Author: Toseef Azid
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9811212163
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 678
Book Description
The book, Economic Empowerment of Women in the Islamic World, discusses the economic, social, and political rights and status of women in Islam, which is theoretically given by the Islamic Jurisprudence (Shariah law). The chapters in this volume will address historical practices in comparison to the status of women in the contemporary Muslim world. Men and women in Islam, regardless of their age, social class, and education, are equal as citizens and individuals, but not identical in their rights and responsibilities. It can be observed from Islamic history that in the early age of Islam, women were given full confidence, trust, and high responsibilities in leadership, educational guidance, and decision-making.This volume will try to clarify the confusion in the status of the women in Islam that is presented by the media, as it is assumed that theoretical Islamic empowerment of women bears little relation to the real conditions of women in modern Muslim societies. It has been widely claimed in the media that Muslim women suffer more than men in Muslim societies and communities in terms of insecurity, domestic abuse, and low access to education and medical care. It is also stated in the press and media that absence of good governance also results in gender inequality and violation of the rights of Muslim women.This volume also aims to provide the solutions for the empowerment of women in the Islamic world. We assumed that without good governance, the status of women is not likely to improve. Muslim women have the potential to play a fundamental role in curbing corruption, social ills, violence, and crime in the Muslim world. This volume will make the case that in order to achieve stability and prosperity, the government must ensure a platform for women to participate in decision-making and hence benefit from the rights they are accorded in Islam.By covering a range of perspectives on the economic lives of Muslim women around the world, it hopes to shed light on the problems faced and to offer possible solutions to the empowerment of women in the Islamic world.
Economic Empowerment Of Women In The Islamic World: Theory And Practice
Author: Toseef Azid
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9811212163
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 678
Book Description
The book, Economic Empowerment of Women in the Islamic World, discusses the economic, social, and political rights and status of women in Islam, which is theoretically given by the Islamic Jurisprudence (Shariah law). The chapters in this volume will address historical practices in comparison to the status of women in the contemporary Muslim world. Men and women in Islam, regardless of their age, social class, and education, are equal as citizens and individuals, but not identical in their rights and responsibilities. It can be observed from Islamic history that in the early age of Islam, women were given full confidence, trust, and high responsibilities in leadership, educational guidance, and decision-making.This volume will try to clarify the confusion in the status of the women in Islam that is presented by the media, as it is assumed that theoretical Islamic empowerment of women bears little relation to the real conditions of women in modern Muslim societies. It has been widely claimed in the media that Muslim women suffer more than men in Muslim societies and communities in terms of insecurity, domestic abuse, and low access to education and medical care. It is also stated in the press and media that absence of good governance also results in gender inequality and violation of the rights of Muslim women.This volume also aims to provide the solutions for the empowerment of women in the Islamic world. We assumed that without good governance, the status of women is not likely to improve. Muslim women have the potential to play a fundamental role in curbing corruption, social ills, violence, and crime in the Muslim world. This volume will make the case that in order to achieve stability and prosperity, the government must ensure a platform for women to participate in decision-making and hence benefit from the rights they are accorded in Islam.By covering a range of perspectives on the economic lives of Muslim women around the world, it hopes to shed light on the problems faced and to offer possible solutions to the empowerment of women in the Islamic world.
