No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam book club questions

1. 1.

   Aslan frames contemporary Islamic politics as a reformation in progress. Does that analogy to the Protestant Reformation help you understand what you're seeing, or does it obscure more than it clarifies?

2. 2.

   The Sunni-Shia split originated in a dispute about political succession. How does the political origin of a theological divide affect the legitimacy of the positions on each side?

3. 3.

   Aslan argues that Sharia is a human interpretation of divine sources, not a fixed divine code. What are the implications of that view for Muslim communities who use Sharia as the basis for governance?

4. 4.

   The book was updated after the Arab Spring and the rise of ISIS. How do those events complicate or confirm Aslan's reform thesis?

5. 5.

   Aslan is a practicing Muslim writing about his own tradition. How does that insider position affect his credibility, and where do you think it introduces bias?

6. 6.

   The Western framing of political Islam as a clash of civilizations is what Aslan is explicitly arguing against. Having read the book, do you find the alternative framing he offers more or less persuasive than the clash thesis?

7. 7.

   Aslan's treatment of women in early Islam is more positive than the picture that dominates Western media. On the evidence he presents, do you find that account convincing?

8. 8.

   Sufism gets relatively little attention in Western coverage of Islam. After reading this book, how does your understanding of Islamic spiritual life change?

9. 9.

   Aslan writes as a partisan — he believes reformers are right and he wants them to succeed. Is that transparency about his position more or less trustworthy than a book that claims neutrality?

10. 10.

    The Islamic reformers Aslan describes face accusations of apostasy from traditionalists. What do you think reform movements in any religious tradition owe to the community whose tradition they are transforming?

11. 11.

    The book was first published in 2005, two years after the Iraq invasion. How does that context shape the book's argument and its intended audience?

12. 12.

    Aslan says the future of Islam will be decided by Muslims, not by Western intervention. What does that argument imply about appropriate and inappropriate responses to political Islam from non-Muslim governments?

How to run the discussion

• Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
• Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
• Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
• Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.