Reviews
"Readable, informative, and often funny this book is appropriate for undergraduate courses in religion, politics, and international affairs; policy makers and journalists seeking understanding of the Hajj's central role in both religious and political life in the Muslim world; and general readers curious about Islam and its most important ritual." --The Historian "Interesting and wide-ranging."--The Times Literary Supplement "...a remarkable book that delivers more than its title even begins to suggest."--CHOICE "...a work of great learning and of astute political and social analysis, written in a direct and jargon-free style that is a joy to read....an achievement remarkable for its learning, its sophistication, its acuity and its sheer lucidity."--F.E. Peters, Middle East and Islamic Studies, New York University "Guests of God, the fruit of a personal pilgrimage in 1989 (do not miss the pages recounting that) and more than a decade of research throughout the Muslim world, is a beautifully wrought study that tells much about the hajj and more."--Foreign Affairs "This is a masterful study of the Hajj, one of the greatest human experiences of our time, in historical, social scientific and legal perspectives, ranging from global thematic issues to detailed case studies. Bianchi combines fascinating narrative, accessible prose, and wealth of information with sophisticated analysis, insightful scholarship, and clarity of presentation. A highly instructive and inspiring contribution to possibilities of international peaceful cooperation at the present creative moment in human history."--Abdullahi An-Na'im, author ofToward an Islamic Reformation: CivilLiberties, Human Rights, and International Law "Robert Bianchi'sGuests of Godis a unique and masterful treatment of the politicization of the hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, and its global significance. Based on extensive field research and data, this is a definitive and critical study, must-reading for those who wish to understand the continuing role of the hajj from Nigeria to Indonesia in Muslim belief, politics and international relations." --John L. Esposito, author ofUnholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam "Robert Bianchi describes the Hajj as 'magical'.Guests of Godis no less so. Melding social science analysis, history, public policy, Islamic studies, personal narrative, and travelogue Bianchi takes his readers on a Hajj of their own. From Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, and elsewhere Bianchi reveals the mechanics, the politics, and the spiritual dimensions of perhaps the world's greatest regularized movement of people. Relying on brilliant scholarship, elegant writing, and rare insight this book is truly a colossal achievement." --Jerrold D. Green, Director of International Programs and Development and Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy, RAND, "Readable, informative, and often funny this book is appropriate for undergraduate courses in religion, politics, and international affairs; policy makers and journalists seeking understanding of the Hajj's central role in both religious and political life in the Muslim world; and general readers curious about Islam and its most important ritual." --The Historian "Interesting and wide-ranging."--The Times Literary Supplement "...a remarkable book that delivers more than its title even begins to suggest."--CHOICE "...a work of great learning and of astute political and social analysis, written in a direct and jargon-free style that is a joy to read....an achievement remarkable for its learning, its sophistication, its acuity and its sheer lucidity."--F.E. Peters, Middle East and Islamic Studies, New York University "Guests of God, the fruit of a personal pilgrimage in 1989 (do not miss the pages recounting that) and more than a decade of research throughout the Muslim world, is a beautifully wrought study that tells much about the hajj and more."--Foreign Affairs "This is a masterful study of the Hajj, one of the greatest human experiences of our time, in historical, social scientific and legal perspectives, ranging from global thematic issues to detailed case studies. Bianchi combines fascinating narrative, accessible prose, and wealth of information with sophisticated analysis, insightful scholarship, and clarity of presentation. A highly instructive and inspiring contribution to possibilities of international peaceful cooperation at the present creative moment in human history."--Abdullahi An-Na'im, author of Toward an Islamic Reformation: Civil Liberties, Human Rights, and International Law "Robert Bianchi's Guests of God is a unique and masterful treatment of the politicization of the hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, and its global significance. Based on extensive field research and data, this is a definitive and critical study, must-reading for those who wish to understand the continuing role of the hajj from Nigeria to Indonesia in Muslim belief, politics and international relations." --John L. Esposito, author of Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam "Robert Bianchi describes the Hajj as 'magical'. Guests of God is no less so. Melding social science analysis, history, public policy, Islamic studies, personal narrative, and travelogue Bianchi takes his readers on a Hajj of their own. From Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, and elsewhere Bianchi reveals the mechanics, the politics, and the spiritual dimensions of perhaps the world's greatest regularized movement of people. Relying on brilliant scholarship, elegant writing, and rare insight this book is truly a colossal achievement." --Jerrold D. Green, Director of International Programs and Development and Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy, RAND, "...a work of great learning and of astute political and social analysis,written in a direct and jargon-free style that is a joy to read....anachievement remarkable for its learning, its sophistication, its acuity and itssheer lucidity."