Book Review: The Imam and the Atheist, by Mohamed Abdul Azeez

This is a good introduction to philosophical arguments for the existence of God for anyone of faith who – like me – is a philosophy newbie. It's written as a series of conversations between an Imam and the uncle of a boy who has renounced his faith in God. The uncle is struggling to understand his nephew and the Imam is helping the uncle to understand the philosophical ideas that the youth is grappling with.

Framing the book as a series of discussions, each building on the last, gives the book a nice sense of a story. Framing the book as a series of discussions between the Imam and the uncle – a receptive listener – rather than the Imam and the atheist allows the author to get away with some oversimplifications of the opposing view. You could view this as a criticism of the book. However, this is what allows the book to remain an elementary level read so this is a good thing as far as I am concerned.

I must commend the author for having a go at a couple of really sensitive topics during the course of the book: Evolution and LGBTQA+. The chapter on evolution was my favourite of all the chapters by far. It has left me with food for thought to ponder on well beyond my reading of the book. Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone of faith who wants an easy to read introduction to a number of philosophical concepts. If you're like me, it will leave you with plenty of topics to plug into your conversational AI tool of choice during and after your read of it!

Below are some passages from the book that stood out for me:

"Helping my kids sail their intellectual boats to the shores of safety took priority over pretending that the ocean is stormless."

"... to say: God doesn't exist, is more of a statement of faith than a statement of science or reason."

"The Quran usually describes at length the fact that God created the diversity of life on earth, but it doesn't say how. It only alludes to the origins of everything, which is the Arabic word Turab, or the dirt of the earth. It certainly doesn't describe how it all happens."

"... 'be and it is is' doesn't necessarily suggest the instant sprouting of a being into existence. God in the Quran talks about how man is the product of 'be and it is' yet it takes us, and all creation really, actual time – in our case nine months – to come into existence. And if that is the case, then the evolution of one species from another could be one possible way by which God 'creates'..."

"... the evolutionary process, although it involves what we might consider random processes of natural selection and random genetic mutations, [may] not actually [be] random at all... they [may be] subject to a plethora of factors, of which we simply have no knowledge, and that's why we, out of mental laziness, call it random chance."

"... normalising sin and sinful lifestyle in the name of biological tendencies rips man of agency and free will."

"... things are not as black and white as some might think."

"... the enmity between established Christianity in Europe in the Middle Ages and any form of free thought, made the two mutually exclusive, hence it became necessary to neutralise religion if any progress in science, economics or politics were to be achieved. The same was not true in the Muslim world..."

"... no metaphysical idea managed to survive the incessant molestation of philosophy than that of a Creator."

"... the assumption that the universe has a Maker has not been committed to the museum of antiquated human thought, despite the constant battery. It's not a relic of the past, but an instrument of the present. What are we to do with this interminable lust for God?"

"... God endures."

Book Review: Inside the Brotherhood, by Hazem Kandil

This is proving to be a difficult read. I've made it to the end of the first chapter and I'm really going to have to push myself to continue on with it.

The book has thus far been a one-way critique of the Muslim Brotherhood based on interviews with anonymous nobodies. It is devoid of objectivity and balance, and full of sarcasm and straw man arguments.

If you're looking for unchallenged arguments to confirm negative opinions that you already hold about the Muslim Brotherhood, this book is for you. For me though, there's just too much political spin here. Everything the Brotherhood stands for and does is shed in a negative light and it's hard to take a book seriously that presents a caricature of its subject material.

Book Review: Women in the Quran, by Asma Lamrabet

This book is at its best when it's recounting the stories of the women mentioned in the Quran and the stories of the female companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to whom the Quran was revealed. The stories told are stories we are familiar with as Muslims but they're told with a feminine voice that is both strong and refreshing.

