News and Events
1. The most exciting news of 2010 is the publication of the second revised edition of this book by the Brainbow Press. The author is very grateful to Brother and Friend Edip Yuksel for kindly publishing this work of mine through his Brainbow Press. The full title of the new edition is Exploring Islam in a New Light: A View from the Quranic Perspective. It replaces the older title: Exploring Islam in a New Light: An Understanding from the Quranic Perspective.
2. Press Release by earlier Publisher iUniverse:
(Author’s note: The observations made here were directed to the original edition of the book, but they apply equally to its new edition.)
PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 30, 2008 – For more information, contact: Travis Wilson
Phone 1-800-AUTHORS
Email Publicity@iuniverse.com
Thought-Provoking New Book Provides a View of Islam Derived Directly from Quran
Author Makes Case against Fundamentalist Religious Texts that Suppress Peaceful Message of Quran
Bloomington, IN [July 30, 2008]— In a powerful new book by Abdur
Rab, Exploring Islam in a New Light: An Understanding from the Quranic
Perspective, the author provides an intriguing look at the faith
through the lens of the Quran itself. He gives an alternative
interpretation of the religion - one that teaches tolerance, compassion
and service to humanity – that differs from the more extreme views of
Islam shaped by accompanying texts widely accepted as doctrine.
Rab describes Islam as the Quran describes it: as a spiritual,
humane and intellectual practice. The militant, fanatical Islam most
often portrayed in the West is not a reflection of the moral,
humanitarian faith it truly is. The strict, ultra-conservative current
is influenced by Hadith literature, which fuels the misguided teachings
that have contributed to Islam’s reputation in today’s world, Rab
writes. He provides a persuasive critique of this literature,
challenging its authenticity and denouncing it as a major distraction
from the spiritual goodness of the “Quran-only”Islam.
“The ideas that seriously distort religious conceptions and practices, demonize and weaken women’s position in society, encourage fanaticism and fatalism, encourage archaic barbaric or harsh punishments, block progress and modernization, encourage intolerance, violence and terror, and extol the virtues of aggressive jihad against other communities—all come from the Hadith,” Rab writes.
Inspired by a Bangladeshi religious leader whose Quranic teachings were resisted by influential Islamic leaders of the traditional, Hadith-following sects, Rab unfolds for the reader an eye-opening look at this misunderstood faith. Exploring Islam in a New Light: An Understanding from the Quranic Perspective is a commanding voice against religious fanaticism. It is a renunciation of the texts that have created fundamentalism, a treatise on the virtues of the Quran and a guidebook on how to apply the Quranic policies of equality, justice, compassion and mercy to today’s political and economic challenges.
Among the praise for the book is that from Reza Aslan, author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam: “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 Quran 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.”
About the Author
Abdur Rab spent 40 years as a researcher and consultant analyzing various public policy issues while serving the Bangladesh and former undivided Pakistan governments and working for organizations such as the World Bank, UNIDO, the Asian Development Bank and UNDP. He earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Dhaka University and a doctorate from Harvard.
More information on the book is available at www.explorequran.org.
3. The web links of author’s articles:
Article #1: “Divine Will and Human Freedom -- Part I. Divine Predestination: How Far Real?” published in OpEdNews, January 8, 2010. Web link:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Divine-Will-and-Human-Free-by-Abdur-Rab-100102-748.html
Also republished/posted with an abstract on the following web links:
http://deenresearchcenter.com/Blogs/tabid/73/EntryId/93/Divine-Will-and-Human-Freedom-Part-I-Divine-Predestination-How-Far-Real.aspx; and
http://free-minds.org/node/223.
Article #2: “Fifteen Great Reasons We Should Embrace and Follow the Quran-only Islam,” published in OpEdNews, December 4, 2008. Web link:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Fifteen-Great-Reasons-We-S-by-Abdur-Rab-081202-982.html
Also posted on the web link:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/36186164/Fifteen-Great-Reasons-We-Should-Embrace-and-Follow-the-Quran-Only-Islam
Article #3: “The Rise of Religious Fanaticism among Muslims and the Direction for True Islamic Revival,” published in OpEdNews, December 15, 2008. Web link:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-Rise-of-Religious-Fana-by-Abdur-Rab-081211-87.html
Article #4: “The Meaning and Significance of Spending in God's Way (Zakat),” posted on DRC web link:
http://deenresearchusa-com.web26.winsvr.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Sfl9UQmwGhU%3D&tabid=58&mid=609&language=en-US
Earlier posted on the free-minds.org website:
http://www.free-minds.org/charity
Article #5: “On Being Tolerant,” posted on DRC web link:
http://www.deenresearchcenter.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=On+being+Tolerant.pdf&tabid=36&mid=613&language=en-US
Earlier posted on free-minds.org website:
http://www.free-minds.org/tolerance
Article #6: “Some Implications of the Quranic Message for the Economic System,” posted on DRC web link:
http://www.deenresearchcenter.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hOejSFPBjJc%3d&tabid=97&mid=816&language=en-US
Earlier posted on the free-minds.org website link:
http://www.free-minds.org/econsystem
Article #7: “Does the Hadith have a Solid Historical Basis?” posted on free-minds.org web link:
http://free-minds.org/hadithhistory