Middle East and "Near East" of his time, from the great mujahid Umar Mukhtar to ibn Sa'ud, Reza Khan, and so many others. Write with lucid descriptiveness, his writings took me back to my own travels in Egypt and Arabia, and echoed the writings of so many European travelers in the Muslim lands; the difference is the great faith and great humanity which permeates Asad's narrative.
Well worth the read. The passages on the struggles of ordinary peoples, either struggling in poverty or against the bloody industrialized inhumane warfare of the Italian fascists in Libya, are extremely touching.
Asad's faith in Islam, vision of potential nobility but present degradation of the Muslims is something that believing Muslims struggle to fulfill in reality. Feb 24, Hossain rated it it was amazing Shelves: ibooks. This book is based on an autobiography of the writer Muhammad Asad. Though this book is the personal expedition of the writer to explorer Islam and the Islamic world where the original picture of Islam made him revert to Islam but how wonderfully he portrays the political scenario of the westerners trying to divide Islamic countries since the beginning of this century, how as a journalist the writer attempted to reach to the European to send them the core message of what Islam and Muslims are, h This book is based on an autobiography of the writer Muhammad Asad.
Though this book is the personal expedition of the writer to explorer Islam and the Islamic world where the original picture of Islam made him revert to Islam but how wonderfully he portrays the political scenario of the westerners trying to divide Islamic countries since the beginning of this century, how as a journalist the writer attempted to reach to the European to send them the core message of what Islam and Muslims are, how westerners repeatedly tried to misrepresents it, his love, his marriage, his thrilling adventure, his emotions all came together in this book obviously claims to have high appreciation from the readers.
The writer proved to have a high skill of writing ability which is not seen in many writings made this book a great one as well to read. Jun 17, Rida Rizvi rated it it was amazing. It took a while to complete this book.
Primarily because I didn't want to haste and grasp the author's journey and struggles towards faith and understanding fate. Maybe because that's what I wanted to reinforce within me. This book gave a different sort of optimism and most importantly it highlights the right kind of attitude in way of struggle especially towards faith.
Emphasizes of Muhammad Assad and epitome of his whole journey has been gathering knowledge from wherever he could and that is m It took a while to complete this book. Emphasizes of Muhammad Assad and epitome of his whole journey has been gathering knowledge from wherever he could and that is most important for any sort of growth.
A good read all in all. May 16, Mai rated it really liked it. It is hard to categorize this book as it is a mixture of history, travel, religion and spiritual. It gives a lot of information about the history of Arab countries and Iran. It also gives great details about life in these countries and specially Bedouin life in Saudi deserts.
His insights about Islam and Arab are very inspiring. Mar 27, Chris rated it it was amazing. Mashallah an excellent book, topic, and author. Muhammad Asad is an incredible writer with an incredible story to tell. This book has really influenced me and encouraged me to do something with my life. I highly recommend it. Apr 22, Humza rated it it was amazing Shelves: book-recs-general. Definitely one of, if not the best, books I've ever read.
The interweaving of the authors personal spiritual journey with his actual adventures make for an extremely entertaining and insightful read. Jan 07, Lew Watts rated it it was amazing. An extraordinary and beautiful account of the search for the human soul that is universal in its messages across all religions, and even beyond religion. Oct 17, Raafat Gilani rated it it was amazing.
The book brings in a fascinating amalgamation of the ideas, structure and history of west and the east. The author, being a westerner by origin takes the reader through an interesting sphere of the sense of being in the west as compared to the east, more specifically the Middle-East.
He does so brilliantly, the writing is smooth and flows without a rush through his experiences. Recommended, definitely, for those who want to have a taste of what it could be like, given the walls of avoidance that the West has put between it and the East, could be climbed over.
This being an autobiography he showcases his personal encounter and subsequent transformation after going beyond borders. Wow where do I begin, I ventured into reading this thinking it'll be a sensational, jaw dropping, soul-rending, emotionally appealing, revert story.
