Customer Reviews

Unveiling Islam: An Insider's Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(71)

 

 

I seem to be one of the very few reviewers on this page who has mixed feelings about this book. The message it preaches is not an easy one to swallow. Though it claims to be a 'sympathetic' portrayal of Islam, I found it to be far more negative than sympathetic. It is also, I am sad to say, much harsher with individual passages from the Qu'ran than with isolated passages from the Bible - and I say that as a practicing Christian. Consequently it is all-too easy to rush to take an extreme view of the book. Those who have little experience of Islam outside the atrocities of 9/11 will find it an illuminating expose on the true nature of the religion. Those who are Muslim, or are familiar with practitioners of the faith, will probably find that it grossly distorts the true religion in a poor attempt at propaganda. Neither of these views are quite correct.

Although the Caner brothers ask interesting questions which do need asking (namely: have Islamic terrorists twisted the true message of the Islamic faith...or, alternatively, have peace-loving Muslims deceived themselves into neglecting key tenets of the religion?) the refusal to acknowledge the positive aspects of Islam weakens their argument somewhat. I have numerous Muslim friends in this country, and I can confidently say that much of what the Caner brothers assert comes down to matters of culture, NOT matters of Islam. For example, my best friend informs me that in no way does the Qu'ran advocate the wearing of the Burkha. Women, apparently, are instructed to cover their hair - not the entire face. The Caner brothers imply that the wearing of the Burkha is an instruction of the Qu'ran. Nor do the westernised Islamic men I know beat their wives. Finally, it is usually *much* easier to make friends with an Islamic family than is portrayed in "Unveiling Islam".

However, I am very surprised by some of comments in the one-star reviews on this page. I am left with the feeling that some reviewers stopped reading the text once they realised it would not conform to their expectations. One reviewer writes: 'One has to only take the Crusades into consideration to realise how much innocent blood was spewed at the sword in the name of Christ, the savior.' Fair point. Unfortunately, this point was addressed several times by the authors in their book. They make it patently clear that the Crusades were bloody and horrible - but contrary to the teachings of Jesus. The point they make throughout the book is that any blood shed in the name of Islam may not necessarily be contrary to the teachings of Muhammed. Another reviewer asserts: 'this book does not use any authentic Hadiths'. Hadiths, however, appear repeatedly in each chapter. Whether they are 'authentic' or not, I don't know - what, exactly, is an unauthentic Hadith? Another reviewer states that: 'The brothers never bother to explain...why their father disowned them.' Yes, they do. They point to the passages in the Qu'ran which advocate the parental rejection of children who turn away from Islam. The brothers also put forward a pretty convincing argument for the interpretation of Jihad as a physical war, not an internal war.

The best thing about this book is that I put it down thirsting for more information. Because of "Unveiling Islam" I will be reading the Qu'ran, and then comparing it with the Bible. I wish to read the Hadiths. I want to find out more about the Crusades, and more about the different Islamic sects.

I recommend it as a starting point, because the questions it raises are uncomfortable, yet highly valuable. Unfortunately, though, the biased slant makes this book too unreliable to be regarded as the whole story.