In my opinion, the author really should have stuck to these stories and the lessons of courage, endurance and sacrifice extracted from them. Instead, she continues and closes off by opening up and trying to take on some contentious issues like polygamy and women's inheritance and testimony. The problem is that she raises questions in this domain but doesn't really offer substantiated, convincing answers. It comes across a little ill-conceived and rushed, and it's a classic case of less is more.

My other problem with the book is that the translator seems to have taken to the thesaurus to pick the most difficult word on offer whenever there was a choice. It hurts the readability of the book. Expect words like anachronism, ethnocentric, hegemony and preponderance... and that's just in the first three pages of the introduction. It would be great in future editions of this book if the choice of words was revisited and simpler words chosen wherever possible.

Book Review: The Reluctant Fundamentalist, by Mohsin Hamid

This is a popular novel which has thousands of reviews already so doing a general review isn't going to add much value to the world. Instead, I want to focus on a small gripe I have with the book: its title.

You'd imagine from the title that the protagonist is to go on a journey from being not very fundamental to becoming somewhat fundamental. What's implied by the word "fundamentalist" of course is "fundamentalist Muslim". Now here's my gripe. At no point in the story does the protagonist become more observant of the fundamentals of his faith; at no point does he become more observant of God or of the basic things a Muslim is expected to do and to refrain from. He becomes increasingly political and anti-American in his views but nowhere is there mention of him becoming more "Muslim". And there's my gripe. Sadly, what's implied by the title is, firstly, not in tune with what's in the novel and, secondly, it's just cashing in on the mainstream Western narrative that "fundamentalist" is synonymous with "anti-American".

That gripe aside: it's a good, tense, well-told story. Just set your expectations right: expect plenty of references to alcohol, extramarital relations and global politics, and none in the way of religion.

Book Review: Life of the Prophet in Makkah, by Zakaria Bashier

This is the first in a four-part series on the life of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by the author and, funnily, the last in the series that I read. Like the other books in the series the author's intent is not to provide a comprehensive narrative of events in the period under discussion but to pick and discuss just a few events and themes. The period covered in this book is the early years of the Prophet's life right up to the migration of the Muslims from Makkah to Madinah. Within this period the author focuses on the following themes:

• The characteristics of the pre-Islamic Arabs.
• The personality of the Prophet (ﷺ) before the revelation of the Qur'an.
• The beauty and profound nature of the Qur'an.
• The names, characteristics and achievements of the first converts to Islam.
• The names and the motivation of the Arabs of Yathrib who stepped up and pledged unconditionally to support and protected the Prophet (ﷺ).

Consistent with the author's approach in the other books in the series it's a slightly more academic read than other Seerah books. So, if you're already familiar with the life of the Prophet (ﷺ) and don't mind a slightly more academic read, get this book. If, however, you're looking for a narrative of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) then this book probably isn't for you.

Below are some quotes from the book that stood out for me.

"If the Qur'an is to be shown to be a product of human endeavours, then something comparable to its charm, nobility and the elegance and gloriousness of its style, must be produced or shown to have existed before." 

"We have already quoted Sir William Muir's remark that 'it is strongly corroborative of Muhammad's sincerity that the earliest converts to Islam were not only of upright character but his own bosom friends and people of his household.' Sir William's remark represents a sound insight into human relations, because even if someone could deceive outsiders concerning his aims and character, it is very difficult, indeed next to impossible, for him to do so with respect to his intimates and members of his family for an unlimited time." 

