The Muslim Next Door: The Qur'an, the Media, and That Veil Thing

As a public middle school teacher I had searched for accessible information on Islam for my students since 1993. In light of American media bias and the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, my intent as a teacher of ancient cultures has been to illustrate the shared history, cultures, personalities, and beliefs of the three great monotheistic religions. Prior to 9/11, there were no books written for general public consumption or as student resources. There were erudite PhD treatises available online, but nothing that could be used in a secondary classroom. Following 9/11, many books were written in an attempt to explain Islam and Muslims to the Western world. Again, I found many of the texts to be either dry historical overviews or agenda-ridden commentaries on faith. Finally, a book appeared that was, literally, the answer to my search. Sumbul Ali-Karamali's book, "The Muslim Next Door:the Qur'an, the Media, and that Veil Thing", provides a clear, comprehensive and often entertaining explanation of the religion of Islam and the life of a practicing Muslim. I give full credit to her for adding critical depth and breadth to my, and my students', understanding of Islam and what it shares with Judaism and Christianity.The longest chapter in the book is dedicated to women's status in Islam, providing a powerful counterbalance to media coverage of Saudi Arabia and the Taliban's treatment of women. Ms Ali-Karamali's impeccable academic and professional credentials, as well as her knowledge of Arabic, allows her to identify and correct many misconceptions and misinterpretations of the Qur'an. Her informal writing style, with personal anecdotes to which young people and adults can equally relate, illuminates complex aspects in a clear, understandable way. Not only is this book an invaluable educational tool and a primer for building understanding among different cultures and religions, it will have a profound personal impact on anyone who reads it.

So many books on Islam, you say? Well this one stands out as ultimately readable -- even funny at times -- with profound and touching insight about what it is to be a Muslim HERE and TODAY. Ms. Al-Karamali relies not just on her own experience as a Muslim raised in Southern California but as an educated Islamic scholar to shed light on what is not-so-mysterious and certainly not-to-be-feared about Islam and those who practice it. These topics are complicated and can often be inaccessible, but this book manages to be an enjoyable read while leaving you with a genuine better understanding of our Muslim neighbors.

My husband, who holds a Ph.D. in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University, and I both have read Sumbul Ali-Karamali's book The Muslim Next Door. We recommend it to other readers as a volume that does an excellent job in providing information about the Muslim faith that will help all of us who hold stereotypes about Muslims to break down those stereotypes. Of the 1.6 billion Muslims throughout the world, only a very tiny fraction are terrorists. Yet, since 9/11 there has been a tendency in this country to be wary of Muslims because they just might be terrorists. This apprehension is understandable, but it is not based in fact. Sumbul Ari-Karamali's book presents facts about the Muslim faith and how she has lived it in America that contradict the notion that many Muslims are terrorists. It becomes clear to the reader of this book that American Muslims are no different than other Americans. They practice a faith that is peace-loving, and they are law-abiding supporters of the American Constitution just like the rest of us.

This is a well-written, well-researched overview of what Muslims believe. It's an excellent and painless way to learn about Islam and Muslims. It's not surprising that it's caught the attention of the anti-Islam hate sites (witness the hateful reviews, here, from people who couldn't even have read the book). But demonizing a fifth of the world's population makes as little sense as demonizing all of South America, for example. Our world is too small now to survive without cross-cultural understanding and dialogue. This book is a great contribution.