The Jew is Not My Enemy
Unveiling the Myths that Fuel Muslim Anti-Semitism
-
- $12.99
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
A liberal Muslim and critically acclaimed author explores the historical, political, and theological basis for centuries of Muslim animosity towards Jews, debunking long-held myths and tracing a history of hate and its impact today.
More than nine years after 9/11 and 60 years after the creation of the state of Israel, the world is no closer to solving, let alone understanding, the psychological and political divide between Jews and Muslims. While countless books have been written on the subject of terrorism, political Islam, and jihad, barely a handful address the theological and historical basis of the Jew—Muslim divide. Following the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in November 2008, in which Pakistani jihadis sought out and murdered the members of a local Jewish centre, Tarek Fatah began an in-depth investigation of the historical basis for the crime.
In this provocative new book, Fatah uses extensive research to trace how literature from as early as the seventh century has fueled the hatred of Jews by Muslims. Fatah debunks the anti-Jewish writings of the Hadith literature, takes apart the Arab supremacist doctrines that lend fuel to the fire, and reinterprets supposed anti-Jewish passages in the Quran. In doing so he argues that hating Jews is against the essence of the Islamic spirit and suggests what needs to be done to eliminate the agonizing friction between the two communities.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Fatah (Chasing a Mirage) describes the tensions between followers of Islam and of Judaism, attributing the lack of understanding and compassion between these groups to the scriptures they study and propaganda spread by radicals. Fatah explains that from a young age Muslim children are taught to pray for the downfall of other religions, especially Judaism, and though "most of us ignore it as nothing more than the rhetoric of the screaming cleric," lingering suspicion about Jews remains "for our entire lives, even if we never meet one." He also examines beliefs that many Pakistani Muslim's voice, such as blaming Israel for the Bird Flu, and the fact that in order to be considered an intellectual or a faithful Muslim, one is expected to wholeheartedly embrace these rumors as fact; to speak out against propaganda is slanderous and those who doubt the teachings of religious leaders are dehumanized. Pakistani textbooks and TV shows support these rumors as facts, widely disseminating anti-Semitism daily. In spite of all this, Fatah offers examples of Muslims supporting, befriending, or even saving Jewish people, demonstrating the importance of tolerance and understanding in a world full of opposing beliefs and ideologies.