The Word of Islam

Abstract

Anthologies have been known to string together mangled piecesof writing in ways reminiscent of a tanner's drying rack or a horrorfilm studio's collection of gory rubber limbs and masks. But thereseems to be little disparity, disjunction, or morbidity in Professor Williams'sbook, his second major attempt to "let Islam speak for itself."The first was the seminal Islam, which came out in 1961 and brokenew ground as well as a few fetters. The new endeavor sets out tooffer the faith (and the culture associated with it) a better-tuned mikeat a time when the dominant world media is busy blackening its nameand reputation. Of course, even with the best of intentions, the task ofintroducing Islam in capsule form, its own essential simplicitynotwithstanding, is both impossible and unfair. The editor, however,is alive to the predicament and recognizes that Islam, like "every greatreligion," is akin to an "ocean, with many bays, inlets, and unplumbedareas." In essence, "we can only come to it, smell it, taste it,touch it, observe what thrives there, and listen to its many moods."The sentiment may betray an outsider's perspective, but it isrefreshingly honest and respectful. Moreover, it is the product of along engagement with and pondering over such pedagogic issues as"how one may most effectively and practically study Islam." Noshort-cut, not even a good anthology, is recommended. Rather,read the texts which convey its tradition in as wide a range asone can. An original text is worth more than many words ofexplanation. Go to the sources and listen to voices that haverung with authority for generations, that Muslims have recognized,and use only enough introductory material to set thevoice in its context.Some may argue whether presenting translated extracts from thebasic Islamic canon to a modern and arguably hostile or misinformedaudience requires ample commentary. But the editor, in addition tohis main concern of presenting that canon in meaningful digest form,takes care to demarcate the territory between ancient and modem. Bethat as it may, to a large degree he succeeds in choosing (and translating)highly pertinent and interrelated excerpts as well as in introducingthem with conciseness and clarity, erudition and sympathy ...