It's not. It reads more like a historical account of the Arab world and the impact it made on someone who visits it as a foreigner only to identify himself as one of them. Muhammad Asad is very poetic at certain places especially when describing the scenery or backdrop to give a vivid mental picture of what his surroundings must be like.
Similarly he Wow where do I begin, I ventured into reading this thinking it'll be a sensational, jaw dropping, soul-rending, emotionally appealing, revert story. Similarly he describes people with such an acumen that you think you're sitting opposite the person being addressed and have known them your whole life.
The part which I found most interesting was of the Sanusi movement. Asad has done a terrific job explaining why one's inner dimensions are linked to their physical outer reality and if both aren't in harmony then utter chaos is inevitable. The people who wanted to revive the golden era of Islam with the onset of the Sanusi movement would today be looked on as militant islamists or jihadis with a negative connotation.
But they were far from it and after reading it you'll begin to see why. He carefully peels off the intricate nuances behind the purpose and idea of jihad from an Islamic viewpoint. I had a discussion with a friend who resides in Saudi Arabia and she said the Arabia depicted here is a long forgotten dream and very much different from present day. But one thing this book does justice to is how Asad describes the bedouins and their nomadic lifestyle. It makes you absolutely fall in love with the desert and want to go on a caravan through paths unknown.
May 26, Danyal rated it it was amazing. When I finished this book, I don't know how I felt. I had to take a long walk. I don't know why. Maybe to digest. The last chapter was about Hajj. And this is the first time a book has made me want to go for Hajj.
I always knew it's obligatory, but I am talking about having a desire to do it, from the heart, not just because it's obligatory. I imagined Kaba in my head, right in front of me. I knew his was the Asad whose translation of the Quaran the travel blogger Rosie Gabrielle was holding in the photo when she announced her conversion to Islam. This book is the life story of Asad, written very beautifully like a novel, except that it's real.
He was born into a Jewish family, and lost some of his family members to the Holocaust. He worked as a journalist, and his travels took him to Palestine, and then Arabia, and later on Iran and Afghanistan. He learnt Arabic, converted to Islam.
When I told a friend I had begun reading this, he asked to me to share takeaways when I am finished. These are rough, but these are some of the points I noted: 1. The broader picture. The story is an adventure. It's like a movie. With his present, and past being told in flashbacks.
Oneness of things. The soul and the body. Practical matters and matters of faith. According to Asad, these are not different, they are one. When he saw people so immersed in their prayers. Are we so immersed in our prayers that we impress a stranger to Islam? Decay of a civilization is reflected in social decay.
There is a nice passage about how Early Muslims valued knowledge of all kinds, and were not like how today's scholars differentiate between 'religious' and 'secular'. British Games. First creating them, then supporting them via arms, then attacking them saying to the govt that we are doing it for your good.
Secularism of Meccans. Islam was not a threat if it was supposed to remain a personal belief thing only. Why Meccans felt threatened was because it came with a social and economic order. Consequently, secularism is quite far removed from Islam. Dajjal - Asad hints at the dajjal being the material world and looking at the world through material-only eyes, while shutting the spiritual eye.
Asad asks very penetrating questions to present Muslims. That's also a nice passage. This is the point where he hasn't converted, but asks an Afghan. To which the Afghan replies that you are a Muslim, you just don't know it yet. How violently against religion USSR was. I knew it was atheist. But there is mention of how mosques were attacked and stuff.
An intro to Islam is also given on p. That is not supposed to be that, but functions as that. As to how it is different from other religions and how it was a new idea.
He officially converted at the hands of an Indian Muslim friend who isn't mentioned. It was nice to know.
There is a part of his life where he has lived with, and even carried out some 'spy' operations for the Sanusi Order. I have to read more about it. Talks about Umar Mukhtar. He is said to be a brave and courageous African leader fighting against colonial forces. Also Sayyid Ahmed. Kemal Ataturk was secular but he used all the religious forces he could get his hands on. Later on, he betrayed the hopes of these, including the Sanusi Order. It was very interesting to learn that the Italians have blood on their hands too.
