I have no intention of reading this cover to cover, as this is quite a tome. The idea that "jihad" is simply a spiritual "striving" seemed like whitewash, and this confirms it. Plenty of energy has gone into diving in the medieval records, and other periods, through centuries of Islamic jurisprudence and commentary in fact. I cannot, however, countenance the reliance upon fanatical personalities like Khomeini and Qutb. There's a large burden of proof that these are representative of mainstream Islamic opinion, I think. Then again I have not done the work Bostom has. The final judgment needs to wait.

This is a stupendous, monumental effort that chronicles the horrors perpetrated on nearly the whole world because of the the intolerance preached by Islam.

The reader gets a convincing picture that Islamic fundamentalism is a problem because the fundamentals of Islam are a problem. There is no solution to this problem except by educating the muslim mind, which could take several centuries.

It is very unfortunate that Muslims believe that-or at least have to pretend to believe-the numerous contradictions and the exortions to violence that are contained in the Koran are the actual words of God. The God of the Koran is a very jealous God like the God of the old testament. Both ignorance and fear of punishment keeps muslims in obedience to their mullahs and rulers even to this day. We cannot therefore be hopeful that Islam will ever let muslims live in peace with non muslims.

I would also recommend Arun Shourie's book " The World of Fatwas" to those who liked Bostom's compilation. Shourie's book shows how Muslims to this day ask their scholars (ignorant mullahs in reality) for answers and guidance on mundane matters and how banal the guidance they get is. Shourie's book also extensively deals with the cruelty that muslims inflict on their divorced women.For instance, a man can divocrce a woman merely by repeating thrice the words " I divorce thee". If he regrets his decision and wishes to remarry his former wife he cannot do so until his ex-wife first marries some one else, consummates that marriage, and is then divorced by her new husband.

Please read this book. It will accurately fill you in on Islamic attitude towards non muslims from its origin till the present day