Commentary on the Eleventh Contentions

Very insightful

This little book (less than 200 pages) is a janus : on one hand, it represents a state of the art of neo-traditionnalism, with the question of the mutual discovery between modernity and the presence of a true islam (i-d profound) now in occident, with the necessary summary of their respective basis; on the other hand, it interrogates shaykh AHM's career and the standard of knowledge and understanding that modern muslim thinkers will have to achieve in order to be useful for the community (muslims and non muslims alike). My question, as a french, would be : what would have been the flavor of this book if the writer had been French ? (I realized that a work of "translation" from muslim british to muslim french has to be done, even if there is, of course, a part of common culture)

I have bought multiple of this book as gifts. Very deep treatment of many Muslim ideas at a very deep level. can be read over and over. Each page or two is an idea that needs lots of time to think about it. Love this book:)

One of my favorite books. It's a beautifully written with deep subtle meanings. I love that I can pick any contention and read it.

Hard ton find, deep yet accessible supporting values and attitudes of Islam are presented in this book of a hundred short commentaries. If you're curious about Islam, or wish to take your study further, this is a great supplement.

Shaikh Abdal Hakim writes with incredulous encyclopedic references from theology, history, philosophy, literature, science and rationale to enhance and deliver lateral observations on present and past. This book is a rare jewel and must read. It is a gushing waterfall to sooth our soul in a world that is complex, entangled, confused, and competing to establish deviations as the norm. It is a reminder and pathway to maintain the beautiful and appealing message of Islam in a world where the very word is feared, reviled and despised.

A great book transmitting subtle ideas that I never thought of. Very beautiful, enriching, full of love.

One of the quirks of recent British history has been the steady though unobtrusive chain of quintessential Englishmen who have found their spiritual home in Islam. Marmaduke Pickthall, Abdullah Quilliam, Hasan Gai Eaton and Martin Lings represent some of the better known names and the author of this book, Abdal Hakim Murad (aka Dr Timothy Winter), continues this trend into the modern age. Winter holds a double-first in Arabic and lectures in Islamic Studies at Cambridge University's Faculty of Divinity where he has held post for many years. In addition, he is founder and dean of the Cambridge Muslim College, an innovative enterprise seeking to augment the pastoral and intellectual skills of British-born imams to more effectively apply their theological training in a modern context. Murad's Commentary on the Eleventh Contentions is a rare and profound book. It consists of 100 pithy aphorisms - termed "contentions" - on a diverse array of topics ranging through ethics, cosmology, metaphysics, theology, law and history. Each contention is a terse distillation of Murad's often exquisitely crafted ruminations on a given matter followed by his own compressed elucidation (the commentary). Though sometimes abstruse and esoteric, the book weaves itself into a dense, multi-faceted tapestry of insights into a range of contemporary issues that concern the religious mind. It seems two themes bind together an otherwise disparate collection. First, Murad evinces a consistent and deep repugnance for the godlessness of modern Western civilisation - termed "the monoculture" - which homogenises its constituents into a febrile dystopia of spiritual ennui. Yet unlike the rage-filled response of some co-religionists who seek to destroy the symbols of Western dominance, Murad casts the Muslim into the role of humble healer: "The challenge of modern Muslimness is to combine a confident dissent from the global culture with a sense of service and humility" (p. 68) / "The monoculture multiplies matter, and cannot discern spirit; and Islam, the great global dissident, is called upon to heal the consequence" (p. 172). Second, Murad is firmly rooted in the Sufi tradition of Islamic mysticism and his contentions are redolent with stirring gems of spiritual wisdom. In both these respects - as also with his literary finesse - Murad perpetuates the legacy of recent Anglo-Muslim writers such as Gai Eaton and Martin Lings, though importantly - unlike them - he is not an advocate of the Perennial Philosophy. Nevertheless, there are unmistakable resonances between their respective oeuvres indicating that the intersection of Islam with Britain's more educated classes yields a perspective with its own distinctive ambience. Perhaps a corollary of Murad's Sufi ethos is the disdain he pours upon those he terms "the False Salafis" whom he sees as fundamentally unchained from the juristic methodologies of classical Islam and thus natural bedfellows of an intolerant extremism fit only to unleash calamities upon the world (see pp. 33-34, pp. 98-99). This may be overly harsh for some and his stark indictment will no doubt serve to stoke the fires of controversy simmering around what has become a festering dialectic of modern Muslim discourse. Murad also provides us with rich insights into the comparative theologies of Judaism and Christianity, as well as several Far Eastern cosmologies, demonstrating his grasp of the overall religious dynamic and ensuring a wider readership among anyone concerned with the question of faith in the modern world. It is Murad's razor-sharp erudition coupled with the sheer breadth of cultural references that inform his scholarship which strike the reader as he makes his way through the contentions. And it is here that one discerns the fundamental value of this work. Modern secular humanism has brazenly dismissed religion as the sentimental throwback of a pre-scientific age. Yet Murad, while intensely aware of the naysayers' cries, remains unwavering in his commitment to the theology of classical Islam further seeing in its spiritual efficacy the balm of a decadent modernity. While other Muslims may share his perspective, it is Murad's mastery of the modern condition and the intellectual forces which shape it that set him apart. This produces an intelligent and rare critique of modern sensibility rooted in the wellsprings of an experientially lived faith; and those who insist that religious believers cannot subscribe to anything other than superstitious hogwash would do well to take a look. In addition, Murad's work will find a welcome audience amongst increasing numbers of second and third generation Western-born diaspora Muslims attempting to navigate the ostensibly conflicting epistemologies of their faith and society. In a contemporary climate often characterised by an abrasive criticism of all religious belief, Murad's work offers us a compelling insight into how a vibrant and intelligent spirituality, forged in the crucible of modern circumstances, can look and feel in the twenty-first century.

Religious literature at its very best that satisfies both the spirit and the intellect. This book is infused with theology and history providing both meaning and purpose. It's one of those rare gems that you can read again and again and learn something new every time.I hope there are a lot more of these planned in this series. re: The Cover I disagree with the previous commentator. I think it grows on you. Gritty on the outside however flooded with gems and jewels for those who dare venture into the inside. Kind-of sums up the state of the contemporary Muslim world especially Islam in Europe!

Just finished! Mindblowingly cool! Loved the overlap of; mystic wisdom, mystic accounts, history, modern day fallacies, problems with monoculture and much much more. This truly is the 21st century bearing book for the muslim generations to come. It should be weighed in gold and the author ought to be sent the gold. Any muslim or lone spiritual ranger needing a life jacket manual to protect the mind against modern day perversion should buy this! A modern day ihya

I disagree with the reviewer: I love the cover and I always judge a book by its cover - just like people!

Brilliant and insightful. It's a shame about the awful cover design which is off putting. Everything else about the book is thoroughly though provoking.