Mirror of Islam

Author's name: Taha Hussein

The Arabian Peninsula was ripe for the emergence of Islam; it was like a woman awaiting her birth. The new religion soon spread with unexpected speed after its prophet had suffered persecution and war. Taha Hussein explores the stages the new call went through from its inception until the Prophet was able to establish his state in Medina, and Muslims enjoyed stability during his reign and the reigns of his two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar. However, things deteriorated significantly after that. The sedition of Uthman's murder was like a spark that ignited everything. What distinguishes Taha Hussein is that he does not limit himself to mere exposition, but rather analyzes major events, especially seditions and revolutions, attributing causes that seem logical from his perspective. He attributes the Zanj and Qarmatian revolts—which nearly swept the state—to serious social and economic causes. The book offers a critical analytical vision, worth reading and contemplating for the insights it contains.