en-US Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:56:35 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 14656275 Late one moonless night in a far corner of the world there gathered a large flock of birds. They gathered in sorrow, since they had been, for so very long, deprived of a king.

Thus begins the magical adventure of these wayfaring birds. With encouragement from their wise guide, the hoopoe bird, they overcome fears, physical handicaps, and their own inner weakness in order to reach the heights of the mountain to meet their King.

Children and adults alike will relate to this inspiring tale about conquering one's faults and practicing the virtues of humility, patience, detachment from worldly goods, and courage.

Lavishly illustrated and based on an 800 year old classical tale, this fascinating and beautiful book will delight children and provide parents with a wonderful tool for teaching children about moral development.

Ages 6 and up.

-from the jacket flap]]> 44 Rabiah York Lumbard 1937786021 Mehdir 0 to-read 4.23 2012
author: Rabiah York Lumbard
name: Mehdir
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2012
rating: 0
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date added: 2012/09/12
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]]> 11254204 Laying Down the Sword, “one of America’s best scholars of religion�� (The Economist) explores how religions grow past their bloody origins, and delivers a fearless examination of the most violent verses of the Bible and an urgent call to read them anew in pursuit of a richer, more genuine faith.

Christians cannot engage with neighbors and critics of other traditions—nor enjoy the deepest, most mature embodiment of their own faith—until they confront the texts of terror in their heritage. Philip Jenkins identifies the “holy amnesia�� that, while allowing scriptural religions to grow and adapt, has demanded a nearly wholesale suppression of the Bible’s most aggressive passages, leaving them dangerously dormant for extremists to revive in times of conflict. Jenkins lays bare the whole Bible, without compromise or apology, and equips us with tools for reading even the most unsettling texts, from the slaughter of the Canaanites to the alarming rhetoric of the book of Revelation.

Laying Down the Sword presents a vital framework for understanding both the Bible and the Qur’an, gives Westerners a credible basis for interaction and dialogue with Islam, and delivers a powerful model for how a faith can grow from terror to mercy.]]> 320 Philip Jenkins Mehdir 5
Jenkins closes his arguments with a loud and clear statement: Religious violence is not derived from religion. Those who commit atrocities and violence in the name of religion have already formed their commitments to violence and their ideas. They have only cloaked their actions and ideas with targeted verses of a holy book. In fact, they are terrorists masked as a religious follower.

The second important concluding remark that Jenkins makes is about the veracity of violence in the nature of religions. For example, he rightly and cleverly asks , If Islam is inherently a violent religion, why have terrorists been such latecomers? Why are their tactics drawn from Western anarchists and nihilists, Catholic IRA, Zionist Jews, Communists and fascists, rather than the Quran itself? And how is it that the same scripture which is being misused by terrorist, is pushing billions of believers towards peace and social justice?]]> 3.71 2011
author: Philip Jenkins
name: Mehdir
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2012/06/01
date added: 2012/08/22
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As author Philip Jenkins indicates in the prologue to this brilliant masterpiece, Laying Down the Sword is a book on “how we understand and remember texts.�� Jenkins challenges the prevalence of Western hegemony over specific and targeted interpretations of and approaches towards Islam and Christianity’s primary religious texts, the Quran and the Bible, respectively. Professor Jenkins rightly notes that in the Western view, ‘the Quran and Islam�� and ‘Christianity and the Bible�� are in stark contrast—the former aims to spread hatred, animosity, and violence, and the latter works towards disseminating love, kindness, and peace. Quoting a number of verses of the Quran, notoriously narrated by anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim circles and on the internet, in which ‘believers�� have been ordered to kill, Jenkins demands and encourages the Christians to set aside their “wholly amnesia�� and us to find texts in the Bible that are far more egregious and violent than those criticized by the media in the Quran; verses that have been intentionally disappeared and obliterated from Christian dialogues and Sunday sermons.

Jenkins closes his arguments with a loud and clear statement: Religious violence is not derived from religion. Those who commit atrocities and violence in the name of religion have already formed their commitments to violence and their ideas. They have only cloaked their actions and ideas with targeted verses of a holy book. In fact, they are terrorists masked as a religious follower.

The second important concluding remark that Jenkins makes is about the veracity of violence in the nature of religions. For example, he rightly and cleverly asks , If Islam is inherently a violent religion, why have terrorists been such latecomers? Why are their tactics drawn from Western anarchists and nihilists, Catholic IRA, Zionist Jews, Communists and fascists, rather than the Quran itself? And how is it that the same scripture which is being misused by terrorist, is pushing billions of believers towards peace and social justice?
]]> 60970 A Language Older Than Words explains violence as a pathology that touches every aspect of our lives and indeed affects all aspects of life on Earth. This chronicle of a young man's drive to transcend domestic abuse offers a challenging look at our worldwide sense of community and how we can make things better.]]> 418 Derrick Jensen 1931498555 Mehdir 4 to-read 4.28 2000
author: Derrick Jensen
name: Mehdir
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2012/08/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 4692 714 Noah Gordon 0751503894 Mehdir 1
Islam and Persia are grotesquely sexualized. Domes on the mosques are described as body parts. Inappropriate sexuality is described as acceptable, desirable, “very sensible,�� to the Persians, when the king recalls a childhood memory with a tone, frighteningly close to fondness (380). One would question the author’s motives in making the King so promiscuous and such a devil. The answer seems to be that the author is trying to create another “mysterious�� East (the Others).

