The Myth of Islamic Tolerance
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The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims is a collection of 63 essays edited by Robert Spencer. It deals with the history of non-Muslim populations during and after the Islamic conquest of their lands. The book features 17 chapters by Bat Ye'or as well as essays by Ibn Warraq, Walid Phares, David Littman, Patrick Sookhdeo, and Mark Durie. [1]
| The Myth of Islamic Tolerance | |
 Book cover |
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| Author | Robert Spencer |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject(s) | Islamic Studies |
| Publisher | Prometheus Books |
| Publication date | January 31, 2005 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 594 |
| ISBN | 978-1591022497 |
Contents |
[edit] Contents
- Spencer argues that advocates of Islam have promulgated a myth of Islamic tolerance. He writes that this can be dispelled by examining the persecution of the Zoroastrians in Iran; the Armenians in Turkey; the Buddhists and Hindus in India; and the Jews in Morocco, Cordoba, Granada, Marrakesh and Baghdad.
- Ibn Warraq discusses what he sees as the difficulties encountered when attempting to have an honest examination of this topic.
- Bat Ye'or discusses her views on dhimmitude historically and in modern contexts.
- Walid Phares and Bat Ye'or discuss their analyses of life under Islamic rule and the toll they believe it has taken on Middle Eastern Christians such as the Lebanese Maronites, the Egyptian Copts; the Melkites; the Anglican, Protestant and Catholic southern Sudanese Africans; Christian Syrians; Iraqi Assyrians, and Jacobites; Iranian Persians, Armenian and Palestinian Christians.
- David Littman chronicles what he perceives as the advancement of Islamic intolerance at the United Nations.
- Patrick Sookhdeo and Mark Durie treat the rise of anti-Christian persecutions in Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan and Indonesia in the 21st century.
[edit] Reviews
- Jeffrey Rubin in the Conservative Book Club said that "anyone concerned about the dangers of politically motivated distortions of Islamic theology and history should not miss this explosive and enlightening volume".[2]
- Publishers Weekly criticized the authors for repetition, failure to define their terms, and quoting the Qur'an out of context: "The resulting repetition and monotone provide little insight and a disconnected feel. This book would have been more persuasive and less alarmist if it had excluded half the essays." ISBN 1-59102-249-5 [3]
