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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. London-based Ramadan, the Oxford research fellow who authored Western Muslims and the Future of Islam, is probably best known for being denied entry into the United States, based on alleged violations of the Patriot Act. This excellent, engaging book ought to turn public attention back toward Ramadan as a writer and a skilled interpreter of Islamic history. In deliberately brief chapters, Ramadan brings Muhammad to life. He highlights Muhammad's resolute faith in spite of setbacks like orphanhood and poverty, and upholds the prophet as a spiritual hero—bravely compassionate and unusually tolerant of others, including non-Muslims. Ramadan notes his extraordinary kindness, even to those he battled. For example, a slave who had been given to Muhammad turned down emancipation, saying he preferred service to Muhammad over freedom with anyone else. (Muhammad immediately freed the slave and adopted him as his own son.) Similar tales of mercy lace through Muhammad's life: in the midst of a battle march, Muhammad advised his troops to be careful not to hurt a litter of puppies on the roadside; on another occasion, Muhammad released prisoners of war because they had taught community children how to read and write. Ramadan ably demonstrates why Muhammad is a spiritual paragon to the followers of Islam. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
"For those interested in the life and times of Muhammad, Ramadan's readable In the Footsteps of the Prophet is a good beginning."--Vali Nasr, Washington Post
"Ramadan's book provides Muslims with a new understanding of the Prophets life. For non-Muslims, it is not just a story of the Prophet, but rather an introduction to Islam's spiritual and ethical riches."--Islamic Horizons
"This excellent, engaging book ought to turn public attention back toward Ramadan as a writer and a skilled interpreter of Islamic history."--Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
"Ramadan's book provides Muslims with a new understanding of the Prophets life. For non-Muslims, it is not just a story of the Prophet, but rather an introduction to Islam's spiritual and ethical riches."--Islamic Horizons
"This excellent, engaging book ought to turn public attention back toward Ramadan as a writer and a skilled interpreter of Islamic history."--Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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4.4 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)
104 of 113 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read, whatever your personal belief, April 5 2007
By L. F Sherman "dikw" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad (Hardcover)
This biography of Prophet Muhammad can be called a "spiritual biography" that tells the story of a life but emphasizes decisions, revelations, and the spiritual and emotional lessons therein. Emerick's biography of the Prophet and that by Karen Armstrong are good, this is better. Incidentally, it hints at the paranoia of those in government who cancelled the author's visa while he was en route to teach at Notre Dame University. (I taught there briefly and can assure you that it is not a hot bed of radicalism.)The position of women, place of jihad, role of law, and relations with non-Muslims are totally different than the media caricatures and also different from some Fundamentalist politicization and corruptions.
Under duress and attack we see un Islamic practices claiming to be Fundamental (the Western media is more than happy to second that claim). One needs to know that the Shari'a is partly a product, close to two centuries later, that evolved to empower scholarly elite promoting its own interests by which time patriarchal elements had also degraded practice regarding women some - although women had right of inheritance not much available in the West until the 19th and 20th centuries except for royalty.. Also, the most infamous practices predated Islam in much of the Mediterranean - the stoning of adulterers was now much harder to prove that before.
It is reading for those who have an open mind and would learn more, for those who aren't quite sure what to believe after the pervasive toxic climate of criticism. Christians and Jews are very much at a disadvantage in that Muslims know far more about their faiths naturally from reading the Qur'an than they would know without significant effort. Moses, Noah, Jesus and Mary are Prophets of Islam (Mary appears in the Qur'an more times than the Bible).
It should be reading for the many shamefully ignorant critics like Robertson, Graham, Hagee, Falwell who do not have the least basis for their declarations. Their ignorance is itself a measure of disrespect and narrowness that spreads widely among their followers. Equally it could begin to educate those who should know better and who make decisions based on fear and hate - including those who seem superficially have some knowledge when talking about "abrogation" of versus in the Qu'ran etc. Bashing Islam is a profitable cottage industry and so much easier than a small measure of understanding or empathy.
Prophet Muhammad lived ihsan (beauty appreciated and demonstrated) with charisma even before the first revelation. His role is not like that of Jesus in important ways: neither he nor his followers claimed Divinity: he had immense practical worldly family and political responsibilities that Jesus never had; he provided no redemption or way of evading personal responsibility.
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful, devout and learned, Jan 4 2008
By L. B. Lloyd - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad (Hardcover)
Ramadan's scholarship, appreciation for pluralism, personal faith and passion for his Muslim heritage infuse this wonderful book. He takes us on a brief journey through the life of the prophet Muhammad and pauses to reflect on the way the Prophet used specific events to teach his contemporaries and on how those events and teachings have formed the Muslim community over the centuries.As an American, I appreciated how the book responds to Western mis-understandings of Islam (for example, the greater jihad is the personal struggle to follow Allah; the lesser jihad is armed struggle) without being defensive. As a Christian, I appreciated "going along" with Ramadan as he reflects on his faith and makes it accessible because it comes from the heart.
31 of 40 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful biography of prophet Muhammad, Mar 24 2007
By Quaid J. Saifee "quaidj" - Published on Amazon.com
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This review is from: In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad (Hardcover)
Tariq Ramadan has done an excellent job in writing this biography of the prophet and making it relevant to 21st century. This biography is second to none including biography by Martin Lings and Karen Armstrong. Mr. Ramadan has used beautiful writing to represent one of the most extra ordinary life.It is well suited equally for both Muslims and Non Muslims. A must read to understand Muhammed as well as the message he brought.
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