This article was first Published on June 7, 2020 at – : https://centerforpluralism.com/books-on-islam-and-muslims-worth-reading/
If you are serious about building a cohesive America where every American feels secure about his faith, ethnicity, race, or other uniqueness, these books are for you.
Corona Virus will kill thousands of people and wither away as soon as a vaccine comes along. However, the killer virus of Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia does not have a cure yet, one is at least 2000 years old, and the other is 1400 years.
A small percentage of the population is vulnerable to this disease. Each of the afflicted ones has unresolved personal issues and found it convenient to unload their frustrations on someone or the other. Facts don’t matter to them.
Interactions with the Islamophobes and Anti-Semites have been fruitful, but only to a small extent. Some of them legitimately subscribe to the myths about Jews and Muslims, many of them spew their venom for money. Yet some fall into the trap of monkey see monkey do, just the gawkers on the roads do. We have to continue to work on mitigating this virus.
One way to counter this virus is by placing the right books in the hands of these men and women. The majority of the virus inflicted men and women may consider, except those whose money-making comes from hatred.
We hope the following books will make a difference and pull out at least some of the men and women from misery.
The following books are available on Amazon, kindle and other book stores
Our Muslim Neighbors—Achieving the American Dream
Author: Victor Begg
Website: https://ourmuslimneighbors.com/
It’s the story of a young man who achieves his dreams in a new country and becomes an “accidental activist” building interfaith coalitions and advocating inclusion. Begg’s story provides a window into the family, community, and spiritual values of ordinary families—values they share with fellow Americans.
Getting to know our neighbors is one way to allay Islamophobia. Begg believes in the power of directly talking to one another. Our Muslim Neighbors is an invitation to conversation, “to learn about each other beyond the vicious stereotypes.” It’s an effort to help readers get to know the Muslim Americans next door: their dreams, fears, and a misunderstood faith.
The Qur’an with references to the Bible
Authors: Safi Kaskas and David Hungerford
Hungerford and Kaskas noted that they discovered more than 3,000 verses in the Quran that have similar meanings and purposes in the Bible. Hence, they set out to place biblical references at the bottom of each relevant page in the Quran.
Drs. Kaskas’ and Hungerford’s underlying motivation for the translation and inclusion of the extensive footnotes were not intended to promote a particular school of Islam or Christian apologetics. These exist in abundance.
Their goal is to build bridges of better understanding, undermine radicalism, and enlighten ignorance. This powerful instrument offers Muslims and Christians a fresh insight on the “straight path” to reconciling with God and man; sorely needed and missing from other translations.
They’re hoping that the book will help to dispel the “ignorance” that they see when it comes to the ongoing friction between the two groups; they’re also hoping the Quran edition helps spark “an open discussion.”
Hadith: The Authority Issue and How it Affects Muslim Beliefs and Practices
Authors: Abdur Rab and Siraj Islam
The Hadith never enjoyed unquestioned scriptural authority. This book is a systematic attempt to chronicle challenges to its authority in early Islam and introduce modern-day critics, summarizing their positions. It then provides theological underpinnings that call into question the authority and the authenticity of the Hadith corpus.
More importantly, the book offers a detailed analysis of egregious Hadith that contradict the Quran, science, or reason and negatively affect Muslim beliefs and practices. The disturbing content of the Hadith has made Islam a religion of ridicule and the staple of the Islamophobes who use the most egregious Hadith to paint Islam as a fanatic, violent, and misogynistic faith.
website: http://quranonly.com/
My Story as a Muslim Immigrant in America:
Psychiatry, Social Activism, and Service
Author: Dr. Basheer Ahmed
Basheer Ahmed’s remarkable life is rooted in fertile soil that cultivated a passion for learning and a desire to give back to the world. But this man wasn’t created all at once. Ahmed’s amazing story spans many decades, continents, cultures, and languages, and serves as a testament to the interconnectedness of all people.
Inspired by his mother’s academic pursuits, Ahmed launched an epic journey for his education. He left India for Pakistan, then the United Kingdom, and the United States, where he immigrated to practice psychiatry in 1968. Along the way, he started a family and devoted himself to teaching and service to reinvest the spiritual riches life had bestowed upon him.
With honesty and warmth, Ahmed shares his story in the hope that future generations may find fertile soil, value education and spirituality, and grow up in a world full of love and acceptance.
American Muslim Agenda:
Muslims Together, building a Cohesive America.
By Dr. Mike Ghouse
The American Muslim Agenda, is a primer, a blueprint, a roadmap for American Muslims. As a community, American Muslims have not developed any concrete plans to extricate themselves from the chaotic situations, hostility, and incessant Islamophobic rhetoric we face. Each time a terrorist acts out, we start praying and wishing that the terrorist not be a Muslim. We are Americans, and we can do better than that.
This book paves the way for us to own the mistakes we have made, remedy them, and become fully integrated Americans. I have some success stories to share on that front. When we start defending America and American values, we are in! We become an integral part of the American Fabric.
The book closes with the chapter about electing a Muslim woman president of the United States in 2036 and lays the pathway to get there. More about the book at www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com