Product Description
You've heard about the courageous young investigators who covertly videotaped officials of ACORN advocating illegal activities. Now, get ready for an undercover expos? even more daring: a six-month penetration of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations that resulted in the collection of thousands of pages of smoking-gun documents from this terror-supporting front group for the dangerous, mob-like Muslim Brotherhood. This is what Muslim Mafia delivers. It has all the elements of a top-flight mystery novel, but the situations and conversations are real. The book's frightening allegations are supported by more than 12,000 pages of confidential CAIR documents and hundreds of hours of video captured in an unprecedented undercover operation. This trail of information reveals the seditious and well-funded efforts of the Brotherhood under the nonprofit guise of CAIR to support the international jihad against the U.S. Follow intern Chris Gaubatz as he courageously gains the trust of CAIR's inner sanctum, working undercover as a devoted convert to Islam, and blows the whistle on the entire factory fueling the wave of homegrown terrorism now plaguing America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (64)

A scary truth
It exposes the real agenda behind the muslim organizations.
A very worrisome cancer in our society.

great book
I think that reading this book just shows you the extend of islam as not being a religion but a system just like communism or democrasi.Its a bunch of people very well educated and some even born in the states with lawyers decrees that are the ones that will change the face of history.This book is extremly important to expose the reality witch most of us dont know or are not aware off.A must read for all american politiciens law inforcers and other people in powerfull positions.

Wake up america
Read the bookstart thinking!!! if we want to keep out life style we must fight for it!!!

Scary Stuff
A very scary read indeed, as it shows hows totally inompetent and useless the CIA, the FBI and the Polices Forces in the USA have become when it comes to tackling Islamic terrorism in the United States.You won't believe your eyes as you read examples of the FBI and the police actually informing Cair (an organisation they strongly suspect has terrorist links) in advance about raids they intend to make on terrorist suspects. How Islamic 'sensitivity' courses teach them not to frisk terrorist suspects, look them in the eye or use sniffer dogs in raids on suspected terrorist houses. How they allow extremist Muslims to vet other Muslims for highly sensitive intelligence and security positions. This is all done in the name of Political Correctness and cultural 'sensitivity'. I often had to put the book down and take a long break because it was just too damned painful to continue reading about the ludicrous and unbelievable state of affairs in US intelligence today. What is even scarier for someone like me who lives in Britain and has seen all this happen over here, is that I now know the USA is NOT the last bulwark against Islamic extremism I hoped it was. You have to read this book if you can bear the pain.

Sensational nonsense
Once you read the opening statement "You've heard about the courageous young investigators who covertly videotaped officals of ACORN advocating illegal activities.", you understand this book, like the video tape, will be exposed as false reporting ... Read more

Product Description
Bronze Medal Winner of the Independent Publishers Award 2009

Since 9/11, stories about Muslims and the Islamic world have flooded headlines, politics, and water-cooler conversations all across the country. And, although Americans hear about Islam on a daily basis, there remains no clear explanation of Islam or its people. The Muslim Next Door offers easy-to-understand yet academically sound answers to these questions while also dispelling commonly held misconceptions. Written from the point of view of an American Muslim, the book addresses what readers in the Western world are most curious about, beginning with the basics of Islam and how Muslims practice their religion before easing into more complicated issues like jihad, Islamic fundamentalism, and the status of women in Islam. Author Sumbul Ali-Karamali's vivid anecdotes about growing up Muslim and female in the West, along with her sensitive, scholarly overview of Islam, combine for a uniquely insightful look at the world's fastest growing religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Propaganda at its worst
Okay, I've had it. Enough is enough!

Sumbul Ali-Karamali tries to make us believe that the Muslim next door is like a cute freckle faced girl with her hair in a pony tail. Nothing could be further from the truth. She also throws around the tall tale that Islam is a religion of peace. The truth is, Islam is first a violent military system at its core, then a political system to keep its military system fired up, a legal system to keep its military and political systems in check, all neatly wrapped in a thin blanket of religion in order to promote Sharia law all over the world. It has little to do with religion and it has nothing to do with peace.

Sumbul Ali-Karamali says nothing about the 20,000 plus violent attacks perpetrated by Muslims all over the world since 9/11. She also says nothing about how every Muslim country on the face of the earth is run by despotic dictators who have no regard for human rights or human life, especially the rights and lives of women. I would like to see Sumbul go to Saudi Arabia or any other Muslim country under Sharia and not wear the scarf thingy... she would be arrested and flogged, and if she didn't comply she would be jailed. So much for the religion of peace.

The major problem Muslims have in the world today is a matter of image. Civilized societies view Muslims as angry and violent peoples not fit to live among decent folks. If so-called "moderate" Muslims (as Sumbul would have us believe she is) would all speak out against the terrorists' brethren of theirs then maybe the nonsense would stop. I didn't see anywhere in her book that she condemned Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Silent on that part - huh Sumbul?

And she has the gall to label Timothy McVey as a Christian terrorist. Sumbul you are a yo-yo to the greatest degree. Uninformed people might take you for your word but anyone who keeps up with current events knows full well that McVey was NOT a Christian and did not say "God Is Great" before he detonated his bomb which killed innocent people. He in fact was an atheist who had a grudge against the U.S. government and did not do his nasty deed in the name of any religion. Sumbul, you had better get your facts straight.

And there is another difference about McVey's attack and the many murders committed in the name of the great Allah. There was not one American who danced in the streets for joy or praised his vile and senseless act. We can't say the same thing about Muslims when the World Trade Center was bombed, can we?

Sumbul is so sly in her book. She lists Iran as a theocratic democracy. Each word sounds benign... theocratic sounds nice, and democracy sounds nice... but put them together "theocratic democracy" and you have an iron-fisted despotic regime that brutally rules over its people. Nice try Sumbul, but you didn't fool me.

And Sumbul uses the tired and worn labels of racist and Islamophobia to tag anyone who disagrees with her "religion of peace". Tell me, Sumbul, what race is Muslim? Gotcha on that one too.

Directly after 9/11, I was Islam-O-Curious. Prior to that, the bombing of the USS Cole by Muslims got my attention. And then the Beirut bombings by Muslims shook me some more. It finally took the murder of 3,000 American men, women, and children by Muslims to shock me out of my slumber. I then did my best to find out who these people were that wanted me and my family dead. And then I read and watched every news report and read every book I got my hands on about Muslims and their Islam. I then became Islam-O-Informed! And then I come across books like the one Sumbul Ali-Karamali has written to white-wash the "religion of peace" and I become Islam-O-Pi$$ed. Sumbul, do not try to tag the label of Islamophobic on me because I don't agree with your assessment of "peace".

Sumbul also didn't say anywhere in her book that Sharia Law and the Constitution of the United States are directly opposed to each other. Sharia gives no rights to the people where our Constitution gives all rights to the people. A Muslim who practices Sharia can NEVER become an American in soul or spirit. Oh yeah -- name one Muslim who does not practice Sharia.

I will believe that Muslims want to assimilate into our American culture when they start naming their children non-Muslim names like Johnny, Billy, Jayson, and the like. I don't think that will ever happen, do you?

If anyone wants the "truth" about Muslims and their Islam then read Wafa Sultan's book "A God Who Hates". She tells it like it is. Another great read about how Sharia is destroying Europe is "While Europe Slept".

Wake up America. Political Correctness will kill us.

Great read
This book has opened my eyes a great deal about Muslims as I had no real basis of understanding prior to reading this. What most people think of Muslims as a whole is not true, just basic stereotypes that have amassed since 9/11. Anyone who has an open mind to learning more about any religion or people should read something like this. I also liked this because it came from a woman's perspective.

Should be read by ALL
This book explains very well Islam as it exists today from one culture to another.The recent maligning of this religion is a catastrophe--particularly from Americans who demonstrate by their actions and comments their ignorance of the religion.Please read this book to clarify what Islam is really about.Not all who claim to be Muslims practice what the Koran and other texts preach--particularly those who practice terrorism and demeaning of women.

Diversity Education for Student Affairs Professionals and all Americans
I read this book to do a book review for my Diversity in Higher Education Class at NC State.I found the book particularly relevant for anyone in this country to read, particularly for student affairs professionals who want to know more about Muslim students.Here's my review:

The Muslim Next Door is a captivating glimpse at what life is like living as a Muslim in America.Sumbul Ali-Karamali describes the long shared history of major world religions, where they diverged, and the hostilities (or perceived hostilities) that have existed between them.In a post-9/11 world, the need for a book that describes the differences between culture, religion, and extremism in a Muslim context has been answered by this very interesting text.In The Muslim Next Door, Ali-Karamali describes the foundations of Islam, the life of the prophet Muhammad, and the misconceptions that Americans have of Muslims based on incomplete interpretations of the Qur'an.This powerful novel makes the reader empathize with the plight of Muslims and the discrimination faced by these people every day as American citizens.

One very powerful aspect of the book is the way that the author explains the hypocrisy shown by the American people, specifically Christians.Ali-Karamali used the example of a study that was conducted in which pictures were shown to participants and they were asked to describe what types of feelings that the pictures elicited for them.The first photo was of a nun, to which participants most often described feelings of piousness, chastity, and modesty.When shown a picture of a Muslim woman wearing a hijab (head scarf), people shared feelings of oppression and stupidity (129-130).This particular example really made me think about the misconceptions that I had about the religion and about the people who practice it.For in this very example, I realized that there is absolutely no difference between a nun wearing a habit and a Muslim woman wearing a hijab.They both represent exactly the same thing in two different religions.

Another strength of the book is that the author goes deeply into the differences between religion and culture.Muslims come from several different countries throughout the world just as believers of other religions.The experiences of a Muslim in Pakistan are very different than the experiences of Muslims in Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, or Saudia Arabia (to name a few).The most popular misconception surrounds the treatment of women who practice Islam.Many of the views on women are perpetuated by the media, who only show images of the women who wear burqas or are stoned in the town square.What I learned from this book is that Islam is not the reason that this happens.In fact, Islam gave women more rights than they had in the 7th century when the Qur'an was written.The Qur'an gave women the right to own property and granted that women be given a share of a passing relative's estate, which was much more than could be said for much of Europe at the time (150-151).The Qur'an also gave women the right to include a clause in the marriage contract that prohibited their husbands from taking another wife (140).While not outlawing polygyny, which at the time might have caused people to turn away from the religion, the Qur'an actually gave women much more power than they previously had.These are just two examples of how Islam gave women a more powerful place in this world.

One part of the book that I saw as critically important was the chapter on Jihad and Fundamentalism.The American media perpetually uses the term Jihad to be interpreted as meaning "Holy War" when in fact, there are several steps to be taken in Jihad before combat is even considered.Islam as a religion preaches that a Muslim cannot enter into combat unless attacked first.Some extremist groups have used the excuse that the America has threatened the sanctity of Islam and that is why it is justified to attack America.Through the book, I have learned that this is rejected by the majority of Muslims in the world.In fact, the actions of the Taliban and other extremist groups are in direct violation of Muslim beliefs.Often Americans ask why Muslims themselves are not speaking out against these actions.In actuality, Muslim leaders have spoken out against the actions of extremists; however the media does not air or print these interviews (167-197).It was important for me to learn the meaning of Jihad and how it has been inappropriately used by extremist groups to justify their actions.

One of the weaknesses of the book is self-described by the author.Ali-Karamali describes how in Islam, the Qur'an can never be "translated" into English because it loses some of its meaning in the translation.Rather, these "translations" are called interpretations.The author at several points uses verses of the Qur'an interpreted as English.That being said, she does offer insight into how certain words could be interpreted in several different ways since the Arabic language itself has changed since the 7th century (65-66).She does not claim to have a better interpretation than anyone else, however I believe that for certain parts of the book, it was completely necessary to make an attempt to interpret lines for the Qur'an in order to prove her point.

This book was meant to reach a broad audience, and I believe it to be very important in today's society that we all gain a better understanding of who Muslims are and where they fit in American society.Of particular interest, are the growing numbers of Muslim students attending higher education institutions throughout the country.Administrators, faculty, staff, and students alike would all be served well by reading this novel.While some people may have a vast knowledge about Islam and its practitioners, I learned that I knew very little about the religion and what I did know was clouded by media perceptions.The book is a very easy read and entertaining, which explains why it was part of Oprah's Book Club.If we all took a little time to learn more about Muslim students, we would find better ways of accommodating diversity and embracing the differences that do not make us so different after all.

