Topic: Unveiling Islam

[Jennifer-]

Unveiling Islam: An Insider's Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs

Review
This is fascinating. Two former Muslims talk about Islam from the inside. It's a fairly simple but complete read, among other things I think I now get why we supported Iraq as opposed to Iran. I'm not really sure how to describe it, but I think in this day and age, we all need to read it. (journals.aol.com 20040603)

. (20070312)

. . . A useful framework to help Christians to witness to Muslims, particularly in the Western countries. (Christian Library Journal 20050401)

The single greatest strength of this book is that it is not published as an exercise in academic research but rather as a tool for Christians to equip themselves. (Between the Leaves )

This is fascinating. Two former Muslims talk about Islam from the inside. It's a fairly simple but complete read, among other things I think I now get why we supported Iraq as opposed to Iran. I'm not really sure how to describe it, but I think in this day and age, we all need to read it. (journals.aol.com )

"This informative, well-written book should be read by every Christian who desires to understand Islam and to see Muslims come to Jesus Christ for salvation" (Roy B. Zuck Bibliotheca Sacra )





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During the summer months alot of the churches will have large sales to raise money. I always stop at these things because I usually find interesting items and get a chance to check out the church itself.. love being in a church when things arnt in session..

There are always tons of books.. this one jumped out at me last week.

Interesting to explore perhaps.

[Angela]

I found it interesting, when researching and studying different religions, that Islam was so closely related to Christianity. 

Modern day spiritual/discussion groups remind me of what it may have been like when the seeds of these religions were planted.  What will Our "religion" have become in 300-600, or even 1000 years from now.  Who will be named "the prophet"?  Who will be named "the devil"?  Keeps me more and more mindful of What to sow.

                                         

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Of all the non-Western religions, Islam stands closest to the West - closest geographically, and also closest ideologically; for religiously it stands in the Abrahamic family of religions, while philosophically it builds on the Greeks.  Yet despite this mental and spatial proximity, Islam is the most difficult religion for the West to understand.  "No part of the world", said Meg Greenfield, of Newsweek, "is more hopelessly and systematically and stubbornly misunderstood by us than that complex of religion, culture and geography known as Islam."

God created the world, and after it human beings.  The name of the first man was Adam.   The descendants of Adam led to Noah, who had a son named Shem.  This is where the word Semite comes from; literally a Semite is a descendant of Shem.  Like Jews, the Arabs consider themselves a Semitic people.  The descendants of Shem led to Abraham, and so far we are still in the tradition of Judaism and Christianity.  Indeed, it was the submission of Abraham in his supreme test - would he be willing to sacrifice his son? - that appears to have provided Islam with its name.  Abraham married Sarah.  Sarah had no son, so Abraham, wanting to continue his line, took Hagar for his second wife.  Hagar bore him a son, Ishmael, whereupon Sarah conceived and likewise had a son, named Isaac.  Sarah then demanded that Abraham banish Ishmael and Hagar from the tribe.  Here we come to the first divergence between the koranic and biblical accounts.  According to the Koran, Ishmael went to the place where Mecca was to rise.  His descendants, flourishing in Arabia, became Muslims; whereas those of Isaac, who remained in Palestine, were Hebrews and became Jews.

pgs. 221-223 The World's Religions by H. Smith