Reliance of the Traveller: A Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law Review

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(More customer reviews)I won't comment on the actual material of the book, since the content is based on Imam Nawawi's work - Which basically says the text is about as good as it gets.
The content of the book covers the Shafi Fiqh. Basically, all rulings that could concern a Muslim. (ie. Sunnah of Wudu, Fard of divorce proceedings, etc.) It even has quick autobiographies at the end. (A nice touch for background on some of those scholars I had never heard of.)
As for the rest: The translation into English seems excellent, the book is hardcover with good binding: Excellent. And the cover is green and looks nice. The font is nice, and it even has the original Arabic text on the side. Most important, there are several seals on the first several pages indicating that the book has passed inspection from various large Muslim Universities. Something I don't see in other translations.
Recommended.

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The new edition of the in-depth manual of Islamic lawbased on the Shafi'i school of thought, with a detalied index andcommentary on specific rulings. 1,200 pages in an exceptional bindingwith Arabic and facing English text in two column format withoccasional diagrams. 'Umdat al-Salik wa 'Uddat al-Nasik (Reliance ofthe Traveller and tools of the Worshipper) is a classic manual offiqh. It represents the fiqh rulings according to the Shafi'I schoolof jurisprudence. The appendices form an integral part of the book andpresent original texts and translations from classic works byprominent scholars such as al-Ghazali, Ibn Qudamah, al-Nawawi,al-Qurturbi, al-Dhahabi, Ibn Hajar and other, on topics of Islamiclaw, faith, spirituality, Qur'anic exegesis and Hadith sciences. Ithas also biographical notes about every person mentioned (391biographies) , bibliography of each work cited (136 works), and adetailed subject index (95 pages). Of the 136 works drawn upon in itscommentary and appendices, 134 are in the original Arabic. Thesections and paragraphs have been numbered to facilitatecross-reference.

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The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)A book that yields rich insights on several dimensions. The dominant one is what it is like to grow up as a minority within the American culture - and not just any old minority, but as a Muslim, which parts of American society are actively trying to demonize. It was the "flip-side" of my own experience, living as a non-Muslim in the very heartland of Islam, Saudi Arabia, for a quarter century. While I was never forced to deal with issues of assimilation, Ms. Kahf's character, Khadra, must wrestle with the parts of her heritage that are essential, and those that can be jettisoned. How many religious injunctions are merely codified fetishes, illustrated by the refusal to eat any meat from the deli because of the meat-cutter?
There are numerous important sub-themes. The timeless subject of male-female relations, with that "Islamic twist" is shown in a realistic light, covering a spectrum of possibilities. Through her characters, Blu and Bitsy, who were Khadra's roommates at various periods, Ms. Kafh is able to illustrate nuances in beliefs that are all too often generalized. Blu is Jewish, and there is much agreement between these "daughters of Abraham," except on that haram subject of Israel and Palestine. Bitsy is Iranian, and leaves notes around the apartment blaming "the Arabs" for all of Iran's problems.
Khadra's trip to Saudi Arabia, to complete the Haj, was more uneven. There is no question that cocaine exists in the Kingdom, but I found the particular scene in which it was depicted playing heavily towards that stereotypical view of rich, decadent Saudis. More realistic, and more insightful are her dealings with the mutawaa (the religious police), and in particular how various Saudi males refuse to confront their arrogance and inappropriate behavior.
Ms. Kafh is clearly erudite, in a most important trans-cultural way. Her epigraphs ground her novel in the wider world of ideas, and these selections range from Rumi and Al-Arabi to James Baldwin and Leonard Cohen.
A strong book, which addresses some of the central issues of our times.... And is strongly recommended.


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Who Speaks For Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think Review

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(More customer reviews)A good book, which is especially useful to people unfamiliar with the Muslim world. I would highly recommend it to non-Muslims and Muslims alike.
Its positives are that it is especially revealing about Muslims societies and people, capturing their perspectives on a wide range of issues including feminism, terrorism and development; and then secondly in contrasting these perspectives with those of Europeans and Americans. The results are really quite surprising. The third good thing about this text is that it is highly read-able. At only 170 small-ish reading pages of large-ish font size, it takes about a half day to go through.
Its negatives are few. The one that struck me was that the book is based on reems of Gallup data - none of which is presented, even in the appendices. The reader is presented with isolated snippets of data, and I would have liked to see a more comprehensive and robust presentation of data from which to draw my own interpretations. Somebody might also raise the point that this is not really an academic or 'intellectual' book - but in fairness, I don't think either author intended for it to be so.


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In a post-9/11 world, many Americans conflatethe mainstream Muslim majority with the beliefs and actions of an extremist minority. But what do the world's Muslims think about the West, or about democracy, or about extremism itself? Who Speaks for Islam? spotlights this silenced majority. The book is the product of a mammoth six-year study in which the Gallup Organization conducted tens of thousands of hour-long, face-to-face interviews with residents of more than 35 predominantly Muslim nations - urban and rural, young and old, men and women, educated and illiterate. It asks the questions everyone is curious about: Why is the Muslim world so anti-American? Who are the extremists? Is democracy something Muslims really want? What do Muslim women want? The answers to these and other pertinent, provocative questions are provided not by experts, extremists, or talking heads, but by empirical evidence - the voices of a billion Muslims.

