The Power and Influence of the Quran on Islam Societies - Literature review Example

Introduction Carl W. Ernst is the Kenan Distinguished and specialist in Islamic studies. The published research of Ernst is based on the study of Urdu, Arabic and Persian. Ernst has been dedicated to the study of three critical areas such as Indo-Muslim culture, contemporary Sufism and general issues of Islamic studies. The recent book of Ernst, Following Muhammad has received global acclamation for outstanding achievement in the cultural background. The prime book presents a sympathetic approach to look at mainstream Islam. On the other hand, Mona Siddiqui is a professor of Interreligious and Islamic Studies and a British Muslim academic. The area of specialism of Siddiqui is early Islamic thought, classical Islamic law, ethical issues is Islam and contemporary legal issues in the Islamic law and culture. How to read Quran is one of the master classes of Siddiqui to provide vivid knowledge about the popular worship and intellectual traditions of Islam. The author tries to explore the big themes of sin, prophecy, salvation and law. The fundamental concern of Siddiqui is that Muslims must look at the Quran to apprehend the spirit of their connection with God and bring fresh life into ethical and communal relations between non-Muslims and Muslims. The prime objective of the report is to provide comparative book review of Mona Siddiqui’s how to read the Quran and Carl Ernst’s following Muhammad. Thesis statement “Following Muhammad by Carl W. Ernst and How to read the Quran by Mona Siddiqui provide a masterful presentation of the Quran and religious tradition of Muslims along with new inspirations to overcome contemporary challenges” Discussion Background information Mona Siddiqui’s how to read the Quran delivers an individual master class on some of the most challenging and significanttexts in history. The author tries to define the importance of Quran towards Muslims. It is regarded by Muslims as unmoved, timeless and direct work of God. Moreover, the Quran is now only used for worship and prayer but also used to create a path that can help people to understand the relationship of Muslims with God. Siddiqui argues that the pivotal purpose of the book is to provide solution for the challenges that are posed by pluralism. Carl W. Ernst’s following Muhammad clarified the debate and diversity within the tradition of Muslim and introduced to readers about the reflective spiritual resources of the Islamic culture. The author covers the importance of Islam in terms of new locations and traditional settings. Ernst also framed argument about the definition of Protestant on anti-Muslim prejudice and religion. This trap of political exposes has affected views of Islam in America and Europe. The book following Muhammad is detailed to present accessible and clear picture on western prejudices about Islam. Carl W. Ernst wrote the book to provide evident sympathy for Islamic culture and people. The author also reveals the historical evolution of Islam and primary focus is to create an effective balance on the insights of how Muslims understand the importance of their religion. This book provides a vivid insight on misunderstanding and widespread ignorance of Islam. According to Ernst, the civilization gap can be bridged by the study of the humanistic tradition and spiritual practice of Sufism. The book “how to read the Quran” is master piece of Mona Siddiqui to describe the intellectual tradition of Muslim and comprehend the relation of God with Muslims. One of the influencing texts is explored by the author to provide a bright knowledge about the Quran. The importance of Quran towards the life of Muslims is being effectively depicted.The Quran teaches some valuable aspects of Muslim tradition and regarded as the last revelation of God in human history. Siddiqui tried to portray about the essence and provided every detailed analysis of the Quran. The main reason behind writing the book how to read the Quran is to provide information and ethical issues, early Islamic thought, classical Islamic law. The bigger themes used in the book are salvation, prophecy, sin and law. One of the main concerns of Siddiqui is to create an article that can enrich the ethical and social relations between non-Muslims and Muslims. The most interesting thing that can be understood that author want to describe the cruel reality of Hindi and Non-Muslim issues. The areas of specialism of the author are Islamic law and ethical issues of Islam are clearly noticeable for the book. Being a British Muslim academic, the author has created a wonderful book that can effectively hold the interest of readers regarding the Quran. The book “following Muhammad”, written by Carl W. Ernst provides a different alternative to other available books regarding the Islamic culture, societies and the Quran. The author created a masterful condescension about clash between the West and Islam and failure of Islamic civilization. The book provided an analytical view regarding the contemporary issues and Islamic religious tradition of Muslim. The prime purpose of the author is to introduce readers to culture, spiritual, practices and ethical background of Islam. The complete overview of the issues in science, religion, states politics and gender has been effectively described in the book. One of the chapters of the author named as Ethics and Life in the World tries to provide a broad concept to the readers regarding the Islamic religious ethics. The life of the Prophet Muhammad is effectively described in the part of sacred sources of Islam. This part presents an overview about the contents and structure of the Quran. The thesis point of Carl W. Ernst provides a detailed knowledge about relationship between non-Muslim and Muslim. From personal point of view, I agree to the fact that author provided a highly individual work to carry Islam into the fold of other powerful religions. It is true that Muslims has to face severe criticism after the conspiracy theories of 9/11. The author tried to present to readers that Muslims have history and are human beings. On the other hand, Mona Siddiqui delivers a master class about the historical evidence and origin of the Quran. Moreover, I agree to the fact that the Quran deals with everything that is concerned to the mankind and provide good direction and guidance to the manhood. Comparison of Mona Siddiqui’s and Carl Ernst’s book The power and influence of the Quran is enormous on Islam societies According to Mona Siddiqui, Islam is a world religion which is practiced all over the world within diverse culture and diverse languages. The Quran along with the Bible is regarded as one of the most influential books in the history of mankind. Over one billion Muslims believe that the effect of the Quran is worldwide and is viewed as the last revelation of God. For most of the people, the Quran is viewed as understanding and observations of individuals towards Muslim religion. The author also stated in the book How to read the Quran that the book provides a true guidance for Muslim people to prosper. Allah has created a veil on the eyes and