By reading The Muslim Next Door, I learned about the long history that has taken Islam from its beginnings to where the religion is today.I did not know that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all have the same historical roots and then divided along the way.Muslims actually have a deep respect for Moses and Jesus, and see them as prophets of the religion, although Jesus is not their savior or God-like in any way.I also learned that Allah is not Islam's own God, but rather just the Arabic word for God; the very same God worshiped by Christians and Jews alike.The book helped me overcome misconceptions that I had come to know about the religion and taught me about how to be a better student affairs professional.Very few calendars encompass the Muslim holidays.It is important to offer prayer rooms for students to pray the five times a day that is mandated by the Qur'an.Muslim students also need better halal food options.While many institutions provide food options for Jewish students, the same needs to be done for Muslim students.Students, administrator and faculty need to be educated about what it means to be Muslim and it should not have to be done by Muslim students all the time.It is important for administrators to educate themselves in order to be prepared to be part of a diverse campus.

Spiritual diversity is largely ignored by student development theories (Love & Talbot, 153).Spirituality and religiosity can be a huge part of a student's identity.Love & Talbot go on to explain how important it is for students to have a place to talk about their spiritual development outside of campus ministry offices (154).College students are forced to balance religious identity with the other identities that they are trying to embrace at the same time (gender, race, sexuality, etc.).The model proposed by Jones & McEwen attempts to explain how salient different aspects of identity are for different people (409-410).It is important as student affairs practitioners that we understand that for Muslim students, religion could play an important role in other aspects of identity development. McMurtrie goes on to describe the balancing game that Muslim students play while trying to adhere to their religious beliefs and feel like a part of the American college student experience. In her interviews with students, she found that many of them feel marginalized by one or both communities in the struggle to maintain dual identities (McMurtrie, 4).While we have yet to discuss the importance of religious identity in class, it is clear from the readings that particularly for Muslim students, trying to find a balance between multiple identities can be confusing and complicated.

Many of the beliefs that Americans hold about Muslims are what was portrayed in the media following the September 11th attacks.After reading The Muslim Next Door, it is clear to me that like many other Americans, I knew very little about what it means to be a believer of Islam in America. Ali-Karamali in her heart-warming tale, tells not only of the struggles, but the triumphs of the Muslim people.By reading her novel, I was able to gain a greater understanding of the differences between culture and religion.I also was able to resolve the misunderstandings that I had about Muslims and feel like I will be a better practitioner and person because of it.

An excellent book!
All public libraries ought to have a copy of this book! This is an interesting, thoughtful look at what it means to be Muslim in general, and in particular, to be Muslim in the U.S. I would have given this book 5 stars, but it did have moments where the book got dry when dwelling on Muslim law. That's not surprising given the author's expertise in that area. However, the interesting and detailed discussion of the faith and culture of Islam more than made up for that. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the author's twenty-five years of first-hand experience, this engaging book reveals what Islam really teaches and how today's Muslims live and think. With practical information and personal stories, Carl Medearis shows readers how they can build life-changing bridges between the world's two largest religions--one person at a time, whether in the US or elsewhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Some Good lessons, some less so
There are several good lessons to be learned in reading Carl Medaris' opus on the Muslim faith as it relates to Christianity. He stresses the importance of respecting others intellectually even when their concept of God differs from yours and the concept that perhaps viewing missionary work as scoring points with conversions might not be the best way to bring Jesus to the Muslim world.

There is, however, an important issue to consider when reading Carl's book. The book goes to great lengths to bring understanding and acceptance of Islam to Christian readers, often to the point of encouraging Christians to attend mosque or to read the Koran("Its a good book", writes Carl. "It mostly agrees with the bible.). In and of itself, these lessons aren't dangerous or even particularly bad; however, reading the book it is entirely unclear whether Carl thinks of Islam as being any less true than or even distinct from Christianity.

All of Carl's examples of sharing his faith with Muslims carry a tone of "Hey, You guys already believe in Jesus. He doesn't clash with what you believe, even in the slightest!". None of his examples, however, show any Muslim ever coming to a distinct faith in Christ. Near the end of the book, he brags about an important man he led to a closer understanding of Christ, and then in the next breath tells us that the man still identifies himself as a muslim, but one that likes Jesus a little bit more than most.

I agree with Carl that many Christians come to Muslims out of a place of anger or arrogance, and that an effort to foster a better understanding of Muslim beliefs and culture is in order. I also agree that time and relationships are extremely important if you want someone to respect what you can tell them about God.

In the end, I think there is value in this book, and that it is a perspective that deserves to be read. However, if bringing Muslims to a distinct faith in Christ is important to you, its important to understand that this book doesn't devote much time to that. The book goes to great length to explain the good in Islam, but Carl never mentions a Muslim who is brought to Christianity in a "born again" sense, and seems to be completely fine with this. Carl has apparently decided that a Muslim need not reject Muhammad or Islam's concept of God to be Christian, and tries in a none-too-subtle to lead his reader to the same conclusion. He justifies this view by explaining that to do so, a Muslim would have to lose the respect of his peers and perhaps be persecuted for his faith.

While to some Christians Carl's views will be perfectly acceptable, to some in the "he came as a sword" camp they will not be. I just thought it important to bring up the distiction.

GREAT read.
Recommended by a pastor at our church.It was very informative and well written.Even included some humor.He is an excellent writer and recommended the Quran to use/read if you are interested in getting to know the Muslim Community better.I would definitely recommend it.

The ultimate guide to help Christians to get along with and live a life that's truly Good News to Muslims
I had read several books beforehand on Islam written by Christians. They mostly emphasize on the differences of the two religions. This one is radically different in that it focuses primarily on the similarities to help Christians to get along with and live a life that's truly Good News to Muslims, as the author had emphasized that a Muslim's conversion is by and large a miracle of God and not the work of man. No matter what, this book is well written, highly informative and definitely helpful, in particular the Dos and Donts. Eye opening for those who know little about Islam and mind blowing to those who think they know enough. In short, highly recommended, even if you personally know no Muslim at all.

p.s. Below please find some of my favorite passages for your reference.

The most important thing we can do as followers of Jesus is to do just that. Follow him. Jesus himself is the Good News. Themessage that we carry is Jesus. Not church, not capitalism, not democracy, not doctrine, no the religion of Christianity, not Calvin, not Luther,.....If we begin with the attitude that we are going to debunk "all of the Islamic stuff," we will be done before we get a chance to introduce Jesus. pg33
Jesus doesnt come loaded with bias, prejudice, conflict or war. Christianity often does. pg51
If during the seventies and eighties, people were to have broadly blamed Catholicism for the terrorism in Belfast, they would have been completely wrong. Everybody knows Catholics are not terrorists. Neither are Muslims. Terrorists are terrorits. pg52
A great way to treat people in general is to assume that it's you who will learn from them. Say things that call them to a higher place. Dont belittle. Dont put yourself ahead of them. Dont be condescending. Treat them as you'd like to be treated. pg78
Jesus looks for a change of heart; men look for a change of culture. It's always a matter of the heart, and hearts changed by God lead to changed cultures. pg98

25 year experience relating to Muslims
I was pleased with reading this book to understand what has worked with a 25 year American veteran on being in the middle east and daily relating to muslims. It will give me confidence (which I did not have) in relating to those muslims I may encounter here in America.

Living the Faith
Carl Medearis shares a fascinating account of what he has learned from Muslims and how by sharing the Living Jesus walls of religion have come down.Very encouraging. I have little contact with Muslims, but was encouraged to have the same attitude toward anyone who has a different religious culture. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Brilliant and Revealing - An Essential Read
Sir Martin Gilbert has created a master work and generational touchstone on the history of Jewish/Muslim relations from the time of Muhammed to the present day.The flowing narrativeconsolidates a wide range of reference material including books by Mark Cohen, Gotein,Hitti, Hourani, Levin, Lewis ,Satloff, Shulewitz, Stillman, Troper (and many others), historical archives, government documents and the author's personal interviews and correspondence with members of the Oriental Jewish community.

The book begins withhow Jews came to live in Arabia, Persia and North Africa and continues with the life of the Prophet leadingto the seminalJewish defeat and subjugation at Khaybar which is still invoked by Hamas, Hiz b'Allah and others to this day.He describes the strictures on dhimmi life imposed by the Pact of Umar which was likely codifiedin the early 8th century. Once under the establisheddominance of Islam Jewish life was able to flourish and acquire a degree of protection.

This golden age ended under Almohed persecution in Spain, repression in Yemen and the Mameluks of Egypt (1250-1516) who enforced dhimmi regulations with rigor.Yet Jewish poetry and culture was admired and encouraged in Shiraz and in the Cairo massacre of Christian Copts of 1343, Jews lent Christians their own discriminatory garments which deceived the mob and kept them safe.In 1561 under the Ottomans, the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent gave a land grant of seven villagesaround Tiberea in perpetuity as a Jewish principality, predatingmodern Zionism by 300 years.

The middle section of the book focuses on the periods from the 1800s up until the establishment of Israel in 1948. Contrary to the myth that Jews and Arabs coexisted happily together throughout time. Chapter 7 relates a number of references to the quality of Jewish life, among them (pp104) a quote by William Tanner Young, British Vice Consul in Jerusalem in 1839: "The Jew in Jerusalem is not estimated in value much above a dog - and scarcely a day passes that I do not hear of some act of tyranny and oppression against a Jew"; "A Moslem's right to harass a Jew was taken for granted;it would not have occurred to the victim to react or report the matter to police"(pp169, Mordecai Ben Porat, on Jewish life in Baghdad in the 1930s).

Ch. 15-20 considers the post 1948unjust surveillance, dispossession, surveillance, imprisonment, attacks, murders and flight of Jews from Arab lands. Recall the threatening words of chief Egyptian UN delegate Heykal Pasha to UN on Nov 14, 1947 who said "the lives of one million Jews in Moslem countries would be jeopardized by Partition...it might be responsible for very grave disorders and for the massacre of the large number of Jews." (pp209).Similar words were uttered by the representative of the Palestinian Arab Higher Committee, a close relative of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin al Husseini.This indeed was theunacceptable reaction of Arab leadership and popular response to the defeat of their campaign against Israel's Jews and failure to reestablish their dhimmi status.

Gilbert does not focus solely on the negative.For example he points out that while popular opinion grew against Jews in the hinterland, forcing a migration to the cities, Jews enjoyed support of the Sultan of Morocco, a story more or less repeated in Tunisia where Jews eventually concentrated on the island of Djerba.Whereas Iran under Reza Shah turned more towards Nazi Germany, his son Shah RezaPahlevi was more favourably inclined.In the early 1950sArab Iranians drove anti-Jewish sentiments but the government refused to join in.When anti-Jewish riots broke out in Iranian Kurdistan the government extended protection to Jews who wanted to move to Tehran or Israel.Things became worse when the Shah's government fell to the Ayatollah, as they did for other non-Muslim minorities.The book ends with a chapter which brings us to up to the events of March 2009.

Can I recommend this book?Yes and yes and yes again!This review is merely an brief synopsis that I hope it encourages you to buy the book, gift it, keep it as a reference and place itprominently on your shelf.There is a much greater wealth of material inside. It should be part of the curriculum of every program of Jewish or Middle Eastern studies. If they have yet to order it ask your local public, church, mosque, college library to add a copy or two to their collection. It complements the Ashkenazic and Israeli narratives, which are well sourced elsewhere,and hopefully will be the basis of spurring further explorations of this kind, not only of the Jewish experience under Islam but also that of other minority communities from Armenians toZoroastrians. Middle Eastern Muslims, peace be upon them,would also (I hope) greatly benefit by employing this book as a mirror to see how they are viewed by others.

Wonderful history lesson
This is a must read book for anyone who wants to understand the relationship of Jews living in Muslim lands for over 1400 years. The best summary of this history is when Gilbert quotes Bernard Lewis, to the effect"the Jews were never free from discrimination, but only rarely subject to persecutionThe situation of Jews living under Islamic rulers was never as bad as in Christendom at its worst, nor ever as good as in Christendom at its best." Gilbert then goes on to describe the life of Jewssince the time of Mohammed to the present day.There were over 900,000 Jews living in Muslim lands, and now there are few. To learn and understand this history, there is nothing as good as Gilbert's book. I have read most of his eighty books, and this one stands with the others. ... Read more

Product Description
In this brilliant look at the rise of political Islam, the distinguished political scientist and anthropologist Mahmood Mamdani brings his expertise and insight to bear on a question many Americans have been asking since 9/11: how did this happen? Good Muslim, Bad Muslim is a provocative and important book that will profoundly change our understanding both of Islamist politics and the way America is perceived in the world today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (58)

Disappointing
The first time I read this book, I was shocked by the American foreign policies it describes. The second time I read it (after reading many other books on the topic) it seemed to tell only three-quarters of the story, making the issues look more black and white. But even the parts of the story he does tell seem questionable at times (no sources or a single book as a source). As it is, the book seems more polemical, even manipulative, than objectively critical.

