Karen Armstrong is a British author and commentator known for her books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic religious sister, she went from a conservative to a more liberal and mystical Christian faith. She attended St Anne's College, Oxford, while in the convent and majored in English. She became disillusioned and left the convent in 1969. She first rose to prominence in 1993 with her book A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Her work focuses on commonalities of the major religions, such as the importance of compassion and the Golden Rule.
Armstrong received the TED Prize in February 2008. She used that occasion to call for the creation of a Charter for Compassion, which was unveiled the following year.
Karen Armstrong is a British author and commentator known for her books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic religious sister, she went from a conservative to a more liberal and mystical Christian faith. She attended St Anne's College, Oxford, while in the convent and majored in English. She became disillusioned and left the convent in 1969. She first rose to prominence in 1993 with her book A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Her work focuses on commonalities of the major religions, such as the importance of compassion and the Golden Rule.
Armstrong received the TED Prize in February 2008. She used that occasion to call for the creation of a Charter for Compassion, which was unveiled the following year.
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a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:32:"The True, Peaceful Face of Islam";s:12:"thePermalink";s:64:"https://www.islamicity.org/3939/the-true-peaceful-face-of-islam/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:83:"https://media.islamicity.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/iStock-672312796-scaled.jpg";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:19:"quran|/topics/quran";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Dec 2 2021";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:38:"June 17, 2008 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:3939;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:6:"6 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:158:"The very word Islam, which means "surrender," is related to the Arabic salam, or peace.Islam is not addicted to war, and jihad is not one of its "pillars." ";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:32:"The True, Peaceful Face of Islam";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
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a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:33:"Tolerance and Compassion in Islam";s:12:"thePermalink";s:66:"https://www.islamicity.org/8667/tolerance-and-compassion-in-islam/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:0:"";s:6:"isWhat";s:5:"video";s:7:"theIcon";s:33:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:19:"islam|/topics/islam";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Jun 9 2015";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:12:"June 9, 2015";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:8667;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:7:"21 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:65:"Karen Armstrong lecture on Tolerance and Compassion in Islam....";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:33:"Tolerance and Compassion in Islam";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:32:"Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time";s:12:"thePermalink";s:64:"https://www.islamicity.org/6410/muhammad-a-prophet-for-our-time/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:85:"/global/images/photo/IC-Articles/MuhammadyelfIC__600x404.JPG";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:29:"interfaith|/topics/interfaith";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Dec 28 2014";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:42:"February 18, 2010 {wpcf-soft-date engaged}";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:6410;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:7:"12 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:294:"The life of the Prophet Muhammad was as crucial to the unfolding Islamic ideal as it is today. His career revealed the inscrutable God's activity in the world, and illustrated the perfect surrender (in Arabic, the word for "surrender" is islam) that every human being should make to the divine.";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:32:"Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:34:"Real history of Islam and the West";s:12:"thePermalink";s:67:"https://www.islamicity.org/3878/real-history-of-islam-and-the-west/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:81:"/global/images/photo/IC-Articles/islamwest__1024x579.JPG";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:23:"history|/topics/history";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Dec 2 2005";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:16:"December 2, 2005";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:3878;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:7:"19 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:114:"On the eve of the second Christian millennium, the Crusaders massacred some thirty thousand Jews and Muslims in ..";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:34:"Real history of Islam and the West";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:45:"Why the Western urge to ridicule the Prophet?";s:12:"thePermalink";s:77:"https://www.islamicity.org/3814/why-the-western-urge-to-ridicule-the-prophet/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:87:"/global/images/photo/IC-Articles/protestdenmarkIC__600x404.JPG";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:23:"history|/topics/history";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Feb 24 2006";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:17:"February 