"... the strongest proof of the sincerity of Muhammad's belief in the Divine nature of his mission is the Qur'an itself. Its noble language and teachings, its lofty moral directives, the exciting and revealing accounts which it conveys of former nations, their Prophets and anti-Prophets, their fates and their fortunes, the information which it contains about things to come and the fore-knowledge which it conveys about a diversity of subjects – these are some of the considerations which make it extremely unrealistic to pronounce it a product and an outcome of a hallucinatory and illusory vision. The purity, sweetness, rare force and beauty which characterise the Qur'anic language and literary style, render any suggestion to the effect that it is human-made untenable. Moreover, the world-view which the Qur'an incorporates, its elaborateness and internal consistency and cohesion, and the broad vision of life and human possibilities which it envisages compel reason and common sense to reject the suggestion that it is the mutterings and utterances of a visionary caught in the spell of hallucinatory dreams. Irrespective of whether he would eventually adopt the Qur'anic interpretation of Reality or reject it, an intelligent, unbiased reader cannot but admit that this interpretation, with its pure monotheism and its consummate integration of all aspects of life and reality is the result of a superior, authentic spiritual experience of the highest order." 

"To attain some understanding of the phenomenon of those very first Muslims, it is essential not to view them as rare individuals with inherently extraordinary personalities. Such an approach is not only superficial but fails to take into account the factors that moulded and enhanced their spiritual and moral force – that important inward force that controls the ultimate springs of action in every man. Such an understanding can be achieved if we view them as the cardinal sociological phenomenon of their time, and of all times. To characterise this phenomenon in a few words would be to say that they were a 'Qur'anic Generation' as Sayyid Qutb has put it. It was the Qur'an that exerted the primary educative influence upon the minds and souls of those early Muslims. Every time a set of verses were revealed to the Prophet he hurried to the Mosque; people were called to a special assembly, and the new verses read aloud by him. These Muslims then made it their urgent concern to understand the new revelation, memorising it by heart, if possible. Most importantly, it was their major characteristic that they strove to apply the Qur'anic guidance to their everyday affairs. They understood, better than any later generation, that following this guidance as closely as they could was the only way to procure God's pleasure and blessings and only by satisfying their Lord could they hope to succeed both in this life and in the Hereafter. Prompted by this understanding they sought to realise the Qur'anic vision in their daily lives." 

"In the early days, faced with the harsh opposition of the Quraysh idolators, they [the early Muslims] would resort to the House of al-Arqam b. al-Arqam. Huddled together they would, joyfully and serenely, embark on the reading of the Qur'an. The sound of it imparted calmness and peace to their agitated souls, and the explanation it rendered to them relieved and expanded their depressed and burdened hearts." 

"The first Muslims constituted a whole generation that was carefully and patiently nurtured on the Qur'anic revelations, and this nurturing continued throughout the Makkan phase (about thirteen years) and the Madinan phase (lasting for another ten years). The result was that they developed dispositions, attitudes and behavioural patterns which were superb examples of the guidance and the spirit of the glorious Qur'an – hence the description, the Qur'anic Generation." 

"[The Qur'anic guidance] is guidance which in both form (language) and content is precise and persuasive. It is not vague, cryptic or couched in unintelligible generalisations or metaphors. It is characterised by a sagacious admixture of common sense, based on the observed facts of Nature, and a rational metaphysical mysticism which never asserts anything that is demonstrably counter to reason."

Book Review: Revive Your Heart – Putting Life in Perspective, by Nouman Ali Khan

This is essentially a transcript of some sermons that Nouman Ali Khan has delivered. So if you're familiar with his talks and like them, you'll enjoy reading this book. Each chapter in the book is a transcript of a particular sermon and each sermon is an explanation of a small series of Ayahs of the Quran. The sermons included in the book are those that deal with the attitudes that we should adopt as Muslims, i.e. our attitude to prayer/supplication, our attitude to giving/receiving advice, our attitude to suspicion/assumption, our attitude to spending/charity, and so on and so forth! Overall a good read which will increase your appreciation of the Quran.

Book Review: The Story of the Quran, by Ingrid Mattson

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the author did a good job of presenting the history and preservation of the Qur'an from its early revelation through to the present day. But I found this book to be so much more than a telling of the Qur'an's history. I thought the author did a fantastic job of communicating the different layers of the Qur'an; from its aural beauty to its role in the everyday life of a Muslim to its impact on Muslim architecture to the rich sciences that underpin how Muslim scholars interpret the Qur'an. It's probably this depth and detail that will make this book more appealing to Muslim readers wanting to gain an appreciation of their own history than somebody outside of the faith with a passing interesting in Islam. For me though this book far exceeded my expectations and I'd go as far as putting it in my top ten books on Islam in the English language.