Desecration of Quran, burning and bombing villages, etc. He also talks about how this strong force of the West with its glitter and gold is destroying the Islamic world, and how imitation is always going to ensure that a people remain small.
Using knowledge isn't imitation. Imitation is copying the values and culture. The last chapter is about Hajj. And it is one of the most beautiful things I have read. I don't expect a discussion of Hajj to be like this. I expect it to be boring. But it was beautiful. Also interesting but was early on the book so couldn't make a proper note was the personality of Ibn Saud.
I thought he was too forgiving to him, but later on there is a criticism as well. And I'd say that's just the literary style of some writers. Also he talks about how while land of Palestine was being lost, there was still extravagance, parties don't know how to write a better word right now , etc and how the red-light district of egypt or maybe jordan was full of 'life'.
Essay Thesis: Hitler 's book helps people like Max, Hans, and Liesel in the opposite way from what the book was meant to stand for. Max is a jew so his life if very dangerous, impecunious, and the time came that he had to move. Hans had a debt to repay so he came up with a insidious plan to help get Max to his house.
To experience a moral life, people were taught to be good to all people. Similarly, the emphasis on attractive ideas could be appealing to people who lived in a difficult lifestyle. Because of these positive ideas about Islam, many people were inspired to convert to this religion, which contributed to the growth of Islam.
He is Jewish, but he wants to go deeper into his religion and learn more about it. He becomes good friends with a man named Moishe the Beadle. Moishe is very knowledgeable about the religion and he teaches Eliezer a lot. Times passes, and soon Jews are being forced to move into ghettos. The ghettos are where they are to stay until they are evacuated from their towns to go somewhere else. The Islam religion started in CE by the guy named Muhammad when an angel spoke with him.
Background Essay. After the words Muhammad received from Allah he started to spread the religion of Islam. He helped the people who suffered and who is need help. People heard what the guy Muhammad helping people, who is indeed.
He learns to view the oppression and racism in his world from a different perspective as he matures in the autobiography. Mansa Musa, ruler of the Mali empire, richest man in history, how was he able to gain so much popularity? Mansa Musa was part of the Muslim religion, so it was part of his religion to take a religious journey, also known as pilgrimage or Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca. During his journey to Mecca Mansa gained a lot of popularity and was even able to bring back intelligent people like scientists, doctors, and teachers, to help him create a learning center in Timbuktu.
Mansa gained a lot of wealth and popularity on his journey, so was his journey strictly for his Hajj, or was there more to it. Mansa Musa completed his Hajj not only for religous purposes, but to gain wealth, popularity, and to bring smarter people back with him to help him.
Do you know who Elie Wiesel is? Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! Topics The Road To Mecca. He then immersed himself in the intricacies of Biblical exegesis, called Targum, just as if he had been destined for a rabbinical career. The dream of his grandfather, an orthodox rabbi from a long line of orthodox rabbis, was to have one of his descendants join the rabbinical tradition.
His disappointment with the Jewish faith did not lead him at that time to search for spiritual truths elsewhere. Under the influence of an agnostic environment, he drifted, like so many boys of his age, into a dispassionate rejection of all institutional religion.
What he was looking forward to was not much different from the expectations of most other boys: action, adventure, excitement. During this period in his life, World War One broke out. After the war came to an end, Leopold Weiss spent about two years studying, in a somewhat desultory fashion, the history of art and philosophy at the University of Vienna. However his heart was not in those studies. He felt a yearning to come into more intimate grips with life. He wanted to find by himself an approach to the spiritual order of things which he knew must exist but which he could not yet discern.
The opening decades of the twentieth century stood in the sign of a spiritual vacuum. Everything seemed to be flowing in a formless flood, and the spiritual restlessness of youth could nowhere find a foothold.
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