The drive of the book is that political Islam is a response to American support of terrorism during the late Cold War. His account: After Vietnam, American governments became cautious about using American troops in foreign conflicts; instead, they funded local resistance movements which used terrorist tactics to undermine support for left-wing governments. In Africa, America turned a blind eye to the terrorism of its anti-communist allies and eventually embraced terrorism with its support of "the contras in Nicaragua and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan." 9/11 is the result of such past political events, not a predestined clash of civilizations.

Mamdani claims that al-Qaeda and America "were allies during the Cold War," that America supported al-Qaeda and that 9/11 is "the result of an alliance gone sour" (13). His focus on a narrative of poetic justice results in this one-dimensional analysis. It is questionable how much, if any, US money ended up in the hands of al-Qaeda (which didn't even come into existence until the late 80s). U.S. funds went through the Pakistani ISI to six official resistance parties. Bin Laden was involved with a seventh party, Islamic Union, which represented Saudi interests. It was privately funded by bin Laden and others. To make a connection between the CIA and al-Qaeda, Mamdani cites Rashid's uncited claim that the CIA helped fund the construction of the Khost tunnel complex, a project overseen by bin Laden in 1986. Rashid himself goes on to quote bin Laden as saying "The weapons were supplied by the Americans, the money by the Saudis" (Rashid 2000, 132). That a few of the weapons the ISI provided to the mujahedin using CIA funds may have ended up in the hands of al-Qaeda makes for a pretty loose interpretation of an "alliance."

Mamdani grants far too much agency to the U.S. and the CIA, calling the war in Afghanistan "the American jihad" and crediting the U.S. with invigorating right-wing Islamism. In doing so, he fails to pay sufficient attention to the regional politics already in play. He also gives too much importance to the Afghan Arabs, who, according to Wright's The Looming Tower, played only a small role in the anti-Soviet war. According to Wright, there were never more than three thousand Arab Afghans who came to fight in the anti-Soviet war, and most of them never left Peshawar for Afghanistan. Mamdani, on the other hand, has more than one hundred thousand foreign radicals who were recruited and trained (132). Wright describes them as inexperienced martyrdom-seekers, Mamdani as "an elite force." In short, the picture Wright draws is the exact opposite of the one Mamdani paints, and Wright's work seems much more balanced and better researched.

Mamdani's critique of Culture Talk is that it "assumes that every culture has a tangible essence that defines it" (17). Here, Mamdani deconstructs a straw man, for only in the most obtuse reading could Huntington be construed to argue that cultures have an unchanging essence. Rather, it seems Mamdani *wants* violence to be the result of politics rather than culture. Political factors are of course an essential element of conflict, but to overlook the possibility of cultural explanations is poor methodology and must result in a reductionist, and hence less helpful, understanding of the sources of conflict.

This could have been a great book, but the history it draws seems distorted by a narrative that aims more to radically critique than to critically understand.

Not the whole picture, I don't think.
Mr. Mamdani is saying that the USA is reaping what it sowed. That we created terrorism. He lays out the many sins of the USA but fails to include other nations/peoples/leaders.It's one sided.

He says _America was built on two monumental crimes: the genocide of the Native American and the enslavement of the African American. The tendency of official America is to memorialize other peoples' crimes and to forget its own - to seek a high moral ground as a pretext to ignore real issues.
_The Islamic world had not seen an armed Jihad for centuries. But now the CIA was determined to create one. The CIA created the Mujaheddin and Bin Laden.

From what I read Muslims are imperialists, they are invaders, conquers, occupiers.They have been fighting off and on for 1,400 yrs. to bring the world under the thumb of islam. The Umayyad Caliphate became the 6th largest contiguous empire to ever exist.So,imho, yes the U.S.A. has done some inexcusable rotten things for the past 250 yrs. but so have the muslims and for much longer.The only conclusion one can come to is that the human race in general as a whole is BAD.

Go to Wikipedia and type in the search box Islamic empire and you will see what I mean.

Also read Rory Stewart's books "The Places In Between" and The Prince of the Marshes: And Other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq" to get a more on the ground feel for these muslims.

Islam is a particularly vile religion, imo. Barbaric in its view and treatment of females;founded by a pedophile, that gave the nod to pedophilia in the form of pre-pubescent marriage.So, imho, that makes all followers of islam BAD. Period. There is no explaining away their founder, muhammad,with a nine y/o. He must of had a heck of a time inserting his penis into her (sorry for being gross but that's what it is).A moral virtuous man would not of been able to perform with a child. But muslims claim that the prophet muhammad is"the exemplar of virtue in human form."Muslims are to look to muhammad as a living example of the right way to live.So there you go.They think sex with a 9 y/o is A-OK....virtuous even. Muhammad: a pedophile slave owner, skilled businessman, married into wealth with 11+ wives..... anyway by claiming islam you condone these and it's other evils.The fact that it has lasted and is fast growing only proves to me personally just how evil man can be.
Mahammad soon turned to violence and terror (beheadings, assassinations...) to spread his islam. Seems allah conveniently kept sending mahammad revisions too all along the way.And these updates were always more intolerant and violent than the last.Always just what mahammad needed at the time to spur his believers into more violent acts. And in fact they spred andconquered Mesopotamia and Persia, Roman Syria and Roman Egypt. Killing all the way.Mahammad's farewell speech "I was ordered to fight all men until they say `There is no God but Allah' ".

Important and Insightful
Unfortunately, many Americans do not want to hear anything that criticizes the USA. If you prefer to keep you head in the sand and not learn a different perspective on history, please do not read this book.

It is always important to keep an open mind and listen to others who view the world differently. Author Mamdani grew up in Africa, of Indian descent and teaches at Columbia University. In this book, he reviews the History of Islam & Politics, the Cold War, what has happened in Afghanistan and the current status of the "War on Terror".

Americans are in a dangerous place right now - not physically, but politically. Much of the country is divided into "you're either with me, or against me" mentality. Many do not want to hear the truth, which is that the United States has made mistakes by supporting dictators, meddled in foreign affairs of governments and worst of all, have done so without a sound understanding of the people/regions we were trying to shape. The British too, made these mistakes and lost an Empire doing so.

Will you always agree with the author? No. This is a very challenging book to read. It throws a lot of history at you, gives you a very different perspective of what you were taught in school and hear in the media today. But that makes it all the more important to read. In order to succeed in what we want to do, we have to understand the world, other religions and other perspectives as they are, not what we wish them to be.

one of the best books on us foreign policy in past 50 years
I think that this book, "Good Muslim, Bad Muslim" is one of the finest books that I have read on US foreign policy that has been written in the past 50 years.I am very impressed with the quality of the author's scholarship and the quality of his writing and the quality of the insights that he makes.I agree with reviewer Steele, this might well be Nobel winning material.The author makes one gaff in which he provides constructive criticism regarding a US satellite nation's atrocities and the tendency of America to not want to even acknowledge that nation's errors.There were several times where I read material for which I wanted a reference, but it was not provided.The references are summed up in a scholarly manner at the end.I give the topic an A+ and I give the quality of the writing an A.This is an excellent read and it is well worth the purchase price, new.It is one of those books that, if read, will change your outlook.

The Most Important Book on 9/11
This book is a watershed in post 9/11 analysis. I am surprised that it was even published given how radically it departs from the propaganda machine of the Washington elite and the corporate media.While many experts on terrorism, Islam, and US foreign policy have discussed the US role in creating the Mujahideen and Osama Bin Laden, no one as dared to make the bold break from conventional wisdom that 9/11 is really about US foreign policy interests vis a vis the Cold War. In reading some of the other critical reviews, no one has really pointed out the weakness of this book, besides merely attaching labels like "blame America first" or "Marxists" or Terrorist Sympathizer", etc.

One of the most important contributions from Professor Mamdani is his notion of "Culture Talk" in which he takes on the intellectuals of the right who advocated the Iraq invasion and other unnecessary brutal wars against Muslim world, namely Lewis and Huntington.Mamdani, harkens back to an Edward Said critique of Lewis and Huntington.He strips away and exposes the inherent, bigoted, and racist perspective of Lewis and Huntington who under the guise of an intellectual exercise, argue that Islamic culture is so different from the West and therefore requires some action on the part of the United States and Europe to modify or alter existing Muslim societies.

He then sets out the roots causes which ultimately led to the rise of terrorism most notably al-Qaida and Usama Bin Laden, which in his view cannot be extricated from the importance of US foreign policy in the Cold War. I think this is the strength of the book. While many apologists of a phony nationalist tendency post 9/11 America will dismiss this section as a "blame America first" policy, they will not be able to offer a contrary analysis or point to any material misrepresentations of the US role in Africa and the Muslim world during the Cold War. Instead, as extreme red state warriors, they merely retort with nationalistic screeds, defamation and demagogy.

The last section was surprisingly bold and offered a different view of the cultural reason as to American support for Israel.Interestingly, Mamdani did not merely resort to the view of many critics of Israel that the Israeli lobby is to blame for the ability of Israel to literally get away with murder of Palestinians and Arabs without any repercussions.I found the notion of returning settlers as more acceptable to American sensibilitiesquite interesting, though I am not convinced entirely by his argument. Today, the rise of the Christian right as squelched any chance of American politicians and the corporate media offering some semblance of a balanced or even fair analysis of Israel.

Finally, I offer two critiques of the book. I thought that Professor Mamdani could have provided more historical data and information about African history.For example, his discussion of Liberia and Sierre Leone with respect to the settler issue was completely new to me and required further background.Second, i did not like the end notes approach. I kept flipping back and forth from the text to the notes to see his sources. From a marketing perspective, it may be more appropriate to exclude footnotes. But from a reading perspective it was cumbersome.In totality, this book is an important and necessary contribution to understand the world in which we live in.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent book!
Thabiti Anyabwile has performed an outstanding service in this literary work. His writing style is clear, crisp, and to the point. I am richer for having read this book, and I urge others to take advantage of this treasury of insight to become a more effective witness to Muslims.

And also for the Muslim
The Gospel for Muslims is the ideal introduction for those who know little about Muslim evangelism. It has a balance of doctrine, example and practical suggestion. With a joyful style, Thabiti Anyabwile [on yob WEE lay] invites his readers to listen as he excitedly tells of his many conversations with Muslims. These conversations illustrate his points in a way that invites us to follow him out the door and join the next encounter.

Anyabwile knows that most Christians are afraid to talk to Muslims and are intimidated by the theological expertise they think is required. He shows why every Christian who understands the Gospel is equipped to share it with Muslims.

One of the most valuable sections is near the end. Many Muslim women have little or no social contact with Christians. Anyabwile makes a heartfelt plea for Christian women to reach out to them with hospitality. He offers simple, practical tips for reaching these overlooked individuals.

In Part 1, Anyabwile discusses how a Christian can present Gospel essentials specifically with reference to the major obstacles in Muslim thinking. Rather than avoiding the Trinity, for instance, he pleads that we must boldly assert the impossibility of salvation without it. Muslims believe that Jesus' substitutionary death makes God to appear unjust. He shows how Jesus' death was the only way to satisfy God's justice.

Anyabwile's own conversion from Islam to Christ partly resulted from reading the
Qur' an's affirmations of major portions of the Bible as God's Word. He concluded that the Bible's teachings on salvation had to be true. He quotes several Qur' anic passages that show why even according to the Qur' an, the Bible could not have been corrupted, contrary to what Muslims are taught.

The Gospel for Muslims provides penetrating questions to clear away objections to the Gospel. For example, Muslims should be asked "how can Jesus be a great prophet who speaks the very words of God with miraculous signs and Muslims still deny what He taught about Himself?" (Pp.63-64)

Though Muslims frequently talk of God's forgiveness, their system ultimately gives them no guarantee of that forgiveness. As an antidote, Anyabwile recommends explaining the Bible's unique and rich descriptions of conversion (i.e., the new birth, raised from death to life, united with Christ).

Anyabwile confronts the fear of not knowing "the right answer." The Christian's role, he says, is "to lift the hands of suppression [of truth]" and "draw out the knowledge of sin, unrighteousness, God and judgment that God has already placed inside their hearts"
(p. 48).

In Part 2 Anyabwile shows how to use God's formidable resources--the filling of the Holy Spirit, the Word, Christian hospitality, and our local churches--to display Christ.He reminds us that unless Christians intentionally seek out Muslims and befriend them, they will never see that vital witness. Using our local church in that witness is essential.

Anyabwile gives five action-provoking reasons to be prepared to suffer for our witness. As an African-American, his insights in the closing chapter on understanding and reaching African-American Muslims are especially valuable.

Authors are pleased enough that people buy and read their books. I will go a step further. I am actually using The Gospel for Muslims to evangelize Muslims. Read it and be ready to share the Gospel with Muslims--with confidence.