Below are some passages from the book which I particularly enjoyed:

"... God created a community of men and women to whom he wanted to speak, in a manner that would have universal and eternal significance for people of other times and places."

"To be awake to God, while awake to the world, is the goal of seekers of the Divine."

"The fact that much of the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet when he was in the company of others highlights the importance of his contemporary community in the process of revelation. Although Muslims consider the Qur'an universal in its application, they have generally believed that an accurate understanding of the scripture is contingent in large part on an understanding of the historical and social context of the revelation."

"What is impossible to convey when translating these verses is the way their sound when recited accords so well with their meaning. Perhaps it is not even enough to say that the sound of the recitation is in harmony with the meaning of the words, but that the sound itself conveys meaning."

"The simplicity and accessibility of Surah al-Ikhlas accords with the Qur'anic and Prophetic message that belief in such a God is innate (fitri) and universal."

"Even when slaves were allowed to raise their own children, they were forbidden from teaching them about Islam, and they certainly could not transmit the Qur'an, orally or textually, to the next generation. As a result, the chain of the transmission of the Qur'an among perhaps thousands of African Muslims ended with their enslavement in America."

"When Abu Bakr heard that the Prophet Muhammad said that he had been taken to Jerusalem and then into the Divine Presence in the 'Night Journey', he declared, 'If he says so then it is true. And what is so surprising in that? He tells me that news comes to him from heaven to earth in an hour of a day or night and I believe him, and that is more extraordinary than that which stupefies you!'"

"How much better would it be if we stopped making declarations for a while and humbly, earnestly, tried to listen to God?"

Book Review: War and Peace in the Life of the Prophet Muhammad, by Zakaria Bashier

This book is the last in a four-part series on the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by Zakaria Bashier. Like the other books in the series, this book is not meant to be an exhaustive survey on the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) but instead picks some key events to focus on and discuss. The focus in this book are the battles that Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the early Muslims engaged in with the Quraysh after the Muslims' migration from Makkah to Madinah up until the eventual surrender of the Quraysh. That and the political implications of the surrender on wider Arabia.

The author argues a number of times in passing that peaceful co-existence is the rule in Islam and war is the exception. However, arguing this way or that is not the primary aim of the book; presenting the events as they happened together with the verses of the Quran that were revealed during each of these major events I'd say is the primary aim. Personally, I liked this blending of Quranic verses together with the telling of events and thought it worked well. That said, I'd say this approach makes the book more appealing to Muslim readers than those outside of the faith.

Overall, I thought the book was written and structured well. If you're not already familiar with the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), then this is probably not the best book to start with. However, if you are already familiar with the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), then I think you'll find some good insights here to add to your existing knowledge.

Book Review: The Crowning Venture, by Saadia Mian

This is the fourth book I've come across in the last couple of years that captures some of the beauty of the Quran memorisation journey. The book shares the stories of present-day women living in the West who have managed to memorise the Quran; some who have done so earlier in their life and some who have done so later. The book mixes the stories of these women nicely with memorisation tips and it makes a good effort at dispelling a number of myths that prevent many people, women especially, from memorising the Quran. I really hope more people stumble across this book and we start to see a concerted effort in our communities towards getting more girls memorising & engaging with the Quran.

Below are some quotes from the book:

"The hours I spent with the Quran were the most beautiful hours of my life." 

"Sometimes doors open for us because of the effort we put in when we assume we do not have the time to do something... You may not have the most ideal situation time-wise, but if you really want to, you can find five minutes a day to devote to something you care about. Based on your intention and effort, bigger doors may open. But you can only know if you put in the initial effort." 