The majority of the jargons, transliterations, simple Persian vocabulary, locations, historical figures, historical events, and Islamic terms are wrong throughout the novel! One would expect a historical novel, even if imaginative, to have a bit of research, editorial review, and educational preparedness. The author’s goal has justified “any and every�� misinformation and exaggeration.
Read the following statements on how Persians and Islam are described throughout the book. All are racist, prejudicial, stereotypical, and clearly untrue. These are just a few examples:

“Zaki’s skin had been dark, an advantage under a hot sun. Karim’s skin needed the yellow slave; it was the color of light leather, the result, Zaki always said, of a female ancestor being f�� [the author uses the full word] by one of Alexander’s fair Greeks. Karim thought something like that probably was true. There had been a number of Greek invasion and he knew light-skinned Persian men, and women with snowy breasts�� (403).

The climax of hatred and animosity toward the Persian land (Persia) is grotesquely depicted when Rob enters Persia and reaches a lake (Urmiya). The land, the air and everything in Persia is “salty��:

- ““Take a pinch of salt [of the lake] and place it on your tongue.�� He did, gingerly, and made a face. Lonzano grinned. “you are tasting Persia”…”We still have long days to ride.�� But first Rob pi�� into Lake Urmiya, adding his English Special Batch to Persia’s saltiness”�� (266-267).

- “Freckles were Allah’s just punishment on someone so shameless she didn’t wear the veil�� (493)

This book is planned to become a major motion picture in Hollywood and hit the movie theaters in 2013. One should only hope that this will not result in another biased, false, and shallow movie, one that only increases the distance between Us and Them, and pushes love and compassion further away.
]]> 4.39 1986
author: Noah Gordon
name: Mehdir
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1986
rating: 1
read at: 2012/07/01
date added: 2012/08/22
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The Physician can easily be ranked as one of the most racist, prejudicial, erroneous, and contradictory novels, yet to be written on the East (the Others).

Islam and Persia are grotesquely sexualized. Domes on the mosques are described as body parts. Inappropriate sexuality is described as acceptable, desirable, “very sensible,�� to the Persians, when the king recalls a childhood memory with a tone, frighteningly close to fondness (380). One would question the author’s motives in making the King so promiscuous and such a devil. The answer seems to be that the author is trying to create another “mysterious�� East (the Others).

The majority of the jargons, transliterations, simple Persian vocabulary, locations, historical figures, historical events, and Islamic terms are wrong throughout the novel! One would expect a historical novel, even if imaginative, to have a bit of research, editorial review, and educational preparedness. The author’s goal has justified “any and every�� misinformation and exaggeration.
Read the following statements on how Persians and Islam are described throughout the book. All are racist, prejudicial, stereotypical, and clearly untrue. These are just a few examples:

“Zaki’s skin had been dark, an advantage under a hot sun. Karim’s skin needed the yellow slave; it was the color of light leather, the result, Zaki always said, of a female ancestor being f�� [the author uses the full word] by one of Alexander’s fair Greeks. Karim thought something like that probably was true. There had been a number of Greek invasion and he knew light-skinned Persian men, and women with snowy breasts�� (403).

The climax of hatred and animosity toward the Persian land (Persia) is grotesquely depicted when Rob enters Persia and reaches a lake (Urmiya). The land, the air and everything in Persia is “salty��:

- ““Take a pinch of salt [of the lake] and place it on your tongue.�� He did, gingerly, and made a face. Lonzano grinned. “you are tasting Persia”…”We still have long days to ride.�� But first Rob pi�� into Lake Urmiya, adding his English Special Batch to Persia’s saltiness”�� (266-267).

- “Freckles were Allah’s just punishment on someone so shameless she didn’t wear the veil�� (493)

This book is planned to become a major motion picture in Hollywood and hit the movie theaters in 2013. One should only hope that this will not result in another biased, false, and shallow movie, one that only increases the distance between Us and Them, and pushes love and compassion further away.

]]> 27306
Islam: A Short History begins with the flight of Muhammad and his family from Medina in the seventh century and the subsequent founding of the first mosques. It recounts the origins of the split between Shii and Sunni Muslims, and the emergence of Sufi mysticism; the spread of Islam throughout North Africa, the Levant, and Asia; the shattering effect on the Muslim world of the Crusades; the flowering of imperial Islam in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries into the world's greatest and most sophisticated power; and the origins and impact of revolutionary Islam. It concludes with an assessment of Islam today and its challenges.

