Why Do they Hate Us?: Making Peace with the Muslim World

by Steve Slocum

With Americans still in shock after watching airliners slam into the twin towers, George W. Bush asked America, “Why do they hate us?”


After 9/11, the world became more fearful, and acts of terrorism were prominent in the news cycles. In Why Do They Hate Us?, author Steve Slocum takes the spotlight off the extremists and instead exposes the heart of the everyday Muslim through Christian outreach.

Why Do They Hate Us? brings the story of Mohammed to life and unveils the storied history of Islam with refreshing detail. Slocum clears up common misconceptions about jihad, Sharia law and the role of women in Islam. He then connects the dots for readers of all faiths between cause and effect for the rise in Islamophobia. Finally, Slocum suggests practical ways to overcome societal fears by face-to-face interaction with our Muslim neighbors.

Why Do They Hate Us? is sprinkled with stories from the lives of everyday Muslims and anecdotes from Slocum’s time in Kazakhstan, allowing the reader to catch a glimpse of a different side of Muslims than portrayed in the media.

“Before reading this book I knew very little about Islam despite a pastoral career. I now feel like I know much more. It left me with a hunger to befriend Muslims.” - Pastor Martha Freeman, M.Div.

Genres: Nonfiction

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2019

About the author

Steve Slocum's debut book, Why Do They Hate Us? Making Peace with the Muslim World , is a Benjamin Franklin Awards silver medalist and was named a top book of 2019 by both Booklist and Kirkus, receiving starred reviews from both. He writes from the wealth of his transformative experiences while living in Kazakhstan as a Christian missionary during the 1990s.

Steve has appeared on the KTLA and CBS8-San Diego morning news programs and speaks at interfaith conferences internationally.

If you want to get inside Steve's ex-Christian head as he contemplates things like sociology in a global society, the intelligence of animals, and the threat of human extinction - and new books, sign up for his newsletter here.

Reviews

[Fazila · Rating 4 out of 5]

FBRC REVIEW :

DISCLAIMER : I received an ARC( advance review copy) of this book for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book.

I loved this book. I gave it 4.5 stars. I believe this is one of the most insightful books written by a Non-Muslim about Muslims. I loved how he structured the book and how the content flowed from one chapter to the other. The story of Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) was written to bring attention to the man Muslims admire and follow. The way the story progresses helps Non-Muslims to understand our Prophet, his life and everything he stood for. I was amazed by the amount of research and effort put into this book to bring forward the kind of information you don't see normally discussed among Non-Muslims. The history of the places and the conflicts that have taken place in the Arab world helps people understand the situations and circumstances Muslims have gone through.

I am not 100% sure of the characterization of the Caliphs and their motives described in the book. But the background info and the political issues and the religious influence will shed light on some of the incidents that happened after the death of the Prophet. I am glad and I respect Slocum's dedication to bringing forward the story of the Muslims and the Arab world respectfully and astutely delivering facts with references.

All you need to know about terrorism, other-ism, suicide bombings, ISIS, Taliban, and other so-called Islamic terrorist organizations is in this book. We get to see what motivates people like them, the ones who do not hesitate to take the lives of innocent people. Is it religious teachings or political problems? Is Islam violent or not? The answers to these questions are laid out bare in this book. Reading this book will give you a brief but concise History lesson and also some Theology lesson with quite a bit of Geography lesson added to it. It's beneficial and crucial in understanding a whole group of innocent individuals.

Slocum's desire for peace is very evident in this book. The stories of his stay in Kazakhstan and his experiences with Muslims helps in providing a positive picture for the day-to-day Americans who are misinformed by the media. I believe strongly that this book is a step in the right direction for educating the public and will open doors for future inter-faith dialogues. The book will provide Americans with a clear perception of the Arab world and the Muslims in the Non-Arab world as well.

The book will tear apart a lot of misconceptions an average American might have about Islam and the various aspects associated with Islam. I loved how Slocum with clear and straightforward language helps with Quranic verses that are often misquoted in the media. He provides not just context but also draws attention to verses in the Bible that might cause issues as well. Why do they hate us? will dismantle all the erroneous notions that you might have build in your mind about Muslims.

