MUSLIM, by Hank Hanegraaff

This is an informative and educational book about the Ialam. The author, Hank Hanegraaff, allows Robert Spencer, author the the book JIHAD WATCH, to do the Foreward for this book. Then he writes a long 13 page Introduction. It has under 200 pages of actual text. This text is spread across six chapters. It contains 74 pages of notes for each chapter. Hanegraaff follows the text with an Afterward, an Appendix, a Glossary, Suggestions for Further Reading, Acknowledgements, the 74 pages of Notes, a general index, a Scripture index, a QUR'AN index, and an author bio. Hanegraaff is the President of Christian Research Institute. has written more than 20 books, hosts THE BIBLE ANSWER NAN and is honored as one of the top Christian thinkers.

This book is all that I have expected. I found it a well-researched, factual, educational, and Christ-centered book. Because of the subheadings, I could stop and start at will and I appreciated that. Mr. Hanegraaff's solidly conservative worldview comes through from cover to cover. Mr. Hanegraaff contends that Islam is not a "religion of peace" and backs this up with quotes from the Qu'ran. In no uncertain terms, he names and calls out multiple politicians and who contend that Islam is a "religion of peace" in the name of political correctness. I was and am appalled and sickened, at many specific examples of brutality and barbarism on the part of Muslims, especially on Muslim women. And Mr. Hanegraaff makes his case for how the Qu'ran advocates these depraved acts in the name of obideience to Allah. And he also argues for how the Christian God and the Muslim Allah are diametrically different.

I recommend this book for every Christian. It is absolutely essential to educate ourselves about Islam and what actually drives terrorism. Islam is now the fastest growing religion, especially in the West. By Islam there is no intention to denigrate Muslims but the religion/political ideology which many are born int and raised in. I also recommend this book to Muslims who are disillusioned with Islam and are desire to look into something different. I received a complimentary copy of this book through BOOKLOOKBLOGGERS in exchange for my honest review of this book. I was not required to give a positive review of this book.

Answering Jihad by Nabeel Qureshi

This is a primer on Ilam, Muslims, radical Islam and a how to book. The author, Nabeel Qureshi, is a former Muslim. He grew up in a Muslim family. He left Islam to become a follower of Jesus. He is the New York Times bestselling author of the book Seeking Allah Finding Jesus. Qureshi is a speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. He wrote Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward as a primer to introduce U.S. citizens to to the entire question of Islam, Jihad and how to respond to these serious issues facing the West. He starts this entire book with a Preface to tell the reader why he wrote this book, and provides background for why he believes this book is needed. He provides a brief Acknowledgments page to thank those who made this book possible. He provides a Further Reading and Indebtedness page, giving the purpose of this book. Qureshi then gives a few pages of introduction to this book. This book is oreganized in three parts. Part 1 is The Origins of Jihad. Part 2 is Jihad Today and Part 3 is Jihad In Judeo-Christian Context. Instead of chapters, Quereshi organizes this book in questions, 18 of them. He ends this book with four appendices that answer techical questions about Islam. He finishes his book with a Glossary of Islam-related terms. The book ends with a sneak peak into a forthcoming book by the author.

I found this book to be very informative. I knew of this author because I have his book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, which I haven't yet read. This book, Answering Jihad, packs a lot of info into concise text. I found it easy to follow, as he uses subheadings and uses a question format. I found this book to be interesting. It was what I had expected, sound, researched and based on his own life experiences. He has credibility because he is a Muslim-background Christian. I never knew that most Muslims are Sunni Muslims and that the Shia sect is only a small minority. Nor did I realize that Islam and radical Islam are connected. Radcal Islam, as the author points out, isn't a separate form of Islam, but radicalized Islam. I suspected, but didn't realize until I read this book, that radicalized Muslims derive ther ideology from the Quran itself. THe majority of "good, peaceful" Muslims are actually Muslims who don't take the Quran seriously or read it. Or, they are secularized. I have always heard either that "Islam is a religion of peace" or that "Islam is a cult of death" and that Muslims are dangerous as a group. The two GOP front-runners are both passing around the second error about Muslims being people who need to be banned from the country, or monitored. Our President and many others declare, Islam is a religion of peace." Qureshi shows how neither extreme view of Islam are both dangerous. He shows how relating to Muslims out of fear and hate is not only unwise but immoral. Many readers may not like his solution, based on Christ's teachings, that prayer, nonviolence and loving one's enemies is the approach to terrorism. This is based on the author's worldview and his faithfulness to the Bible.