"Memorising the Quran gave me a heightened awareness of myself and where I needed to be going. It made me want to constantly learn more about the meanings of the Quran and try to live up to them." 

"Whether you are able to go abroad or not, whether you have children or not, whether you are young or young at heart, whether your career is demanding or not, whether you think you have a good memory or not. The Quran is for you and you can be one of those blessed to carry it in your heart."

Book Review: Islam & Politics, by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani

This was an alright read. If I'm honest I forced myself to stick with it and get to the end. Not that there was anything wrong with the formatting, translation or anything like that but it lacked a bit of a narrative and flow. That said it's always a pleasure to get a feel for the mind and thinking of Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani and this book was no different. Some of the key takeaways for me were (1) the discussion of whether politics is a means to a higher purpose or whether politics itself is the actual purpose of religion, (2) the discussion of whether the Quran and Sunnah have drawn up a detailed plan of exactly what an Islamic government should look like or whether the shape of an Islamic government is flexible as long as it adheres to the base rules and principles of the Shariah, and (3) an increased appreciation of Surah 22, Verse 41: "Those who, if We give them power in the land, establish the prayer, pay Zakat, enjoin goodness, and forbid evil; and with Allah rests the end of all matters."

Below are some quotes from the book:

"Politics and Jihad are not ends in themselves, but are means to achieve the end of religiosity. That is why all the Prophets (peace be upon them) were given all sorts of injunctions about worship, but not all received injunctions about politics and Jihad."

"... the promotion of goodness and the prevention of evil are among the foremost government objectives of the Khilafah system... the purpose of a government is not simply to make people happy..."

"... the satisfaction of the ruling class or the rich is not meant to be among the aims of government. Rather, its purpose is to put Allah's commandments into practice and try to improve the lot of the poor masses..."

"... love for wealth tends to corrupt people and lead them to commit evil acts. Zakat is an excellent means of keeping this love under control and to foster the spirit of selflessness instead of selfishness..."

"Islam has forbidden people to demand positions of political leadership, and it has imposed the principle of consultation; but rather than setting out in detail how these principles are to be put into practice, Islam is flexible enough to allow the intelligentsia of each age to determine the details."

"Islam is very flexible regarding the details of political organisation... although the Holy Quran and the Sunnah do not contain any explicit permission to appoint a Caliph only for a certain period of time, there is also nothing to be found that forbids doing so."

"There is no possible benefit in a movement that attempts to establish Islam by breaking the laws of Islam."

Book Review: From my sisters' lips, by Na'ima B Robert

This was a nice casual read. There are plenty of books out there that cover what Islam is in a matter-of-fact style but sadly not enough out there that try to describe what it feels like to be a Muslim. This book is probably the first and, to date, one of the only ones in this space. The book is split into two parts: the first describes the author's journey into Islam and the second describes the author's experiences and thoughts since entering into Islam. It's a well-written book and a good book to point anyone to who wants to get a basic understanding of what it means and feels like to be a Muslim and, particularly, what it means and feels like to be a Muslim woman.

Below are some quotes from the book:

"I must confess that part of what appealed to me [about the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)] was how different he was to the general stereotype of the traditional Muslim man – they were poles apart in so many ways and that was a comfort. I knew that I would be proud to one day teach my son the way of our Prophet (ﷺ) at home so that my son could be a true Muslim man in his." 

"In countless films, novels, songs and poems, the theme of adultery is explored and exploited. I think it would be fair to say that the language and image of adultery is a part of our society, whether we like it or not, and the popular media neither condemns it nor warns against it. Instead it glamorises it and the people who fall into it." 

"As a scholar from the past put it, the Qur'an presents mankind with rational proofs of its truth and authenticity and, based on these proofs, the reader can then accept those things that cannot be proven. That was how it was for me." 

