What do You think about The Assassins: A Radical Sect In Islam (2003)?
Highly informative but ultimately problematic in interpretation.The Assassins is a compact book that goes deep into the background of a "radical" Muslim Shi'ite sect operating in Syria in the 11th-13th century named "The Assassins." The term "Assassin," in fact, originated from this group.Europeans came into contact with the Assassins in 11-12th century during the crusade period. Fantastic stories about them were recounted by travelers, politicians, historians, and crusaders, to people in Europe and they were absolutely captivating accounts. The public assassination executed by the followers of the group terrorized the various Sunni Muslim leaders. The fact that so little is known about them even in the Middle East makes the group more fascinating. Bernard Lewis' little book is an effort to straighten out the story, to differentiate between myth, fanciful details and facts, concrete evidence newly coming into light. He wishes to make them, the Assassins, interesting on their own terms.And Lewis is indeed capable of packing so many details in such a short book. For certain, many will be overwhelmed by number of names, dates, places, and castles. Yet with a bit of patience, readers will do just fine. It is a matter of practice to get used to Arab, Turk, or Kurk names.The story told, however, could be unsatisfying. Lewis focuses chiefly on political and military activities, but not on the theological and religious foundation of the Assassins - the Syrian sect of the Muslim Sh'ite, pro-Nazari Ismailis.Another difficulty is that most primary writings and chronicles by Ismailis themselves were destroyed by their enemies - Muslim Sunnis. As a result, the evidence left can be skewed, portraying Ismailis in a less favorable way. This is inescapable. Lewis is aware of this issue, and yet I find him still opinionated. After all, he sees Assassins as fanatical terrorists. The connection between the Assassins and terrorists is very very very problematic, as Lewis later acknowledges in the preface of a later edition. The fanatical part is also questionable, in my opinion, because Lewis again does not examine the religious aspect of the Ismailis carefully.Overall, still a good account. Though Lewis' later books can be quite ideological, this early book is still quite balanced, well-researched. But after all, it is always our responsibility as readers to read critically.
—linhtalinhtinh
history is better than fiction.for all you geeks out there, do you remember the cult of thulsa doom from that schwarzengger conan movie? well, they were real. except that none could turn into snakes. the assassins flourished in the mountains of what are now lebanon and syria around the time of the crusades.the terrified the christian kings. survived numerous attacks by more convention muslims. and were only done in by the mongols. it can also be said that they invented the suicidal one way political killer. the book is well written, as are all of lewis's works, but a little thin. really deserves something more comprehensive.
—Varmint
التاريخ يا اخونا , التاريخ , من لا يعرف تاريخه لن يفهم حاضره ولن يأمن مستقبله وقبل ان ابدأ في المراجعه احب ان احيي الرائع احمد خالد توفيق لانه هو او من عرفني على تلك الفرقه في عدد من اعداد السلسله التي كان يكتبها التي(فانتازيا) عرف معلومات كبيره جدا اما عن الكتاب كتاب شيق جدا ماتع جدا , دراسه علميه محترمه ومحايده وتتسم بالموضوعيه الشديده وعدم التحيز ,تشرح فيه تاريخ هذه الفرقه التي ظهرت في العالم الاسلامي وكان لها تاثير سياسي كبير في مجريات الامور , .واعجب ان احداث تاريخيه كتلك لم ندرسها ولم نسمع عنها مع انها مهمه جدا رغم ان مؤلف الكتاب هو ( برنارد لويس) ذو السمعه السئيه فيما يختص بمخططات التقسيم الا انه بدا ليه محايد وموضوعي في هذا الكتاب ,يتحدث الكاتب عن اصل الفرقه ويشرح جذورها من ايام بعثه النبي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم الى الان , وعرفت كثير من المعلومات التي لم اكن اعرفها مثل ان اصل الفرقه كان من مصر وان مصر كان ليها دور كبير في ظهور تلك الفرق .انصحكم بقراءته بشده .
—Mohammed Fathi