This is such an important, vital book. I recommend it for everyone. I recommend it to every pastor. Each pastor needs to educate himself about Islam, Muslims, terrorism, and how to respond to it all. Christians need to know how to rise above fear and prejudice and reach out to local Muslims. This book will lay out general principles for pastors though it doesn't get specific. I suggest this book to every Chrstian in order to get educated about Islam, Muslims, terrorism and how to approach them. This book should be required reading in every seminary and Christian college. I recommend this book to any interested Muslim, who may be interested in the section about Christianity vs. Islam. Muslims may become educated about Christianity and how it different from Islam. Maybe a youth version of this book should be written. With the Muslim students in our schools, other students need to get educated about Islam and Muslims from a Christian perspective.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booklook Bloggers, in exchange for my honest review. I wasn't required to give a favorable review of this book.

Dangerous Love by Ray Norman

This is the memoir of the experiences of Western missionaries. The book opens with the heartrending tragedy that will define much of this book's narrative. Ray Norman tells his story, and his family's story, in 11 chapters. He ends in a postscript that updates the reader about what is going on with him and his family. Norman ends it all with with ackknwledgments about those who made this book posdible. The very end of this book ends with his bio. This author was raised in rural West Africa. His own parents had been medical missionaries. After he finished schooling, he worked in Africa and the Middle East for over 15 years. In 1999, he jined World Vision International as the national Director for Mauritania, an Islamic nation. At one point, he returned to the U.S. so his children could finish their educations. He retuned to World Vision in various administrative roles. Currently, he and his wifeserve in villages and areas in the West. The rest of the time they travel. The author has two grown children.

This book is an education. It educates us on the unique challenges faced by missionary families. It educates us on the major challenges that Muslims face in their countries. The beginning re-enactment of the defining event of this entire book, drew me in right away. This book is fairly easy to read. But because this is set in a fifferent culture, I got lost in the narrative sometimes. As I read the recounting of the attack on the author and his daughter, I wondered, "Where was the wife/mother during all of this?" I didn't grasp until later in the text, that she had been traveling during this time. I was unclear as to why she went on that trip. I could not understand her cold response to her husband when she came back. She even seemed angry at him for "letting himself and our daughter" get attacked." I took a dislike to her ever since, though the author, her husband stressed that she had warned him to be careful of such attacks and had been traumatized herself. From the portrayal of the daughter, she seemed to be wise beyond her years. I found myself feeling a pang of envy for this family. This author testifies to how God moved unmistakably in his family and in the lives of many Muslims he and his family served. This family and Christians outside the West, are often richer than us in the West. They are richer in the ways that count. They have spiritual weath and are richer relationally. I liked the author's openness about his emotional struggles. He denies that he is a hero. I thought he was overly generous in taking more than his share of responsibility for situations he faced, including the attack on him and his daughter. This book made me yearn for a different Christianity than what is usually seen in the West.

I recommend this book for every person interested in overseas missionary work. This book will give you an accurate picture of what overseas missionary work is like, especially in hostile areas. This book will give you an honest view of the unique challenges and rewards of such involvement. You will see that while it is hard, it is worth it. I recommend this book for every pastor. It will not only bless them but also give them a realistic picture of what being an overseas missionary is like. They may appreciate betterthe unique challenges and rewards of their members who may be or want to be overseas missionaries. I recommend this book for another group who may be uncomfortable with its message. This is the many in Western Christendom who have come to confuse cultural Christianity with Biblical Christianity. This book will show you that the two are very different. THe author and his family had been outside the West for a long time. So their walks with Jesus were not influences by Western compromise. This book can be a wake-up call for many Christians.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booklook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give this book a favorable review.

Hiding In the Light by Rifqa Bary

This book is a memoir that reads like fiction. It was written by a young woman who converted to Christianity out of Islam. Rifqa Bary, whose full name is Fatima Rifqa Bary, is the 16 year old teenage girl who made headlines in 2009 because, in fear of being killed by her father in an "honor killing," ran away from her Ohio Muslim home and never returned to her Muslim family. She tells her story though there are still security concerns about her life and she lives in an undisclosed location. She structures her book like a fast-paced novel and all the highly dramatic events of her life make for highly riveting, spellbinding, sometimes intense reading. She dedicates the book to her little brother, who she had to leave behind when she fled her Muslim home. She begins her book with a Prologue that dramatizes the events leading up to her fleeing her Muslim home to save her life. Then she launches into the novel-like telling of her life. The book ends with discussion questions to make readers think about their own walks with Jesus. No ghostwriter was used in this memoir, which is often done in such memoirs.