A must-read for all people and especially for Americans who are not familiar with Muslims and have deep-seated fear and prejudice towards them. This book will help you understand them and even relate to them. This book is essential and extremely important for anyone who has even the slightest twinge of hatred for Muslims. I guarantee that after reading this book your perceptions and understanding about Muslims as a whole will change forever. You will never be the same person after reading this book and this book will change your lives for the better. Hopefully, it will be helpful in education about Muslims and will help you comprehend who these people are, where they come from, what they believe in, what do they want out of lives?? This book needs to be distributed in classes and community centers and places as such to provide a better picture for Americans.

[Taisynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Why Do They Hate Us: Making Peace with the Muslim World” by Steve Slocum.

“The price of immoral political acts is paid one soul at a time. When suffering takes place far away, the temptation is to impersonalize it, and this somehow makes it easier for us to ignore its cause.” - Steve Slocum

This is a book I got on sale during Amazon’s many summer reading discounts, and I’m glad I bought this book in the wake of what is happening in Afghanistan. My take away is this: we did this. We, as ill-informed Americans have allowed ourselves to slander a religion based on hearsay and conjecture based on fear.

This book was very humbling to me. Not only giving sources and explanations as to the context of the Quran and it’s many teachings, but it It tells the history of Muhammad and his desire for peace. A merciful, thoughtful man who many times showed mercy in the face of adversity.

This book also calls out our ill informed notion that the Muslims and the Quran are trying to force us to follow their religion. A few quotes from this book struck me. “The truth is from your Lord. Whoever wills-let him believe; and whoever wills - let him deny the truth.” (18:29) “The spreading of Islam was not by means of overcoming one’s enemy, but by the power of influence, unrevised by unwavering integrity and equal treatment for all.” “Mohammad never used the term “idolater” to refer to the Jews or Christians- they worshiped the same God. On the contrary, the Quran is clear about affording them respect as ‘The People of the Book.’”

This book covers so much in clear layman’s terms as to what Muslims are and what they actually represent. It paints in clear picture the history, beliefs, and political ideals that vary just as much as the beliefs vary in primarily-Christian, Western society. It corrects the false notion that the Arab world “hates our freedoms.” No, they hate that colonialism and Western-Invasions have destroyed their rights to freedoms. Time and time again, America has deposed Arabic Democracies and put corrupt autocrats in rule instead. Why? Oil.

This book is humbling and eye opening. If anyone wants to understand as to why we got here, please pick up this book. This book was written by a Christian Missionary who traveled to Kazakhstan and become accustomed to the Muslim world. In 2018, he founded a nonprofit called Salaam. Salaam’s mission is to create mutual understanding between Muslims, Christians, Jews, and other faiths. It is religiously unaffiliated.

Every chapter ends with clear sources and links to where he got his information. Every claim and statistic is cited to a source. It is a thoughtful, well researched book that is well worth the purchase.

I think this book is very important, thus why I am sharing my review in hopes more people would take the time to read this. Americans aren’t evil; we’ve just been very ill-informed. We can do better than this. We can educate ourselves and make a change for the better. Reading this book is just a first step.

My Kindle Highlights if you’d like to read some samples of the book: “ https://www.goodreads.com/notes/43726... ”

[Jon Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Approximately one in every four persons alive today is a Muslim."

"...only 25 percent of Americans have ever met a Muslim."

"...most seem ignorant of the fact that over the last few years the Islamic world have produced more female presidents and prime ministers than both Europe and North America combined."

"Mohammed himself was quite secure in the presence of strong women."

"...the original teachings of Mohammed forbid killings except in self defense."

"...physical punishment is mentioned just five times in the entire Quaran. In contrast, a brief survey of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) reveals a steady stream of admonitions to stone blasphemers, adulteresses, worshipers of other gods, or anyone who touched the mountain of God while He was on it."

