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Zealot by Reza Aslan Excerpt
Zealot by Reza Aslan Excerpt
]wf
dupatjfk+ ]njs `ay navl gllk a plasakt rlvfbt9 tnl gakmjt oakos
najblm hrf` j`pfvlrjsnlm vjbbaols bjil L``aus" Gltn-nfrfk" akm
Gltnblnl`+ Gut jt was sf`ltnjko lbsl" tff+ ]nl gakmjts dbaj`lm tf
gl aolkts fh Ofm‚s rltrjgutjfk+ ]nly dbfailm tnljr blamlrs jk tnl
l`gbl`s fh gjgbjdab ijkos akm nlrfls akm prlslktlm tnljr adtjfks as
a prlbuml hfr tnl rlstfratjfk fh Ofm‚s
Ofm‚s ijkomf` fk lartn+ lar tn+ ]nl gak-
mjts tapplm jktf tnl wjmlsprlam apfdabyptjd lxpldtatjfk tnat nam
orjpplm tnl Clws fh Uablstjkl jk tnl wail fh tnl Wf`ak jkvasjfk+
Fkl fh tnl `fst hlarsf`l fh abb tnl gakmjts" tnl dnarjs`atjd
dnar js`atjd gakmjt
dnjlh Nlzlijan" fplkby mldbarlm nj`slbh tf gl tnl `lssjan" tnl
prf`jslm fkl wnf wfubm rlstfrl tnl Clws tf obfry+
@lssjan `laks ‒akfjktlm fkl+‐ ]nl tjtbl abbumls tf tnl pradtjdl
fh pfurjko
pfur jko fr s`larjko fjb fk sf`lfkl dnarolm wjtn mjvjkl fhfidl3
a ijko"
ij ko" bjil Taub"
Taub " fr Mavjm" fr Tfbf`fk9
Tf bf`fk9 a prjlst"
pr jlst" bjil Aarfk akm njs
sfks" wnf wlrl dfksldratlm tf mf Ofm‚s wfri9 a prfpnlt" bjil Jsa-
jan fr Lbjsna" wnf gfrl a spldjab rlbatjfksnjp wjtn Ofm" ak jktj-
`ady tnat df`ls wjtn gljko mlsjokatlm Ofm‚s rlprlslktatjvl fk
lartn+ ]nl prjkdjpab tasi fh tnl `lssjan" wnf was pfpubarby gl-
bjlvlm tf gl tnl mlsdlkmakt fh Ijko Mavjm" was tf rlgujbm Mavjm‚s
ijkomf` akm rllstagbjsn tnl katjfk fh Jsralb+ ]nus" tf dabb fklslbh
tnl `lssjan at tnl tj`l fh tnl Wf`ak fddupatjfk was takta`fukt
tf mldbarjko war fk Wf`l+ Jkmllm" tnl may wfubm df`l wnlk
tnlsl akory
akor y gakms fh plasakt oakos wfubm
wfubm hfr` tnl gadigfkl fh ak
apfdabyptjd ar`y fh zlabfus rlvfbutjfkarjls tnat wfubm hfrdl tnl
Wf`aks tf ll Clrusabl` jk nu`jbjatjfk+ Jk tnfsl larby ylars fh
tnl fddupatjfk" nfwlvlr" tnl gakmjts wlrl bjttbl `frl tnak a kuj-
sakdl+ Ttjbb" tnly kllmlm tf gl stfpplm9 sf`lfkl nam tf rlstfrl
frmlr jk tnl dfuktrysjml+
]nat sf`lfkl turklm fut tf gl a dblvlr yfuko Clwjsn kfgbl-
`ak hrf` Jmu`la
Jm u`la ka`lm
ka` lm Nlrfm+ Nlrfm‚
Nlrfm‚ss hatnlr"
h atnlr" Aktjpatl
A ktjpatlr"r" nam tnl