* MY OPINION: I'm an Indonesian who happens to be Christian, which is a minority back home - Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population - and often persecuted though not as bad as Christians in e.g. Saudi Arabia. As I read the book, I can't thank the authors enough for giving light to the world about the real Islam. Maybe in the good 'ol US of A, where there is freedom of religion (thx to the Judeo-Christian influence), Islam is a peaceful religion. But can't you see how many more Christians are being persecuted in Sudan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia etc, because non-Christians has to "SUBMIT" to the "PEACEFUL" religion? How odd that the effort of Drs Caner is blasted with condemnation. They're just writing about the real deal here, not about bigotry or racism.
* CONTENT: This book is ideal for those who just started learning about Islam. Some chapters start with real life example based on cultural differences between Muslim and Christian. Like in Ch. 4, Tony (a Christian) has a Muslim roomate Askar, and they shared about their religion. Tony found out that Askar knew some Bible stories, but Askar's version somehow came out "changed". My Muslim friends like to say they've read all the contents of the Bible, but actually they're just making a statement that the Quran is the final revelation from God and it's the most complete Book, and once you've read it, then you've read the whole Bible. Or about the Trinity, how Muslims believe that Christians worship 3 gods, and one of the Trinity is Mary. So you see, Christianity and Islam is NEVER the same. Drs Caner approach to Islam in this book is gentle, but firm in stating the fundamental difference between the two faiths. They're not bashing Islam as some review has overly stated. If I were to write a book on Islam based on how Islamic countries treated its non-Muslim minions, I wouldn't be as compassionate as Drs Caner...
* OTHER MUST READ: If you want to go deep, read Norman Geisler's "Answering Islam" - it's got all the works; and Bruce McDowell's "Muslims and Christians at the Table.." - good how-to book in befriending Muslims. Don't miss "Torn Veil" by Gulshan Esther, riveting account of a Pakistani woman conversion to follow Christ. This lady literally had to go through all the trials, from being disowned by her rich family to being thrown to jail, but she would not forsake Christ.

After September 11 2001, this book could not be more appropriate or more timely. Many in the West are seeking an understanding of a religion that could so mercilessly and indiscriminately slaughter so many innocent people at a given moment in time. The religion is Islam.

Islam, as the authors of this book declare, is often obscured by a veil of unfamiliar beliefs, customs and practices. The book `Unveiling Islam' is a very sympathetic yet uncompromising presentation of the entire scope and field of Islam, including it's practices, ethics and beliefs. Not least, it deals with in detail the primary differences between Christianity and Islam.

Ergun Mehmet Caner and Emir Fethi Caner, were both raised as Sunni Muslims by a leader in a Mosque and have lived the Muslim life to the full. This crucial book by the Caner brothers, both esteemed and learned Professors in their own right, is a phenomenal work. The work shows extensive research and knowledge and is articulate and authoritative, with a deep understanding and comprehension of Islamic politics, theology, beliefs and mindset.

This vivid analysis of Islam is by two former devout Muslims who are now Born Again Christians.

The authors openly reveal that at this moment for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, men, women and children are being bullwhipped into submission, tortured, imprisoned, beaten, battered and broken. Homes are being burnt and families are being executed. Conversion from Islam to Christianity and faith in Jesus Christ often means being disowned, disinherited, expulsion, arrest and even death. The authors insist and expose that if you believe that persecution, torture and murder for belief and faith in Jesus Christ are things of the past, then you are sadly, badly mistaken.

The authors dismiss the claim so popular today that `all religions are the same' and the Muslims and Christians worship the same God. They state that either Islam is correct in the assumption that "there is only one God, Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet" or that Christianity is correct when Jesus Himself says, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no-one comes to the Father except through Me." They cannot both be correct and both Gods cannot be the same. Muslims overtly declaring that `Allah has no son' and Christianity declaring that `Jesus is the Son of God'.

This book is not a diatribe filled with hostility against Islam. There is no hostility here at all. No hatred, only sadness and love and a desire to share the Truth that the authors have found. It is a genuine, honest attempt to portray Islam as it is and from a Christian perspective, by two learned Muslims who have been there and trodden both paths.

The authors state that the events of September 11 2001, were regretfully only a very sad validation of Islam to those familiar with the Qur'an and the Hadith, and those familiar with the protocols of Jihad and the beliefs surrounding the worldwide expansion of Islam & the beliefs surrounding an Islamic martyr's eternity.

There is so much detail here that it is not possible to cover it all in a review. Read it for yourself. We all owe it to ourselves to be aware of the entire context of what we face in the `war against terrorism' and those who sadly fight against the West in the name of Islam.

I highly recommend this book.

What a refreshingly accurate book!