"... by far the greatest trial for me and many others was actualising what is really the essence of Islam – submission. To become a Muslim is to become one who submits to the will of Allah. That means ego out, arrogance out, pride out: the self is brought to heel." 

"... it was as if, because we had so wanted to start wearing the hijab, Allah had put light in our faces. We didn't look funny or dowdy or plain – we looked beautiful."

"I enjoyed the feeling of anonymity it [the hijab] offered. I liked the fact that people couldn't see my face, that I was a mystery to them. I had begun to feel uncomfortable with the fact that anyone, any man, could see my face..." 

"At one point, during the sermon, the khutbah, I looked around me and was struck by the beauty of the sisters around me. At that moment it seemed to me so natural that we should want to cover that beauty, to protect it, to keep it private. Some people are appalled when they see beautiful women covering themselves – but I wasn't. Instead, I felt proud to be covering like them." 

"I often feel under pressure not to make a mistake – in my car, with change in a shop, with disciplining my child – lest people attribute it to the fact that I am covered and therefore incapable... And so I make a point of walking tall, speaking confidently and smiling with my eyes – anything to project an image beyond what they see of me, demanding that they relate to me and not to my niqab." 

"As Muslims, we do not champion the latest beliefs, the fashionable religions, the trendy ideologies. We know what we believe, we know right from wrong, and we don't feel the need to fit in to whatever ideas are popular at any given time. What we have and hold onto is constant and solid. It is a rock in the middle of a turbulent sea, where 'truths' are as many as those who peddle them." 

"When people commiserate with my father about how his bright, vivacious daughter could have become a Muslim, hiding herself away behind a veil, he always tells them not to feel sorry for me; that I am having a whale of a time and not leading the joyless like they seem to expect."

Book Review: Hijra – Story and Significance, by Zakaria Bashier

This is the second in a series of four books written by Zakaria Bashier on the life of the Prophet (ﷺ)  and the second in the series that I've read (the one I read before this one was Sunshine at Madinah). The first part of the book covers the story of the Hijra (i.e. the people and events involved in the Muslim exodus from Makkah to Yathrib). The story is told pretty well but there's nothing really new or fresh here for someone who's already vaguely familiar with the events of the Hijra. The second part of the book covers the events in Yathrib following the Hijra. There is considerable overlap here with the third book in the series but useful I guess for anyone who doesn't own the third book. The third and final part of the book sets out to cover the meaning, significance and implications of the Hijra. I was looking forward to this part the most and hoping that it would provide some fresh insights and lessons into the Hijra. But in the end it was a bit underwhelming and not much more than a textbook jurisprudential discussion on Dar al-Islam vs Dar al-Harb.

There weren't many passages in the book worthy of pulling out and pasting here but here's a few:

"... Yathrib was uniquely fitted to become the base of the first Muslim community-state... the Yathribites themselves were a great asset. The Aws and Khazraj were pure Arab tribes that had migrated from Yemen. Warlike and powerful in spirit, they responded with vigorous, active enthusiasm to the moral idealism of an Islamic community. Possessing the traditional Arab virtues of warmth and hospitality, they were wholly equal to the enormous difficulties of playing host to the impoverished and homeless Muhajirs (emigrants) from Makkah. Tenderness of heart and friendly warmth were prominent traits of Yemeni Arabs – the Prophet, upon him be peace, on more than one occasion, commended the Yemenis for those traits..."

"... they (the Muslims of Makkah) received the order (to leave Makkah) with mixed feelings of great relief and apprehension: the Hijra held out to them the promise of, at last, living freely and unmolested in accordance with the precepts of God and of the Qur'an, but to give up home where they had lived for was generations was no easy sacrifice to make..."

"... In moving verse he (the poet Abu Ahmad) called for the Hijra, honouring those who forsook the warmth and familiar comforts of home and friends, seeking instead a place where they might live according to their convictions, in peace and dignity..."

