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    Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West
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    Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West
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    Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West
    Ebook420 pages8 hours

    Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West

    By Benazir Bhutto

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    About this ebook

    Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party, was seen as vital to that country's future. In exile for years, in late 2007 she felt the time had come to actively re-engage and to return to the country she loved. Part of that process was a clear-eyed assessment of where Pakistan was, and of the nature of its relationship with the West, with Islam, and with extremism. In this important new book, completed just days before her assassination, Ms Bhutto demonstrats that extremism is not inherent to Islam, but that various factors, including some policies of the West, have empowered Islamic fundamentalists and are responsible for the current battle for the hearts, minds and bodies of the Umma(the Islamic nation around the world).

    RECONCILIATION was her compelling and convincing prescription for the country at the heart of the so-called 'clash of civilizations'. It argues that democracy, economic development, moderation and modernity are the greatest threats to international terrorism. She pledged to work with the United States and the West to ensure that Pakistan ceased to be the petri dish of international radicals, and to re-establish its bona fidesas a realistic and effective moderate alternative for one billion Muslims around the world.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster UK
    Release dateMay 22, 2014
    ISBN9781471138126
    Author

    Benazir Bhutto

    Benazir Bhutto was the prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and from 1993 to 1996, and the chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party. Born in 1953 in Karachi, Bhutto was the first woman ever to lead a Muslim state. She lived in exile from 1999 until her return to Pakistan in October 2007, two months before her assassination.

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    Reviews for Reconciliation

    4/5

    52 ratings6 reviews

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    • 3/5
      The author's magnus opus, Benazir Bhutto, who served as Prime Minister of Pakistan (1988-90, 1993-96), and who was the first woman to lead an ostensibly democratic government in a Muslim majority state, Bhutto spells out her liberal/social-democratic views for Pakistan. Shortly before the book's release, Bhutto was assassinated.
    • 5/5
      This book is something of a slow burner: after fifty pages I almost gave up, after a hundred, I was gripped. I am not a diplomat, or of any other profession giving me an insight into the Middle East, but this book oozes common sense.Benazir Bhutto pulls no punches, she lays blame on the West, particularly the UK and America but, she also berates the countries of the region. This would have been a worthwhile read, in its self, but Bhutto offers practical ways forward that should be taken by both sides and, it is hard to see that, were even a small part of her suggested schemes implemented, that relations between the west and the Middle East would not improve immeasurably. The desperately depressing thing about this book is that I was able to buy it for £1 from Pound Stretchers! A work, such as this, ought to be read by every citizen of the world! We need more understanding, the desire to work together to improve life for all God's children, however they pray to him.
    • 3/5
      In this book, Bhutto's thesis is that democracy and Islam are not mutually exclusive. To that end, she quotes the Quran a lot, noting that civil rights are guaranteed for both men and women according to the Quran, but that tribal law has often superseded the Quran itself when official interpretations were set down. Also to prove her point that Islam and democracy are not mutually exclusive, she gives a brief history of a number of Muslim countries, noting that their ups and downs with the democratic experience are often the result of colonialism and/or Western meddling. As a counterweight, she also includes a brief history of a number of non-Muslim countries that had similar problems as a result of colonialism or other interference from large Western powers, most notably Great Britain and the United States. However, despite her many claims of the West's mistreatment of the Muslim world, she also acknowledges that Islamic countries need to take their share of the blame as well. She then moves on to a lengthier history of her home country, Pakistan, and comments some on her own personal journey in Pakistani politics. The following section, the most unrelated to her thesis (in my opinion), discusses the possibility of the inevitable clash between the Western and Islamic worlds (a possibility which she believes can be avoided). She concludes with recommendations for how democracy can be supported through fighting poverty, promoting education, and empowering women and for how reconciliation between the West and Muslim countries can be achieved, with suggestions including a 21st century Marshall plan.It's an informative work, although you do have to do a bit of work to separate the absolute facts from Bhutto's politics. In terms of writing style, the book suffers somewhat from being a bit rambling and redundant at times. Perhaps Bhutto’s thoughts would have been better suited as a long essay than a book-length work (or two long essays - one on democracy in the Islamic world and one on the so-called clash of civilizations). As it is, it seems as though Bhutto was writing almost stream-of-consciousness at times, without realizing that she had already said something nearly identical or that she moved from one topic to another without transition. Nevertheless, her clear intelligence makes this situation better than it would be in less able hands. For audiophiles, Rita Wolf was a fine choice for narrator in the audio version. However, in hindsight, Bhutto's autobiographical Daughter of Destiny would probably have been a better choice for me.
    • 4/5
      Written shortly before her assassination, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s Reconciliation details the current struggles between Islam and the West and gives her plan for promoting democracy in Islamic nations and fostering goodwill between the two cultures.The book breaks down into five easily digestible sections. First, Bhutto uses Quranic scripture and the teachings of moderate Muslims to prove that, contrary to popular belief, the religion of Islam is not inherently undemocratic. She effectively argues that equality is a fundamental aspect of mainstream Islam and, only when it is taken out of context, can Islam be used as a tool of oppression. Second, she traces the development of democracy in Islamic countries throughout the world. While she (unfairly I believe) places a lot of fault on the United States, Britain, and other former empire seekers, Bhutto’s main argument is that the primary barrier to democratic development in Muslim nations is the lack of a history of democracy. Those countries where democracy flourished at the beginning of the century were most likely to continue those democratic institutions. The nations where equality and self-government were squelched have had the most trouble transitioning to a free and democratic society.Following a lengthy and tangential history of Pakistan, Bhutto concludes by taking on the “clash of civilizations” theory. She contends that the coming battle will not be between Islam and the West, but among Muslim states, with “the forces of moderation and modernity and the competing forces of extremism and fanaticism.” In order for the forces of moderation to win this battle, however, they need support from the West. Gender equality must be created and a functioning civil society (specifically educational and non-governmental organizations) is absolutely crucial to the creation and extension of a democratic Muslim world.Bhutto’s ideas are solid. I think she goes a bit far in blaming the western world for the current state of affairs in the Muslim world but, overall, I would recommend this book to anyone hoping to understand the current state of democracy in Islamic nations and to understand the steps that will be necessary in order to create stable democratic governments.
    • 5/5
      An excellent look at Islam from a balanced perspective. Also, an in depth review of methods nations can take to encourage friendly relations between Muslim countries and the West.
    • 4/5
      The focus on how and why a working democracy can be achieved within Islamic nations. The Quran is quoted to show how democracy is what the people need as well as why the terrorists are going against the words of the Prophet. Not easy to read but well worth the work. The second half of chapter six is an end all to what we sould be doing in all countries to support all the people.