One Gospel for All
As you might guess from the title, this very short but excellent book offers encouragement to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with Muslim friends, neighbors, and co-workers. This is a topic dear to the author's heart, because he was once a Muslim himself. He offers himself as evidence that Muslims can and do find salvation in Christ.

The book is split into two parts. The first half outlines the specifics of the gospel message, particularly in contrast to the tenets of Islam, and the claims that the Qur'an makes about Jesus Christ. The second half contains practical advice for sharing Christ with Muslims. Throughout, the tone of the writing is very conversational, making this a quick and enjoyable read.

What I appreciated most about Anyabwile's book is the simple fact that he doesn't try to make evangelism to Muslims some formula which may be perfected. He avoids the pragmatism that most books on evangelism to a particular demographic seem to fall into. Instead, he reinforces what the Bible itself says: "The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile... even the Muslim Gentile."

The main thrust of the book is confidence in the power of God's Word. Witnessing to Muslims -- or to anyone else, for that matter -- can be intimidating, but God has given us a spirit of boldness, not of timidity. When we trust the Bible, and address those who oppose us with gentleness and respect, the Holy Spirit works through the hearing of the Word to convict and convince unbelievers. This is evangelism 101, but for some reason, people tend to think it's different with Muslims. It's not!

There are some practical sections that deal specifically with answering Muslim arguments and understanding Muslim culture, but nearly everything Anyabwile writes finds application in any circumstance. Most of the objections that Muslims have against Christianity are the very same objections which we encounter with other nonbelievers, and this book is a good reminder that we must always be prepared to give a defense for the hope that is in us.

Of the practical sections, the chapter on hospitality was particularly helpful. The Bible expressly commands believers to be hospitable, both to one another and to strangers, yet this is a glaring weakness in many evangelical circles. Westerners -- and Christians are no exception -- have largely lost the art of hospitality. This is an area in which Muslims excel, and one of the main criticisms they bring to bear against the Church. Learning and practicing hospitality will go a long way to reaching those in our communities with the gospel, and is particularly effective (and needed) among immigrants who often feel as if they have no friends or neighbors they can count on for companionship and help, when needed.

(On a side note: Isn't it ironic that many of us here in the United States make no effort whatsoever to reach out to the immigrants in our community, yet we often complain that they never assimilate into American society?)

On the whole, this is an excellent book for any Christian, but particularly for those living in areas that may have a high concentration of Muslims. At the very least, I hope that it will encourage you to pray for the salvation of Muslims, and for courage and boldness for those Christians who are seeking to evangelize them.

Helfpul, Insightful, and Readable
Thabiti Anyabwile is a former muslim.Now he loves Jesus.And he's also the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church Grand Cayman.

What more would you want from an author writing on how to lovingly engage and witness to Muslims?

Having been in several Muslim nations in the last few years, I was excited to see what Anyabwile had to say about sharing with them.In the first few pages Anyabwile reveals that his book is not designed to be an apologetical guide, but a practical help for those wanting to understand a muslim's values and mind-set and how to share Christ in that place.

The book is broken up into two parts: "The Gospel" and "As You Witness."The first section spends most of the time tracking through critical theological differences between the Christian and the muslim such as the Trinity, the Bible's validity, and Jesus' divinity.Anyabwile brings life to these topics with stories of his own encounters and experiences.I actually laughed a number of times thinking to myself, "How true that is!"Anyabwile knows his stuff; you won't find a muslim who won't bring up something about the Scriptures, Jesus, or the Trinity, if not all three!The second section focuses on things you must know for wtinessing to muslims.I loved that he spent time talking about the necessity of being filled with the Spirit to witness here.This is all too overlooked in books like these.The hospitality chapter is super-helpful for those trying to lovingly engage muslims.

I especially enjoyed that at the end of each chapter, there was a "Things to Remember" list recapping the main points being communicated.This became a great help in hammering away the heart behind what Anyabwile was saying.I found myself underlining nearly every point in these sections.

On a funny note, Chapter 4 was not numbered in my book, but the rest were.I'm not sure how that one slipped the system.While the book claims to be practical rather than apologetical, it surely spends half of the book being apologetically geared.However, Anyabwile's unifying plea is undoubtedly clear: believe in the power of the Gospel to save (Romans 1:16). Overall, the book is concise, readable, and insightful.With it's focus on the Gospel and practicals on how to witness well, I think it will be helpful for reaching out to anyone, not merely muslims!

The Gospel IS for Muslims
A good encouragement to believe in the power of the gospel for salvation, to everyone who believes, including Muslims. Thabiti shares some tips for contextualizing the gospel message to Muslims along the way, but mainly focuses on the substance of that message, and the spiritual fruit needed for evangelism. I was encouraged and helped by this little book, and recommend it to anyone wanting to reach out to their Muslim neighbors. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (18)

Very concise comment
I bought the book, started to read it, and lost interest, although the topic it covers does interest me. I still keep it around, though. I don't think it's the author's fault, although I'd say it could be considered bland, perhaps. I'll take the blame. Nevertheless, I do value Prof. Cole's comments.

engaging the islamic world
Cole dispels the fear and misinformation prevalent in our country concerning the Islamic world as a whole.He traces in detail the political history of key Islamic countries, and documents how Jihadists are a small minority in most of them.He shows how the West can improve relations--culturally and politically--in counties like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran.While not minimizing dangers in volatile areas of the world, he sounds and optimistic and hopeful note for future American foreign policy.

engaging the muslim world-the perfect gift
My mom has been wanting a copy of this book for months and so I wanted to buy it for her for Christmas. The book shipped to me quickly, carefully wrapped, and in excellent condition. Thank you thank you thank you.

Promoting dialog over conflict
Author Juan Cole's purpose is to convince us we should talk to the Muslim world. To do that we need to understand them better. His book helps us understand the richness and diversity of the Muslim world's social and political landscape. Certainly Cole holds a pro-Muslim world bias and he presents some questionable facts, but dwelling on this would be missing the contributions he makes towards promoting dialog over conflict. Cole makes a convincing case on two points.

First, he establishes that there is a real diversity of views, practices, and opinions within the Muslim world and even within major areas of the Muslim world, just as there is in the Western world. For instance there are secular Muslim societies, eg Turkey, as well as religious regimes, eg Iran. There are radical extremists, Al Qaeda of course comes to mind, but there are activist organizations, eg the Muslim Brotherhood, that promote the Islamization of society but through peaceful means only.

Second, Cole argues that the West will gain more influence and benefit from holding dialog than from imposing its will through military might. For example, he decries the military aid to Pakistan and insists that the United States would build more goodwill for itself by building secular schools and thus provide an alternative to the religious schools.

The book opens with as concise a presentation of the problem as I've read. The opening 26 words deserve to be quoted.

"The Muslim World and the West are at a stand off. Westerners worry about terrorism, intolerance, and immigration. Muslims are anxious about neo-imperialism, ridicule, and discrimination."

The book's six chapters then flesh out this position, explaining why this situation arose and proposing meaningful ways to get dialog started in order to end the stand off, or at least to bring tensions down a notch or two.

In chapter one, Cole talks about the Muslim world's influence on oil and energy markets. One of the many specific situations examined explains why Iran has legitimate energy worries that motivate its nuclear research program. Cole opposes an Iranian nuclear solution but he feels the West would build more credibility by acknowledging Iran's need and contributing to alternatives.

Chapter two looks at peaceful Muslim activist movements such as Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. Cole understands the Brotherhood was for a period a terrorist organization but that path has long since been abandoned. There's no question of engaging in talks with Al Qaeda, but the West could only benefit from talking with conservative religious movements when they in fact have significant support within the population.

Chapter three looks at Saudi Arabia and its Wahhabi faith and at the tensions between the Saudi regime and religious leaders. Saudi Arabia also has genuine economic problems, eg its tremendous oil revenues cannot be redistributed easily to the people unless there is a healthy economy in place. Throwing loose cash into an economy is a textbook method of getting runaway inflation.

Chapter four looks at Iraq, chapter five looks at Pakistan and Afghanistan, and in both chapters Cole contrasts the Western world's fears and bigotry with the Muslim world's. Again, Cole argues both sides would benefit from talking rather than fighting.

Chapter six looks at Iran and examines closely the Islamic republic's regime as it stood in the summer of 2008. Events have already raced past Cole's analysis but the chapter provides an interesting and informative background to what is going on. Cole presents the current leadership as ultimately in error, as being very unwise and misquided, but strongly urges western leaders to jettison their own prejudices and recognize that the regime isn't completely irrational either.

All in all, Cole does a thorough job of making us realize that we need to rid ourselves of irrational views and prejudices if we want to live in peace. The title says it all: we need to engage the Muslim world, not fight it.

Vincent Poirier, Tokyo

A book Obama should read before more troop commitments ... and yet
Cole provides a good overview of the Middle East, and does a good job teasing out the difference between Islamic influences, oil influences, poverty influences, and more. He also does a good job of distinguishing hot just between Sunni and Shi'a Islam, but some of the major trends within each, in the different countries of his focus.

Most valuable is his take on Afghanistan and Pakistan. If President Obama DID read this book, he'd not send one more boot on the ground to Afghanistan, would give Pakistan primarily non-military foreign aid, and would rethink other things.

And yet...

First, although Cole touches on poverty here and there, he writes this whole book without touching on the explosive birthrate in the Middle East, surpassed only by some sub-Saharan African countries. If I were the American Prez, "engaging the Muslim world" would start with a frank talk about birth control, which, of course, comes in fair part from empowering women.

That, in turn, is something else Cole glosses over. He talks a bit about patriarchy, but there's no depth.

Second, he's either naive, or whitewashing, with two countries, to various degrees. (And, no, I don't count Iran as one of the two, really.)

They are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Page 83, for example, he accepts at face value Prince Turki's claim that bin Laden chose Saudis for most of his hijackers so as to sour Riyadh-Washington relations. Next page, he flat-out claims that Wahhabism is not a sect, denomination, or whatever within Sunni Islam. Of course, he does that to preserve his "big tent" understanding of Sunni, only saying that the big tent doesn't go that far to the "right." Nonsense. Just as not all Sunnis are fundamentalists, neither are all Christians Pat Robertson, etc. But, SOME Sunnis are fundamentalists, just like some Christians.

Next, Pakistan and its formation. Cole claims Muhammad Ali Jinnah was worried about the tyranny of the Hindu majority in a united post-British India, citing comments by Gandhi as proof. He ignores that Nehru, et al, ignored Gandhi's call for a peasant India, all at the spinning wheel, and that Gandhi himself was assassinated by a Hindu fundamentalist. He also ignores the complexityof Jinnah's gradual embrace of a separate Pakistan that included selfish political reasons. Cole also doesn't mention that Pakistan originally included, of course, East Pakistan, today's Bangladesh and that, especially there, the issues were much more complex than Hindu-Muslim ones. (Ironic, coming from someone who wants to stress the complexity of "engaging the Muslim world.")

So, Cole can be a good starting point. Just make sure to have several grains of salt handy, ... Read more

Product Description
A groundbreaking book about Americans searching for faith and mutual respect, The Faith Club weaves the story of three women, their three religions, and their urgent quest to understand one another.

After September 11, Ranya Idliby, an American Muslim of Palestinian descent, faced constant questions about Islam, God, and death from her children, the only Muslims in their classrooms. Inspired by a story about Muhammad, Ranya reached out to two other mothers to write an interfaith children's book that would highlight the connections between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After just a few meetings, however, the women realized that they themselves needed an honest and open environment where they could admit -- and discuss -- their concerns, stereotypes, and misunderstandings. After hours of soul-searching about the issues that divided them, Ranya, Suzanne, and Priscilla grew close enough to discover and explore what united them.

A memoir of spiritual reflections in three voices, The Faith Club has spawned interfaith discussion groups in churches, temples, mosques, and other community settings. It will make you feel as if you are eavesdropping on the authors' private thoughts, provocative discussions, and often-controversial opinions and conclusions.

As the authors reveal their deepest beliefs, you watch the blossoming of a profound interfaith friendship and the birth of a new way of relating to others. And this new edition provides all the materials you need for forming your own Faith Club, including sections in Hebrew and Arabic.

Pioneering, timely, deeply thoughtful, and full of hope, The Faith Club's caring message will resonate with people of all faiths. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (96)

The Faith Club
I have reviewed this book in a secular and church book discussion groups and have found it to be worthy for lively and thoughtful discourse in both settings.What all of the groups I have led ave said is their desire for the three wonderful writers to return to their original intent and write a children's book about the three faiths.