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9811212163
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 678
Book Description
The book, Economic Empowerment of Women in the Islamic World, discusses the economic, social, and political rights and status of women in Islam, which is theoretically given by the Islamic Jurisprudence (Shariah law). The chapters in this volume will address historical practices in comparison to the status of women in the contemporary Muslim world. Men and women in Islam, regardless of their age, social class, and education, are equal as citizens and individuals, but not identical in their rights and responsibilities. It can be observed from Islamic history that in the early age of Islam, women were given full confidence, trust, and high responsibilities in leadership, educational guidance, and decision-making.This volume will try to clarify the confusion in the status of the women in Islam that is presented by the media, as it is assumed that theoretical Islamic empowerment of women bears little relation to the real conditions of women in modern Muslim societies. It has been widely claimed in the media that Muslim women suffer more than men in Muslim societies and communities in terms of insecurity, domestic abuse, and low access to education and medical care. It is also stated in the press and media that absence of good governance also results in gender inequality and violation of the rights of Muslim women.This volume also aims to provide the solutions for the empowerment of women in the Islamic world. We assumed that without good governance, the status of women is not likely to improve. Muslim women have the potential to play a fundamental role in curbing corruption, social ills, violence, and crime in the Muslim world. This volume will make the case that in order to achieve stability and prosperity, the government must ensure a platform for women to participate in decision-making and hence benefit from the rights they are accorded in Islam.By covering a range of perspectives on the economic lives of Muslim women around the world, it hopes to shed light on the problems faced and to offer possible solutions to the empowerment of women in the Islamic world.
Women and Peace in the Islamic World
Author: Yasmin Saikia
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0857737252
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 452
Book Description
How realistic is the prospect of peace in the Muslim world? This question is the predominant focus for global analysis today, but its debate frequently ignores the cultural and social complexity of the Muslim world, reducing it into a system of states and select actors. This book addresses such a failing by exploring how the everyday interactions of women, in accordance with Islamic personal ethics, can offer the world a new interpretation of peace. In particular, it focuses on the women in Islamic societies, from Aceh to Bosnia, Morocco to Bangladesh, initiating a dialogue on the role of these women in peacemaking. This concentration upon the complex issues of the everyday both enables a detailed exploration of how people conceptualise peace and opens up new frameworks for conflict resolution. The discussions that emerge lead to a critical questioning of assumptions about peace as a state policy and cessation of violence. Drawing upon original research from different parts of the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, including Iran, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Egypt and Sudan, the contributors offer a refreshing new look at Muslim women as peacemakers, challenging any assumptions of Islam as an inherently violent religion. Such a timely work provides new and important analyses on the role of Muslim women in forging new pathways of peace in the contemporary world.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0857737252
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 452
Book Description
How realistic is the prospect of peace in the Muslim world? This question is the predominant focus for global analysis today, but its debate frequently ignores the cultural and social complexity of the Muslim world, reducing it into a system of states and select actors. This book addresses such a failing by exploring how the everyday interactions of women, in accordance with Islamic personal ethics, can offer the world a new interpretation of peace. In particular, it focuses on the women in Islamic societies, from Aceh to Bosnia, Morocco to Bangladesh, initiating a dialogue on the role of these women in peacemaking. This concentration upon the complex issues of the everyday both enables a detailed exploration of how people conceptualise peace and opens up new frameworks for conflict resolution. The discussions that emerge lead to a critical questioning of assumptions about peace as a state policy and cessation of violence. Drawing upon original research from different parts of the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, including Iran, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Egypt and Sudan, the contributors offer a refreshing new look at Muslim women as peacemakers, challenging any assumptions of Islam as an inherently violent religion. Such a timely work provides new and important analyses on the role of Muslim women in forging new pathways of peace in the contemporary world.
Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures
Author: Suad Joseph
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004128182
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 873
Book Description
Family, Law and Politics, Volume II of the Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures, brings together over 360 entries on women, family, law, politics, and Islamic cultures around the world.
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004128182
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 873
Book Description
Family, Law and Politics, Volume II of the Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures, brings together over 360 entries on women, family, law, politics, and Islamic cultures around the world.
