The Islamic Enlightenment: The Modern Struggle Between Faith and Reason Hardcover – 23 Feb. 2017

This is a well written and incredibly thorough tome on the demise of the Islamic empire from the mid 17th century to the end of the 20th century. What it doesn't do is provide an evidenced discussion of struggle between faith and reason, which is what the title purports. It simply follows Western influence on the three main areas of the empire (Egypt, Turkey and Iran), the inaptitude of the population to adapt to this on a national level until the early 20th century, before stirrings of Islamicism returns as a response to neo-colonialism.Ironically, the introduction of the book which is a slender chapter that touches upon the plurality of Islamic thought and the advancement and inclusivity of the Islamic Empire during its golden age of from the 8th century onwards, provided a snapshot on the ingredients required for innovation and stability. This should have contributed a much bigger part of the book. Instead we were given consecutive timelines from the three aforementioned areas and the populations' response to occupation and oppression. I feel the book 'Islamic Exceptionalism' by Shadi Hamid would give a better account of Islamic enlightenment and counter enlightenment, but there is no doubt that the book under review is full of facts and well written.

Few books are both timely and timeless as "The Islamic Enlightenment" which allows in only 350 pages a comprehensive overview of how the culture of Islam evolved as it was exposed to Western Enlightenment. The writers direct exposure and deep understanding of the area allows the reader to grasp the complexity as well as the roots of the issues that dominate the Middle East and the Media at this moment. A must read.

A great book that addresses a not very popular issue. The author covers it well and throroughly and writes in an engaging and scientific way that keep the reader involved and tuned to the subject.

Well-written book. I feel better informed about the issues that beset Islamic teachings, understanding & practice.

The title refers, not to the Golden Age of Islam in Middle Ages, when Europe learnt from Islam, but to the period from the early 19th century onwards, when Islam learnt from Europe. The theologians had clamped down on the Golden Age, and from then until the beginning of the 19th century Islam indeed fell far behind the West; but then Islamic societies began to modernize. In a 25-page introduction the author writes that in this later period the West has consistently stressed the backwardness of Islamic countries and has underestimated or ignored the rapid modernization of technology, institutions and culture after the response to Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798. De Bellaigue concentrates on this aspect, but he does not ignore the backlash against it among the conservative forces in Islam or indeed the limited effectiveness of modernization throughout the period – almost to the point of contradicting his contention that the achievements of those countries have generally been underestimated. But it is true that, on the whole, the conservatives were able only to slow down, but not altogether to stop the pace of modernization until the 1980s – when this book ends.Modernization and enlightenment are not necessarily the same thing, and I have an issue with the book’s title: it seems to imply that the word “enlightenment” refers not just to the cultural developments (mostly among the educated middle class and having little or no impact on the poor), but also to the military, economic, and technological ones. You can see these latter aspects being developed by governments, like those of the Pahlevi Shahs, which are otherwise thoroughly repressive and unenlightened.In all three countries modernization began in the military area because the rulers were being defeated by foreign countries. Economic, technological, medical and educational improvements followed. There was then pressures for political and religious reform also, and these enjoyed occasional and brief periods of success before being put down by the governments, with the backing of the army and of the conservative clergy.But this is a most instructive and well-written book. The story is very well told, and also has many vivid and richly anecdotal descriptions. Readers who are already interested in the subject will know something of the key figures in the story, but we are also introduced to a host of characters – including feminists, novelists and journalists - who will be new to most readers. De Bellaigue devotes many pages to some of these, and we have to assume that they are important and representative.The book concentrates on the main centres of modernization: Egypt, Turkey and Iran. (De Bellaigue does not deal with the Muslim Enlightenment in India.) The first three chapters are each devoted to one of those centres; they end respectively in 1879, 1878 and 1852. After that, De Bellaigue argues, their respective experiences were so broadly similar they should no longer be treated separately in the remaining three chapters. That, however, makes those chapters harder to read, and I think it would have been better to continue to treat the three countries separately until the end of De Bellaigue’s chosen period in the 1980s. Although there are references to events right up to the present, De Bellaigue argues that since the 1980s transnational forces like Al-Qaeda and ISIS have taken centre stage, and that is why it no longer made sense to him to follow the story of his chosen national centres. These extremists have become a formidable threat to everything that might be called Islamic Enlightenment. They have come to such prominence that the millions of Muslims who continue to believe in progress and peaceful coexistence tend to be forgotten.

Plenty to get your teeth into but certainly worth the effort but that"s about all there is to say say

The author covers the 19th and first eighty of so years of the 20th century in this book, concentrating on events in Iran, Turkey, and Egypt. The book covers the emergence of modernisation in these countries and the development of a more secular approach led by political strongmen in each country. There is much here about the writings of figures from each of these counties who were unknown hitherto to me, and of the impact they had on contemporary thought. The impact of the first world war, and imperial actions of western countries, particularly France and the UK which exploited the region and turned many against modernisation is made clear. Whilst the writing is excellent I found it a little hard going at times, but that probably relates to my own scanty knowledge of the region within the period far more than it does of the quality of the book

The modernisation of Arab societies from 1800 - 1940. Some achievement writing so vividly on this subject, it's actually a real page turner. There's no granstanding with the scholarship, which is clearly deep, and the conclusions reached are beautifuly considered, enlightening even. CdB convincingly suggests that there was indeed an Arabic "renaissance" significantly different to the European version, with wholly differnt outcomes. Geopolitical turbulence,advances in science, arts and industry, and religeous doctrine are well balanced, producing a thorough analysis of how knowledge has shaped our modern world. Authorative and elegant, it's so well written you could enjoy it even if you had only the slightest interest in the subject, and found it by a hotel pool.

