How to Win a Cosmic War

God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror

By: Reza Aslan

Narrated by: Sunil Malhotra

A cosmic war is a religious war. It is a battle not between armies or nations, but between the forces of good and evil, a war in which God is believed to be directly engaged on behalf of one side against the other. The hijackers who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, thought they were fighting a cosmic war. According to award-winning writer and scholar of religions Reza Aslan, by infusing the United States War on Terror with the same kind of religiously polarizing rhetoric and Manichean worldview, is also fighting a cosmic war - a war that can’t be won.

How to Win a Cosmic War is both an in-depth study of the ideology fueling al-Qa‘ida, the Taliban, and like-minded militants throughout the Muslim world, and an exploration of religious violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Surveying the global scene from Israel to Iraq and from New York to the Netherlands, Aslan argues that religion is a stronger force today than it has been in a century. At a time when religion and politics are increasingly sharing the same vocabulary and functioning in the same sphere, Aslan writes that we must strip the conflicts of our world - in particular, the War on Terror - of their religious connotations and address the earthly grievances that always lie behind the cosmic impulse. How do you win a cosmic war? By refusing to fight in one.

©2009 Reza Aslan (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

"In this provocative and engaging book, Reza Aslan shows why he is one of America's leading analysts of the confusing and frightening forces that confront us. It is Aslan's great gift to see things clearly, and to say them clearly, and in this important new work he offers us a way forward. He is prescriptive and passionate, and his book will make you think." (Jon Meacham, author of American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House)

NO IN-BETWEEN

Reza Aslan suggests there is no in-between in wars defined by religion. Aslan’s observation is that 21st century terrorism is grounded in, and defined by, religion. The consequence is a war that has spiritual but little human dimension. Aslan infers today’s war and terrorist actions are based on apocryphal religious texts. The texts are written by men who interpret the word of God; i.e. texts that speak of ephemeral mortality, and an eternal afterlife. The interpreters of God are saying–be part of this religion or be an infidel, an apostate; worth less than nothing. You are with us or against us. There is no in-between.

As much as one may wish to agree with Aslan, the mixture of religion and government in the Nuclear Age seems like a formula for Armageddon. On the other hand, time settled many terrorist wars of the past. Every democracy does not mean American’ democracy, but democracy has always endorsed in-between beliefs within its polities. Aslan’s argument for “How to Win a Cosmic War” offers a little hope but with big risk.

Good read

A good book about what is Cihad and who these guys are and how to end all is chaos...

Great book! Inspiring to fight against radicalism!

Reza Aslan tells a great tale of how contemporary and ancient politics have affected the War on Terror, and how modern politics have affected the people in those countries. He concludes by showing how we can defeat jihad and end the War on Terror. Wonderful book! Highly recommended!

Good, but dated.

This is excellent background for Westerners to understand the history of radical Islam. The authors optimism is somewhat muted now by the development of the Islamic state. Perhaps we can expect another book from this author in the near future explaining where he thinks we are going from here.

Broadens your perspective

Certainly an interesting look at religion and modernization. Sheds light on psychology, identity, modernization, war, and underlying cultures as they function to shape history.

A book of understanding

A book about identity, the loss of it and how people forge a new one.

For those who want to understand:
- the social, demographic and cultural specifics that lead to the nuances of the worlds most spread religions
- the origins of some of the terms used widely today - jihadism, fundamentalism,...
- the difference between fundamentalism (not just Islamic) and Islamism
- constructive ideas of countering the "bad-VS-good" mentality spread on both sides of the world
- how radical religious social movements differ from established religious institutions

Overall an insightful listen.

my books before bedtime

amazing book brilliant writer cannot agree more love his art of writing read all his books

This will make you smarter!

This book is remarkably concise and interesting.

Do you know the difference between Islamism and Jihadism? Do you know the differences between what it's like to be Muslim in Europe vs. the United States? I highly recommend this book, especially in the wake of Paris, Brussels, Ankara, Lahore, London, and 9/11.

How to win a Cosmic War by Reza Aslan

Excellent read. I learned so much and it helped me to step out of my intellectual box and see things a little different. I wish all Generals and persons making decisions for my country USA would read this book. I think they would have a better approach to our country’s freedom than just our military might. Democracy works when we understand diversity. I want to read all his books.

Helpful approach to a difficult subject

Aslan's analysis and breakdown of the various sorts of Islamic movements was quite helpful. I liked it enough that I bought a hard copy so that I can quote it as needed. I am less certain that he has a solution of how to "win" the war, but his statement that refusing to engage in a Cosmic war is the only valid strategy is one that needs to be heard.
His ability to cite Christian scripture and make it sound ominous (a claim to be "washed in the blood" should not be understood as threatening) needs to be understood, I think, against the backdrop of people reading the Qur'an in equally ominous ways. If you focus on the global pronouncements, this book is simplistic. He does not have any simple solutions that are going to bring peace in the war on terror or in any other war. However, the book can be very helpful in sorting out a range of Muslim attitudes.