offm hfrtukl fh gljko fk tnl rjont sjml jk tnl djvjb war gltwllk
Uf`ply @aokus akm Cubjus Dalsar+ Dalsar rlwarmlm Aktjpatlr hfr
75 SLABF]
pbakts tnljr fwk drfps3 a gjt fh garbly" sf`l wnlat" a hlw stabis fh
`jbblt akm fats+ ]nl `akurl dfbbldtlm hrf` tnl akj`abs hllms tnl
lartn" wnjdn jk turk hllms tnl vjbbaolrs" wnf tnlk hllm tnl bjvl-
stfdi+ Tlbh-suhfidjlkdy js tnl rubl+
]nl njbbsjml na`blt fh Kazarltn js sf s`abb" sf fgsdurl" tnat jts
ka`l mfls kft applar jk aky akdjlkt Clwjsn sfurdl glhfrl tnl tnjrm
dlktury d+l+ ”kft
”kft jk tnl Nlgrl
Nlgrlw w Gjgbl" kft jk tnl ]ab`um" kft jk
tnl @jmrasn" kft jk Cfslpnus+ Jt js" jk snfrt" ak jkdfkslqulktjab akm
uttlrby hfrolttagbl pbadl+ Jt js absf tnl djty jk wnjdn Clsus was bjilby
gfrk akm rajslm+ ]nat nl da`l hrf` tnjs tjontby lkdbfslm vjbbaol fh
a hlw nukmrlm j`pfvlrjsnlm Clws `ay vlry wlbb gl tnl fkby hadt
dfkdlrkjko Clsus‚s dnjbmnffm agfut wnjdn wl dak gl hajrby dfkfi-
mlkt+ Tf jmlktjfilm was Clsus wjtn Kazarltn tnat nl was ikfwk
tnrfuonfut njs bjhl sj`pby as ‒tnl Kazarlak+‐ Dfksjmlrjko nfw
df``fk a first ka`l Clsus was" tnl djty fh njs gjrtn glda`l njs
prjkdjpab sfgrjqult+ Jt was tnl fkl tnjko agfut wnjdn lvlryfkl
wnf iklw nj`”njs hrjlkms akm njs lkl`jls abjil”sll`lm tf
aorll+
_ny" tnlk" mf @attnlw akm Buil”akm fkby @attnlw .731— :* :*
akm Buil .731— 71*”dbaj`
71*”dbaj` tnat Clsus was was gfrk
gfr k kft jk Kazarltn gut
jk Gltnblnl`" lvlk tnfuon tnl ka`l Gltnblnl` mfls kft applar
akywnlrl lbsl jk tnl lktjrl Klw ]lsta`lkt .kft lvlk akywnlrl
lbsl jk @attnlw fr Buil" gftn fh wnjdn rlplatlmby rlhlr tf Clsus as
‒tnl Kazarlak‐*"
Kazarlak ‐*" sav
savll hfr a sjkobl vlrsl jk
j k tnl ofsplb fh Cfnk .?3=7*6
.?3 =7*6
]nl akswlr `ay gl hfukm jk tnat vlrsl hrf` Cfnk+
Jt was" tnl lvakolbjst wrjtls" larby jk Clsus‚s `jkjstry+ \p tf tnjs
pfjkt" Clsus nam" hfr tnl `fst part" rlstrjdtlm nj`slbh tf prladnjko
njs `lssaol tf tnl pffr har`lrs akm fisnlr`lk fh Oabjbll”njs
hrjlkms akm kljongfrs+ Gut kfw tnat tnl Hlast fh ]aglrkadbls nas
arrjvlm" Clsus‚s ha`jby urol nj` tf travlb wjtn tnl` tf Cumla tf
dlblgratl tnl cfyfus narvlst hlstjvab tfoltnlr" akm tf rlvlab nj`slbh
tf tnl `assls+
ZF\ IKF_ _NLWL J A@ HWF@ 7?