"Islam was to be something different. It was to grow organically, not by means of overcoming one's enemy, but by power of influence, energized by unwavering integrity and equal treatment for all."

These are just a sampling of words from Steve Slocum's book - "Why Do They Hate Us? Making Peace with the Muslim World." I wish I could put this book into the hands of every American in order to break through the misunderstandings, the fears, the Islamophobia that is being portrayed by so many in the media and elsewhere.

Slocum is writing not as an outsider but one who spent years in Kazakstan as a Christian Missionary learning the Kazak language, sharing his life and love with the Kazak people.

Slocum takes you on a fascinating journey from Mohammed's tragic childhood, his career and marriage and prophetic calling to the building of an Islamic empire and into present day teaching and practice of Islam. He also delves into an intriguing history lesson that reads like a thriller on the United States military operations and often secret and covert missions into Middle Easters lands and how that plays a role in the political world of Islam.

Slocum also does not shy away from those often asked questions. "But what about the radicals? What about Al Qaeda and Osama bin laden? What about ISIS and the Taliban? Why are the Islamic extremists targeting Americans? Why did nineteen Middle Eastern Arabs hijack crowded airliners and fly them into buildings?"

After reading this book I have a greater hunger to spend more time with my Muslim brothers and sisters. And that I believe is the ultimate aim of this book - bringing Muslims and non-Muslims together that we might understand one another, respect one another and love one another and therefore make this world a better place.

[TE · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarely read reviews that are so lengthy that I have difficulty seeing the bottom, and I expect that's true for most other GRers, too; as such, I've been attempting to curtail reviews of books that, typically, either generate genuine admiration, or draw my ire, but this was one of the most difficult books to review I've yet read and posted comments about on GR, as the length of this review demonstrates. First: I didn't dislike this book. Not sure how I'm going to address the "rating" question, as there are so may facets it may just not be possible to actually post one, other than that based on whether I "liked" reading it, whatever that means.

Someone recommended this book to me, as a problematic example of an attempt to explain the question articulated in the title, but it's more than that. Full disclosure about me: I'm an academic. I'm a trained historian, so I deconstruct language and take things apart to examine their constituent elements at their molecular level. That's not terribly hard to do in this case, but there are a lot of facets here. First: the material. Second: the manner in which the subjects therein are even approached by the author. Third: where this books fits in with others of its "type," despite its claim to be an outlier. Here we go.

At the risk of being overly-simplistic myself, how would I describe the work in toto? In a word (forgive me): LOADED, LOADED, LOADED. OK, three words. Some reviewers, and not just those on GR (yes, I had to go to OTHER sources, I had such a difficult time with this) have even bristled at its tone from the outset, and, admittedly, I did too, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. When the author states, for example, that his purpose is to "repay my debt to the wonderful people of Kazakhstan... [and to] tell the story of the silenced Muslim majority," I cringe a bit, but I wonder why that is. Although most would say that finding ANY voice attempting to represent the "silenced Muslim majority" would be fraught with difficulty, most would also say it should at least be a voice of the "Muslim majority" rather than this Westerner claiming to have some enlightened insight into Muslim culture by spending a mere five years living in a foreign country. Fair enough.

The author states also that in his search, he found books that focused on politics, positive and negative discussions of the teachings of Islam, Islamic history and works on modern extremism and terrorism, but, in his words, "I didn't find a single book that connected all the dots and answered my question, from the perspective of a Non-Muslim. 'Why Do They Hate Us?' is that book." Alrighty, then. Ambitious, at least. Even the question is highly inflammatory and problematic, however, and that's probably the point. As the author notes, identifying who "they" are is also a challenge, not withstanding the fact that many would oppose the use of the othering "they" in the first place. "Painting an accurate portrait of the rest of the world's 1.7 billion souls" will be nothing short of an impossible undertaking, because "Muslim" isn't a homogenous group. (As I hope he did,) just ask the Kazakhs, and countless other peoples of various "cultures," which is more properly described as cultural traditions, many of which are Islam-inspired, at least, but far from homogenous, or united.