Too many books about Islam are so focused on a let's-not-hate-them-or-that-would-make-us-bigots attitude that they usually make blind omissions of the most important aspects of the Koran, including its explicit rules on how to treat non-Moslems. (Take a look at "Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations Collide" by Bat Yeor, for an eye-opening look at the way Islamic states treat their non-Islamic subjects.)

One of the most startling revelations I have come across in this process of discovery is the de-bunking of the myth that "Islam" means "Peace." It doesn't. Arabic has a perfectly good word for peace: Salaam. If they wanted to name their religion "peace" they would have used that word. Instead, they used "Islam" - which means "submission." According to the Koran, Moslems must submit themselves to Allah; everyone else must submit themselves to the Moslems.

I have posed this issue to several Moslem acquaintances over the years, and I usually get a response along the lines of "in submission, one finds peace." Well, in my kitchen, one can find a table. Does that make "kitchen" and "table" the same word?

The western world is starving for the truth; this book offers a feast of knowledge in a way that only a former Moslem could offer. I highly recommend it.

Being an atheist with a thirst for knowledge of religions, and already knowing a great deal about islam, I picked up this book to check out what an insider felt about the religion. These guys have compiled a great quick read of some of the beliefs of islam. Obviously this book is biased, but the arguments are incredibly well supported. The book is kind of geared towards a christian who wants to witness to a muslim and that gives it an even more biased feel. If you don't believe what these guys are saying, I suggest you follow up on some of their references, especially those references that support the goodness of islam. The book is great, and I recommend it to anyone wanting to get a quick grasp of what the muslim beliefs are. You should also keep in mind that just as there are christians who never go to church and never read the bible and don't really understand their onwn religion, so are there muslims who do the same. Not all muslims believe in the causes for jihad, and they just want to be peaceful. The difference is these muslims are contradicting and being hypocritical to their professed belief system.

This could be one of the most important books of the last decade that will help you understand the times. The authors, two brothers who were raised Muslim and became Christian, are now professors at Christian schools. Their backgrounds make them uniquely qualified to address questions such as what does Islam teach, and how does this relate to Christianity. They have produced a very readable, informative, and respectful survey of many of the most important aspects of the Islamic faith system. You don't want to miss reading this work.

I was especially happy to see that the book is not just a long lament about how bad Muslims are, or how foul Muhammad is and so on. The authors present the teachings of Islam in the best way possible; from the Qur'an and the Hadith themselves. Some Christian apologists often quote secondary sources, and haven't really studied the primary ones themselves. This leaves them open to criticism in debates, and often misinterpretations.

I was also especially happy to see the authors evaluate the teachings of Islam against a conservative and evangelical perspective of the Scripture. They compared very well, for example, the Biblical accounts of the birth of the Messiah (Jesus) and the Akidah (sacrifice of Isaac) with the accounts of the Qur'an. The ethics of the Qur'am and the Hadith are also sharply contrasted with the teachings of the Bible. I found many things useful, but in particular the list of surahs from Mecca and Medina (there is a huge difference between them) was priceless.

The authors also did a very good job of dispelling many myths. Think that Islam is peaceful at its core (at least as taught by the Qur'an and Hadith)? Think that Islam worships the same God as the Christians? Think that Islam expresses tolerance or equality for women? Think Jihad is only "allegorical" or that is has ceased? The authors show why these myths are untrue, using Muslim primary sources.

The Caner brothers do an excellent job of explaining the Muslim mind because, quite frankly, they were Muslims. They aren't passing along things they heard on the radio. There is also a nice summary chapter that serves to make bridges towards Muslims by understanding things that are culturally offensive in Muslim circles.

Probably the only thing the book is really missing is a discussion of the nation of Israel and the promises God made to them in terms of the land (i.e., the Abrahamic Covenant). The authors recommend that in conversation with Muslims, one should likely dance around this topic. But if true dialogue is to be made with the Muslim world, one must come to grips with the biblical promises God made to Israel. We should approach this topic with love and respect, but in the same way we cannot skip who is Jesus, neither can we skip the promises God made to Israel.

