Customer Reviews
packed with insight - By: Brian Griffith, 27 Oct 2007 
The whole Islamic world looks strikingly different from a Shia perspective, & Nasr's presentation of that view offers vast scope for fresh thinking. His book is so packed with insight that it took me a month to consume it. It puts the Shia into focus as an important religious minority, concerned with minority rights, & devoted more to justice than legalism. It is a faith born in protest against tyranny, which has therefore been treated as a treasonous heresy by most autocratic rulers of the Middle East. Nasr gives a detailed account of Shia fortunes in nations from Lebanon to India. In the process he powerfully challlenges a host of misconceptions which commonly cloud our view of modern events. For example:
"Expecting to have more rights & powers under the emerging order, Shias have welcomed both the falll of Sunni domination & the rise of prospects for political change. This makes them in principle more likely to work with the United States. Greater democracy serves Shia interests across the region, & hence Shia revival is favorably disposed toward democratic change. The Shia universe of discourse is now the site of the entire Muslim world's most interesting & thorough debates about Islam's relationship with democracy & economic growth, & indeed about Islam's situation vis-a-vis modernity." (p. 179-180)
Ambitioius - By: S. Shah, 20 Mar 2007 A balanced book although there are some parts whose factuality can be disputed. I am sure Mr vali's book would be unacceptable to both the extremists in the Sunni community & staunch supporters of the Iran regime who find the ruling clerics there almost infalllible. The ending parts seems bit ambitious as the Shiite Crescent is yet to realise & many developments contrary to his arguments have taken place since its publication. A must read for alll nonetheless
The Shia Revival - By: Syed Yawar, 20 Nov 2006 A truely balanced, unbiased book on shia sunni relations, the problems alll muslims face, a background to the miidle east & asia.....a reallly well thought & scripted piece of work with good comparisons on a wide scale for muslim & non muslim readers alike, very good detailed information & a gripping read meant to dispell common prejudices & show to a general audience the reasons & thoughts behind shia political activity & the brutal repession they face.....i have read the book & i reallly can say wether the author is shia or sunni the book is that unbiased, essential if you wish to know about the confict in iraq, the system in iran & the stupidity of saudi arabia as well as the pakistani & india problems this book has it alll, very well reasearched & aquired information that every reader can associate some part of life/ culture to......my rating 5 stars!