So, who is this guy? Short answer: Christian Missionary, out to convert the heathen (sarcasm; sort of). My first thought: here we go.... It's certainly not the whole story, however, nor the totality of the author's perspective, let alone his overall being. Perspective and the lens of bias is, however, critically important when reading this type of expose, especially since it seems the story of his own personal journey, through his own perspective and its own inherent bias, than anything definitive or claiming to represent anyone else, which is fine. First, this book states that it's in the RELIGION/ECUMENISM AND INTERFAITH section. Um... ok. As for the reviewer who appears on the back cover who stated that it constitutes "a clear, concise and thoughtful introduction to Islam," I would add HIGHLY simplistic, almost to the point of reductionism. Is there an "Islam's mainstream" (his term, not mine). I doubt it.

I don't want to get into the weeds too much, so I will likewise be highly overgeneralizing (!) in my comments. The book is comprised of several sections, starting with an introduction (and I mean *basic* introduction) to Islam's long, storied but convoluted history. It then focuses on the major tenets of Islam and its multiple groups, as well as teachings related to the treatment of adherents to the other monotheistic religions. The fourth section was the most impactful, to me, as it addressed the main question posed by the book: Why do they hate us? The conclusion is, according to the author, "they" don't; but, based on the treatment of Muslim-majority nations, we would do well to ask ourselves why "we" hate "them." I get where the author's going here, but this chapter, and some of the material in the others, borders on apologetic. The last chapter before the appendix explores some ways we can find reconciliation. The various appendices provide a brief around-the-Muslim-world description of Muslim-majority nations, VERY briefly and generally, but it's a good introduction.

The book definitely goes out of its way to eschew anything controversial about the teachings or history of Islam, however, which is problematic for me. For example, the author states: "We must recognize that it was the grandparents of today's working age Muslims who experienced the nightmare of European colonialism. Entire races [?] and ethnic groups suffered deep, collective trauma. In the same ay a boy who has been beaten by an abusive father [!] might live out his entire life angrily proving to himself and to the world that he is worthy of respect, so the Muslim world is still living out of their reaction to the violence and disrespect they experienced under colonialism. The expression of Islam that emerged does not reflect the essence of Islam in paradise, but rather a response to Western Christian oppression." Wow.

Another example: in discussing Muhammed's "secur[ity] in the presence of strong women," the author mentions that Muhammed's first wife was fifteen years his senior, and "his youngest wife, Aisha, apparently had no problem standing up to [him]. Far from having a submissive role in a male-dominated society, in the famous 'Battle of the Camel,' the camel was Aisha's as she passionately led the army the fray." [although she ultimately lost the battle] What is not mentioned, however, is the age of this "youngest wife": her exact age at marriage is hotly debated, even today, as it is not mentioned in the Qur'an, but several ahadith suggest that she was a child bride, possibly marrying as young as six or seven. Islamic historian Al-Tabari states that she was nine at the time the marriage was actually consummated. Likewise, Sahih al-Bukhari's hadith states that she was married at six and the marriage was consummated when she was nine, which many people rightly take issue with. It is important not to judge, per se, cultural traditions and societal norms of the distant past, but as many consider Muhammed to be the ideal man, one to be emulated in almost every aspect of life, it is worth discussing where child marriage fits in, as it is still commonly practiced today by those who cite these ahadith as an authority and a sanction.

I was also a bit irked by the factual errors scattered throughout, some pretty basic - i.e. "The first Muslim was Mohammed." NO. Most Muslims believe that the first Muslim was ADAM, followed by especially the Prophets of old; according to the definition of "Muslim," meaning one who submits, they meet the definition, as they all submitted to the will of God. I might have started with the definition of "Islam" and "Muslim," as many readers are unfamiliar with even the basic terms and concepts. In that light, the above error is a pretty grave one. In Islamic tradition, Muhammed was the FINAL Prophet, but not the first. In a similar light, there are just views, reflected in the passages, which for some reason, just rubbed me the wrong way, so to speak, I think because they continue to "exoticize" the people and places the author describes and is apparently attempting to make familiar, going so far as to use the word in describing "exotic Cairo." I think this is a preeminent example of inherent or unconscious bias, one that a person is unaware of, but their words clearly reflect it. Another example: when describing traveling to the Middle East, he writes: "The ultimate prize is being invited by a local family to a meal in their home. This is where you find yourselves on the pages of National Geographic magazine, experiencing the core element of a culture..." Um... wat? We got a looooong way to go if you think that the pages of a National Geographic magazine represent the "core element of a culture," not to mention thinking of an invitation by a *person* to their home be a "prize." Sigh.

