Endorsements

Muslim feminist scholar Riffat Hassan has written the book’s foreword, and other eminent scholars such as Khaled Abou El Fadl, Reza Aslan, Jeffrey Lang, Edip Yuksel, and Khaleel Mohammed strongly endorse and recommend it.

Some remarks of Professor Riffat Hassan of Louisville University included in her Foreword to the book are as follows:

"Of significance amongst scholarly works, written by Muslim scholars against the backdrop of the contemporary situation, is Dr. Abdur Rab’s Exploring Islam in a New Light […], a wide-ranging book, in which the author shares his own understanding of Islam, as he has studied and lived it. […] Whether or not one agrees with all of Dr. Rab’s views, his book is a serious modern attempt at understanding Islam profoundly from within. Dr. Rab’s deep and dedicated study of the Qur’an makes his book—first and foremost—a labor of love. It is also a book that offers valuable insights on a number of issues of interest and concern to contemporary Muslims. Though Dr. Rab has written his book as a committed Muslim, his book has much to offer to all readers who are keen to see and understand Islam as it is embodied in the Qur’an."

Reproduced below are all the endorsements on the book’s back cover:

“This is a surprising, inspiring, and ultimately, refreshing book. It is simultaneously a solid introduction to Islam, an ecstatic spiritual journey, and an analytical call for reform. Abdur Rab is not only a reliable and authoritative voice on modern Islam but he is an original and thrilling thinker. This is one book that is definitely well-worth the time investment and indeed it should be read widely by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.”
–Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, Chair of Islamic Studies, Alfi Distinguished Professor of Islamic Law, UCLA School of Law.

“At a time when misconceptions about Islam are on the rise, even among Muslims, Abdur Rab has provided a compelling argument for returning to the Qur'an for a deeper, more complete, more original understanding of the meaning and message of Islam. The result is a book that posits not a NEW interpretation of Islam, but a more authentic one.”
–Reza Aslan, Professor of Creative Writing, University of California, Riverside; author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam.

“Abdur Rab offers a comprehensive vision of Islam using the Quran as his sole religious textual source. He intentionally avoids the hadith literature, which he believes, and argues, has done much damage to the message of the Quran. His work provides many very thought-provoking insights and should be a significant contribution to the ‘Quran only’ movement in modern Islam.”
–Jeffrey Lang, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics, University of Kansas; author of Losing My Religion: A Call for Help.

“Another valuable addition to a list of books that question the sectarian teachings […] A scholarly contribution to the message of Quran alone or rational monotheism movement.” [Part of his review of the book]
–Edip Yuksel, Author; Professor of Philosophy, Pima Community College; an ardent advocate of Islamic Reform; co-founder of Muslims for Peace, Justice and Progress (MPJP).

“Dr. Rab has […] produced a thoughtful, wonderful book that is constructively revolutionary." [Part of his review of the book]
–Khaleel Mohammed, Ph.D. (McGill), Professor/Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Religious Studies, San Diego State University.

“[This] book brings Islam nearer to modernity, more particularly challenging […] aspects of practiced Islam so far thought unchallengeable. In that respect [the author’s] contribution can be called revolutionary.”
–Dr. Rezaul Haq Khandker (late), a former senior official of UNDP, New York, USA.

Read reviews on the book here