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Why I Am a Muslim: An American Odyssey
The Pakistani-American writer discusses her commitment to Islam, her relationship to the American experience, and the parallels between Islamic and American values, offering a moving celebration of faith that is part confessional, part polemic, part memoir.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
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77 people want to read
About the author
Asma Gull Hasan
4 books5 followersAsma Gull Hasan is an American writer and lawyer. Born to Pakistani immigrant parents in Chicago, Illinois, she grew up in Pueblo, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 31, 2011
Simply but engagingly written, Why I Am a Muslim is more of a personal narrative than an in-depth analysis of Islam. Ms. Hasan covers the basic tenets of Islam as well as the interaction between the religion itself and various cultural traditions (such as female genital mutilation, polygamy, even wearing the hijab) that have gained religious status in some areas where Islam is followed. She explains that the vast majority of Muslims are not Arab - indeed only about 20% are. She describes Sufism in glowing terms and points out the decentralized nature of Islam. And in her final chapter, Ms. Hasan highlights the many parallels between Islam and American values.
One interesting doctrine I hadn't heard before is fitra - all people are born Muslim in the sense that "we are born wanting to submit to God's will, that we are all born innocent and able to recognize right from wrong." What a beautiful contrast to the idea of "original sin"!
Other high points include:
* All people are responsible for their own actions and will be judged on the spiritual guidance they have received.
* Each person has a different path to God.
* Jihad is "a spiritual struggle or an internal struggle against temptations...a challenge from God to improve oneself constantly."
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
One interesting doctrine I hadn't heard before is fitra - all people are born Muslim in the sense that "we are born wanting to submit to God's will, that we are all born innocent and able to recognize right from wrong." What a beautiful contrast to the idea of "original sin"!
Other high points include:
* All people are responsible for their own actions and will be judged on the spiritual guidance they have received.
* Each person has a different path to God.
* Jihad is "a spiritual struggle or an internal struggle against temptations...a challenge from God to improve oneself constantly."
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
May 18, 2012
Brilliant Read!! A breath of fresh air really. I don't get to hear someone talk positively about this religion- ever- so wanting to learn more about something that everyone seems to hate I got a couple books. This was the first one I read- and I'm glad I did. She's a wonderful writer- full of logic and has an air for story telling that I've only heard of the native american's having. But hell- she talks about her mother thinking everyone is related. so why not? maybe there is some relation there as well.
She answers some questions on women and being Muslim- my main questions really. It had always concerned me a little- ideas that there was ANOTHER religion that oppressed women. and this really wasn't- don't get me wrong- she never once denied that it didn't happen.
but- she just made it more... Muslim american women are not oppressed because it is not part of islam (or being Muslim. I'm still learning that wording of everything)
And for my fellow trekies- Muslims have their own version of 'Live long and prosper.' ;)
((Please note that I am not trying to offend anyone with that last line- I just like finding things in common between things I love and things other people love. it helps me relate to people better and I like to pass on things like this to show we are not so different from each other. If these little things can be found in common that why not bigger things as well?))
She answers some questions on women and being Muslim- my main questions really. It had always concerned me a little- ideas that there was ANOTHER religion that oppressed women. and this really wasn't- don't get me wrong- she never once denied that it didn't happen.
but- she just made it more... Muslim american women are not oppressed because it is not part of islam (or being Muslim. I'm still learning that wording of everything)
And for my fellow trekies- Muslims have their own version of 'Live long and prosper.' ;)
((Please note that I am not trying to offend anyone with that last line- I just like finding things in common between things I love and things other people love. it helps me relate to people better and I like to pass on things like this to show we are not so different from each other. If these little things can be found in common that why not bigger things as well?))
February 16, 2010
smart & factual stories about being muslims in america, and how being muslim & being american share the same values.
April 9, 2010
Very accessible and easy to read. I liked the author's progressive interpretations of the Qu'ran and her openness and sense of humor in recounting her life experience.
December 13, 2018
Awesome, based on a very good research and author personal experience. Being a Muslim learnt alot as I was unaware of many thing's.
In the first few pages you will laugh and at the 2nd part you will cry and at the last you will get know what really Islam and how it changed the entire world.
In the first few pages you will laugh and at the 2nd part you will cry and at the last you will get know what really Islam and how it changed the entire world.
January 14, 2013
A MUST READ!
I absolutely loved this book, the soft-manner of writing and easy read made it that much more enjoyable. I definitely related to it, and the spiritual aspect is what hit home for me. Many speak of Islam as if a rule book, but they forget the spirituality, intentions, love, and mercy.
