Demystifying Islam
Tackling the Tough Questions
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- $30.99
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- $30.99
Publisher Description
Despite heightened interest in the study of the Muslim faith, for many people Islam remains shrouded in mystery and confusion. What really is Shariah law? How is a Muslim to understand Jihad? Does Islam oppose Western values such as free speech or freedom of religion? What place do women have according to Islam?
Understanding that this confusion has as much to do with the behavior and words of Muslims as it does with allegations made by anti-Islam activists, Demystifying Islam offers refreshingly bold answers to provocative questions about Islam today. Author Harris Zafar—lecturer, writer, teacher and national spokesperson for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA—is forthright about issues where Muslims disagree, and he digs into history through vast research and scholarship to track the origins of differing beliefs. From the burqa to the role of Jesus in Islam, Demystifying Islam is an essential resource and concise guide to understanding the fastest growing religion in the world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In the wake of 9/11, Zafar, a blogger, speaker, and teacher, found himself invited to explain Islam to non-Muslim audiences in a climate of fear and misinformation at the age of twenty-two. Now a national spokesperson for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, he addresses common misunderstandings about Islamic faith and culture. Following an introduction to the basics of Islam, Harris covers, chapter by chapter, the major areas of confusion for Westerners, from the realities of shariah law to the relationship between Islam and Christianity. Harris does not remain entirely neutral; he's not afraid to criticize distorted perceptions of Islam from Western pundits and politicians advocating xenophobic agendas, nor Middle Eastern and other political groups and extremist factions for using similar distortions to justify violations of human rights. This book is less of a spiritual introduction than it is a cultural one, and an excellent starting point for people navigating interfaith relationships or working to improve understanding and representation in organizations and public discussion.