Jewish Muslims - by David M Freidenreich (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Uncovering the hidden history of Islamophobia and its surprising connections to the long-standing hatred of Jews. Hatred of Jews and hatred of Muslims have been intertwined in Christian thought since the rise of Islam. In Jewish Muslims, David M. Freidenreich explores the history of this complex, perplexing, and emotionally fraught phenomenon. He makes the compelling case that, then and now, hate-mongers target 'them' in an effort to define 'us.' Analyzing anti-Muslim sentiment in texts and images produced across Europe and the Middle East over a thousand years, the author shows how Christians intentionally distorted reality by alleging that Muslims are just like Jews. They did so not only to justify assaults against Muslims on theological grounds but also to motivate fellow believers to live as 'good' Christians. The disdain premodern polemicists expressed for Islam and Judaism was never really about these religions. They sought to promote their own visions of Christianity--a dynamic that similarly animates portrayals of Muslims and Jews today"--

Book Synopsis

Uncovering the hidden history of Islamophobia and its surprising connections to the long-standing hatred of Jews.

Hatred of Jews and hatred of Muslims have been intertwined in Christian thought since the rise of Islam. In Jewish Muslims, David M. Freidenreich explores the history of this complex, perplexing, and emotionally fraught phenomenon. He makes the compelling case that, then and now, hate-mongers target "them" in an effort to define "us."

Analyzing anti-Muslim sentiment in texts and images produced across Europe and the Middle East over a thousand years, the author shows how Christians intentionally distorted reality by alleging that Muslims were just like Jews. They did so not only to justify assaults against Muslims on theological grounds but also to motivate fellow believers to live as "good" Christians. The disdain premodern polemicists expressed for Islam and Judaism was never really about these religions. Rather, they sought to promote their own visions of Christianity--a dynamic that similarly animates portrayals of Muslims and Jews today.

From the Back Cover

"Engaging and accessible, Jewish Muslims will fascinate readers who seek to understand the history and workings of Islamophobia and antisemitism, offering new perspectives on these pernicious dynamics and stimulating novel approaches to dismantling them."--Paola Tartakoff, Professor of History and Jewish Studies, Rutgers University

"David Freidenreich's incisive and learned book explores the long history of the relationship between Judaism and Islam in Christian thought, illuminating an enduring and powerful intersectionality that continues to shape our world."--David Nirenberg, author of Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition

Review Quotes

"While Jewish Muslims spans over sixteen centuries, it is more than a work of history. One of Freidenreich's most important contributions, which first appears in the book's introduction, is his analysis of antisemitism and anti-Judaism, and the ways in which Christian communities have leveraged them against Jews and Muslims."-- "Antisemitism Studies"

"While obviously impossible from a historical standpoint, the very contention speaks to Freidenreich's larger message: anachronisms to the contrary, the law of transitive property makes clear that if Jews were hostile by nature, their views, behaviors, and values antithetical to the Christian ideal, then anyone else who was deemed similarly "anti-Christian" (namely the Muslims) were also, ipso facto, "Jew-ish." It is a remarkable argument, but one that is discussed here in a straightforward and convincing manner."-- "Religious Studies Review"

"David Freidenreich's Jewish Muslims is an extremely well researched and well written book that should make the short list of all students of medieval history as it offers a definitive treatment of its subject while stimulating further research."-- "International Journal of Middle East Studies"

"Instructive for combatting present-day prejudices."
-- "The Journal of Religious History"

About the Author

David M. Freidenreich is Pulver Family Professor of Jewish Studies at Colby College and author of Foreigners and Their Food: Constructing Otherness in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Law.