24, 2006";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:3814;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:7:"17 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:118:"It has been difficult for people in the West to understand the reactions of Muslims when Prophet Muhammad is mocked ..";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:45:"Why the Western urge to ridicule the Prophet?";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:37:"Prayer Helps Us Chip Away Our Egotism";s:12:"thePermalink";s:70:"https://www.islamicity.org/3527/prayer-helps-us-chip-away-our-egotism/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:81:"/global/images/photo/IC-Articles/jamat_fam__1024x696.JPG";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:37:"prayers (salah)|/topics/prayers-salah";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Jul 9 2008";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:12:"July 9, 2008";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:3527;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:6:"3 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:126:"If God knows everything and is, as the Qur'an says, closer to me than my jugular vein, why did he need to hear my requests? ";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:37:"Prayer Helps Us Chip Away Our Egotism";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:31:"Refuting lies about the Prophet";s:12:"thePermalink";s:64:"https://www.islamicity.org/3097/refuting-lies-about-the-prophet/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:83:"/global/images/photo/IC-Articles/liestrusthIC__600x401.JPG";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:19:"quran|/topics/quran";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"May 11 2007";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:12:"May 11, 2007";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:3097;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:7:"13 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:98:"Ever since the Crusades, people in the west have seen the prophet Muhammad as a sinister figure ..";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:31:"Refuting lies about the Prophet";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:67:"We cannot afford to maintain these ancient prejudices against Islam";s:12:"thePermalink";s:100:"https://www.islamicity.org/2978/we-cannot-afford-to-maintain-these-ancient-prejudices-against-islam/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:80:"/global/images/photo/IC-Articles/popben16__1200x400.JPG";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:19:"islam|/topics/islam";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Sep 19 2006";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:18:"September 19, 2006";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:2978;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:6:"9 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:115:"The Qur'an strictly forbids any coercion in religion and regards all rightly guided religion as coming from God .. ";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:67:"We cannot afford to maintain these ancient prejudices against Islam";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:17:"Faith and Freedom";s:12:"thePermalink";s:50:"https://www.islamicity.org/2039/faith-and-freedom/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:0:"";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:43:"ali ibn abi talib|/topics/ali-ibn-abi-talib";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"May 9 2003";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:11:"May 9, 2003";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:2039;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:6:"9 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:170:"During the 70s and 80s, while we in the west seemed to find the Ba`ath regime quite acceptable, the Shias of Iraq regularly risked their lives in the arba`in pilgrimage. ";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:17:"Faith and Freedom";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:28:"Patterns of Global Terrorism";s:12:"thePermalink";s:61:"https://www.islamicity.org/1974/patterns-of-global-terrorism/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:0:"";s:6:"isWhat";s:7:"article";s:7:"theIcon";s:0:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:27:"terrorism|/topics/terrorism";s:7:"theDate";s:11:"Mar 14 2003";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:14:"March 14, 2003";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:1974;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:6:"6 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:184:"The term "Islamic fundamentalism", whatever it means, has been repeated enough times in relation to violent incidents that naturally, any thinking human being has to be uncomfortable. ";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:28:"Patterns of Global Terrorism";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
a:19:{s:8:"theTitle";s:29:"Prophet Muhammad's Compassion";s:12:"thePermalink";s:61:"https://www.islamicity.org/9988/prophet-muhammads-compassion/";s:13:"theAuthorName";s:15:"Karen Armstrong";s:12:"theThumbnail";s:0:"";s:6:"isWhat";s:5:"video";s:7:"theIcon";s:33:"";s:8:"theEmbed";s:0:"";s:11:"theCategory";s:44:"cannot-retrieve-category-see-cell-part-1.php";s:6:"theTag";s:27:"terrorism|/topics/terrorism";s:7:"theDate";s:10:"Mar 5 2016";s:11:"theDate_ORG";s:13:"March 5, 2016";s:9:"theAuthor";s:35:"Karen Armstrong|/by/karen-armstrong";s:5:"theID";i:9988;s:14:"theReadingTime";s:6:"5 min.";s:10:"theExcerpt";s:108:"It's a time of fitnah and trial. But Muslims in the past have always used these period of difficulty...";s:12:"theTitle_ORG";s:29:"Prophet Muhammad's Compassion";s:25:"processRelatedFacetsTitle";s:0:"";s:15:"whereItCameFrom";s:82:"_blp_taxonomy_archives.php & zone12 & tax-query & mostrecent on by=karen-armstrong";s:8:"theFacet";s:0:"";}
