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Muhammad Asad
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The Road To Mecca Kindle Edition

by Muhammad Asad (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 338 ratings
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Part travelogue, part autobiography, "The Road to Mecca" is the compelling story of a Western journalist and adventurer who converted to Islam in the early twentieth century. A spiritual and literary counterpart of Wilfred Thesiger and a contemporary of T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), Muhammad Asad journeyed around the Middle East, Afghanistan and India. This is an account of Asad's adventures in Arabia, his inner awakening, and his relationships with nomads and royalty alike, set in the wake of the First World War. It can be read on many levels: as a eulogy to a lost world, and as the poignant account of a man's search for meaning. It is also a love story, defying convention and steeped in loss. With its evocative descriptions and profound insights on the Islamic world, "The Road to Mecca" is a work of immense value today.

Muhammad Asad (born Leopold Weiss; 2 July 1900 – 23 February 1992) was a Jewish-born Austro-Hungarian journalist, traveler, writer, linguist, thinker, political theorist, diplomat and Islamic scholar. Asad was one of the most influential European Muslims of the 20th century.
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  1. Print length
    314 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    May 31, 2014
  5. File size
    1145 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review



"A very rare and powerful book, raised completely above the ordinary by its candor 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



"A book trenchant with adventure magnificently described, and a commentary upon the inner meaning of Arab and Muslim life, helpful to all who would achieve a more accurate understanding of the Arabs and their lands."  —Christian Science Monitor

About the Author

From his work as a journalist in the Middle East before his conversion, Muhammad Asad became an author, translator of Islamic literature, and international diplomat. His written works include his famed English translation of the Qur'an and translations of the Prophet's oral teachings.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KPH48T2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Book Foundation; 6th edition (May 31, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 31, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1145 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 314 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 338 ratings

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Muhammad Asad

Muhammad Asad

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
338 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

AJ
5.0 out of 5 stars A man's search for purpose and inner peace
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2023
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An excellent book for any individual searching for the purpose of life and inner peace. The book is an English language master class. The words spark such vivid imagery. You feel as if you are walking side-by-side with the author. I just could not put this book down. Plan to re-read it soon.
2 people found this helpful
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Sergey Shyndriayev
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2013
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Interesting story how I was introduced to this unusual book: our leader of “Islam 101” group in local mosque Pakistani by nationality mentioned Muhammad Asad name once. I found his biography in Wikipedia. I finished his book in three evenings, it was more interesting to me than Three Musketeers that I read in my childhood. His story is so unbelievable... He was born as Jew in Lvov, worked in Germany and finally became Muslim. "Islam appears to me like a perfect work of architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other; nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking; and the result is a structure of absolute balance and solid composure.” I am not Muslim, but have Muslim’s friends and read whole Quran twice; I’m Christian and like to have conversations with Muslims. It still amazed me how Jew converted to Islam became one of the founders of Pakistan. This book is great reading, full of adventures, stories about Arabs. Just enjoy reading. His another work is "The Message of the Qur'an", a translation and commentary of the sacred book of Islam, the Qur'an. I read it partially, somehow in my group his translation was not recommended for study.
6 people found this helpful
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charisma enam
5.0 out of 5 stars great over view
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2024
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A nice overview of the authors experiences in Arabia and how he viewed Arabs without any biases. Recommend reading for all intersex to know how Bedouin life morphed into the present Saudi Arabia.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2020
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Very good, just a bit lengthy, with many anecdotes and overly detailed descriptions I could have done without. Still would recommend.
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FATOU DIALLO
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2024
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Very interesting and instructive book.
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Mehrab
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Journey Told in Beautiful Language
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2022
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Muhammad Asad is a very gifted writer. I found so many wonderful examples of writing on almost every page. His story and journey is worth reading because there are so many lessons within it about life, spirituality, the nature of human beings, and history. I enjoyed it very much.
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nadav haber
5.0 out of 5 stars The search for inner peace
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2002
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Muhammed Assad was a gifted journalist. This gift makes the reading of his Near East adventures a highly entertaining experience. The son of wealthy Jewish parents, he came to Palestine in the early 1920's, became an Anti-Zionist and fell in love with the Arab world. He returned to Europe after many adventurous journeys, married a woman 14 years older then he was, became a Muslim, and went back East. The story is told through the memories entertained during a camel ride to Mecca in the early 1930's (although written about 20 years later).
Asad was a fearless man (he once walked from Haifa to Damscus without a passport, and later dodged bullets while trying to advise the Sanusi rebels in Libya against fascist Italy). He had an enormous talent for languages - he could speak fluent Arabic and Persian, in addition to the European languages and Hebrew.
He was immediately attracted to Islam. Even before becoming a Muslim he had nothing but praise for it. According to him, Islam is completely class -less, accommodating spiritual and physical needs perfectly.
Asad's criticism of the Western value system seems relevant today at least as it was then. We might not share his conclusion and choose Islam, but we cant deny that there is something wrong in the Western way of life.
The book DOES NOT include Asad's Indian and Pakistanian years. I do not know what book this information is from, and I would really want to get it, as I heard Asad WAS one of the people behind the estblishment of Pakistan.
I recommand this truly extraordinary and enlightening book to everyone interested in what is really going on in the world.
24 people found this helpful
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fatma mira
5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting!
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2011
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This is one of the best books written by a Muslim convert,and I have to say that I was blown away by the amount of enlightening comments and views that Mr.Asad has included in his journey to becoming a Muslim.It is so bewildering to read and understand how a religion like Islam,so profound and dignified, could change a person like Mr.Asad to change his religion and ,ultimately,his ideas about life,God and people.This book is interesting to read because the style of writing is easty to understand,the description he uses to include the reader in the events is quite vivid and the personal remarks about people,places and politics are worth considering.In my opinion,this is not only a book,it is a treasured narrative that seems like a running documentary about a foreigner discovering the Middle East with all its grandeur and tragedies.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Veronica Torres
5.0 out of 5 stars Un gran libro
Reviewed in Mexico on August 30, 2023
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Amo este libro, puesto que deja entender con claridad la cultura, vision y el espíritu árabe y hay muchos aspectos de ese tiempo que siguen vigentes. Una buena referencia para quien tiene curiosidad de adentrarse a ese mundo.
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Farida begum
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
Reviewed in India on April 15, 2023
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A book so LIVE , amazing read
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Muhammad Saleh
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic tale that has everything you could want in a travel journal
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2021
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The best books in my opinion are those that touch upon so many different subjects but bring them all together cohesively. This book does just that. Theology, philosophy, politics, culture, geography, friendship... you won't be dissapointed.

Muhammad Asad wrote in a beautiful and poignant manner, detailing his adventures in the near East in a way that makes you feel like you lived them yourself. It is one man's journey of self discovery, and everybody stands to benefit from his critical outlook. Once you get into it, it's very difficult to put it down, and when it ends you'll find yourself wishing that it didn't.
2 people found this helpful
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Rehan Khan
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended
Reviewed in Italy on July 23, 2020
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It Is such a great book , recommended every one to read thus book and delivered in time.
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AmazonAU Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A classic
Reviewed in Australia on January 22, 2019
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Very well written Autobiography, interesting insights and stories - couldn’t put it down!
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