Finally, I liked this book because the authors are respectful. All too often it is easier to just mock the Muslim beliefs. The authors have a deep concern that Muslims come to faith, similar in Spirit to Paul lamenting that his countrymen be saved. These authors give a lot of information so that you might understand the Muslim mind. As a leader of a Messianic congregation, which is very concerned with Islam and its relationship with Israel, I highly recommend this book. You may not find a better one on the topic.

The Caner Brothers have done a really good and bold job. They not only write symphatetically on Islam, their former religion they had left, but also very factually indeed. Being one who is knowledgeable in Islam, I can vouch for the originality and inherent authenticity of all they've written

What the detracting reviewers are frustrated about, like the one below, is the shining and unmistakeable expose of the inconsistencies, incongruencies and glaring fallacies that are found all over the Quran and in Islam itself.

Thats why its not just the Caner brothers who have given up Islam, but there are many learned and intelligent muslims too, who are likewise making the right, wise and bold step of leaving this oppressive religion and ideology. Which can be best described as a true cultic heresy of Christianity and Judaism that has taken on unwarranted political and militaristic proportions.

This great Book really deserves SIX Golden Stars for its refreshing but TRUE expose!! Congratulations to the Caner brothers.

The "evangelical" tone of this book at first put me off... I was not looking for a "Jesus Loves You" feel good diatribe against Islam... I was looking more for something about how the Muslim mind works and an explanation of some of their behaviors that have become so alarming to us Westerners...

The Caner brothers (no they are not a "she" as one 'reviewer' who obviously did not read the book but only saw the cover claims) explained, in a very rational way, how the Islamic mind set is shaped through their religion and culture... Our "touchy-feely" culture is incomprehensible to them and they see us as weak and wayward in our own beliefs...

Consequently, the western thought process attempts to find "common ground" with the Muslim and in doing so, winds up making matters worse... Christianity and Islam do not worship the same God... Trying to find similarities between the two is pointless... Muslims see Jesus as merely a prophet and have rewritten the story in the New Testament to emphasize the work of Muhammad... Because of this, the Christian must deny the deity of Christ to accommodate Islam and Islam would have to renounce the teaching of Muhammad to accept Christian theology as valid... The two are incompatible... Add to that the Islamic cultural propensity to enforce religion as law adds an element of "irreversibility" to the picture...

I felt the Caner's were very fair in their assessment of Islam... Yes they spoke from a strictly Christian viewpoint though I felt at times their Muslim beginnings were the driving force (could they be using subterfuge to convert Christians to Islam???)... Overall, they present a view of Muslims as regular folk who can even be friendly and accommodating to westerners... I gave this work four stars because of the amount of useful information about Islam contained therein and docked them a star for their evangelistic tone... Overall, it was a good read...

I have been studying Islam since 911 and have read over 14 books on the same, including two translations of the Qur'an. This book is, by far, the best-of-the-best.

This book is factual and tells what other books will not, because of PC. It tells the truth about Islam and gives quotes from the Qur'an and the Hadith to support the Caner brothers' statements.

Great book...very timely.

Learn about the Hadith,other scriptural sacred writings that often contain the militant justification for jihad. Learn that jihad really has left a bloody trail and has for its objective the destruction of Israel and America, in fact, any who do not embrace the Moslem faith. Jihad really does mean Holy War. Understand the significance of fatwa's. Also contains a brief biography of Mohammed and a summation of the early spread of Islam. That the Caner brothers have become Christians should not be an indictment, but rather an opportunity for the best kind of objectivity. I take issue with the other reviewers who have seen the Caner brothers in a negative light because they have become Christians. You have to come out of a faith into something else in order to have objectivity. Learn about the Moslem view of woman, for example, the Hadith reads "I was shown Hellfire and the majority of its dwellers are women." Probably one of the best primers I have read on Islam containing hundreds of quotes from the Qu'ran and from the Hadith.
Hearning Caner speak and debate is powerful.