Waste of time!
I was excited to read this book and learn about these three different religions, but all three of the women had such nominal faith that there was nothing to learn. Actually, they really didn't have any faith at all. All three chose to pick the parts of their religion that they liked and threw away what they didn't; thus creating their own "type" of Christianity, Judaism, and Muslim faith, and presenting inaccurate portrayals of them all.In fact, it wasmore about their cultures than their faith, but even that was something they weren't sure of. They never really were convicted by anything. Sure, they found a comfortable way to deal with their faiths but no true devotion to the god of their faiths. Very disappointing and misleading.
A better title would have been the subtitle itself, Three Women Search for Understanding.

Eye Opener
When my book group elected this book for our next discussion I was disappointed thinking I did not want to read three women writing little book reports on their own religions.When I read the book, however, I was pleasantly surprised and very much engaged as these three women struggled to meet each other's challenges, uncover the core messages of their own faith, develop their own beliefs and grow spiritually.If you are expecting a plot or story line, this is not the book for you, but if you are interested in challenging yourself to see more clearly the variety of approaches within a given faith, to become more tolerant of people of other faiths, or try to find commonalities that should bring us togther, then read this book.

Don't expect fast delivery
The book was fine but it took so long to receive the book.Way too long.

Product as offered
I had to repurchase this book since I had loaned it out and it was not returned. This book is a necessity for all who wish to embrace spiritual sensitivity.

This time I purchased the book in HARDCOVER form and it came as advertised in GREAT condition. ... Read more

Product Description
After four years of hard work and frugal living in New York, Hassan Mahmoud can afford to bring his family from Egypt to live with him. This close-knit family adapts to American life while staying true to their Muslim beliefs and Egyptian customs. Intimate and charming scenes of daily life are recounted -- preparing family meals, visiting a mosque in Manhattan, discovering the joys of snow. Through captivating color photographs and engaging text, this thoughtful book helps young readers understand Muslims as individuals and families. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A brightly photographed realistic portrayal of a family's arrival in the United States from Egypt
The photo-essay Coming to America: A Muslim Family's Story is a brightly photographed realistic portrayal of a family's arrival in the United States from Alexandra, Egypt. The father arrives first, after winning a "green card lottery" offered to Egyptians who want to work in America. He worked long hours as a grocer in Queens, N.Y. until he was able to bring his family. Text and beautiful bright color photographs let the reader share the experiences of eight-year-old Rowan Mahmoud and her family once they all arrive. The photos capture the family at home, in school, and at the mosque. Their religion is an integral part of their life, but school, television, and playing with friends take up most of their time. We see the children in American schools with American teachers and schoolwork, but then return home to their Muslim and Egyptian traditions.

Particularly useful in the classroom is the way Wolf tackles immigration issues for both adults and children; the hardships of learning a new language, the economic problems of finding an appropriate job, homesickness etc.At a time when many Muslim and Arab families in the U.S. feel subject to discriminatory governmental regulations and public attitudes, this book is especially welcome.
... Read more

Product Description

In Europe and North America, networks tracing their origins back to the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist movements have rapidly evolved into multifunctional and richly funded organizations competing to become the major representatives of Western Muslim communities and government interlocutors. Some analysts and policy makers see these organizations as positive forces encouraging integration. Others cast them as modern-day Trojan horses, feigning moderation while radicalizing Western Muslims.

Lorenzo Vidino brokers a third, more informed view. Drawing on more than a decade of research on political Islam in the West, he keenly analyzes a controversial movement that still remains relatively unknown. Conducting in-depth interviews on four continents and sourcing documents in ten languages, Vidino shares the history, methods, attitudes, and goals of the Western Brothers, as well as their phenomenal growth. He then flips the perspective, examining the response to these groups by Western governments, specifically those of Great Britain, Germany, and the United States. Highly informed and thoughtfully presented, Vidino's research sheds light on a critical juncture in Muslim-Western relations.

Customer Reviews (3)

Review of The New Muslim Brotherhood in the West
I liked Lorenzo Vidino's 'The New Muslim Brotherhood in the West' so much I asked if he'd autograph it for me and that's something I've only done with two other authors in my life. This publication comes from a true highly qualified authority and puts everything in place in its proper order. I'm not aware of another comprehensive publication like this at this time and suggest it is the authoritative summary of the evolution and history of the Muslim Brotherhood and its expansion throughout Europe, Asia, and into the West.

The topic of Islam is misunderstood by many people and I believe it is important for us to be more 'Religious Literate' before we misjudge. In order to do that we need to first become better informed overall and this is one of the pertinent topics. Lorenzo's book provides a comprehensive overview of the New Muslim Brotherhood in an enlightening way. I give this publication my highest recommendation.

Best and complete account of the Brotherhood
No written work comes close to what Vidino has accomplished with this landmark book. This is, without a doubt, the most complete and reasonable account of what may be the world's most important movement - the Muslim Brotherhood. Unlike other academics and commentators who focus solely on the Middle East, Vidino takes a hard look at the movement's activities in the West that manages to be both investigative and scholarly. The amount of original, primary research in this book is impressive. And, as the other reviewer noted, he does all this without being (a) an apologist or (b) a right-wing fanatic - the two categories of people who seem to do all the talking and writing about the Brotherhood in the West these days.

Aside from the information and analysis itself, Vidino's work is elegantly written. Each chapter is substantial enough to stand alone, but they also integrate effectively as a whole.

Outstanding
This book brings much-needed balance to a topic over which the debate has been hysterical. Unlike many authors who have whitewashed them in the past, ignoring some important evidence, Vidino does not shy away from pointing out with meticulous evidence some highly disturbing issues surrounding Muslim Brotherhood-related networks in the West. Yet, at the same time, his work his light-years away from that of those, particularly in neo-conservative circles, who see ghosts and conspiracies behind every corner. I was particularly impressed by the sources, both in terms on personal interviews and the digging of really obscure documents. Balanced, very well written and with great footnotes. Bruce Hoffman is right: "likely to become the standard text on this subject". ... Read more

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A Muslim's Heart provides Christians with a crash course in relating to their Muslim friends, neighbors, and coworkers.Without understanding the way a Muslim thinks and feels, and the cultural reason for this, any attempts at evangelism will target the mind without engaging the heart.Geared for Christians who are attempting to relate to Muslims overseas or in their own neighborhood,this book offers practical, field-tested instruction for reaching a Muslim's heart. ... Read more

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Building Bridges to Communicating with Muslims
Building Bridges to Communicating with Muslims

Edward J. Hoskins provides concerned Christians with a positive approach for developing an understanding relationship with their Muslim acquaintances, neighbors, friends and co-workers.

"A Muslim's Heart" approaches evangelism from an Eastern perspective and emphasizes similarities of our faith, thus avoiding barriers to developing genuine long term friendships. Hoskins presents biblical truth to demonstrate how to use culture friendly methods, the Qur'an, and Muslim traditions as a bridge to communicating the gospel.

Some of the questions you may be asking are addressed in the book: What is Islam and who are Muslims? Is Allah God? What are the Five Pillars of Muslim? What is the Salot? Zakat? Sowm? Hajj, and the Jihad?

I found the comparison and contrasts of cultural values between the Easter/Muslim society and Western society enlightening and valuable. The suggested relational tips are essential to anyone hoping to build bridges between the two cultures with the objective of ultimately communicating the gospel.
Hoskins discusses common objections and questions the Christian may face when trying to witness or explain the Christian position to a Muslim inquirer. These may include questions on: A possible corruption in the translation of the Bible, the Christian belief in "three Gods", the position that Jesus is the Son of God, what you know and think about the Qua'an, and was Muhammad prophesied in the Bible?

The reading list included for further reference and study is comprehensive and helpful. It includes biography, practical tools for reaching Muslims, and books addressing Spiritual Warfare.

Dr. Hoskins genuine passion to see Muslims surrender their lives to Jesus Christ as their savior is evidenced in his writing. He writes with authority and has condensed practical the essentials, the basic questions, and many sensitive issues into this short user friendly resource guide.

Boring.
Super boring - probably would have died of being bored had I read all of it. A better idea would be reading the Koran or just heading over to wiki. You don't need this person telling you what they think for 200 pages.

Unique and insightful firsthand experience
I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Hoskins in person in 2003 and was impressed at that time with his insights into the Muslim worldview.Much of what he had to say went beyond what I had heard in other settings (e.g. the course _Perspectives on the World Christian Movement_)

This book is filled with personal experiences and stories from Dr. Hoskins' years of making friends with Muslims in many different countries (including the US).He is very honest about his successes and failures in attempting to talk to Muslims about Jesus.

I also appreciate that he does not take a dogmatic approach on what is most likely the most controversial issue regarding ministry to Muslims -"insider ministry" (or "highly contextualized" churches).Briefly, the question is whether a Muslim who comes to faith in Christ should be publicly baptized and change his religion, or should continue to live as an "insider" to be a witness for Jesus among his family and friends.Dr. Hoskins essentially says that each individual Muslim who decides to follow Jesus must make his or her own decision about these issues and should not pressured either way by Christians.

Jesus met people where they were at
Whenever someone would ask Jesus a question, he would go straight past that and answer what was REALLY on their mind, what was really in their heart.Dr. Hoskins knows how to do that, and has a way with people unlike many you'll meet in a lifetime.It is silly to try and have an impact on someone without trying to understand them, and this book will help you do just that. ... Read more

Product Description

What does it mean to be Muslim in America? Ask ten different people and you'll probably receive ten different answers. Islam is as dynamic as it is misunderstood, and has been in a state of constant change and development for almost fourteen hundred years. So how can you reconcile being a teenager in America with being a Muslim? It's not as difficult as you might think!

Written by teens for teens, The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook covers everything from basic Islamic history and reading the Quran to addressing the issues of drinking and dating, and also includes thoughts and opinions from Muslim teenagers across the country. Positive, informative, and honest, here is the indispensable primer -- for Muslims and non-Muslims alike -- for learning about and finding a place in Islamic American culture today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A Gem
This book is both frank and funny, spirited and spiritual.It is a handbook not only for American Muslim teenagers but American teenagers of all religious persuasions who would like to know a little more about Islam in the United States.The advice offered is wise and useful.

Like all religions, Islam is complex.The handbook is not and does not pretend to be an Encyclopedia of Islam.It is not, nor does it pretend to be *the* voice of Islam.But it is a voice of Islam in America, and a cheerful and very readable voice at that.I'm not a teenager by any means.But I'm very glad I read it.And if I had a teenager who wanted to know more about Islam, "The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook" is the book I would recommend.

Outstanding Book!!
Here it is. An outstanding book that will prove easy to read and well well worth the read. I've tried several books which try to help shed light on Muslims. This is the one I kept on reading and the only one I've purchased multiple copies to give to family and associates.
Hope this delightful trio will write more. Buy this one. You'll be very pleased with it light tone and excellent overview.

Muslims as ordinary teenagers! What's the angle?
This is an excellent book, walking a difficult line -- which reflects the vast spectrum of cultures and beliefs labeled as 'Islam'.

Doubtless, some conservative Muslims will find it too liberal, whilst Islam-bashers will berate anything which portrays Muslims as human and not intent on anti-Western global terrorism.

But this book serves its purpose well.It is entertaining, informative, reassuring and light enough to be widely read.It also has a relevance far beyond 'Muslim' and 'American'.Anyone Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Mormon etc, could find something of merit here, with respect to growing up in a secular or very liberal environment in the Western world.Not everyone wants to live like in 'Gossip Girl' or '90210'.

I wish that I had had such a book when I was a teenager!

The Muslim Teenagers Handbook - a must-have for libraries!
I recommend this book for all libraries and classrooms...both for libraries in Muslim communities, and for neighborhoods where Muslims are people "seen on the news." The writing is fresh and fun, and shows Muslims are as diverse as all other groups of people. It's also a great starting point for discussions, and it would make an excellent partner for a novel like Does My Head Look Big in This? in a book group or class discussion.
This is NOT one of those boring, prescriptive books that never get checked out. The authors are young, intelligent and writing about what they know. Recommended!

Perfect guide for me!
I work for Girl Scouts and am putting on an interfaith workshop for teens and went into this project knowing NOTHING about Islam.This book was an easy read and helped me out so much.Thanks!!

... Read more

Product Description

As Americans continue to worship at the altar of cultural diversity and endorse religious tolerance for tolerance sake, Muslims masquerading as "moderates" have insinuated themselves into the very fabric of American society, taking advantage of our blind trust and gaining footholds in our education system, government, workplace, law enforcement, and military. In this startling book, investigative journalist Paul Sperry uses revealing new interviews and classified documents to courageously explain how, for the past thirty years, these Islamist extremists have been covertly working to destroy our constitutional government and the Judeo-Christian ethics on which our nation was built. Their goal, according to Sperry, is to replace the U.S. Constitution with the Quran and turn America into an Islamic state. And, as Sperry details point-by-point, they have been unwittingly aided in their sinister aims by the politically correct media, government, and citizens, who don't fully understand the dangers of the Muslim faith.

