Muhammad Asad's exceptional autobiography traces his journey to Islam. The Times Literary Supplement lauds it as "a narrative of great power and beauty."
Asad (born Leopold Weiss) was born in Austro-Hungary to wealthy Jewish parents. Asad's life took a riveting turn in the early 1920s when he arrived in Palestine, became an anti-Zionist, and fell in love with the Arab world. After adventurous journeys, he returned to Europe, got married, embraced Islam, and headed back East. Asad had an incredible talent for languages, he was fluent in Arabic, Persian, Hebrew and the European languages. Asad, a fearless man, demonstrated courage from walking passport-less from Haifa to Damascus to dodging bullets while advising Sanusi rebels in Libya. Even before Asad became a Muslim, he had nothing but praise for Islam. According to him, Islam is for everyone and it accommodates spiritual and physical needs perfectly. Asad's criticism of the Western value system seems as relevant today as it was then.
The story is told through the memories entertained during a camel ride to Mecca in the early 1930s (although written about 20 years later). Asad's transformative odyssey serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
Reviews:
"A rare and powerful book, raised completely above the ordinary by its candour and intelligence." --New York Post
"The Road to Mecca combines the adventure and scenic beauty of a good travel book, some unusually informed comments on near Eastern affairs, and a deeply thoughtful account of one man's finding of his own path." --Book of the Month Club, New York
Format: Paperback
Pages: 380
Publisher: Islamic Book Trust
ISBN: 9789839154122
Dimensions: 21 x 15 x 2cm