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governed the universe created by God by using their own reasoning. The development of science, arts and all other forms of creativity in the Islamic middle ages was due to the predominance of this approach. The main reason for the stagnation that followed, according to Akyol, was due to the advance of the Traditional school that emphasized not the free choice of an individual but fate and predestination. It prioritized not the Quran but the hadith -- the sayings and deeds believed to be of Prophet Muhammad -- the authenticity of which was subject to much controversy. With the growing influence of the Traditionalist school, critical reason and thinking was marginalized and the Shariah (Islamic law) assumed an increasingly rigid character. Traditionalists brought to Shariah innovations such as stoning adulterers, killing apostates, placing restrictions on women, art and music, and punishing sinful behavior. None of these had a base in the Quran. The rise of Sufi Islam, the popular mystical tradition in Islam, was partly an effort to find a breath of fresh air outside this narrow and hard legalism and to create room for the individual. The analysis of why and how the Rationalists lost against the Traditionalists in Islam constitutes one of the most interesting parts of Akyols book. Akyol concludes his study with the following statement: So it is time to stop seeing the world as divided between an Abode of Islam versus an Abode of War. Rather, what exists now is an Abode of Freedom versus an Abode of Tyranny. The former is what Muslims seek. As someone with only limited knowledge of Islamic history and philosophy, who is not religious but fully aware of the importance of religion in the lives of individuals as well as societies, I read Akyols book with keen interest. I highly recommend it not only for Westerners but also for Muslims who need to improve their understanding of Islam. I am informed that there are plans to publish the book in Arabic soon. Its publication also in Turkish would be highly welcome. Published on Sunday's Zaman, 17 June 2012, Sunday Posted by: Gulen Movement / Hizmet Movement BlogThis!