I've seen that several people attacked this book and the writer as being inaccurate and too progressive, but what they fail to realize is that their views are based on conservative schools of thought like (Shafi'i and Hanbali), and hers seem to be from the more liberal schools (Hanafi and Maliki). They have been there for decades, and are based on scholarly work (ijtihad by Muslim Scholars) and prophetic traditions. All schools of thought are respected by one another and guide us in matters that are vaguely stated in the Quran through prophetic tradition, so though two different schools have two different views on a subject, and are supported by factual saheeh hadeeths, not one can say the other is incorrect but only that they have a different opinion in this matter based on their ijtihad.
It's when people base their opinions on conservative cultural tradition, and then try to act like they have more knowledge than scholars (and have done little to no research on what all schools say about controversial subjects), is when this attack takes place. Though, I do think in some areas she wasn't clear or used the wrong words to explain (like when she spoke about how the Taj Mahal had a black stone so not to be perfect, because only God is, but the thing is the Taj Mahal will still be imperfect even without that black stone, because only God is anyway), also another part is when she was talking about shrines, though she said we only believe in praying to God, talking about praying at shrines is ok because people do it, but she should have stressed the point that it isn't ok, even if someone is more spiritual than we are, God will still listen to us, we don't need to go to someone to pray for us, we already have a direct connection with God. But other than that, I think in general she really did a good job.
Finally, this book is about why ASMA HASAN is a Muslim, people say there are better books to learn about Islam, but this is her experience in Islam she did not write a scholarly book it's a book based on her experience, and actually it is a GREAT book to learn about a side of Islam that has been oppressed by conservatives and the like. So there you have it!
I absolutely loved this book, the soft-manner of writing and easy read made it that much more enjoyable. I definitely related to it, and the spiritual aspect is what hit home for me. Many speak of Islam as if a rule book, but they forget the spirituality, intentions, love, and mercy.
I've seen that several people attacked this book and the writer as being inaccurate and too progressive, but what they fail to realize is that their views are based on conservative schools of thought like (Shafi'i and Hanbali), and hers seem to be from the more liberal schools (Hanafi and Maliki). They have been there for decades, and are based on scholarly work (ijtihad by Muslim Scholars) and prophetic traditions. All schools of thought are respected by one another and guide us in matters that are vaguely stated in the Quran through prophetic tradition, so though two different schools have two different views on a subject, and are supported by factual saheeh hadeeths, not one can say the other is incorrect but only that they have a different opinion in this matter based on their ijtihad.
It's when people base their opinions on conservative cultural tradition, and then try to act like they have more knowledge than scholars (and have done little to no research on what all schools say about controversial subjects), is when this attack takes place. Though, I do think in some areas she wasn't clear or used the wrong words to explain (like when she spoke about how the Taj Mahal had a black stone so not to be perfect, because only God is, but the thing is the Taj Mahal will still be imperfect even without that black stone, because only God is anyway), also another part is when she was talking about shrines, though she said we only believe in praying to God, talking about praying at shrines is ok because people do it, but she should have stressed the point that it isn't ok, even if someone is more spiritual than we are, God will still listen to us, we don't need to go to someone to pray for us, we already have a direct connection with God. But other than that, I think in general she really did a good job.
Finally, this book is about why ASMA HASAN is a Muslim, people say there are better books to learn about Islam, but this is her experience in Islam she did not write a scholarly book it's a book based on her experience, and actually it is a GREAT book to learn about a side of Islam that has been oppressed by conservatives and the like. So there you have it!
January 9, 2014
When I first started reading this book, I wondered why i had bought it. (It was on sale). As a Muslim it was boring me. It read like a starter book on snippets of Islam. Then she spoke about Sufism in depth. Now as much as I find Sufism very interesting it seemed to go on for a long time. I love the spiritual side of it but the praying at shrines & whirling dervishes is just to much for me. For a non Muslim this would probably be rather interesting though. I read on and it felt like the author seemed to quote Karen Armstrong rather often. This did make me wonder if she can read/understand Arabic herself? Or just English translations of the Quran? Some of the things she says are not common thought amongst many Muslims. A major thing (the difference of opinion on Aichas age at marriage) was not even discussed. This surprised me a little but then I supposed this book is about her beliefs no one else's.
Towards the end of the book she states some cultural practises are harmless (having happily married women around at south Asian weddings). Yet previously this practise stopped a widow being more involved in her own daughters wedding? Not so harmless after all..
However I appreciate she makes it quite clear that's this is cultural and not Islamic.
Parts of this book bored me. Parts of it surprised me. Yet I also enjoyed a lot of it. I would definitely recommend it to non Muslims. But not too sure what a Muslim would get out of it. My fault, not the authors. She didn't tell me to read it!