With this brilliant book, Karen Armstrong issues a forceful challenge to those who hold the view that the West and Islam are civilizations set on a collision course. It is also a model of authority, elegance, and economy.]]> 230 Karen Armstrong 081296618X Mehdir 5 4.07 2000
author: Karen Armstrong
name: Mehdir
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2000
rating: 5
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date added: 2012/01/26
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]]> 107702 "I have to be honest with you. Islam is on very thin ice with me.... Through our screaming self-pity and our conspicuous silences, we Muslims are conspiring against ourselves. We're in crisis and we're dragging the rest of the world with us. If ever there was a moment for an Islamic reformation, it's now. For the love of God, what are we doing about it?"

In this open letter, Irshad Manji unearths the troubling cornerstones of mainstream Islam today: tribal insularity, deep-seated anti-Semitism, and an uncritical acceptance of the Koran as the final, and therefore superior, manifesto of God's will. But her message is ultimately positive. She offers a practical vision of how Islam can undergo a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities, and fosters a competition of ideas. Her vision revives "ijtihad," Islam's lost tradition of independent thinking. In that spirit, Irshad has a refreshing challenge for both Muslims and non-Muslims: Don't silence yourselves. Ask questions---out loud. The Trouble with Islam Today is a clarion call for a fatwa-free future.
]]> 240 Irshad Manji 0312327005 Mehdir 1 3.66 2003
author: Irshad Manji
name: Mehdir
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2003
rating: 1
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]]> 25307 No god but God, internationally acclaimed scholar Reza Aslan explains Islam—the origins and evolution of the faith—in all its beauty and complexity. This updated edition addresses the events of the past decade, analyzing how they have influenced Islam’s position in modern culture. Aslan explores what the popular demonstrations pushing for democracy in the Middle East mean for the future of Islam in the region, how the Internet and social media have affected Islam’s evolution, and how the war on terror has altered the geopolitical balance of power in the Middle East. He also provides an update on the contemporary Muslim women’s movement, a discussion of the controversy over veiling in Europe, an in-depth history of Jihadism, and a look at how Muslims living in North America and Europe are changing the face of Islam. Timely and persuasive, No god but God is an elegantly written account that explains this magnificent yet misunderstood faith.]]> 310 Reza Aslan 0812971892 Mehdir 4 4.13 2005
author: Reza Aslan
name: Mehdir
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2005
rating: 4
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]]> 646462
The Quran is composed of verses (Ayat) that make up 114 chapters (suras) of unequal length which are classified either as Meccan (المكية) or Medinan (المدنية) depending upon the place and time of their claimed revelation. Muslims believe the Quran to be verbally revealed through the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) from God to Muhammad gradually over a period of approximately 23 years beginning on 22 December 609 CE, when Muhammad was 40, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death.


Muslims regard the Quran as the main miracle of Muhammad, the proof of his prophethood and the culmination of a series of divine messages that started with the messages revealed to Adam, regarded in Islam as the first prophet, and continued with Suhuf Ibrahim (Scrolls of Abraham), the Tawrat (Torah or Pentateuch) of Moses, the Zabur (Tehillim or Book of Psalms) of David, and the Injil (Gospel) of Jesus. The Quran assumes familiarity with major narratives recounted in Jewish and Christian scriptures, summarizing some, dwelling at length on others and in some cases presenting alternative accounts and interpretations of events. The Quran describes itself as a book of guidance, sometimes offering detailed accounts of specific historical events, and often emphasizing the moral significance of an event over its narrative sequence.]]> 604 Anonymous Mehdir 5 4.48 632
author: Anonymous
name: Mehdir
average rating: 4.48
book published: 632
rating: 5
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]]> 81227
Infidel shows the coming of age of this distinguished political superstar and champion of free speech as well as the development of her beliefs, iron will, and extraordinary determination to fight injustice. Raised in a strict Muslim family, Hirsi Ali survived civil war, female mutilation, brutal beatings, adolescence as a devout believer during the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, and life in four troubled, unstable countries ruled largely by despots. She escaped from a forced marriage and sought asylum in the Netherlands, where she earned a college degree in political science, tried to help her tragically depressed sister adjust to the West, and fought for the rights of Muslim women and the reform of Islam as a member of Parliament. Under constant threat, demonized by reactionary Islamists and politicians, disowned by her father, and expelled from family and clan, she refuses to be silenced.

Ultimately a celebration of triumph over adversity, Hirsi Ali’s story tells how a bright little girl evolves out of dutiful obedience to become an outspoken, pioneering freedom fighter. As Western governments struggle to balance democratic ideals with religious pressures, no other book could be more timely or more significant.]]> 353 Ayaan Hirsi Ali 0743289684 Mehdir 1 4.17 2006
author: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
name: Mehdir
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2006
rating: 1
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date added: 2012/01/26
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]]>