"... if they (the clan of Ghanm ibn Dudan of Banu Asad ibn Khuzaymah) decided to migrate it was not on account of rootlessness or any lack in lineage or social prestige. Rather, it was because they wished to fulfil religious aspirations and gain favour in the eyes of God and of his messenger, Muhammad, upon him be peace..."

"... Far from being either a flight or retreat, the Hijra, and the Pledge that made it possible, firmly ushered in the beginning of a positive and effective stage in the process of inviting the people to Islam and establishing the first Muslim civilisation..."

Book Review: Sunshine at Madinah, by Zakaria Bashier

I stumbled across this book in the second-hand books section of a charity shop. There was something captivating about the title and cover image. It gave the impression of being a Seerah book with a difference and it certainly delivered on that front. It's not your standard chronological telling of events from the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Instead, the author has taken the approach of picking a few key events and themes from the Prophet's years in Madinah and he has focused on explaining and contextualising these. The core events and themes that undergo a detailed study in the book are the Constitution of Madinah drafted by the Prophet on his arrival into Madinah, the Prophet's Farewell Sermon, the role of Muslim women in the Prophet's society, and the socio-economic dimensions of the Prophet's state.

This book, published in 1990, was the third in a series of four books written by Zakaria Bashier on the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The first two cover the Makkan period of the Prophet's life and the Hijrah respectively. The fourth is a study on peace and war in the life of the Prophet. The present book – Sunshine at Madinah – has left a good impression on me and I'll definitely be looking to read the other three in the series.

Below is a small selection of passages taken from the introduction of the book:

"... It is the Qur'an's emphasis on the human side of the Prophet that made it possible for ordinary men and women to strive to emulate him as their personal ideal..."

"... no effort should be made to conceal his ordinary human side: Muhammad was the supreme example of human excellence and accomplishment, whose life demonstrated that there is no contradiction between leading a normal human life and total devotion and commitment to the service of God..."

"... It is his highest achievement that even when he had managed to obtain uncontested rule over Arabia, the hustle and bustle of affairs of state, in war as well as peace, did not distract him from the fullest devotion to his Lord, from being ever conscious of Him..."

Book Review: Even Angels Ask, by Jeffrey Lang

I enjoyed reading the author's earlier published book entitled Struggling to Surrender so got straight to this one after finishing that one! This book is similar to the previous book and there is considerable overlap between the two but I'd still highly recommend reading both. Like his previous book, there's a good mix of the author's personal experiences and stories on what it means to be an American and a Muslim together with the author's reflections on the Qur'an. I particularly enjoyed in this book the author's discussions on the relationship between culture and religion: how the two can easily be mixed up over time, how the former can influence the way a person approaches the latter, and so on and so forth. Overall this book will probably be of more interest to Muslims living as a minority in a largely non-Muslim environment but there is much benefit and insight here for all.

Below are some of my favourite short quotes from the book:

"... The question of the purpose of life is fundamental, and we can hardly know a person or a society until we understand how this question is treated..."

"... Repetition is indicative of the importance given to certain topics. It should be observed that the Arabic word for knowledge, 'ilm, and its derivatives appear 854 times in the Qur'an, placing it among the most frequently occurring words..."

"... The Qur'anic God is anything but impartial to mankind's condition. He sends prophets, answers prayers, and intervenes in and manipulates the human drama... All is under His authority, and nothing takes place without His allowing it..."

"... The Qur'an's "most beautiful names" of God imply an intense involvement in the human venture. These names, such as The Merciful, The Compassionate, The Forgiving, The Giving, The Loving, The Creator, etc., reveal a God that creates men and women in order to relate to them on an intensely personal level..."

"... the Qur'an shows that God intends to produce through this earthly experience persons that share a bond of love with Him..."

"... Trial and tribulation are held to be inevitable and essential to human development and both the believer and unbeliever will experience them..."