Infiltration explodes the facade of moderation and patriotism that Muslim scholars, imams, clerics, businessmen, and other leaders in the burgeoning Muslim community in America have conveyed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In reality, the Muslim establishment that publicly decries the radical fringe-represented by al-Qaida's brand of Islam known as Wahhabism, the official religion of Saudi Arabia-is actually a part of it. The only difference is that they use words and money instead of bombs to accomplish their goals.
Now, thanks to Sperry's peerless research, piquant prose, and forthright presentation, their cover is blown. He will not only make readers forget nearly everything they've been told about these "moderate" and "mainstream" leaders, he will expose the true agenda of these "moderate" and "mainstream" leaders, and he will explain the full scope of the dangerous threat of Islam in America.

With everyone still on edge after 9/11, this book will garner wide interest, appealing specifically to people interested in current events and/or religion. Additionally, the book will appeal strongly to women whose roles, values, and rights are greatly threatened by fundamentalist Islam.

Customer Reviews (47)

Do not read without your tinfoil hat
I wanted to like this book.Really I did.But man talk about really deep conspiracy stuff.Some of the things I agree with.

Citations for this book is excellent!But I think he stepped on the wrong side of looney.

Must Read
This book details the Muslim problems caused by a "POLITICALLY CORRECT" Washington that is afraid to stand up to a political faith and governing system that thretens to convert our society into an Islamic Republic. This message needs to be spread wide and clear. Unfortunately this administration and the traditional press are afraid to upset "PEACE LOVING NON VIOLENT" Muslims.

Warning: this book will affect you physically!
This is a book that is hard to read -- not because it is poorly written, but because of its shocking revelations. It will make your stomach churn with worry over the future of the United States. It will make your blood boil with anger at the incompetent, politically-correct leaders in Washington DC who are more concerned about offending Muslims than defending our nation from those who are seeking its downfall. It will freeze your blood with fear as you realized how much progress Islam has already made in taking over our country. With the perfect 20/20 vision of hindsight, no one these days would label those who had warned of the dangers of Nazism as "Nazi-bashers" or "Naziphobic". Today, those who warn of the dangers of Islam are sounding the alarm of a real and present danger much worse than the Nazis. Of course those wanting to suppress the truth will label them as "Muslim-bashers" and "Islamophobic". Thanks to courageous people like Paul Sperry, the truth about the Muslim agenda in America is getting out. It remains to be seen whether the American leaders and people will heed the warning and do something about it in time to stop the Muslims from turning America into an Islamic state.

Hate Mongering
This book is noting but hate mongering againstamericans , who happens to be muslims.

The Islamic Fifth Column
The Muslim Brotherhood, the "Ikhwan," was founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hasan al Banna to creat a global Islamic state, a caliphate that will rule the entire world under Sharia law. He was assassinated, but the Muslim Brotherhood survived to grow secret cells and gangs of terrorists. It exists today.

Another Ikhwan leader, Sayyid Qutb, studied here. Wikipedia says Qutb criticized American materialism, our individual freedoms, boxing matches, poor haircuts, triviality, sports, restrictions on divorce, animal-like mixing of the sexes (in churches!)and lack of support for Palestine. As for our music: "Jazz is his preferred music, and it is created by Negroes to satisfy their love of noise and to whet their sexual desires..." He was executed for plotting to assassinate Egypt's president. But the Ikhwan still exists today.

So why is Egyptian history important to us? Simple. The Ikhwan, the Muslim Brotherhood, is alive and well in the United States too. Just Google "Ikhwan" or Muslim Brotherhood. There is an active and seditious Islamic Fifth Column working hard to subvert our Constitution and democracy. How do we know that?

In the Holyland Foundation trial an Islamic "charity" was convicted of supporting terrorism, and some of its leaders who had their pictures taken with American presidents were jailed. Documents found by the FBI linked Holyland, and other Islamic organizations like CAIR, to the Muslim Brotherhood; the organizational ties, the interlocking boards of directors... the whole conspiracy was laid bare. Or some of it -- penetration of our government was not revealed.

But now "Infiltration" shows the history of a horrifying willingness of our government to embrace members and sympathizers of the Muslim Brotherhood. Ikhwan members are in the White House, the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, the FBI and other key agencies. In his book Paul Sperry gives you facts, names, dates, and backs them up. Why aren't we alarmed? Why aren't we scared to death?

Amazon reviews give us a clue. Of 42 reviews of this book only 10 are one star disapprovals. Those reviewers appear to be Islamists, Islamist sympathizers, or multicultural relativists who believe there can be no good or evil in any belief structure. "Islamists are not evil," they say, "just different. Misunderstood. Be nice, and they will be nice too." Right. That Islamist doesn't really want to torture you, saw off your head, and videotape it, like he did to journalist Daniel Pearl. Or if he does, he is only some poor misunderstood lad in a remote village.

Read this important book and learn about the Islamic termites undermining our Constitutional foundation. Then pay attention when the next Muslim is appointed to a high government office.

Chet Nagle is the author of Iran Covenant, a thrilling novel about Iran's nuclear weapons program and how to end it. Iran Covenant ... Read more

Product Description
First published in 1969 as part of a series edited by renowned Islamic scholar Albert Hourani, this book has been the standard source for the history of the revivalist Egyptian movement--the Muslim Brethren up to the time of Nasser. The Muslim Brethren are now well-recognized for their foundational role in the Islamic revival which has now taken on new, and perhaps dangerous, life in recent times. After having been out of print for over a decade, this reissue of the classic work makes it accessible to a new generation of scholars and students interested in the Muslim revival--a group whose numbers have increased dramatically in the past decade. The new paperback edition has a foreword by John Voll, a leading American Islamic scholar, discussing the subsequent history and continued significance of the Muslim Brethren. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A classic
This is the sole book that needs to be read in order to understand the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt from its founding until the 1950's. Richard Mitchell presents a balanced coverage of their history and ideology. It's only limitations is it does not cover modern movements within the brotherhood, but an array of other books do (although they are not all unbiased and balanced like this). This book is definitely the primer for anyone hoping to understand the Muslim Brotherhood. After reading this you can get into books focusing on modern movements of the brotherhood.

dated , interesting, but overcome by recent events
In many ways the examination of the founding of the Brotherhood is a parallel to the founding of Islam itself. What Mohammed actually said about many issues will never really be known since the Koran as we know it today was not written for many decades and even centuries after his death. al-Bannah and the founding of the Brotherhood did not have the problem of contemporaneous recording of what he said, but it most certainly had the problem of what he really meant since there were many who had their own views of what he meant, and became prophets in their own right. Qutb's idiotic rantings in "Milestones" are really an expansion of al-Banna's preachings. It is really almost irrelevant as to who was Socrates or Plato in this relationship since they both rejected modernity in the search for "true Islam". Admittedly the socialist governments in Egypt provided a fertile feeding ground for a demand to return to the "roots" of Islam, even before the British were kicked out, but what the various players in the founding of the Muslim Brothers really intended is as irrelevant as what Marx and Engle's wanted Communism to be; it became what it became, a blight on humanity. From a historical perspective, this is an interesting book since it introduces many of the founding players of the Brotherhood to us. From the perspective of what the Brotherhood has become, and what it has started, it is not really very good since Qutb and his followers such as bin Laden have made it the modern-day equivalent of Nazism, regardless of its original intent. Admittedly Mitchell would not know what the movement would become writing 35 years ago, but it was pretty easy to see where it was headed, and it was much more insidious than Mitchell reports. This is a book worth reading, but it should be done as a companion to many others which have been written since.

First of Its Kind
This work still remains one of the best ever written on modern Islamism; it also happens to be one of the first.John Voll's preface to this reprinted edition is excellent and gives the work its due place in the history of the development of scholarship on Islamism.

Mitchell's work preceded the sensationalism so characteristic of the field today and, therefore, lacks many of the vices present therein today.In particular, one notices his consciousness that he is studying a *religious* group; therefore, his work doesn't suffer from the rampant reductionism that seeks to explain Islamism merely in terms of market fluctuations and changing birthrates.As Richard Mitchell wrote just before his death, "So deeply ingrained is secularism as to make even the most sympathetic observers floundering for meaning in simplistic explanations such as `Mahdism,' `Messianism,' `religious obscurantism,' `fanaticism,' `nativism,' `cover for power grab,' etc.All of these things exist in the Islamic movement.But it would not be a serious movement worthy of our attention were it not, above all, an idea and a personal commitment honestly felt."

Mitchell's works shows how Islamism began as a relatively conservative movement without any explicit aims for revolution at the governmental level.Rather, they desired a religious revolution that was later protracted into a larger arenas of social reform.Political opposition and activism-of the potentially seditious kind-actually came relatively late and in the atmosphere of despotic monarchy.

The books ends with the imprisonment of the Brotherhood by Nasser-ironically after the Brotherhood provided the major popular support for the Free Officers to enter into power-and thereafter the history of the Brotherhood was chronicled mostly by francophone authors such as Olivier Carré and Gilles Kepel.

Objective, direct, accurate: Excellent
In The Society of the Muslim Brothers, Richard P. Mitchell addresses the ideology of the organization. He takes the reader from the birth of the movement that would eventually challenge the Egyptian government to it's greatest and worst moments. He writes with an amazingly objective style, neither apologizing for the members who committed crimes, nor minimalizing the excellent social welfare contributions of Hassan Al-Banna, the leader. Of particular interest in this discussion of dualities is the point made about the dual legal systems. Al-Banna felt that the Western laws "corrupted and perverted the nation's thought, mind and logic."Mitchell's point on this seems to hold vivid clarity in the idea that manmade laws and shari'a are innately incompatible. The inharmonious combination of this dual legal system "served to shatter the `unity' of the nation." Mitchell's writing really catches the essence of a group of people struggling to come to terms with a rapidly changing society in flux in a rapidly changing world. His book was translated into Arabic and Arab scholars agree that his portrayal of this politically powerful religious movement is academically sound.

A classical work on the Muslim Brotherhood from 1928 to 1954
Mitchell's book is obviously dated by now, published in 1969 and has been republished in 1993. At first, I wonder whether it is still worth a reading given that there are a lot more recent works in the field as a result oftheproliferation of literature on the Islamist movements in recentdecades. Having read this book, I must admit that Mitchell's book continuesto be a significant contribution in our understanding of Islamism.

Thebook covers periods of Ikhwan foundation in 1928 till its secondsuppression in 1954. The focus is on Egypt without dealing with variousmanifestations of the movement outside of the country. The book can bedivided into three parts. The first and largest is history of the movement.It sheds interesting light on al-Banna, the founder of the movement, andthe roles the movement played in political events including its attitudetoward the 1952 revolution. The second part deals with the details of theorganizational aspect of the movement while the third part concentrates onits ideology with special reference to its world-view as regards the West,Egypt, capitalism, communism, and Zionism. The final chapter assess theplace of the movement in Egyptian social and political life. The mostimpressive aspect of this study is Mitchell's utilization of the sources.Through his field works in Egypt in 1953-5 Mitchell was able to witness thedevelopment first handand to conduct interviews with many of the Ikhwanmembers and other Egyptians. Furthermore, Mitchell uses Arabic languagesources, including the writings of the prominent figures of the movementsuch as al-Banna and Muhammad al-Ghazali, and Qutb along with the writingsof other Egyptian unconnected with the society as well as Ikhwan's ownpublications and documents. In addition, the author also utilizes Egyptiannewspapers and numerous Western studies on various aspects the subject.

One common (distorted) image of the movement according to the author isassociating Ikhwan with violence. Mitchell dismisses the common viewattributing the movement as revolutionary, and terrorist. Mitchell arguesthat the revolutionary image of the movement is misleading because whateverthe(revolutionary) view of certain groups or members, the leadership had nowish to seize power either in 1948 or 1954. As a matter of fact, Mitchelladds that Al-Banna always emphasized that the movement primary roles wereeducational and to influence the policies of those in power in establishingthe Islamic pattern of behavior in the society rather than to achieve powerfor themselves The revolutionaryimage of the society apparently derivedfrom its semiautonomous "secret apparatus" which advocatedviolence, but this attitude was confined to this group and not theorganization as a whole. In addition, Mitchell argues that tendency towardviolence was not confined to some segments of the Brothers, but it wasalmost a universal tendency in the national politics as a result of disillusionment with parliamentary government which characterized Egyptianpolitics between 1942-1952.

