Islam is a religion of peace. The word Islam means “submission” or in other words the total surrender of oneself to God. Islam was originated in the 7th century with the teachings of the last Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Holy book Quran was revealed by God to Muhammad (PBUH). Muhammad (PBUH) was a God’s Messenger.
Reza Aslan is a writer who has written the book entitled “NO GOD BUT GOD”. The thing which forced him to write this book was the misconception of the Muslims related to the religion. He was watching and demonstrating different issues and events from the last few years happening in the World. He realized that Muslims in the name of their religion are doing certain things which are prohibited in Islam. Not only this book is a call to reform and to end the religious battle between East and West.
Reza is an Iranian but lives in United States. He is a Muslim writer and scholar of religions. He in his book said that the Islamic Reformation is somehow happening. We are actually living in Islamic reforming World. After the 9/11 the United States is against the Muslims. The United States calls them Terrorist and is still fighting against Terrorism. On the other hand the activities in the name of Jihad made by Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden are just for Islamic Reformation. They have their own point of view. Al-Qaeda has reached to the extremism but in the light of Islam attacking and killing innocent people does not come under the name of Jihad. Reza Aslan in his book is strongly in favor of women’s rights. He argued that Islam is the only religion which has given a great status to women in the society. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for the first time increased the women’s rights. The women fought with the men in different battles. He argued that if a woman of those times can fight with men than why not a woman of today works with men. He on the other hand clears one of the most important misconceptions about veil of women. The imposition of veil to women is not found in the Quran.
He thinks that many wrong concepts have been entered in Islam which is creating a false image about the Muslims. One of the images about Muslims is the Terrorist. There is a need to read the Quran and its translation very carefully so that the real meanings of the verses get in the society. Many wrong facts and teachings have been imposed on the people who have made the Islam very difficult religion to follow.
He explains that since the death of Muhammad (PBUH) certain significant changes have been taken place. The Muslims have divided themselves in different sects like Sunni, Shia and etc. There is no division of sects in Islam. The violence and crime is every where which is strongly condemned by the Islam. He describes that Islam is the religion which gives the principles of equality. Islamic teachings emphasize to care for the poor. Say no to crime and there should be no violence in the society.
About the Islam Reza’s point of view is very moderate. He thinks that the things must go on only on the basis of the actual teachings of Islam written in the Holy book Quran. According to him the actually meaning of Islam has been lost somewhere. For that reason everyone is fighting and this civil war will take many years to clean the Islam with false ideas and misunderstandings. Muslims are being hatred everywhere. But very soon the original vision of tolerance and unity will be in the Muslim World. His style of writing forces the religious and non-religious to think. He is actually giving hope to the Muslims that their future will be definitely a good one. They will be loved as Islam is the sign of peace and love. He wants people to believe and have faith in God and this can only be done by reading and understanding the correct meanings of the Quranic verses and hadiath. He wanted a modern Islam which can compete with the West society. He in the 1st part of the book has presented the Muhammad’s (PBUH) greatest contributions in the Islam. Muhammad (PBUH) has to face many controversies and difficulties but at the end he was successful. Reza from the history of Islam wants to give hope to the Muslim.
On the other hand Ceaser E. Farah is a professor of history at the University of Minnesota. She is a scholar of Islamic faith. She has also account on the economic, cultural and political views of Islam. She in her book entitled: Islam, Beliefs and Observance have given a detail account on the different sects of Islam that how they come and gone. She explained the origin of Islam in a very great manner which clears all the events that would happened at that time.
In her book she explained that today the United States in the name of terrorism attacking on the different countries like Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan. The Americans wanted to clear that the attack on the World Trade Centre was because of Muslims. They want to create an imperial power on the Muslims. This concept about Muslims has roused them to fight against their religion. Farah on one side thinks that fighting against their religion is right but on the same time she thinks that killing innocent people is a crime. At the Day of Judgment, those who have killed the innocent people will be punished. The Islam gives a lesson of tolerance which is lacking in the younger generation. She also thinks that Islam is a very easy religion to follow.
If we compare the perspective of both the writers namely Reza Aslan and Ceaser Farah we can conclude that Reza argued on the misconceptions of some Islamic facts and teachings. According to him the revival of Islam will going to be soon in the World as all the Muslims communities are working hard to protect their religious traditions and culture. With all this he thinks that there is a need to create a modern Islam on the basis of actual teachings and limitations of Islam so that Muslims can compete with the West generations and live strongly. While the Farah’s perspective is that the extremism is creating a false impression of Muslims. She in her book has given a detailed account on the religion of Islam. Reza has made the Muslims to hope for the best future with the original meaning of Islam which was set by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Farah’s book is best to know about the stories of Islamic history and the today’s events and issues while the Reza’s book has produced some future predictions about the full Reformation of Islam will occur. So we can say that the both writers have done a remarkable work in the fields of Islamic faith and religion.
REFERENCES
Aslan R. (2006). No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks.
Farah C. (2003). Origin, Beliefs and Observance of Islam. New York: Barron’s Educational Series.
Sookhdeo P. (2007). Global Jihad: The Future in the Face of Militant Islam. New York: Isaac Publishing, Inc.