tnl glojkkjko
glo jkkjko fh tj`l" tnl prj`ab
pr j`ab hfrdl tnrfuon wnf` abb drlatjfk
sprako akm wjtnfut wnf` kftnjko da`l jktf gljko . Cfnk 134*+
A sj`jbar badi fh dfkdlrk agfut Clsus‚s lartnby frjojks dak gl
hfukm jk tnl first ofsplb" @ari" wrjttlk cust ahtlr ?5 d+l+ @ari‚s
hfdus js ilpt squarlby fk Clsus‚s `jkjstry9 nl js ukjktlrlstlm ljtnlr
jk Clsus‚
Clsus ‚s gjrtn
gjr tn fr" plrnaps sursurpr
prjsjkob
jsjkobyy" jk Clsus‚
Clsus ‚s rlsurrldtjfk"
rlsur rldtjfk" as nl
wrjtls kftnjko at abb agfut ljtnlr lvlkt+
]nl larby Dnrjstjak df``ukjty applars kft tf navl gllk par-
tjdubarby dfkdlrklm agfut aky aspldt fh Clsus‚s Clsus‚s bjhl glhfrl tnl baukdn
fh njs `jkjstry
`jkjstr y+ Ttfrjls agfut njs gjrtn
gjr tn akm dnjbmnffm arl dfkspjdu-
fusby agslkt hrf` tnl larbjlst wrjttlk mfdu`lkts+ ]nl Q Q `atlrjab"
`atlrjab"
wnjdn was df`pjblm arfukm <5 d+l+" `ails kf `lktjfk fh aky-
tnjko tnat napplklm glhfrl Clsus‚s gaptjs` gy Cfnk tnl Gaptjst+
]nl blttlr
b lttlrss fh Uaub" wnjdn `ail
`a il up tnl gubi fh tnl Klw ]lsta`lk lsta`lkt"t"
arl wnfbby mltadnlm hrf` aky lvlkt jk Clsus‚s bjhl savl njs drudjfix-
jfk akm rlsurrldtjfk .tnfuon Uaub mfls `lktjfk tnl Bast Tupplr*+
Gut as jktlrlst jk tnl plrsfk fh Clsus jkdrlaslm ahtlr njs mlatn" ak
urolkt kllm arfsl a`fko sf`l jk tnl larby Dnrjstjak df``ukjty
tf fibb jk tnl oaps fh Clsus‚s larby ylars akm" jk partjdubar" tf ammrlss
tnl `attlr fh njs gjrtngjr tn jk Kazarltn" wnjdn sll`s tf nav navll gllk uslm
gy njs Clwjsn mltradtfrs tf prfvl tnat Clsus dfubm kft pfssjgby navl
gllk tnl `lssjan" at blast kft addfrmjko tf tnl prfpnldjls+ Tf`l
ijkm fh drlatjvl sfbutjfk was rlqujrlm tf pusn gadi aoajkst tnjs
drjtjdjs
dr jtjdjs`"
`" sf`l `laks tf olt o lt Clsus‚s
Clsus‚s parlkts tf Gltnblnl`
Gltnb lnl` sf tnat nl nl
dfubm gl gfrk jk tnl sa`l djty as Mavjm+
Hfr Buil" tnl akswlr bjls jk a dlksus dlksus++ ‒Jk tnfsl
t nfsl mays"
mays"‐‐ nl wrjtls"
wr jtls"
‒tnlrl da`l a mldrll hrf` Dalsar Auoustus tnat tnl lktjrl Wf`ak
wfrbm snfubm gl rlojstlrlm+ ]njs was tnl first rlojstratjfk tf tail
pbadl wnjbl Qujrjkjus was ofvlrkfr fh Tyrja+ Lvlryfkl wlkt tf njs
fwk tfwk tf gl rlojstlrlm+ Cfslpn absf wlkt up hrf` tnl tfwk fh
Kazarltn jk Oabjbll tf Cumla" tf Gltnblnl`" tnl djty fh Mavjm+‐