Towards the end of the book she states some cultural practises are harmless (having happily married women around at south Asian weddings). Yet previously this practise stopped a widow being more involved in her own daughters wedding? Not so harmless after all..
However I appreciate she makes it quite clear that's this is cultural and not Islamic.
Parts of this book bored me. Parts of it surprised me. Yet I also enjoyed a lot of it. I would definitely recommend it to non Muslims. But not too sure what a Muslim would get out of it. My fault, not the authors. She didn't tell me to read it!
March 11, 2015
this book was horrible , it was a disaster , it was very badly written and had no sense what so ever ,
its by a writer called asma gul hasan ,
she starts by saying that when she as in college In 1980's in the the united states of America,
she used to watch tv in which they talked about christmas but not about eid , he then says that God knows all our thoughts,
after that she says that islam is a religion of peace and there should be not compulsions in religion,
it was terrible,.
its by a writer called asma gul hasan ,
she starts by saying that when she as in college In 1980's in the the united states of America,
she used to watch tv in which they talked about christmas but not about eid , he then says that God knows all our thoughts,
after that she says that islam is a religion of peace and there should be not compulsions in religion,
it was terrible,.
November 4, 2009
Trying to find time for this and a few other books in anticipation of a future class HIS 2543 Intro to Islamic Civilization.
May 14, 2024
I think there’s a lot here for many types of readers. There are really two main purposes of this book: the first as a response to the new wave of Islamophobia in the U.S. after 9/11, the second, to serve as a memoir. The book offers a window into the religion of Islam many Americans may not have been able to peer through, especially with the chapters on Sufism. I recommend this book to anyone interested in interfaith, or a good memoir.
October 4, 2018
Very insightful and thought provoking.
June 27, 2012
From a purely technical standpoint, this book could have used tighter editing. There are unnecessary repetitions, and the essays never feel as well-honed as they could be. However, Asma Gull Hasan writes in gentle, heartfelt prose that's easy to read and, somewhat meandering asides notwithstanding, gets her points across fairly well. There were also several passages that highlighted to me the origins of certain of my everyday beliefs, and reminded me of where a lot of my own moral code originated.
However, as someone who had conservative Islam inflicted upon her for a good stretch of years, I did take issue with the way Ms Hasan elided certain facts about the religion to present a more liberal, inclusive view. Not that I don't believe that Islam is an inclusive religion, but like all religions, it has its sticking points. Overall, I understood why she made the choices she did in writing this book, but there was a cranky ustadz in the back of my head muttering under his breath about how loose her interpretation was (he blames the broad streak of Sufiism, but he's one of those "rules" guys Ms Hasan rightly tries to undermine.)
A good portrait of mainstream American Islam, though.
However, as someone who had conservative Islam inflicted upon her for a good stretch of years, I did take issue with the way Ms Hasan elided certain facts about the religion to present a more liberal, inclusive view. Not that I don't believe that Islam is an inclusive religion, but like all religions, it has its sticking points. Overall, I understood why she made the choices she did in writing this book, but there was a cranky ustadz in the back of my head muttering under his breath about how loose her interpretation was (he blames the broad streak of Sufiism, but he's one of those "rules" guys Ms Hasan rightly tries to undermine.)
A good portrait of mainstream American Islam, though.
August 5, 2008
Hasan does a good job of explaining Sufi Islam in a forthright, "can I help you" way. She is relatable and usually offers credentials for her occasionally unorthodox translations of the Qur'an (for example, she believes that an hour in battle being worth more than a day in prayer, means an hour in debate with a friend) and works to show Westerners the beauty of her sect, the Sufi. She offers poems and songs and history. My only nit-pick is that she writes that Aisha may have been "as young as 17" when Muhammed married her, and offers no explanation.
April 9, 2007
Rather an enthusiastic pep talk for the United States of America, showing the similarity between the author's Islamic view and that of the founding fathers' ideals. Not particularly scholarly (and some questions are not answered in any sort of satisfactory manner, especially about the issue of husbands being "allowed" to hit their wives, according to the Qur'an), but still has some useful substance for those willing to listen.
November 7, 2013
Simply and clearly written. I felt that there should have been more footnotes to support some of the statements that the author was making so that it didn't appear so hyperbolic... however it was helpful in understanding why women find Islam attractive.
December 1, 2013
Nice but lacking in the substance I was looking for. I often wonder why remain in the faith tradition of my family. I don't know the same of the author but was hoping she could provide an answer for both of us.
August 17, 2009
An eye-opening piece about one woman's take on liberal Islam (I say this because of her interest in Sufism).
January 18, 2016
I'm not persuaded, but it's good to read a different point of view.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews