In this book, the author explains Islam in all its beauty and complexity. Beginning with a vivid account of the social and religious milieu in which the Prophet Muhammad forged his message, the author paints a portrait of the first Muslim community as a radical experiment in religious pluralism and social egalitarianism. He demonstrates how, after the Prophet's death, his successors attempted to interpret his message for future generations – an overwhelming task that fractured the Muslim community into competing sects. Finally, he examines how, in the shadow of European colonialism, Muslims developed conflicting strategies to reconcile traditional Islamic values with the realities of the modern world, thus launching what he terms the Islamic Reformation.

Fascinating read.

'No God but God' deals with Islam's roots, the tumultuous period after the Prophet's death, the movements that sprung up as Islam spread across continents, the various sects of Islam and the conflicts between them, schools of thought like Traditionalism and Rationalism, the rise of fundamentalism and so forth.

It compresses 1500 years of history into 300 pages and yet, manages to be highly readable and engaging. Historical context is perhaps the most important factor in understanding any religion and in particular, Islam. That is seemingly lost on most Muslims these days so Aslan getting that message across without rubbing any side the wrong way is an achievement.

It's a non-fiction account if that wasn't already obvious and the material is reliably cited. Most books on Islam have a tendency to either become an apology or paint an apocalyptic scenario where it's the believers versus the heretics so the balanced and well sourced approach to the religion's history is well appreciated.

That being said, there were some contentious points. Aslan comes down particularly hard on the Caliphs (Uthman in particular). The Ulama get a lot of stick as well but many, including me, would argue that's well warranted.

Nevertheless, I'll give it five stars. This book is an accessible starting point for non-Muslims and Muslims alike. After reading a few books on Islam and its history, I can't believe how laughably naive my views were about my own religion so I appreciate anything that fosters interfaith and intrafaith understanding and dialogue while remaining neutral.

A must read for anyone interested in understanding Islam rather than painting it with broad brushstrokes. ( )

for student

history about Islam ( )

I walked away from this book learning a good amount about Islam. Aslan covers its beginnings in Pre-Islamic Arabia and continues through history as the religion splinters into sects -- the same fate that befell Christianity and Judaism. He ends the book believing that Islam is currently going through its own Reformation now, and hopes that it goes back to its fundamentals, its core principles of pluralism and egalitarianism.

I couldn't help but feel an underlying bias that permeated this work since Aslan is himself a Muslim. It's not that one can't write about their own religion objectively, but sometimes I felt he underplayed certain statements found in the Quran (calls for violence and Muhammad having a child bride are some bits I remember reading). It's important to try and avoid the mistake of injecting our own beliefs, morals, and societal norms into the past simply because things that we deem horrible today weren't seen in that light in the past.

Overall, I enjoyed the book however I will look into other authors for a more well-rounded understanding of Islam. ( )