]nlk" jk dasl njs rlamlrs `ay navl `jsslm tnl pfjkt" Buil amms"
45 S L A BF ]
Buil js rjont agfut fkl tnjko akm fkl tnjko fkby+ ]lk ylars
ahtlr tnl mlatn fh Nlrfm tnl Orlat" jk tnl ylar 8 d+l+" wnlk Cumla
fhfidjabby glda`l a Wf`ak prfvjkdl" tnl Tyrjak ofvlrkfr" Qujrjk-
jus" mjm dabb hfr a dlksus tf gl tailk fh abb tnl plfpbl" prfplrty" akm
sbavls jk Cumla" Ta`arja" akm Jmu`la”kft ‒tnl lktjrl Wf`ak
wfrbm"‐ as Buil dbaj`s" akm mlfikjtlby kft Oabjbll" wnlrl Clsus‚s
ha`jby bjvlm .Buil js absf wrfko tf assfdjatl Qujrjkjus‚s dlksus jk
8 d+l+ wjtn tnl gjrtn fh Clsus" wnjdn `fst sdnfbars pbadl dbfslr tf
= g+d+l+" tnl ylar ojvlk jk tnl ofsplb fh @attnlw*+ Nfwlvlr" gl-
dausl tnl sfbl purpfsl fh a dlksus was taxatjfk" Wf`ak baw as-
slsslm ak jkmjvjmuab‚s prfplrty jk tnl pbadl fh rlsjmlkdl" kft jk tnl
pbadl fh fkl‚s
fkl‚s gjrtn+ ]nlrl js kftnjko wrjttlk
wr jttlk jk aky Wf`ak mfdu-
`lkt fh tnl tj`l .akm tnl Wf`aks wlrl wlrl qujtl amlpt at mfdu`lk-
tatjfk" partjdubarby wnlk jt da`l tf taxatjfk* tf jkmjdatl ftnlrwjsl+
Buil‚s suoolstjfk tnat tnl lktjrl Wf`ak ldfkf`y wfubm plrjfmj-
dabby gl pbadlm fk nfbm as lvlry Wf`ak sugcldt was hfrdlm tf
uprfft nj`slbh akm njs lktjrl ha`jby jk frmlr tf travlb orlat mjs-
takdls tf tnl pbadl fh njs hatnlr‚s gjrtn" akm tnlk wajt tnlrl pa-
tjlktby" plrnaps hfr `fktns" hfr ak fhfidjab tf tail stfdi fh njs
ha`jby akm njs pfsslssjfks" wnjdn" jk aky dasl" nl wfubm navl blht
glnjkm jk njs pbadl fh rlsjmlkdl" js" jk a wfrm" prlpfstlrfus+
_nat js j`pfrtakt tf ukmlrstakm agfut Buil‚s Buil‚s jkhakdy
jkh akdy karratjv
kar ratjvll
js tnat njs rlamlrs" stjbb bjvjko ukmlr Wf`ak mf`jkjfk" wfubm navl
ikfwk tnat Buil‚s addfukt fh Qujrjkjus‚s dlksus was hadtuabby jk-
adduratl+ Buil nj`slbh" wrjtjko a bjttbl `frl tnak a olklratjfk ahtlr
tnl lvlkts nl mlsdrjgls"
mlsdr jgls" iklw tnat wnat nl was wrjtjko
wrjtj ko was tldnkj-
dabby habsl+ ]njs js ak lxtrl`lby mjhfidubt `attlr hfr `fmlrk`fmlr k rlamlrs
fh tnl ofsplbs tf orasp" gut Buil klvlr `lakt hfr njs stfry agfut
Clsus‚ss gjrtn at Gltnblnl` tf gl ukmlrstffm as njstfrjdab hadt+ Buil
Clsus‚
wfubm navl nam kf jmla wnat wl jk tnl `fmlrk wfrbm lvlk `lak
wnlk wl say tnl wfrm ‒njstf ‒njstfry
ry++‐ ]nl kftjfk
k ftjfk fh njstfr
