I've often wondered: what is it like being non-Muslim in a Muslim country during Ramadan? Do non-Muslims develop a deeper understanding of Ramadan, beyond the closed shutters of restaurants and cafes, restrictions on eating and drinking outdoors during the day, the lavish banquets and traffic jams at sunset, the crowded malls and fairy lights that twinkle deep into the night? Non-Muslim residents and visitors to Muslim countries during Ramadan are quick to note the palpable spirit of community and charity, self-discipline and sacrifice, reflection and prayer. Invitations to Iftar meals and dinners reveal other facets of the Islamic fast: hospitality, generosity, togetherness, family values. In fact, many non-Muslims are so moved by their experience, they opt to fast out of a sense of respect and solidarity with those around them, even if only for a day or two. Yet, to get to the core of the fasting experience requires an understanding of basic Islamic principles: submission to the Creator and His Law by following the example of His Messenger. Here are some books I would recommend for non-Muslims looking for unbiased, plain-speaking insight into Islamic principles and civilization – a perspective that is in acutely short supply today, and in danger of being completely wiped out in future, if we don't stop to build bridges: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam by Yahiya Emerick This is by far, the most readable, comprehensive and ‘entertaining' basic book on Islam. It not only takes an outsider on a quick tour of the five pillars of Islam, but also introduces them to oft-used Islamic terms, Islamic history and civilization, and touches upon the status of Jews, Christians and women in Islam in an unassuming – and most importantly – unapologetic manner. Emerick is an American author-publisher who accepted Islam in 1989 and has since served as an educator and lecturer. The prologue of the book by Qasim Najar, founding member of the Islamic Foundation of North America, states: “The book has its own balance. It pulls no punches on any of its topics. It examines Islam on a level plain – no smoke and mirrors – just a clear investigation of a spirituality, a way of life, that has been unfairly vilified by the American media and warped into contradictory tokenism by those who appear to be Muslim in name only.” Islam: The Straight Path by John L Esposito; What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam by the same author Talking about the reasons why he wrote ‘What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam' in the post 9/11 world, Esposito, a professor of Islamic Studies and director of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, says: “I have been bombarded with questions about Islam and Muslims. So many are now trying to understand ‘why' and ‘how'. Reflecting on 9/11 and these persistent questions, I realized how much has changed and how much remains the same. Islam is the second largest of the world's religions globally as well as in Europe, and it is the third largest religion in America. Yet many in the West continue to function within an enormous information vacuum, the same one I myself suffered from over 30 years ago. “When I first encountered Islam in graduate school, I was astonished to discover that there was another Abrahamic faith. We had always talked about the Judeo-Christian connection, but never the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition. Why? If Muslims recognize and revere many of the major patriarchs and prophets of Judaism and Christianity (including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus) and God's revealed books, the Torah and the Message (Gospels) of Jesus, why had I not been aware of this after all my years of liberal arts and theological training? “Learning about Islam gave me a new perspective, a new way of understanding history, from the Crusades and European colonialism to American and Soviet neocolonialism. Thus not only religion but also history, politics, and civilization, classical and modern, came alive for me. Today, however, many are still relying on media stereotypes, seeing Islam through distorted lenses that focus on terrorists, religious extremists, and oppressed women.” Islam in Focus by Hammudah Abdalati The best part about this book is its dedication (read it!). The author, an M.A. in Islamic Studies from McGill University and a Ph. D. in Sociology from Princeton University passed away in 1976, yet his words ring true even today: “Radio comments and television shows, news items and magazine articles, motion pictures and even school textbooks, all seem to misrepresent Islam and not always innocently. The Muslims have good reasons to believe that their Book, the Glorious Qur'an, is the Master Book of Revelation and the Standard of Religious Truth. They also believe that Islam has come to reaffirm the Eternal Divine Message and settle the past religious disputes so that man may embark upon creative constructive activities in all walks of life. This does not mean that the Muslims set themselves apart from or above the rest of mankind. They try neither to impose Islam nor to classify the human race into inferior and superior ranks. They do not entertain the concept of favored and condemned nations or endorse the doctrine of the Chosen and the Gentile. Rather, they are commissioned to convey the Divine Message to mankind and to make their indispensable contribution to humanity. In other words, the Muslims cannot afford to be indifferent, exclusive, or arrogant. It is their solemn duty to open wide their minds to all the realities of life and stretch far their arms to all people of whatever class, creed, race, or nationality. The good which they can do and the services they can render will fully materialize only when they put Islam into practice and associate with other people in the kind, humane spirit of Islam.” The Purification of the Soul by Jamaal al-Din M Zarabozo America-based author, speaker and translator of Spanish and French descent, a long-time revert, the author speaks with erudition and authority, accessing authentic texts and sources on the ultimate goal of Islamic worship. Talking about the reasons for writing the book, he writes: “The concept of purification of the soul as a whole is and always will be central to the message of Islam and to the welfare of humans, both in this life and the Hereafter. Indeed, it was a main mission of the messengers and prophets themselves. The path described by the Qur'an and Sunnah is the only path that can result in a true purification of the soul. Indeed, it is the only path that is truly consistent with the purpose for which humans were created. Hence, any discussion of purification of the soul must rely heavily and exclusively on the Qur'an and Sunnah and what can be correctly derived from those two sources.” For those who suspect Islam of being a religion based heavily on ritualism and form, this book is a must-read. It not only reiterates the centrality of the soul in Islamic worship, it proves with great clarity how the two are inextricably bound. “The Islamic revival spreading throughout the Muslim world will remain tenuous and delicate, in the sense that for many Muslims it is more of an ‘emotional' phenomenon. In order for this revival to be truly successful and lead to what it needs to lead to, it must be guided by the comprehensive teachings of Islam. First and foremost among those teachings is what is related to the purification of the soul. Without the purification of the souls, the revival will only be on the outer shell and will, in fact, be a “deceptive” revival, in the sense that the inner consciousness will not have been reformed and the lapse back to the pre-revival times may be very close at hand. Indeed, without the purification of the souls, the very goals of the revival from the outset may be wrong.”
