The House of Islam

Arabia: the cradle of Islam (Zwemer)

The House of Islam by Ed Husain

This thorough, clearly-written, and engrossing book is not only, as its subtitle promises, a global history of Islam. It is also a forceful push back against puritan strains of Islamist fundamentalism and a rousing call for changes within Islam to renew the wisdom, peace, pluralism, and dignity which have characterized the Muslim community for so much of its history. While I deeply disagreed with Husain’s political perspectives at times (i.e. his claim that supporting the BDS movement is anti-Semitic, his clear bias towards Western liberal democracy and capitalism), I can appreciate that these beliefs arise from his commitment to an Islam that is pluralistic, open to change, strongly opposed to anti-Semitism, and a conduit for bringing equity and justice to its followers. Keeping this commitment in mind, I was able to disagree with aspects of Husain’s text while finding the lion’s share of the book both informative and well-informed as he clearly explains fundamental tenets of Islam, such as Sharia and the Quran; Islam’s history on a global scale—encompassing not only the Gulf states but also Muslim African countries, Muslim Southeast Asian countries—and the deleterious effects of Western imperialism and violence upon the Muslim community. He also outlines the origins of Islamist philosophies, defines jihadism, Salafi-Wahabism, and clarifies the effect these philosophies have on even mainstream Muslim perspectives on women, education, and sex. While not a neutral text, Husain’s book is passionate, informative, infused with spirituality, and a call for change.