Women and Peace in the Islamic World
Author: Yasmin Saikia
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1786739844
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 442
Book Description
How realistic is the prospect of peace in the Muslim world? This question is the predominant focus for global analysis today, but its debate frequently ignores the cultural and social complexity of the Muslim world, reducing it into a system of states and select actors. This book addresses such a failing by exploring how the everyday interactions of women, in accordance with Islamic personal ethics, can offer the world a new interpretation of peace. In particular, it focuses on the women in Islamic societies, from Aceh to Bosnia, Morocco to Bangladesh, initiating a dialogue on the role of these women in peacemaking. This concentration upon the complex issues of the everyday both enables a detailed exploration of how people conceptualise peace and opens up new frameworks for conflict resolution. The discussions that emerge lead to a critical questioning of assumptions about peace as a state policy and cessation of violence. Drawing upon original research from different parts of the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, including Iran, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Egypt and Sudan, the contributors offer a refreshing new look at Muslim women as peacemakers, challenging any assumptions of Islam as an inherently violent religion. Such a timely work provides new and important analyses on the role of Muslim women in forging new pathways of peace in the contemporary world.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1786739844
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 442
Book Description
How realistic is the prospect of peace in the Muslim world? This question is the predominant focus for global analysis today, but its debate frequently ignores the cultural and social complexity of the Muslim world, reducing it into a system of states and select actors. This book addresses such a failing by exploring how the everyday interactions of women, in accordance with Islamic personal ethics, can offer the world a new interpretation of peace. In particular, it focuses on the women in Islamic societies, from Aceh to Bosnia, Morocco to Bangladesh, initiating a dialogue on the role of these women in peacemaking. This concentration upon the complex issues of the everyday both enables a detailed exploration of how people conceptualise peace and opens up new frameworks for conflict resolution. The discussions that emerge lead to a critical questioning of assumptions about peace as a state policy and cessation of violence. Drawing upon original research from different parts of the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, including Iran, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Egypt and Sudan, the contributors offer a refreshing new look at Muslim women as peacemakers, challenging any assumptions of Islam as an inherently violent religion. Such a timely work provides new and important analyses on the role of Muslim women in forging new pathways of peace in the contemporary world.
Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World
Author: Sep Riahi
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781726627214
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Multi-award-winning picture book, adorned with the powerful illustrations by renowned Egyptian artist Heba Amin, offers a unique exploration into the lives of 13 influential Muslim women who have left a lasting impact on history. This is not a mere collection of biographies, but a tapestry of narratives that celebrate the resilience, courage, and determination of these women. Each woman's story is a testament to her unique strength and contribution: Khadija bint Khuwaylid (Arabia), the first wife of the Prophet (pbuh), a beacon of strength and faith. Aisha bint Abi Bakr (Arabia), the insightful wife of the Prophet (pbuh), whose wisdom continues to enlighten. Al-Khansa (Arabia), an Arabian poetess whose verses echo with profundity and sentiment. Rabi a al-Adawiyya (Iraq), a venerated woman saint, embodying spiritual devotion. Arwa bint Ahmed al-Sulayhiyya (Yemen), the sovereign Queen of Yemen, a symbol of regal leadership. Sultan Razia (India), the Warrior Queen of Delhi, personifying courage and valor. Nana Asmau (Nigeria), a scholar and poetess, a beacon of intellect and creativity. Tjut Njak Dien (Indonesia), a guerrilla leader, exemplifying resistance and resilience. Halide Edib Adivar (Turkey), a Turkish novelist and activist, a voice for change and reform. Umm Kulthum (Egypt), an iconic musical artist and singer, the melody of a nation. Sabiha Gökçen (Turkey), a pioneering military pilot, soaring high against the odds. Chaibia Tallal (Morocco), a gifted painter, painting the world in her unique hues. Shirin Ebadi (Iran), a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a champion for human rights. Each chapter of this book, is an invitation to journey through time and across cultures, to discover the remarkable lives of these women and their enduring influence on the world. This is more than a book; it's a celebration of the contributions of Muslim women throughout history. WINNER: * Middle East Book Award (Middle East Outreach Council) * Moonbeam Children's Books Peacemaker Award * USA Book News "Best Book" * Skipping Stones Honor Award