I may be overly critical here, because I think that this is a fair introduction to the material, and it is presented in a way that a Christian audience may be familiar with and more willing to read, but so much of the text still reflects the "othering" and exoticization of groups of people, going so far as to focus on their skin color, in some instances: visiting a mosque, he observed, "I see the ebony skin color of Africans (!), the rich mocha colors of the Indian subcontinent, the tans of the Middle east, and a few with skin tone lighter than my own. Most are dressed normally (??), but a few are wearing white robes and some are dressed in their traditional national clothing."

Bro. BRO. Just... no.

Personally, I much preferred Reza Azlan's "No God but God," but the subject matter has significantly more depth and might be difficult for some readers with little to no familiarity with it. Probably anything at this point that attempts to get people to learn about each other is a good thing, but it's also important to be accurate and comprehensive, also acknowledging the disagreements and complexities of rich cultural and religious traditions.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this is an important book that should be read by every American. I learned a lot about the history of many of the conflicts in the world. The author does a good job of explaining how different events are interrelated and about some of the unintended consequences of actions by the United States.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Very good background and history. I strongly recommend it.

[Steve Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really a primer on the history of western interaction with the Muslim world and the mutual perceptions each of the other. It is by no means exhaustive, nor is it that well written or well structured, just skimming the surface it does however, pose questions everyone should be asking themselves on both sides of the equation. The whole idea of unjustified and inexplicable Muslim antipathy to the west is well exposed as a fallacy largely propagated by politicians serving their own self interest of the interests of powerful business entities. The painting of all Muslims with the one brush of extremism is laid bare as a nonsense, more importantly the cynical action of western powers over more than two centuries is placed rightly at the centre of the mess that is the Middle East. A good starting point for anyone inclined to question the blithe pronouncements of our erstwhile leadership.

[David L. Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, well written book by Steve Slocum. He provides objective as well as personal observations to help the reader understand the people who established and follow Islam. Many facts are provided to educate and support opinions as well as to dispell some popular ideas.

Steve's book belongs in everyone's library as a resource to learn and understand the Muslim world and why we are in our present circumstances.

[Dennis Gunnarson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. A must read. Steve does a brilliant job of distilling down the history of Islam, the heart behind the faith and experiences between the Muslim and Christian worlds that have impacted the world we now live in. He makes an incredible case for politics driving today's conflict and true religion being the tempering agent.

[Teri Rider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I am the publisher, however the reason I chose to publish this book is because of its value to the reader to gain an understanding of the Muslims they are neighbors with, or that go to the same school, or they work with. This book is about Peace and seeing that we are all brothers and sisters on this planet and how we can celebrate our differences as well as similarities.

[Johnny Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Steve takes the reader on a fascinating story, shares experiences of his own life and logically sets the pace of the book. An interesting read, but more importantly, the kind of book we need now in a highly divisive American. I highly recommend reading.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short version: every American adult should read this book. No exceptions.

The longer version: a readable and informative introduction to Islam, its history, its varieties, and to the interactions of Christians and Muslims. It's well-researched, fair-minded, and in general clearly written. I do wish it had been better edited in a couple of places--that's why it's not five stars for me. But it's so close!

Things I really appreciated:
1. This may be the best, clearest explanation of Mohammed's life and how it influenced his spirituality I have ever read. I especially appreciated how Slocum, by examining Mohammed's life story, puts some of the harsher verses of the Koran in context. Like Christ, Mohammed put a great emphasis on justice to the poor, generosity, and compassion.