Mitchell also debunks the common viewthat the society was dogmatic, static and reactionary organizationdedicated to restore the seventh century concept of the Muslim state. Hestates that despite its aspiration for the implementation of Islamicprinciples in the society, Ikhwan demonstrated its open-minded attitudetoward the interpretation of Shariah as reflected in their readiness toopen the door of Ijtihad. Although there is a tendency toward Hanbalistrict uncompromising attitude in the movement, the author argues thatthere was also a strong consciousness among the brothers that they werepart of Islamic reformist tradition of Abduh, Afghani, and Ridha and sharedthe same intent of adaptation of Islam to meet modern challenges. As amatter of fact Banna and Hudaybi are depicted as promoting a reformist rolefor the society. The society's dynamic commercial and welfare activitiesand to a lesser degree its effort to form an auxiliary Muslim sister"wing" demonstrate the"modernized" and pragmaticaspect of the society.

The success of the society can be attributedto al-Banna himself, whom Mitchell repeatedly refers to as a charismaticleader. In chapter one, Mitchell provides a brief account of al-Banna'searly years regarding his gifted ability to communicate, to inspire and toinfluence. Furthermore, Mitchell presents considerable amount of evidencethroughout the book demonstrating the charisma in Banna and his "brothers" relationship. However, the death of al-Bannaandascendancy of Hudaybi as the General Guide of the movement posed a seriouschallenge for the movement. Without a charismatic leader and effectiveleadership, the society failed in dealing with problems associated withleadership- succession, discipline, consensus and even the loss of controlover secret apparatus.

My impression from Mitchell's account is thatthe relative success of the movement under Banna can be attributed to theleadership quality. However, the author's treatment of leadership isinadequate; primarily emphasizing the personality of Banna and leaving outthe roles of elite members of the movement such as the Guidance Council andthe Secretariat. In light of my own understanding that a good number ofIkhwan prominent figuresare not (strictly speaking) the graduates ofIslamic studies, It would also be desirable to learn something about thesociety's elite such as their educational training and class background. Inthis regard Mitchell's book is less helpful.

Despite theproliferation of literature on the Islamist movement in recent decades,Mitchell'sbook continues to have a class of its own, especially for thoseaspiring to learn about the development of the movement in Egypt from itsfoundation to 1954. One wish that the author could have also covered theinfluence of the movement outside Egypt, most notably in Palestine, Jordanand Syria. ... Read more

Product Description
A startling look at the Muslim world, through the eyes of a western Christian in a Muslim family. For Christians who work with, live with, or minister to Muslims, this book helps explain the whats and whys of the world of Muslim women.Also dealt with are topics such as role models, segregation, restrictions, opportunities, family life, and unwritten rules. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Must Read
In college my major was Islamic studies.I read a large amount of books on Islam.I believe this is the best book for anyone working with Muslims to gain a valid cultural perspective.If you are planning on working overseas in a Muslim country, this is a must read.It is very easy to read and not full of history.It is practical and right on.I would highly recommend this book.

Excellent!
This book is light-hearted and easy to read.She gives lots of examples of real life sittuations and tells how best to handle them.It is perfect for any woman preparing to travel to an Islamic country.Men will benifit from reading this too.I also find it very usefull when incountering Muslim imagrants and refugees here in the U.S.

Respecting other cultures
Christine Mallouhi writes from the interesting perspective of a Western Christian missionary living in various, mostly Arabic-speaking Muslim countries. Learning over many years through trial and error and with the help of her Arabic, conservatively raised husband, the author repeatedly emphasizes and offers numerous examples of the importance of showing respect to other cultures in order to be respected and accepted in turn, especially important when one is trying to spread one's religious values.

Although written to help other Christian missionaries understand how to be true to their faith and set a good example as Westerners as well, anyone can learn from this book about the fascinating world of Arabic cultures and how even within areas of one country Muslim Arabs cannot be pigeonholed into stereotypes. While some readers may dislike the advice to change one's dress and mannerisms to better fit in with a different culture, especially one which they find confusing and perhaps oppressive, one cannot deny the benefits of doing so - when in Rome, do as the Romans do - in order to gain understanding of a different culture, to make life easier, and to enjoy new friendships.

mini skirts review
This is another book I read last year.It was ok and showed a lot of opinion I thought.It was written well.I didn't agree with everything in there I believe was the impression I'd gotten from the book.The subject matter is,of course,of great interest to me because of my own experiences into Islam(and out).Nadia N.Rehmani-author of Sharper Than A Two Edged Sword-A True Story Of One Woman's Walk Into Islam And Out.

good book for missionaries
I enjoyed this book and appreciated hearing about this author's particular experiences in various Arab countries, however, it is definitely a book for missionaries.It seems like she is advocating respect for Muslims, but mainly in order to open the door for them to be lead to Christianity.All in all I did enjoy the author's stories, and it was thought-provoking. ... Read more

Product Description
After living for more than two decades in the Middle East, pastor, author and college Arabic instructor Mike Kuhn wonders if there can be a fresh vision for the Muslim world—one not rooted in media lies or personal fears but in the values of Christ’s kingdom. Is the only option to fight, to eradicate, to judge? Or can the mindset of confrontation give way to one of incarnation?


In Fresh Vision for the Muslim World, Kuhn challenges readers to love the Muslims down the street and across the world with the love of Christ. Kuhn’s vast experience and research show readers that Muslims today have the same hopes and spiritual needs as any of us. With practical suggestions, Kuhn helps readers leave the path of isolation, fear and self-preservation and choose a less-traveled road: a path of self-awareness, empathy, and deep listening. Choosing the latter path is radical. It is difficult. And it is a step toward seeing Jesus Christ receive his rightful place of honor among a people longing to know him.



CONTENTS:

Part I: A Visionary Paradigm
Chapter 1: Casting a New Kind of Vision

Part II: A Historical Perspective
Chapter 2: A History of Complicity: Who? Me?
Chapter 3: Give Back My Holy Land!
Chapter 4: Two World Wars and a New Reality

Part III: A Theological Dimension
Chapter 5: Your Truth or Mine?
Chapter 6: Jesus’ Kingdom in the Muslim World Today
Chapter 7: The Israel of God
Chapter 8: What’s Next? What’s Now?
Chapter 9: Perspective Makes All the Difference

Part IV: A Reality Check
Chapter 10: Reformation a la Islam
Chapter 11: "Thou Shalt Not Be Terrorized"

Part V: Steps to Incarnation
Chapter 12: God on Mission. Human Beings on Mission.
Chapter 13: Living the Kingdom, Extracting the Empire ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Fresh Vision is true to its name
Fresh Vision is true to its name. True to its subtitle, the warp and woof of the book presents an incarnational alternative to understanding the Muslim world. This is fleshed out through personal anecdotes, illustrations, questions and diagrams.

The first eighteen pages, Part 1, cast a new kind of vision for the Muslim world. One of the themes that is used to do this is a metaphor of a modern-day Samaria. Kuhn likens the Muslim world to a modern-day Samaria. This is a great jumping off place to frame the rest of the book. In this chapter we are confronted by the author with a choice: the path of isolation, fear, alienation and self preservation or the path of empathy, self-awareness, deep listening and incarnation. In this way, Kuhn shows us that our ears can become our greatest ally. He shows us how our empathy can help us avoid a response of fear. He suggests that a Kingdom centered perspective and Christ's example are necessary for us to have joyful encounters with Muslims. He also says that we need to offer our Muslim friends security so they will not respond to us with fear. Having such a mindset requires "careful evaluation of longstanding beliefs that may have become fetishes to a false tradition."

Part II gives a brief, but good, historical perspective on Christian-Muslim relations. He touches on the idea of complicity by inviting his readers to examine themselves: "Could it be that we (primarily, Christians) have been complicit in the development of religious tyranny in the Muslim world?" He talks about how Christians have viewed the holy land and points out some errors we have made in responding to Muslims. He also gives a pathos for how Muslims view Christians. He also relates the effects of World Wars I and II to the historical situation, as well as more recent wars and conflicts, such as 9/11 and the Gulf wars and how these have affected the way Muslims view the "Christian" West.

Part III delves into the theological dimension of how the Islamic worldview is shaped by an understanding of God, humanity and revelation, all of which are at odds with the Christian worldview in numerous ways. He also addresses the thorny question of the need to refine Western affinity for Israel. He also addresses what Jesus' Kingdom looks like the Muslim world today, giving several examples of personal testimonies of Muslims who have trusted Christ as their Savior. In addition, using the analogy of the shepherd boy, David, Kuhn dives into a discussion about the Israelis and the Arabs. He suggests that in order to foster a fresh vision for the Muslim world, we need to "...admit that our vision may have become skewed by our predispositions and our constant exposure to various teaching and views." He presents two main options related to our thinking about the present-day state of Israel and asks, "Who are the Arabs?" He says that "Christians need to understand that a clear ethnic association of Muslim people (and particularly Arab people) with Ishmael is inaccurate." He goes on to explain why. He also delves into "...two contentious issues about which the church lacks consensus: the identity of the people of God and the Old Testament promises specific to the land." He then asks what all this has to do with the Muslim world. He suggests that "If we are prepared to think clearly and biblically about these issues, we will be better sited to discern the conflicting claims to the land in the Middle East." In addition, he touches upon how two perspective of history are being promoted: the Western Christian perspective and the Muslim perspective. He observes that "Christ-followers must take a fresh look at the facts as best we can ascertain them. We should listen to both sides." In doing so he addresses the plight of the Palestinians and suggests that this is a crucial issue for evangelicals to come to grips with if we are to have a viable witness among Muslims.

Part IV is called, "A Reality Check." In it, Kuhn presents us with the good, the bad and the ugly as it relates to the Muslim world today. He discusses reformation in Islam and the importance of Mohammad's role in jihad. At the same time he warns that though Muslims are not blameless, "...the West has ridden roughshod over Islamic sensitivities..." and that "...the list of Western transgressions is long." He warns that "If Western Christians become overly identified with the interests of our government and societies, we will lose that which is most beneficial to our countries - our prophetic voice - what is most essential to Christ's kingdom in the Muslim world - the voice of Christ." He says, "So now Christians of the Western world and particularly the United States must ask how we can live as loyal citizens of the state and yet give radical allegiance to a crucified Lord." This leads to the last section of the book.

Part V is called "Steps to Incarnation." In it Kuhn discusses God on mission and human beings on mission. He outlines the necessity for a paradigm shift of missional living, poses a new paradigm for post-Christendom, discusses missional living in antagonistic cultures, and what the implication are for the Muslim world. In the final chapter of the book Kuhn talks about living the kingdom and extracting the empire. He compares and contrasts kingdom and empire, ending with some practical suggestions on how we can live the kingdom life.

Fresh Vision for the Muslim World is an excellent book. It contains so many provocative, penetrating questions. I found it to be at the same time both challenging and refreshing. I couldn't help but talk with some of my Muslim friends about some of these questions and issues to test if the things Kuhn has mentioned are true. I would strongly encourage you to read it and "go do the same."

Clarity and Charity
Here is well chosen, basic information and much needed perspective for American Christians who care about Muslims.Kuhn helps us see how things look from their side of the fence, and what it takes to help them meet and follow Jesus.He provides vital background briefly and clearly.He doesn't avoid hard questions.He deals charitably with various points of view.He sets the pace and helps us on the path of incarnational life and ministry.

"Fresh Vision" is excellent first reading for people who share in the work of Christ overseas or around the corner.Kuhn concentrates on standard, core Islam, so you may want to supplement this.But I would say, read Kuhn first.

Right On!
I have worked in the Muslim world for 9 years and feel this book gives a gracious yet clear and powerful voice for the new vision that is needed by the Western church to reach Muslims today.The experience of the author provides enourmous insight into the deepest issues that hinder the Gospel from being as effective as it could. This book challenges our cultural perspectives for the sake of finding better biblical perspectives to bridge the great divide between Muslims and Christians for the honor of Jesus.Well worth reading if you are ready to be challenged!

excellent
Very thoughtful view of Christianity vs Americanity.How we, as American believers mix our patriotism with our faith too much and can easily alienate the Muslim world.

An Excellent Resource
Mike Kuhn has done an excellent job of sharing perspective.He seeks to share perspective from both a Western point of view and a Muslim point of view.His writing is easily understood and comes across as written with great humility and a good deal of passion.