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The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran Review

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(More customer reviews)This is not a new translation of the Muslim's holy book: The Koran/Quran. Nor is it a chapter-by-chapter review of the Koran, whereby each chapter is analyzed and explained. Instead, as implied in its title, it is a well-written "Guide" to the Koran. Essentially, the author has selected 75 or so significant topics discussed in the Koran and explains their current significance to Muslims, and how jihadists may use them to justify their attacks against "infidels" (including Muslims whom the jihadists believe are not on the `Straight Path' in following Islam). The author compares passages from both the Koran and the Bible, and explains the many differences of similar stories in them. Some of these topics include: abrogation/changes in Koranic verses (ayats); the devil sleeps in your nose; Adam & Eve; Abel & Cain (why the crow?), the jizya tax, King Solomon's problem with the Queen of Sheba's hairy legs; Jesus and his flying clay birds; some of Muhammad's raids; slavery of the `right hand'; how the Jews and Christians `corrupted' their holy books; the Isaac vs. Ishmael sacrifice dispute; Moses and the Pharaoh differences; did Allah promise Israel to the Jews?; hot hellfire for the kuffars; can Jews and Christians be `tolerated' by Muslims if the former were created from `apes and pigs' by Allah?; did Muhammad actually ride to Jerusalem?; were all Jewish prophets really Muslims?; was Jesus neither divine nor crucified?; wife beating; and much more. Besides selecting topics from just the Koran, the author also discusses current topical-issues being raised by U.S. Pres. Obama, the fundamentalist Osama bin Laden, and miscellaneous Muslim spokesmen. The author discusses the historical development of the Koran. Besides quoting merely from the Koran, the author also quotes from other Islamic sources (such as the hadith) to help explain some poignant topic. As the author himself commented: "This is not a general guide to the Koran" (p. 20). To read a chapter-by-chapter review of Mohammad's "Koran," see the "Bogging the Quran" serial at the author's JIHAD WATCH website. Hopefully, someday this series will be reprinted in book form. If you want more of an analysis of the Quran itself, I suggest "Introduction to the Qur'an" by W. Montgomery Watt (and Richard Bell); Edinburgh Univ. Press, 1970 (ISBN 0-7486-0597-5).

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Written in an extremely accessible style by bestselling author Robert Spencer, "The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran" is a fact-based but light-hearted look at the key elements, values, and beliefs in the Koran.

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In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom Review

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(More customer reviews)I have experienced Jeddah as a Muslim American woman as well, and Dr. Ahmed's book finally gives a point of view that is relatable and realistic, without bashing Islam or giving a one sided interpretation.
I loved this book. I had the same experience when I first put on an abaya in Saudi Arabia. I finally felt invisible. It was worst for me because I'm very white, and a lot of guys would try to hit on me. Once, in Medina, I was followed down the street by a group of guys, and they kept saying obscenties to me in arabic. I finally walked into a store and had the shop keepr come out and yell @ them. After that, I started covering my face if i went out alone. Don't get me wrong, I am completly against covering your face, I think its so exterme, but It made things A lot easier for me when i went out alone in mecca and medina.
My favorite thing to read about in the book is probably the dynamics you had at work with all your male coworkers. Its nice to know that not all men in Saudi look down upon women, and I think my favorite male character from the hospital would have to be Haydar. I loved the support he had for Ghadah, something you rarely find in men in the middle east, especially in Saudi Arabia.
My favorite female character is definitely Dr. Maha. I love the fact that she fights for the rights of Children in Saudi arabia. Your story about the young camel rider was so sad, I can't believe stuff like that happens over there. Thats a side of Saudi I haven't heard of, and I'm glad its talked about in your book. Another favorite part in the book is about the car accident, with the guys coming from Bahrain. The way Saudi men drive is sooooo reckless, and I hate it. Its just the most selfish act ever. Saudi has the highest mortality rate for car accidents in the world, and its all because of these rich guys playing with their toys.
The sad thing I noticed when I was in jeddah was how disconnected all the kids I met are from their families. They are all being raised by housekeepers, and they have no sense of family. Instead they just shop and eat their grief away. Saudi is a HUGE consumer society. All they do is eat and shop. I felt bad for them, they just radiated this feeling of loneliness. These guys that are driving 100,000$ cars are the ones that were probably raised by a series of poor maids or as I like to call them indentured servants.
There are so many other parts I loved in the book. I loved how you gave a true interpretation of Islam, and explained the dynamics of the Saudi government. Most people think saudi is this way because of Islam, and they don't realize it has nothing to do with Islam, it has to do with a corrupt group of people who have interpreted Islam for their own benefit.
Your book really gave me hope for the future of the Saudi people, especially their youth. I was so sad when I left jeddah, because of the youth that I met. Hopefully, the people you spoke about and many more of them will help change this country, and will make it a more nurturing place for all of the youth of Saudi, because as of now, they seem to be extremely lost in materialism and are only seeking pleasure and instant gratification.

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