hearts of people. The scripture of Islam in the Quran is viewed by Muslims as prayer and understanding the relationship between god and Muslims. On the other hand Carl W. Ernst also tried to provide information regarding the influence of Quran towards Islamic societies. The author offered to deliver an interpretive essay that focuses on history of Islamic religion with an attention to emphasis on major debate that can help to explain an extensive range of opinion and religious expression. The author may focus on influence of West towards the technological and economic development of Islamic countries. But Ernst tries to create an article which also focuses on the Quran. Ernst tried to provide a clear and accessible picture on historical evolution of Islam. The importance of the Quran can be noticeably found in the book. Bring new life between non-Muslims and Muslims Both authors tried to portray the cultural and religious historical background of Muslim and non-Muslim. Carl Ernst tried to offer an interpretive essay that provides an overview about the relationship between West and Muslim. The presentation of the book may be the impact of Euro-American attitudes spirituality in the tradition of Sufism. But the prime purpose of the author is to underline the importance of Prophet Muhammad and transfer the idea of misconception between non-Muslims and Muslims to the readers. On the other hand, the central concern of Siddiqui is to provide enough information that can motivate people to bring life in to non-Muslims and Muslims by looking at the Quran. People tend to ignore the influential texts that are described in the book. Muslims believe that the Quran has solution to eliminate the problems occurring in the humanity. Contrast of Mona Siddiqui’s and Carl Ernst’s book Carl Ernst’s book following Muhammad provides a vivid insight about historical time and religion background of Muslim. The author tries to focus on issues that caused negative impact of Muslim societies. Ernst emphasized the attitude of Euro-American in the postcolonial and colonial eras. The book has been presented to readers in short to stimulate the vital communication between non-Muslims and Muslims. The common problem between these communities has been commonly inherited in the book. In the first chapter, the author presented an overview about the cultural scenario and religious expression about Muslim over the past two centuries. From the time of medieval ages and present, the author included the anti-Islamic attitudes. Carl Ernst is a distinguished professor and specialist in Islamic studies. The main focus of the author is based on South Asia and West. Moreover in case of Mona Siddiqui, the book is totally based on the Quran. The book provides an opportunity for readers to experience and understand the basic ideas of the Quran. Carl Ernst defined Western Civilization with an example of personal experience of attending academic ritual (Ernst 1003). This process of attending occurred twenty years ago. At that time, Ernst was professor at the college in Claremont. The structure of ritual ceremony was simple. Moreover, it includes chairman of the Board of Trustees and series of individuals. This procedure of ceremony enacted a ritual of flame-passing. In the process, the flame of enlightenment and knowledge was transmitted to the president of the college to faculty member and students. Meanwhile, a short passage is explained by an announcer which is symbolically passed to the students. This example of author presents the concept of Western civilization towards transmission of knowledge to millions of students of America. The Islamic tradition is based on philosophers of Greece and the prophets of Israel. Several major debates regarding Islamic culture has been effectively incorporated in the book to provide an opportunity for readers to gain knowledge and understand detailed analysis. From the time of early colonial era, the history of Islamic religion has seen a vivid change. This change in the history of religion helps to understand how Muslims tried their best to conceptualize in their personal terms. The understanding of the Islam is raised by the author in the perspective of religion. The modern concept of religion and is relevance to the Islam is one of the goals of the book. This can be understood that author not only focus on the Quran but also focus on the sacred sources of Islam, concept of religion and Islamic religious ethics. Mona Siddiqui’s book how to read the Quran is solely based on the Quran rather than focusing on a broad way. The historical evidence is effectively discussed in greater detail about the origin of the Quran. Carl Ernst covers the book with an overview of Islamic art, Sufism and Prophet Muhammad. The author also explores the gender issues, Islamic state and relationship between science and Islam. The pivotal goals are to change the focus on the study of humanistic in the academy of America. This can enable to include civilization and culture of Islam as normal themes for people to study. One the other hand, Mona Siddiqui tries to create an interpretive framework that can help people to understand the Quran. The major obstacle of reading the Quran is effectively addresses by the author to make easier for people. The compact introduction of the book offers everyone to understand approach and read the text of the Quran. The book is related to the intellectual explanation of the Quran rather than providing solution to deal with different issues. Conclusion It can be concluded that Carl W. Ernst’s book Following Muhammad and How to read the Quran by Mona Siddiqui does not provide a proffer original and ground-breaking research material but it deliver a masterful and well-designed demonstration of the religious tradition of Muslim. Moreover, the author tried its utmost to offer a heartfelt plea for non-Muslims to understand the religious tradition of Muslims. The book is not only based on knowledge and erudition of Islam, but furthermore present a vivid description on other faiths. The critical debate on important issues is evaluated by Ernst to create a real understanding of Islam. This helped to hold the interest of readers to know about more interesting issues that may not have been heard before. Ernst illustrated the creation of monolithic assumptions by offering new perspective for Western countries. Moreover, Following Muhammad is lucid and well-written and offered a praiseworthy contribution on the field of introduction of non-Muslims and contemporary commentaries on Islamic culture and tradition. Mona Siddiqui tries to provide a solution for the challenges that posed due to the presence of pluralism. The content of the book is expanded extensively to provide a reflective and more discursive analysis.The published chapters are also based on classical Islamic Law and importance of the Quran. The Quran is said to be as direct word of God which discloses the Words of Allahand helps to create unity and grow the culture and religion of Muslim. Work Cited Ernst, W. Carl. Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the contemporary world. California: University of North California Press. Read More