Good reading of the main Islamic culture in three major countries with parallel presentation to events as it happened. It is an honest presentation of historic facts which remain relevant today. Young and modern reader may build bridges across cultures by not repeating errors of the past 200-300 years or so.

Este libro ofrece una perspectiva muy interesante sobre la evolución del islam y el porqué de muchos de los problemas de hoy en días relacionados con ello. Por ponerle un pero, en ocasiones emplea registro del lenguaje que requiere un diccionario cercano, al menos para quien no es nativo.

This is an important book on the 19th. and 20th. centuries in the Middle East - essential background for understanding the complexities of today.C.de B. Is in full command of his wide-ranging subject matter and presents in a very readiible manner.

Just started reading this book. Its a brilliant and ground-breaking presentation that should be read by everyone who truly wants to try to understand the background of the violent divisions in the Islamic world, and the current tragic impact on us all. This book offers a bridge of understanding that hopefully will become widely read, debated, studied in the Western world as well as the Middle East.

Must read.

Must read for realisation.

Lots of information. Great man view of history. Little on economic underpinnings.

This is a superbly researched book on a topic of vital importance. Although de Bellaigue is a journalist, he clearly has the scholarly expertise and rigor of a devoted academician, and his writing is rich, fluid and at times beautiful. He has spend time covering the Middle East and has a fondness for Islamic culture. He explicitly and forcefully rejects the views of those pundits of the west who claim that adherence to core Islamic beliefs is holding Muslims back from the sweep of modernity. He even claims there has been an Islamic "Enlightenment" after Napoleon conquered Cairo in 1798, an Enlightenment that flowered in Cairo, Tehran and Istambul.But it is here that de Bellaigue is unpersuasive. True, there have been pockets of free thinkers, women who removed the headdress, cultural critics who started western-style newspapers, businessmen (yes, almost all men) and politicians eager to embrace western ideals, mores and so forth in these three cities, again and again these progressive efforts are thwarted and crushed. de Bellaigue gives little compelling evidence of a kind of successful Islamic revolutionary and persistent "Enlightenment" of the sort that flowered in 18th-century France and which slowly but inexorably spread across the west, including of course to the "New World."So by all means read this book. But if you're hoping or expecting to be persuaded that the western pundits and scholars (and some brave Muslim scholars and thinkers) are mistaken that Islamic thought is holding back progress... well... your hopes will be unfulfilled. Read this book along with Bernard Lewis' powerful "What went wrong?: The clash between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East," which though shorter is more clear headed and hence persuasive.

A previous reviewer wrote that this book was not easy to read. I second that in spades. I greatly admire the authors extensive research and knowledge, and his command of the subject. On the other side an expert editor could have made the book much better. On about half of the pages were words I needed to look up. I would never have finished reading if I looked up them all. The prose was excessively elegant in places and put in an almost abstract way. In other parts the paragraphs were beautiful.The books characters had multiple names which made the story hard to follow (no fault of the author). Many of the political and religeous leaders were determined to resist modernity for reasons on faith and pride and they were scornful of "the West". Modernity has made inroads into the Middle East, making those opposed to modernity more resentful and radical. For atheists and those of us that see God as a benevolent being, the suffering and waste of life and property resulting from the conflict is horrible and so sad. I hope those opposing modernity will read this book and find a better way forward..Tom in Los Angeles

For those who thought the Middle East was firmly stuck in the Middle Ages until their world came crashing down at the end of the Great War, this book will be a revelation. To those who knew about the Nahda, the Tanzimat and many of the other efforts at reform, it is still enlightening to know many of the people (beyond sultans and dictators) who spurred these social, political and economic efforts despite strong (and at times successful) opposition. The key word in the title is "struggle," and de Bellaigue makes that struggle clear. Very worthwhile.

This is one of the most timely and informative books about Islam that I have ever read and one from which those who live in fear and ignorance of this important world religion would learn a lot. It really pains me to see how many Americans, even those who claim to be well-educated, continue to perpetuate the myths that Islam is out to conquer the world, that every practicing Muslim is at least a closet jihadist, and that the Koran advocates nothing but violence and cruelty. Without mentioning these myths specifically, de Bellaigue, in a well-researched and carefully written book, successfully portrays Islam as being just like every other major religion trying to face up to the unprecedented challenges of the twenty-first century and how to reconcile religious faith and cultural tradition with the past and present influences of Westernization, not all of which have been helpful to the Middle East. I was particularly impressed his use of three Middle Eastern capitals--Cairo, Istanbul and Tehran--to demonstrate the range of actions and reactions that were and are possible when the politicians, the businessmen and the soldiers from more advanced countries attempt to exert their own, often self-serving interests on this part of the world. I highly recommend this book to those who wish to take the time to educate themselves regarding the recent history of the Middle East so as not to be swayed by the superficial and often ignorant portrayal of Islam and the people who practice this faith that we see among so many of our political leaders and in today's media..

Good book only wish there were more references even though its written for the general public.Good writing that keeps the reader's interest

The Islamic Enlightenment is a book peppered with intricate details that I had missed from my reading about Islam in the last two centuries. The author has weaved pertinent facts in a cogent narrative that’s studded with wonderful diction.

Thought provoking!

An interesting read but is more about Western impact on the Islamic world in the 19th century. The Islamic Enlightenment, if indeed there was such a thing, took place centuries before this period.