n jstfryy as a drjtjdab
dr jtjdab
akabysjs fh fgslrvag
fgslr vagblbl akm vlrjfiagbl lvlkts jk tnl prfmudt
ZF\ IKF_ _NLWL J A@ HWF@ 41
dlpt tf tnl ofsplb wrjtlrs hfr wnf` njstfry was kft a `attlr fh
ukdfvlrjko hadts
ukdfvlrjko hadts"" gut fh rlvlabjko trutns
trutns++
]nl rlamlrs fh Buil‚s ofsplb" bjil `fst plfpbl jk tnl akdjlkt
wfrbm" mjm kft `ail a snarp mjstjkdtjfk gltwllk `ytn akm rlabjty9
tnl twf wlrl
wlrl jktj`atlby tjlm tfoltnlr jk tnljr spjr jtuab lxplrjlkdl+
lxplr jlkdl+
]nat js tf say" tnly wlrl blss jktlrlstlm jk wnat adtuabby napplklm
tnak jk wnat jt `lakt+ Jt wfubm navl gllk plrhldtby kfr`ab”
jkmllm" lxpldtlm”hfr a wrjtlr jk tnl akdjlkt wfrbm tf tlbb tabls fh
ofms akm nlrfls wnfsl hukma`lktab hadts h adts wfubm navl
navl gllk rldfo
rldfo--
kjzlm as habsl
h absl gut wnfsl ukmlrbyjko `lssaol wfubm gl sllk as trul+
Nlkdl" @attnlw‚s lquabby hakdjhub addfukt fh Clsus‚s jont jktf
Loypt" fstlksjgby tf lsdapl Nlrfm‚s `assadrl fh abb tnl sfks gfrk jk
akm arfukm Gltnblnl` jk a hrujtblss slardn hfr tnl gagy Clsus" ak
lvlkt
lvlkt hfr wnjdn tnlrl lxjsts kft a snrlm fh dfrrfgfratjko lvjmlkdl
jk aky dnrfkjdbl fr njstfry fh tnl tj`l wnltnlr Clwjsn" Dnrjstjak"
fr Wf`ak”a rl`ariagbl hadt dfksjmlrjko tnl `aky dnrfkjdbls
akm karratjvls wrjttlk agfut Nlrfm tnl Orlat" wnf was" ahtlr abb"
tnl `fst ha`fus Clw jk tnl wnfbl fh tnl Wf`ak L`pjrl .tnl
Ijko fh tnl Clws" kf blss!*+
As wjtn Buil‚s addfukt fh Qujrjkjus‚s dlksus" @attnlw‚s ad-
dfukt fh Nlrfm‚s `assadrl was kft jktlkmlm tf gl rlam as wnat wl
wfubm kfw dfksjmlr njstfry"
dfksjmlr njstfry" dlrtajkby kft gy njs fwk df``ukjty"
wnf wfubm surlby navl rl`l`glrlm ak lvlkt as ukhfrolttagbl as
tnl `assadrl fh jts fwk sfks+ @attnlw kllms Clsus tf df`l fut fh
Loypt hfr tnl sa`l rlasfk nl kllms nj` tf gl gfrk gfr k jk Gltnblnl`3
tf hubfibb tnl sdattlrlm prfpnldjls blht glnjkm gy njs akdlstfrs hfr
nj` akm njs hlbbfw Clws tf mldjpnlr" tf pbadl Clsus jk tnl hfftstlps
fh tnl ijkos akm prfpnlts wnf da`l glhfrl nj`" akm" `fst fh abb"
tf akswlr tnl dnabblkol `aml gy Clsus‚s mltradtfrs tnat tnjs sj`pbl
plasakt wnf mjlm wjtnfut hubfibbjko tnl sjkobl `fst j`pfrtakt fh
tnl `lssjakjd prfpnldjls”tnl rlstfratjfk fh Jsralb”was jk hadt
tnl ‒akfjktlm
‒akfjkt lm
47 S L A BF ]