"... It is not surprising that the Qur'an upholds the so-called golden rule. Many do feel that it is better to give than to recieve, to be truthful rather than to live a lie, to love rather than to hate, to be compassionate rather than to ignore the suffering of others, for such experiences give life depth and beauty..."

"... in the winters of our lives, our past wordly or material achievements will seem less important to us than the relationships we had, loves and friendships that we shared, and times we spent giving of ourselves and doing good to others..."

Book Review: Struggling to Surrender, by Jeffrey Lang

Excellent read. Really enjoyed reading the author's journey to Islam and his take on what it means to be a Muslim. Also enjoyed reading the author's attempt at understanding and explaining various contentious issues such as the use of symbolism in the Qur'an, the authenticity of Hadith, the role of women in Muslim communities, apostasy, the People of the Book and many others! Of course not everyone will find the author's opinions agreeable and sometimes his opinions are not in line with the Muslim status quo but you can feel his sincerity and his strong desire to maintain objectivity throughout.

Here are some quotes from the book:

"... I learned very quickly that no one knows loneliness like an atheist. When an average person feels isolated, he can call through the depths of his soul to One who knows him and sense an answer. An atheist cannot allow himself that luxury, for he has to crush the urge and remind himself of its absurdity..."

"...'I do have one question.' I paused, not sure how to formulate it. 'Can you tell me what it feels like to be a Muslim? I mean, how do you see you relationship with God?'..."

"... To me, praying the dawn prayer in the mosque is one of the most beautiful and moving rituals in Islam. There is something mystical in arising while everyone else sleeps to hear the music of the Qur'an filling the darkness. It is as if you temporarily leave this world and commune with the angels in extolling God's praises at dawn...

"... You cannot simply read the Qur'an, not if you take it seriously. You either have surrendered to it already or you fight it. It attacks tenaciously, directly, personally; it debates, criticizes, shames, and challenges. From the outset it draws the line of battle, and I was on the other side..."

"... the Qur'an has no beginning and or end… its fundamental concepts can be ascertained regardless of the order in which it is read. But for one who is about to respond to its call, the arrangement of the Qur'an is pivotal, for the further you progress through it, in the correct order, the more intense and emotive is its expression. As a result, the closer one comes to conversion, the more magnetic is the summons..."

Book Review: FOSIS Islamic Society Khutbah Guide

This is a gem of a book! And shocking how few people seem to know about it. And sadder still how poor the Friday sermons up and down the country (and across the Muslim world) are! There are exceptions but they're few and far between. By and large, Khutbahs are attended by the masses because it's a must and not in excitement for what is to be heard. It needn't be this way :( Here's nine points which stuck out for me on my third reading (since its publication back in 2003) of the FOSIS Islamic Society Khutbah Guide. (The book covers the Islamic, Fiqhi aspect of the Khutbah too but I've left this out from the points below.) The Khutbah...

1. Should give Muslims hope, encouragement and teach them the best of manners.
2. Should be concise, clear and rich of meanings. Excessive speech causes people to forget many details.
3. Should have one main topic. The speaker who talks about many issues distracts the audience from a focus. Clarity is crucial for education.
4. Should flow in a logical sequence. The audience should feel as though they are ascending steps towards a conclusion.
5. Should be supported by Qur'anic verses, authentic traditions, and acceptable facts.
6. Should be revised, practised and built on consultation with others. Good preparation is a sign of respect to oneself and one's audience. Insufficient preparation causes the speech to be long and boring.
7. Should be well defined, well presented and respectful of the time available. Conciseness requires making choices, cancelling some parts, and confirming other parts.
8. Should be delivered in a warm, pleasant tone, with expressiveness and enthusiasm, and in neither too slow a pace nor too fast a pace.
9. Should be prepared and delivered with the best of intentions, to convey the Good Word of God Almighty and the perfect example of His Messenger Muhammad, sallAllahu 3alayhi wa sallam.