--F.E. Peters, Middle East and Islamic Studies, New YorkUniversity, "Robert Bianchi describes the Hajj as 'magical'. Guests of God is no less so. Melding social science analysis, history, public policy, Islamic studies, personal narrative, and travelogue Bianchi takes his readers on a Hajj of their own. From Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria,and elsewhere Bianchi reveals the mechanics, the politics, and the spiritual dimensions of perhaps the world's greatest regularized movement of people. Relying on brilliant scholarship, elegant writing, and rare insight this book is truly a colossal achievement." --Jerrold D. Green, Director ofInternational Programs and Development and Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy, RAND, "Robert Bianchi's Guests of God is a unique and masterful treatment of the politicization of the hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, and its global significance. Based on extensive field research and data, this is a definitive and critical study, must-reading for those who wish to understand thecontinuing role of the hajj from Nigeria to Indonesia in Muslim belief, politics and international relations." --John L. Esposito, author of Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam, "Robert Bianchi's Guests of God is a unique and masterful treatment of thepoliticization of the hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, and its global significance.Based on extensive field research and data, this is a definitive and criticalstudy, must-reading for those who wish to understand the continuing role of thehajj from Nigeria to Indonesia in Muslim belief, politics and internationalrelations." --John L. Esposito, author of Unholy War: Terror in the Name ofIslam, "Readable, informative, and often funny this book is appropriate for undergraduate courses in religion, politics, and international affairs; policy makers and journalists seeking understanding of the Hajj's central role in both religious and political life in the Muslim world; and general readers curious about Islam and its most important ritual." -- The Historian "Interesting and wide-ranging."-- The Times Literary Supplement "...a remarkable book that delivers more than its title even begins to suggest."-- CHOICE "...a work of great learning and of astute political and social analysis, written in a direct and jargon-free style that is a joy to read....an achievement remarkable for its learning, its sophistication, its acuity and its sheer lucidity."--F.E. Peters, Middle East and Islamic Studies, New York University " Guests of God , the fruit of a personal pilgrimage in 1989 (do not miss the pages recounting that) and more than a decade of research throughout the Muslim world, is a beautifully wrought study that tells much about the hajj and more."-- Foreign Affairs "This is a masterful study of the Hajj, one of the greatest human experiences of our time, in historical, social scientific and legal perspectives, ranging from global thematic issues to detailed case studies. Bianchi combines fascinating narrative, accessible prose, and wealth of information with sophisticated analysis, insightful scholarship, and clarity of presentation. A highly instructive and inspiring contribution to possibilities of international peaceful cooperation at the present creative moment in human history."--Abdullahi An-Na'im, author of Toward an Islamic Reformation: Civil Liberties, Human Rights, and International Law "Robert Bianchi's Guests of God is a unique and masterful treatment of the politicization of the hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, and its global significance. Based on extensive field research and data, this is a definitive and critical study, must-reading for those who wish to understand the continuing role of the hajj from Nigeria to Indonesia in Muslim belief, politics and international relations." --John L. Esposito, author of Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam "Robert Bianchi describes the Hajj as 'magical'. Guests of God is no less so. Melding social science analysis, history, public policy, Islamic studies, personal narrative, and travelogue Bianchi takes his readers on a Hajj of their own. From Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, and elsewhere Bianchi reveals the mechanics, the politics, and the spiritual dimensions of perhaps the world's greatest regularized movement of people. Relying on brilliant scholarship, elegant writing, and rare insight this book is truly a colossal achievement." --Jerrold D. Green, Director of International Programs and Development and Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy, RAND, "Robert Bianchi describes the Hajj as 'magical'. Guests of God is no lessso. Melding social science analysis, history, public policy, Islamic studies,personal narrative, and travelogue Bianchi takes his readers on a Hajj of theirown. From Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, and elsewhereBianchi reveals the mechanics, the politics, and the spiritual dimensions ofperhaps the world's greatest regularized movement of