I expected this book to be a high-drama and riveting book and it is. I was aware of Rifqa Bary's case when it made headlines at the time but I don't remember following it closely. I found myself being appalled at how this author's's Muslim parents treated her since the age of six, all based on their Muslim views on what constitutes the worth of a female. This author makes it clear that she has no desire to denigrate Islam or Muslims but this book fleshes out how repressive Islam can be if it is taken seriously. I was excited about getting this book for review as I have been closely following the reports of Muslim movements to the Person of Jesus Christ all over the world as He reveals Himself to many through dreams and visions. I was not surprised to read of the author's own experience with dreams and visions but I don't want to include spoilers. Despite this author's many trials and hardships in life, I could not feel sorry for her. Why? She clearly had a wonderful experience with the Person of Jesus Christ that had such an impact on her that she was willing to give up all things for this Jesus. While I applaud the phenomenon of dreams and visions to reveal the love of Jesus to Muslims, I wonder if there is a temptation to base their faith on heavenly dreams and visions rather than on the historical Scriptures. Though the author grew up in the United States for most of her life, she was free of the influence of consumerism, materialism, relativism and many of our other "isms" because of her solidly Muslim home. I feel a pang of envy for her because of this. I was relieved that she made it out alive and well as she fled her Muslim father's home to save her life. God revealed Himself to her in very personal ways, showing her His personal care for her. I feel a pang of envy for her here! I can make no claims to hearing audibly from God, having Him visit me through any dreams or visions, or supernatural healings. I have had to appreciate Him by naked faith. Many people badly need the message of this book and will relate to this author, whether for being survivors of abuse or Muslims. Like it or not, it seems that God is focusing His revelations and mighty miracles among people in the Muslim world and even in Muslim communities in the West. But this book, for its powerful and needed message and merit, is not without its issues. The main issue I see is her experience with supernatural healing from cancer. Now I believe that God is capable of healing and does heal today, especially in developing countries where there is limited access to medical care. I have no problem with healing of itself but it was the way this author tells us about her healing, failing to offer any disclaimer that her story is meant to be descriptive, not proscriptive. The issue is that other readers with chronic illnesses will think that to trust God and obey Him, that they too, like the author, can and should forgo medical treatments and "leave it in God's hands." God does not answer many prayers for physical healing and I feel that a disclaimer should have been included. But the author is young and also may be unaware of many trends in Western culture. Also, there is little theology in this book. Hopefully, readers who use treatments vital to their health and even lives, who read this book will exercise common sense and realize that the author is talking about herself and is not telling anyone else what to do. No, I do not envy her abusive past but all that she learned from it and her stunning security in God are to be envied!

I recommend this book for every Christian and every Muslim. So many followers of Jesus have prejudices and ignorance about Muslims. While this book is mostly about Rifqa Bary's own life and experiences, it offers people of faith a valuable glimpse into the Muslim world and into the life of one Muslim who converts to the Person of Jesus Christ and literally leaves all to follow Him. This book will cause you to examine the depth of your own relationship with Jesus if you are a follower of His. If you are a Muslim, please read this book! It was written primarily to show you that the heart of Jesus is wide open to Muslims and He is all you are looking for. Read it with an open mind and see if Jesus reveals Himself to you.

I received this book free of charge through Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to give a positive review of this book.

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Author Bio

Ex-Muslim, by Naeem Fazal

This book, mostly memoir and part motivational, is written by a Pastor of a current multiethnic congregation. Born and raised in Kuwait and raised as a Muslim, Fazal and his family lived through the Gulf war. He and his family were still living in Kuwait before they emigrated to the United States, to make their home in South Carolina. Though conversion to Christ was seen as treason by his Muslim parents, Fazal turned his life to Jesus. Fazal found a real purpose and zest in life that led to a full life of marriage and ministry.

I found this book personal, encouraging, and challenging. That was pretty much what I expected out of this book. I found this book hard to follow at times, and I was unclear as to where his Pakistani origins fit in. Fazal is very honest about himself before and after he came to know Christ. When he and his family were still in Kuwait, one of Fazal's brother's shared his faith with Fazal, challenging him, "Ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. He will, in His time." But it wasn't until they came to the US to live in South Carolina, that Fazal turned to Jesus, encountering both Jesus and the devil in his quest for the supernatural. I'm aware and Fazal is aware, that many people, even believers, will dismiss him as mentally unstable. Yet God is not limited by conventional means in revealing Himself to us and reports tell us that He often reveals Himself to Muslims through dreams and visions. In closed or restricted societies, like North Korea, He is reported to work in this way. This book shows the deep divide between what this author calls the Western style of "doing church" and actually "pursuing the Savior," and I wonder how much our Western model of organized Christendom can actually drive us from, rather than to, Jesus Himself. The author's baggage, while real, was basically uninfluenced by our Western mind-set.

I recommend every person to read this personal but challenging book. I recommend every Christian read it and not only to learn about how best to reach Muslims. We need to read it because Fazal helps us see the deep divide between Americal Christianity and biblical discipleship and between "churchianity" and following Jesus. We will gain insight into how to reach Muslims and question the quality of our relationships with God. I recommend that every non-believers, especially Muslims, read this book because it lets them that Jesus can be to them what they look for in Allah, and far more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booklook Bloggers.com in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review of this book.