Ben White of Fulcrum, a website for evangelical Anglican Christians, has drawn my attention to a review he has written of Patrick Sookhdeo’s 2007 book Global Jihad. While I’ve not read Sookhdevil’s book, this review examines a whole load of the distortions we used to regularly see in his articles for the Standard, the Spectator and even the Telegraph - accusing Muslims of taqiyya as some sort of religious principle, completely ignoring whole aspects of recent history, and basic and stupid historical errors (like describing Hizbullah as a Palestinian organisation). Even if you don’t have time to waste on reading hundreds of pages of Sookhdeo’s drivel, which I don’t, this review is a must-read.
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An excellent review, though I’m surprised it was written by a conservative Christian. That the book was endorsed by neocon blowhards, Frum and Gaffney, is enough to know that the book is drivel.
Thanks saarim, but I don’t know if I’d describe myself as a “conservative Christian” ;)
It isn’t the greatest sign of an open mind that you condemn a book unread simply on the basis of a book review (which you don’t seem to have read too carefully either, but that’s another story). For what it’s worth, my sympathies in this debate are with Ben White, but I’m alarmed that you’re prepared to dismiss a book as “drivel”, and label its author as “Sookhdevil”, without even taking a look at it. The best way to stay comfortable in your deep-rooted prejudices is to stay well away from confronting any ideas that might just disturb them.
@John Allan:
I don’t need to read the book; I’ve read enough of Sookhdrivel’s other ramblings in various British publications. You can use my search box to find things I’ve written in response to articles by him I have read. I actually do buy and read books by authors I often disagree with, but this man’s writings are too predictable, with an awful lot of obvious factual errors and false accusations, to make his book worth the money or time.
A Muslim has also recently published a book review from a religious and theological perspective. It makes for an interesting read:
http://www.salafimanhaj.com/pdf_page.php?pdf=119