people. Relying onbrilliant scholarship, elegant writing, and rare insight this book is truly acolossal achievement." --Jerrold D. Green, Director of International Programsand Development and Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy,RAND, "Readable, informative, and often funny this book is appropriate for undergraduate courses in religion, politics, and international affairs; policy makers and journalists seeking understanding of the Hajj's central role in both religious and political life in the Muslim world; and generalreaders curious about Islam and its most important ritual." --The Historian, "...a work of great learning and of astute political and social analysis, written in a direct and jargon-free style that is a joy to read....an achievement remarkable for its learning, its sophistication, its acuity and its sheer lucidity."--F.E. Peters, Middle East and Islamic Studies, NewYork University, "This is a masterful study of the Hajj, one of the greatest humanexperiences of our time, in historical, social scientific and legalperspectives, ranging from global thematic issues to detailed case studies.Bianchi combines fascinating narrative, accessible prose, and wealth ofinformation with sophisticated analysis, insightful scholarship, and clarity ofpresentation. A highly instructive and inspiring contribution to possibilitiesof international peaceful cooperation at the present creative moment in humanhistory."--Abdullahi An-Na'im, author of Toward an Islamic Reformation: CivilLiberties, Human Rights, and International Law, "This is a masterful study of the Hajj, one of the greatest human experiences of our time, in historical, social scientific and legal perspectives, ranging from global thematic issues to detailed case studies. Bianchi combines fascinating narrative, accessible prose, and wealth of informationwith sophisticated analysis, insightful scholarship, and clarity of presentation. A highly instructive and inspiring contribution to possibilities of international peaceful cooperation at the present creative moment in human history."--Abdullahi An-Na'im, author of Toward an Islamic Reformation:Civil Liberties, Human Rights, and International Law, "Readable, informative, and often funny this book is appropriate for undergraduate courses in religion, politics, and international affairs; policy makers and journalists seeking understanding of the Hajj's central role in both religious and political life in the Muslim world; and general readers curious about Islam and its most important ritual." --The Historian"Interesting and wide-ranging."--The Times Literary Supplement"...a remarkable book that delivers more than its title even begins to suggest."--CHOICE"...a work of great learning and of astute political and social analysis, written in a direct and jargon-free style that is a joy to read....an achievement remarkable for its learning, its sophistication, its acuity and its sheer lucidity."--F.E. Peters, Middle East and Islamic Studies, New York University"Guests of God, the fruit of a personal pilgrimage in 1989 (do not miss the pages recounting that) and more than a decade of research throughout the Muslim world, is a beautifully wrought study that tells much about the hajj and more."--Foreign Affairs"This is a masterful study of the Hajj, one of the greatest human experiences of our time, in historical, social scientific and legal perspectives, ranging from global thematic issues to detailed case studies. Bianchi combines fascinating narrative, accessible prose, and wealth of information with sophisticated analysis, insightful scholarship, and clarity of presentation. A highly instructive and inspiring contribution to possibilities of international peaceful cooperation at the present creative moment in human history."--Abdullahi An-Na'im, author of Toward an Islamic Reformation: Civil Liberties, Human Rights, and International Law"Robert Bianchi's Guests of God is a unique and masterful treatment of the politicization of the hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, and its global significance. Based on extensive field research and data, this is a definitive and critical study, must-reading for those who wish to understand the continuing role of the hajj from Nigeria to Indonesia in Muslim belief, politics and international relations." --John L. Esposito, author of Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam"Robert Bianchi describes the Hajj as 'magical'. Guests of God is no less so. Melding social science analysis, history, public policy, Islamic studies, personal narrative, and travelogue Bianchi takes his readers on a Hajj of their own. From Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, and elsewhere Bianchi reveals the mechanics, the politics, and the spiritual dimensions of perhaps the world's greatest regularized movement of people. Relying on brilliant scholarship, elegant writing, and rare insight this book is truly a colossal achievement." --Jerrold D. Green, Director of International Programs and Development and Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy, RAND, "Guests of God, the fruit of a personal pilgrimage in 1989 (do not miss the pages recounting that) and more than a decade of research throughout the Muslim world, is a beautifully wrought study that tells much about the hajj and more."--Foreign Affairs, "Guests of God, the fruit of a personal pilgrimage in 1989 (do not missthe pages recounting that) and more than a decade of research throughout theMuslim world, is a beautifully wrought study that tells much about the hajj andmore."--Foreign Affairs