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781726627214
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Multi-award-winning picture book, adorned with the powerful illustrations by renowned Egyptian artist Heba Amin, offers a unique exploration into the lives of 13 influential Muslim women who have left a lasting impact on history. This is not a mere collection of biographies, but a tapestry of narratives that celebrate the resilience, courage, and determination of these women. Each woman's story is a testament to her unique strength and contribution: Khadija bint Khuwaylid (Arabia), the first wife of the Prophet (pbuh), a beacon of strength and faith. Aisha bint Abi Bakr (Arabia), the insightful wife of the Prophet (pbuh), whose wisdom continues to enlighten. Al-Khansa (Arabia), an Arabian poetess whose verses echo with profundity and sentiment. Rabi a al-Adawiyya (Iraq), a venerated woman saint, embodying spiritual devotion. Arwa bint Ahmed al-Sulayhiyya (Yemen), the sovereign Queen of Yemen, a symbol of regal leadership. Sultan Razia (India), the Warrior Queen of Delhi, personifying courage and valor. Nana Asmau (Nigeria), a scholar and poetess, a beacon of intellect and creativity. Tjut Njak Dien (Indonesia), a guerrilla leader, exemplifying resistance and resilience. Halide Edib Adivar (Turkey), a Turkish novelist and activist, a voice for change and reform. Umm Kulthum (Egypt), an iconic musical artist and singer, the melody of a nation. Sabiha Gökçen (Turkey), a pioneering military pilot, soaring high against the odds. Chaibia Tallal (Morocco), a gifted painter, painting the world in her unique hues. Shirin Ebadi (Iran), a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a champion for human rights. Each chapter of this book, is an invitation to journey through time and across cultures, to discover the remarkable lives of these women and their enduring influence on the world. This is more than a book; it's a celebration of the contributions of Muslim women throughout history. WINNER: * Middle East Book Award (Middle East Outreach Council) * Moonbeam Children's Books Peacemaker Award * USA Book News "Best Book" * Skipping Stones Honor Award
Price of Honor
Author: Jan Goodwin
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0452283779
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 369
Book Description
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK “Explains powerfully how Muslim women are affected by the rise of fundamentalism.”—Dan Rather In recent years, the expanding movement of militant Islam has changed the way millions think, behave, dress, and live, but nowhere has its impact been more powerfully felt than in its dramatic, often devastating effect on the lives of women. Award-winning journalist Jan Goodwin traveled through ten Islamic countries and interviewed hundreds of Muslim women, from professionals to peasants, from royalty to rebels. The result is an unforgettable journey into a world where women are confined, isolated, even killed for the sake of a “code of honor” created and zealously enforced by men. Price of Honor brings to life a world in which women have become pawns in a bitter power game, and gives readers a provocative look inside Muslim society today—in their own words.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0452283779
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 369
Book Description
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK “Explains powerfully how Muslim women are affected by the rise of fundamentalism.”—Dan Rather In recent years, the expanding movement of militant Islam has changed the way millions think, behave, dress, and live, but nowhere has its impact been more powerfully felt than in its dramatic, often devastating effect on the lives of women. Award-winning journalist Jan Goodwin traveled through ten Islamic countries and interviewed hundreds of Muslim women, from professionals to peasants, from royalty to rebels. The result is an unforgettable journey into a world where women are confined, isolated, even killed for the sake of a “code of honor” created and zealously enforced by men. Price of Honor brings to life a world in which women have become pawns in a bitter power game, and gives readers a provocative look inside Muslim society today—in their own words.
