Islam and Modernism Paperback – 1977

Maryam Jameelah was born in the United States and raised Jewish, and it was only after being distressed at the degradation and compromising of her original faith that she decided to become a Muslim. It is looking at her arguments in this light that she does not seem intolerant and closed-minded. She has seen both ways and is not supporting Islamic civilization because it is the only thing she has known.This book would be more aptly titled "Islam *Versus* Modernism" since it is not at all advocating reconciling Islam with modern traditions, but with Islam supplanting them. The author is in favor of reinstating unadulterated Islamic law (Shari'a) and uncompromisingly following the traditions of early Islamic Empire in the 7th-8th centuries. In it she makes some rather outright statements: "It is impossible to live according to the Sunna of our Prophet and to follow the Western mode of life at one and the same time." "Western civilzation is evil in theory as well as in practice." She does qualify this by detailing the modern, Western lifestyle and pointing out the problems with it. However, she does not see any way to take positive aspects of Western society (freedom of thought, emancipation of women, industrialization, etc.) and reconcile it with Islam. She views that modern philosiphies lead to corruption no matter what.The bulk of the book summarizes and quotes the writings of many modern Muslim intellectuals of the 19th and 20th centuries. (The book is actually filled with long quoted passages.) She however does not even really address their concerns or refute them in an understanding way. I have noticed that the basis of most of her arguments are guilt by association and ad hominem attacks. She mentions something outlandish that a writer says and implies that this destroys all their other arguments. She even seems to put words into peoples mouths and twist words around reducing their arguements to the absurd.However, this book is very clear and interesting to read. She has complete faith in the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the Hadith and in their applicability today. What is admirable is that she sees morality--and therefore human laws--as unchanging and not to be changed at the whims of society. "Islam is neither past, present, or future but timeless. Good and evil are not mere subjective, relative terms limited to time, place, and circumstance, but absolute, eternal and transcendental Truth." As appealing as this sounds, I do not see how civil laws from 7th century Arabia can also be perfect for the world today. I fear that she may be confusing the true spirit and faith of Islam with the traditions of Islamic culture.