By going back and giving a good historical overview of Islam, the book helps the reader see the foundation for the current realities we see in our world today.The reading then delves into some of the Christian patterns of thinking that today may help fuel the current attitude Christians in the West often take towards Islam.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to better understand Islam and the cultural influences that have huge effect on our attitudes and interpretations of current events.It is a must read as our world becomes a global village and we struggle to live in the melting pot of the diversity we encounter in this new world. ... Read more

Product Description
Paul-Gordon Chandler presents fresh thinking in the area of Christian-Muslim relations, showing how Christ_whom Islam reveres as a Prophet and Christianity worships as the divine Messiah_can close the gap between the two religions. He illustrates his perspective with examples from the life of Syrian novelist Mazhar Mallouhi, who seeks to bridge the chasm of misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians through his novels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Worth more exploration
This is a good book to help form a clearer picture of positive Muslim-Christian relationships.

There is a new book that covers how Christians and Muslims can remain in an engaged and productive relationship over a long period of time. It would make a good companion to this one. This book happens to have a similar name: Pilgrims on the Silk Road: A Muslim-Christian Encounter in Khiva. It tells the story of a group of Menonites who fled to Central Asia in the 1880's searching for religious freedom and a refuge from the Tribulation. They found themselves in the care of a Muslim king. There is also a documentary DVD about the story: Through the Desert Goes Our Journey.

New perspective on Christ and Islam
Chandler's candid account of the life and love of Mazar Mullali was certainly an eye opener.Christ is so often clothed with the trappings of western Christianity, that we forget that he was a middle-eastern man, with middle-eastern sensibilities and culturally far from what we see as the western church today.Mazar clearly knows Jesus, the Christ, but being from the middle-east, has no problem whatsoever in relating to him as a cultural brother of the Levant.This Christ is far more accessible to Muslims; he understands them, and they understand him, as he is revealed in the Injil (Gospels). This is one of the most encouraging books I have read in many years, and I found it brought a freshness to my understanding of how those of us who follow Christ can better relate to our Muslim brothers and sisters, and share his love with them.Mazar's way is following Jesus, not religion, but a loving lifestyle and respectful friendship within the Muslim culture, which is essentially the eastern culture of the Levant, Arabian peninsula and northern Africa.He not only speaks, but listens and understands the people around him, and genuinely loves them.

Christian convert, Muslim mystic
The earliest Christian movement was so completely Jewish that followers of Jesus continued to worship in their synagogues, Rome considered it a sect of Judaism, and Paul described the later influx of Gentiles as "wild branches" grafted onto the natural and nourishing trunk of Judaism. The first major conflict of the movement was whether and how Gentile converts could join this Jewish faith. Given this heritage, it's a bitter irony that centuries later Christianity earned a reputation that was anti-semitic, anti-Arab, and pro-western.

Paul-Gordon Chandler, a U.S. Episcopal priest who has lived and served most of his life throughout the Muslim Middle East and Africa, argues forcibly against the status quo of cultural and civilizational clash. Just as the apostle Paul insisted that Jesus "destroyed the dividing wall of hostility" between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14), he intends to show how and why Christians can bridge the bitter divide between the Christian West and the Arab-Muslim Middle East. He does this through a comprehensive study of the life of Mazhar Mallouhi (b. 1935) a Syrian novelist and "Sufi Muslim follower of Christ." Chandler finds earlier wisdom in The Christ of the Indian Road (1925) by E. Stanley Jones, and in his notion that "Christianity" with all its attendant sociological, religious, cultural, political, and historical baggage, "is not the same as Jesus."

"What might it look like," Chandler wonders, "for Jesus to be naturalized upon the Arab Muslim road." Side-stepping questions of Islamic theology, he focuses on the implications of Mallouhi's conversion and subsequent Christian experience. It's a colorful and compelling story, well worth reading in its own right. Chandler's narrative reminds us just how deeply and tragically so much of what passes for Christianity has been deformed by its marriage to western values.

But whether someone like Mallouhi can "bridge" the Arab-Western and Christian-Muslim divide remains to be seen; he himself has paid a very high price for his allegiance to Christ. He's hardly an "orthodox" believer, he rarely attends church, he has little use for the historic creeds, and he's been roundly ostracized and persecuted by both sides. And alert believers on both sides will not miss the point that, despite a more culturally-friendly evangelistic style and means (less confrontation), the substance and end (religious conversion) remain the same. And that's a profound theological matter that I'd love to read a book about that's written by Chandler or someone like him who combines his personal experiences, cultural sensitivity, pastoral care, and theological nuance. Like most good books, this one left me scratching my head with many complicated questions.

Beware of Doctrinal Heresies
This book is an attempt to glorify the "Insider" movement and/or C5/C6 "contextualization" approaches by Christians who minister to Muslims.

Chandler attempts to prove his premise that "someone who comes from a non-Christian faith can follow Christ and remain within his own religious culture, thereby bridging the two" (p. 4) by "examin[ing] and learn[ing] from Mazhar [Mallouhi]'s attitude and approach to Islam as a follower of Christ within the context of his life and today's religious climate" (p. 6).While this makes for an interesting read the lines are often blurred between the author's sentiments and Mallouhi's.Chandler should have done a better job of differentiating between the two.

The book, while addressing the very real cross-cultural issues facing those who minister to Muslims, is full of heretical statements and innuendo from both the author and his subject--relativism, universalism, and syncretism.The following are some quotes from Mallouhi, the subject of the book:

When I hear the Psalms read, for example in church, and when it says "The God of Israel," I find this a stumbling block for me, because this presents a tribal God. (p. 181)

I cannot reconcile God ordering massacres in the Old Testament. (p. 181)

We are part of several groups of Muslim mystics, Sufis; sometimes we meet in our home, other times in theirs. But we walk together this spiritual journey toward God. (p. 193)

I have met many Muslims who I believe are farther spiritually than me, and a million miles closer to God, loving God and devoted to God with complete sincerity... The difference Christ makes for me is that through his life and teachings I am able to see the heart of the Father. The benefit of Christ is that we see the beauty of God through him. Without Christ, something of the picture of God is missing for me. (p. 193)

"If people do not have the revelation of God in Christ, this of course does not mean that they do not know God," says Mazhar. (p. 91)

"I fully expect to see Gandhi when we are privileged to enter God's presence in eternity."...In Tertullian's sense of the soul being naturally Christian, he views Gandhi as a "natural Christian." Mazhar meets many Muslims who are in the same predicament. (p. 123)

Author: Let's address the issue of eternal destiny, as both Christians and Muslims often emphasize this. Do you believe in a hell?

Mallouhi: It is very hard for me to picture God, whom I love, and whom I know loves humanity; his creation, sending anyone to an eternal hell. God is just. And if he treats evil with evil then what difference is there between him and us. (p. 198)

Notwithstanding some of the valid cultural issues that Mallouhi raises, Chandler has chosen a poor doctrinal example to promote "insider" movements and C5-C6 contextualization/"Muslim followers of Christ" models.There are valid ways in which we can "be all things to all men" without compromising the truths of Scripture.After reading this book I prefer to keep Biblical faith and "ask for the old paths" (Jer. 6:16).

Interesting read, but bad doctrine
Although I have had many people say that this book is rambling and poorly written, I actually thought it was well written and easy to read.The other positive is that people that do not know about muslim culture could learn some things.Unfortunately, through a very post-modern reading of culture the west is seen as totally bad and the Arab world as totally good.Maybe Chandler has lived in the Arab world some, but he has not entered into the culture very much.I have lived in the Arab world for 10 years and I really enjoy being with Arabs and both receiving and giving hospitality.However,there are also some bad things about it.Also there are good things about the West.

The main problem with the book in my opinion is doctrine.Most of this revolves around what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.Take Ghandi for instance.Would he have said that following Jesus is what his life was all about? I don't think so.I talked to some Indians about this and they said that Ghandi admired Jesus and really liked the Sermon on the Mount.But does that mean that he was a follower of Jesus?Did he take up his cross and follow Jesus?I don't think so.Also , I doubt that Ghandi would have said that his loyalty was to Jesus.All hindus would be open to following Jesus' teachings, but also following others."A Muslim Follower of Jesus"is not clear either.Most Muslims would say that they follow all the prophets.It would be like saying "I'm a human being that breathes oxygen."It is a statement that needs explanation.

Also while the book technically doesn't teach universalism.It moves in that direction.See p. 193 and the bottom of p.198.This is the "anonymous Christian doctrine of Carl Rahner.Also Mallouhi claims that if God does send people to eternal punishment he is unjust.Does God need our approval to do things?He says "It is very hard for me to picture God, whom I love, and whom I know loves humanity, his creation, sending anyone to an eternal hell."Well that just says something about him not about God.

I find it very interesting that both the main part of the book and the interview ends with plugs for Mallouhi's translations of the Bible.I'm sure that this is no coincidence.I find it amazing how much money he and the people who he works with have available. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
In his most incredible and eye-opening book to date, Brother Andrew invites you to meet brave men and women you never knew existed. This is the riveting true story of the Church in Islamic countries struggling to come to grips with hostile governments, terrorist acts, and an influx of Muslims coming to Christ. The names and places have been changed to protect the real people in the real places. But the stories are true.Now available in paperback, Secret Believers not only gives you a glimpse of the lives of these courageous believers, it also proposes four practical initiatives for Christians in the West to help these persecuted brothers and sisters. It calls us to join a new kind of jihad, leaving vengeance behind in favor of forgiveness, radical love, and unyielding prayer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Secret Believers
This is a great book for the laymen to understand what a Muslim background believer goes through,and also to understand some of the varied positions in Islam...for example some are more religious vs. nominal.The fact is there really is no such thing as a "secret believer". The church in the US could take an example from the lives in this book as to their dedication to Jesus.

Truly well written about Christians in a muslim world (and how we may get involved)
This book is smoothly written, about Christian church in Muslim world.
Names and places changed, so that the real people would not get any harm.
The book tells us about how Christian faith is manifested within
Muslim communities, and how it is possible that Christians from western countries
can help the church in a Muslim country.

Very many times I stopped reading the book while thinking at the same time that my
biggest problem currently is that someone could laugh if I confess my faith....
a bit different than getting beaten or tortured... and those believers in Muslim world
are just like we are, except way believe every world of the Bible... and are ready to die.
The book is kind of a eye-opener for all of us...

Eye Opener to real Jeopardy Christianity is in!
This book presents real people put into composite characters to tell the scary truth about how Muslims are persecuted and some killed when they convert to Christianity.The Muslim community is so threatened by Jesus' grace.They don't understand that you don't earn your salvation.This is a book we are doing as a Sunday school class to help Muslims that need the resources and help to be safe in their new truth of Christianity.It's so hard to love your enemies but the book points out that maybe that is the only way to get Muslims to understand the difference between a forced religion they are used to, and the truth of God's forgiveness and love for all men.It will really make you grateful for Jesus and want to get involved with ways to make disciples for those who need Jesus the most.Read the book and get ready to hurt like you never have before at the truth of what real persecution is.

Secret Believers
Very interesting look inside the Islamic mindset and the courage of Christians in a Muslim land.The story is told in the 3rd person, reads like a novel.

Absorbing, Encouraging.
To put it simply, Secret Believers is comepletely absorbing and informative at the same time.

Also, the book not only educates you about the struggles that these people face, but does so with out discouraging you into silence... it thouroughly encourages you into action! ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of stories and poems about Muslim children from a variety of backgrounds, focusing on the celebration of holidays and practices of Islam. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great book
I enjoyed this book. I do think this is a book for all children , it has great stiries for the whole family. I love to read this book to my daughter.

Hopeful
I can only hope that this brilliant book helpd educate muslims and non-muslims about the true beauty of Islam.

An excellent resource
My favorite short stroy is the Black Ghost.The children run from fear of her and her young son is dreadfully embarrassed until the black ghost rescues one of the boys.Reaching out from under her black abaya, the mysterious woman is soft and gentle.The young boys confront their friend, "You never told us you had such a nice mother."

Children's Nonfiction

Not only for muslim children
This book is so informative and well-written it should be in every muslim house.However, this book is not only very good for muslim children, it is also an excellent book for non-muslim children to read and learn more about islam.It can be used as an excellent tool in a classroom to dispel any misconceptions non-muslim children may carry against their muslim classmates.They will be able to learn more about prayer, fasting, eid and other things that their muslim classmates and friends follow in their lives.

Should be read by all educators and anyone who works with diverse populations.
This is a wonderful book. It's informative, non-judgemental, and non-proselytizing. I was especially impressed that the authors managed to tell a series of situational stories from a child's point of view. My favorite was the one about the little boy who becomes separated from his parents at Mecca and finds shelter with a kindly old man.This book covers such topics as Muslim minority children having to choose between adherences to their religion, e.g. forgoing observance of prayer times and dietary restrictions for the sake of convenience and fitting in with the crowd. I could feel the self-consciousness myself when a little boy overhears his friends mistaken his mother for a ghost after being frightened by her veil, and the guilt when a young girl succumbs to temptation and devours the delicious candies that contain pork byproducts.

... Read more