Peace Movements in Islam
Author: Juan Cole
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0755643194
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
Contrary to the distorted and in many places all-too prevalent view of Islam as somehow inherently or uniquely violent, there is a dazzling array of Muslim organizations and individuals that have worked for harmony and conciliation through history. The Qur'an itself, the Muslim scripture, is full of peace verses urging returning good for evil and wishing peace upon harassers, alongside the verses on just, defensive war that have so often been misinterpreted. This groundbreaking volume fills a gaping hole in the literature on global peace movements, bringing to the fore the many peace movements and peacemakers of the Muslim world. From Senegalese Sufi orders to Bosnian women's organizations to Indian Muslim freedom fighters who were allies of Mahatma Gandhi against British colonialism, it shows that history is replete with colorful personalities from the Muslim world who made a stand for peaceful methods.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0755643194
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
Contrary to the distorted and in many places all-too prevalent view of Islam as somehow inherently or uniquely violent, there is a dazzling array of Muslim organizations and individuals that have worked for harmony and conciliation through history. The Qur'an itself, the Muslim scripture, is full of peace verses urging returning good for evil and wishing peace upon harassers, alongside the verses on just, defensive war that have so often been misinterpreted. This groundbreaking volume fills a gaping hole in the literature on global peace movements, bringing to the fore the many peace movements and peacemakers of the Muslim world. From Senegalese Sufi orders to Bosnian women's organizations to Indian Muslim freedom fighters who were allies of Mahatma Gandhi against British colonialism, it shows that history is replete with colorful personalities from the Muslim world who made a stand for peaceful methods.
Changing Minds, Winning Peace
Author: Edward P. Djerejian
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 9780615157429
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 79
Book Description
A reprint of the historic report of the Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim World, this document was submitted to the US Congress in 2003 as a first step toward reforming America's dilapidated strategic communication infrastructure. The bipartisan Advisory Group, chaired by Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, made a series of recommendations in this report that helped re-shape US public diplomacy.
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 9780615157429
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 79
Book Description
A reprint of the historic report of the Advisory Group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim World, this document was submitted to the US Congress in 2003 as a first step toward reforming America's dilapidated strategic communication infrastructure. The bipartisan Advisory Group, chaired by Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, made a series of recommendations in this report that helped re-shape US public diplomacy.
The Future of Islam
Author: John L. Esposito
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019974596X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
John L. Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. Now, in this brilliant portrait of Islam today--and tomorrow--he draws on a lifetime of thought and research to sweep away the negative stereotypes and provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world. Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect global politics. Are Islam and the West locked in a deadly clash of civilizations? Is Islam compatible with democracy and human rights? Will religious fundamentalism block the development of modern societies in the Islamic world? Will Islam overwhelm the Western societies in which so many Muslim immigrants now reside? Will Europe become Eurabia or will the Muslims assimilate? Which Muslim thinkers will be most influential in the years to come? To answer this last question he introduces the reader to a new generation of Muslim thinkers--Tariq Ramadan, Timothy Winter, Mustafa Ceric, Amina Wadud, and others--a diverse collection of Muslim men and women, both the "Martin Luthers" and the "Billy Grahams" of Islam. We meet religious leaders who condemn suicide bombing and who see the killing of unarmed men, women, and children as "worse than murder," who preach toleration and pluralism, who advocate for women's rights. The book often underscores the unexpected similarities between the Islamic world and the West and at times turns the mirror on the US, revealing how we appear to Muslims, all to highlight the crucial point that there is nothing exceptional about the Muslim faith. Recent decades have brought extraordinary changes in the Muslim world, and in addressing all of these issues, Esposito paints a complex picture of Islam in all its diversity--a picture of urgent importance as we face the challenges of the coming century.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019974596X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
John L. Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. Now, in this brilliant portrait of Islam today--and tomorrow--he draws on a lifetime of thought and research to sweep away the negative stereotypes and provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world. Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect global politics. Are Islam and the West locked in a deadly clash of civilizations? Is Islam compatible with democracy and human rights? Will religious fundamentalism block the development of modern societies in the Islamic world? Will Islam overwhelm the Western societies in which so many Muslim immigrants now reside? Will Europe become Eurabia or will the Muslims assimilate? Which Muslim thinkers will be most influential in the years to come? To answer this last question he introduces the reader to a new generation of Muslim thinkers--Tariq Ramadan, Timothy Winter, Mustafa Ceric, Amina Wadud, and others--a diverse collection of Muslim men and women, both the "Martin Luthers" and the "Billy Grahams" of Islam. We meet religious leaders who condemn suicide bombing and who see the killing of unarmed men, women, and children as "worse than murder," who preach toleration and pluralism, who advocate for women's rights. The book often underscores the unexpected similarities between the Islamic world and the West and at times turns the mirror on the US, revealing how we appear to Muslims, all to highlight the crucial point that there is nothing exceptional about the Muslim faith. Recent decades have brought extraordinary changes in the Muslim world, and in addressing all of these issues, Esposito paints a complex picture of Islam in all its diversity--a picture of urgent importance as we face the challenges of the coming century.