2. Along the same lines, I appreciated knowing how the house of Saud gained power and where Wahabism came from. (I agree with Slocum that the men who founded this movement were demonic. It is a very minor branch of Islam, seen as heretical and hated and feared by the vast majority.)

3. And I really loved his examination of the anti-Muslim stereotypes in American popular culture. The Palestinians, in particular, have been demonized. It's a safe guess that most Americans don't know who the Palestinians are, where they came from, or what they actually want. To read about some of the ways they're portrayed in film and TV is both laughable and horrifying.

4. Finally, his call for peace-making and personal friendship is empowering to good people on both sides. There are actually things we can do to make things better!

On the minus side, I wish the book had been better edited in a couple of places. For example, here's a quote from page 103. "In pre-Islamic times, there was no concept of one all-powerful and loving God who cared for his creation and involved himself in their lives on an individual basis." Really? You mean the Jewish and Christian God did not do so? If you read on, it becomes clear that Slocum is referring to the spirituality and perceptions of nomadic Arab pagans, people who had never heard of Jesus or Yaweh. And, as Slocum explains, part of Mohammed's purpose--a large part--was to bring knowledge of Yaweh and Jesus to these people. Still, sentences like these could be a turn-off to the Christian readers Slocum is trying to reach.

But there are only a couple such glitches in the book, which is both eye-opening and inspiring. It should be read and discussed--yes, and acted on.

[Ted Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author makes the case that mainstream Muslims are peace-loving people who bear no animosity to other people, cultures or religions. He provides an in-depth explanation of Islam, starting at the beginning with Mohammed and leading to the four major divisions: Sunni, Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi. He explains the political events and governmental actions of the last 100 years that gave birth to the radical extremists that give Islam a bad name it doesn't deserve.

As a Jew who recently visited Israel, I struggled with Mr. Slocum's take on Israel and Palestine. He presents only the Palestinian side of the story, and states that the American point of view is distorted by pro-Zionist news media and propaganda funded by "wealthy and powerful networks in both Britain and the United States." He then bails out on the subject as being "beyond the scope of this book", and refers the reader to other sources.

This is an excellent book, and well worth your time.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is an important, relevant book...and I appreciate the careful research that went into its writing. I have always been empathetic toward those who are Muslim and practice Islam...and I also suspected that the stereotypical images of the religion and those who practice it were questionable. This book confirmed my opinions and suppositions with sound research, both historical and modern, as well as personal stories from the author’s own experiences. The book is written with empathy but also with a critical eye of how we as Americans, unfairly view the Muslim community based on our own ignorance and intolerance of those with different cultural and religious traditions. Another view set forth is just how closely Christianity and Islam align in both belief and moral values. Educate yourself! Read this book!

[Michael Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess the tragedy of 9-11 put Muslims in a bad light in this country. I lost a dear Friend in the World Trade Center collapse. The history of Muslim and Christian hate goes back centuries. This book explained the origins of various sects. It also explained how the Prophet Muhammad started in his ministry. I do NOT hate Muslims. Some of the problems created by ISIS have probably been repeated by Christians or other religions elsewhere. This book is an imitation of real life as the situation in Syria is now worsening.

[Barry Sk · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a fantastic book, my favourite parts were in the initial chapters about the origins of Islam. I had learned about Islam at school, but that was over 20 years ago and many of the details were lost to time. This book presented the information in a really simple to digest way, which I really enjoyed. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the rest of the book! I just thought I would tell you about my favourite part.

[Ashish Vyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief, but very informative. Author is an evangelical pastor, who lives 5 years in Kazakhstan, where he sees simple, loving muslims, who had larger than life hospitality for their guests. He learned about Islam. He has given brief hx of islam and how it evolved and the origins of discontent. Majority of muslims, like everyone else, are peaceloving. Rise of agitation, extremist, was started to thwart political suppression and not religious. I recommend everyone should read it to understand.