Exploring Islam in a New Light: An Understanding from the Quranic Perspective


News and Events

 

1. New review from Arnold Yasin Mol, CEO of Deen Research Center,

(deenresearchcenter.com):


I just received the book and skipped through it. The first thing I noticed was the foreword by Prof. Riffat Hassan, the well known feminist Muslim scholar and student of GA.Parwez. Next to this the very good reviews by convert Prof. Jeffrey Lang (author of "Loosing my Religion" & "When angels ask", prof. in Islam) and prof. Reza Aslan (author " No God but God") and others.

All of them praised its' Qur'anic approach and also agreed on the need to return to the Qur'an. This coming from 2 well-known Islamic professors shows that the Qur'anic stance is gaining ground everywhere.

The topics are laid out very good and his approach is very professional. Next to laying out some well-known issues, he also brings in some fresh ideas. Good use of footnotes and quoting of Qur'anic verses makes this a very good work and important for us to have.

A must have for progressive Muslims!

June 14, 2008 | 12:38 PM


2. Press Release by the Publisher iUniverse:


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.