Why Do they Hate Us?
Author: Steve Slocum
Publisher: Top Reads Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 0998683876
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
IPBA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARDS SILVER MEDALIST A BOOKLIST AND KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2019 "Well-researched, cogently argued... avoids clichÉs and deeply examines the complex relationship between Islam and the West." —Booklist, starred review White supremacist racism has many faces. A foreign policy that focuses on "American interests" and exploits foreign resources is one of those faces. Nowhere has this become more evident than in the Middle East. Decades of covert intervention by the CIA in the Middle East came home to roost when Al Qaeda operatives hijacked American airliners and flew them into the World Trade Center towers on 9/11, horrifically killing 3000. With Americans still in shock, George W. Bush asked, "Why do they hate us?" His bizarre answer, "They hate our freedoms," squandered an opportunity for national introspection. Instead, he unleashed the power of a $330 billion "defense" budget on the villages of Afghanistan and subsequently on Baghdad. In the years after 9/11, Islamophobia became a mainstay in American society and in American political rhetoric. It was the unfettered hate speech toward Muslims that opened the door for closeted racists to come out into the open with hate speech toward all nonwhite groups. In Why Do They Hate Us?, author Steve Slocum brings to light Islam's origins as a social justice movement and paints a beautiful portrait of Islam's peaceful mainstream. Why Do They Hate Us? is sprinkled with stories from the lives of everyday Muslims and anecdotes from Slocum's five years living in Kazakhstan, allowing the reader to catch a glimpse of the true soul of Islam. You'll never look at Muslims in the same way again. "In an era of rampant Islamophobia, Slocum's book is essential reading." —Todd H. Green, author of The Fear of Islam: An Introduction to Islamophobia in the West "Effectively countering pernicious, misinformed narratives, this is an essential contribution to interfaith studies." —Publishers Weekly
Publisher: Top Reads Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 0998683876
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
IPBA BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARDS SILVER MEDALIST A BOOKLIST AND KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2019 "Well-researched, cogently argued... avoids clichÉs and deeply examines the complex relationship between Islam and the West." —Booklist, starred review White supremacist racism has many faces. A foreign policy that focuses on "American interests" and exploits foreign resources is one of those faces. Nowhere has this become more evident than in the Middle East. Decades of covert intervention by the CIA in the Middle East came home to roost when Al Qaeda operatives hijacked American airliners and flew them into the World Trade Center towers on 9/11, horrifically killing 3000. With Americans still in shock, George W. Bush asked, "Why do they hate us?" His bizarre answer, "They hate our freedoms," squandered an opportunity for national introspection. Instead, he unleashed the power of a $330 billion "defense" budget on the villages of Afghanistan and subsequently on Baghdad. In the years after 9/11, Islamophobia became a mainstay in American society and in American political rhetoric. It was the unfettered hate speech toward Muslims that opened the door for closeted racists to come out into the open with hate speech toward all nonwhite groups. In Why Do They Hate Us?, author Steve Slocum brings to light Islam's origins as a social justice movement and paints a beautiful portrait of Islam's peaceful mainstream. Why Do They Hate Us? is sprinkled with stories from the lives of everyday Muslims and anecdotes from Slocum's five years living in Kazakhstan, allowing the reader to catch a glimpse of the true soul of Islam. You'll never look at Muslims in the same way again. "In an era of rampant Islamophobia, Slocum's book is essential reading." —Todd H. Green, author of The Fear of Islam: An Introduction to Islamophobia in the West "Effectively countering pernicious, misinformed narratives, this is an essential contribution to interfaith studies." —Publishers Weekly