Reviews

The book has received many reviews from Islamic scholars and general readers, including importantly from Khaleel Mohammed, Edip Yuksel, Arnold Yasin Mol, and scholars who reviewed my original book manuscript on behalf of Amana Publications.

1. Review by Khaleel Mohammed, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, San Diego State University:

(Author’s note: This is one of the most marvelous reviews the book has received so far – certainly one of the best that one can expect from a Muslim scholar educated in Islamic studies in both traditional Middle Eastern and Western educational institutions. The review refers to the original version of the book, but its substance applies equally to its second edition. References given in the review relate to the original edition.)

Muslims, as do the adherents of other religions, generally realize that a religion has to come to grips with the changing of times. One of the functions of the mujtahid is precisely to fulfill this role: dealing with matters that are new to the Muslim umma, and have not been dealt with previously. In today’s world, it would seem that for all its youthfulness, compared to the other Abrahamic religions, Islam is characterized by the most retrogressive medievalist notions of faith and praxis. […] [Dr.] Abdur Rab’s “Exploring Islam in a New Light” is a welcome attempt by a Muslim to divest Islam of medievalism and show its relevance in the modern world.

The author writes as a believer, and seeks to use the Qur’an as the main foundation[;] upon that which passes as “Islamic” belief and practice ought to stand. Dr. Rab, while educated in economics, does not write as a jurist, and therefore approaches some issues that scholars of Islamic studies – especially those in Western universities – might question. Still, the work reflects the deepest reflections of a committed scholar, one who is a true citizen of the world, and necessarily therefore, one whose words ought to be heeded.

At the very beginning, Dr. Rab tells us that “Religion cannot be defined rigidly in ritualistic terms” (xv). In doing so, he hits the crux of the problem of modern Islamic practice. The obsession of many modern Muslim preachers with dress and the proper performance of prayer or attention to legal minutiae serves to almost completely deny the ethics that are born of a genuine conviction and “taqwa” – God consciousness. And throughout the book, he seeks to find that which makes the Muslim a better person.

Dr. Rab observes that the Qur’an is easy to understand and that it is detailed and self-explained. If Muslims grasp the logic of this view, then there would certainly be less reliance on the extremist opinions expressed by some imams, based more upon custom and tradition than a thorough understanding of the Qur’an. While some might argue that there are certain terms in the Qur’an that do need extensive research, there is no doubt that the general tone and message of the Scripture is remarkably simple and functional. The semantic acrobatics and hermeneutic contortions so extensively employed by traditional imams have no place in Dr. Rab’s worldview. Islam, while faith based, does not deny rationality, and if something is discordant with proper human reasoning, it must be eschewed. Of course, the definition of “proper human reasoning” might differ from person to person, from situation to situation, from culture to culture. It is in this light that the author’s reflections must be seen, for since he sees the Qur’an as universal, and humankind as diverse, there can be no doubt about the permissibility of different positions, all equally viable.

One of the pillars of Islam is the “zakat,” a facet that many Muslims see as the obligation to give two and one half percent of their annual accumulation of wealth. This percentage, according to the author, is not stipulated in the Qur’an. In modern society, this proportion for all and sundry seems woefully inadequate, especially for those of very high incomes, and given the demands of society (77).

Throughout the large book, the author provides insights such as the foregoing, defending his positions with ample references to verses from the Qur’an. While a manifesto for modern Islam, the book is not designed as a manual that would chart a collision course with the stalwarts of traditionalism. Indeed, but for the different ways of expressing opinions, many traditionalists, with their penchant for finding proof for even the most incompatible viewpoints, might fully endorse the book. It is Chapter X [XI of the new edition], “Reevaluating the Hadith,” wherein the writer raises certain questions that might irritate the conservative, traditionalist Muslim. In a marked departure from the majority Muslim viewpoint, Dr. Rab poses the question: “Is the hadith a reliable religious guide?” The answers that he provides are scholarly, and manifest the vast synapse that exists in the position of those who preach adherence to hadith while admitting to the numerous problems about its reliability as a source in general. The author points out certain truisms: there are false and true hadiths; those who portray Islam in a good light often do so by tapping its “best traditions” (271). As the author astutely observes, however, the issue is not about good and bad traditions, but about if we can still afford to continue with traditions that continue to misguide us (271). His conclusion is that the hadith is more of a detractor of the Qur’an and the Prophet than a real guide (271). This blunt admission, for all its cogency, rests on three main points that the author propounds:

• The Qur’an does not validate the hadith.
• The hadith does not stand the test of historicity.
• The hadith fails the text of internal integrity: it contradicts itself as well as the Qur’an.

So that the reader might not be too taken aback by these admissions, Dr. Rab examines the literature that shows early hadith criticism was a wide field of scholarship. He cites numerous scholars who have viewed the hadith as unreliable, among them Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Tawfiq Sidqi, Mahmud Abu Rayya, Abdallah Chakralawi and several others. This part of the book is certainly its most useful. The arguments are well-structured and in no way deny the place of tradition in Muslim practice. It however seeks to relegate the hadith to the area of conjecture, and reestablish the Qur’an as the criterion that should define Muslim outlook.

[…]

[Dr. Rab’s] desire is to foster reflection and genuine commitment to a faith view that is rationally defendable. His noble agendum is evident throughout the text: there are no hostile attacks against any authors, no propagandizing generalizations designed to grab the lucrative attention of those who disparage Islam. The book is addressed to the Muslim community in general, written by one of its own, who never forgets where his loyalty lies. Dr. Rab has been careful to obtain an introduction by Dr. Riffat Hasan, and blurbs by other influential Muslims – not all of whom might agree with everything he says. IN doing so, Dr. Rab has shown the integrity that ought to characterize anyone who addresses the Muslim community on issues of reform. He has produced a thoughtful, wonderful book that is constructively revolutionary.

Read the full text on the website link: http://deenresearchcenter.com/Blogs/tabid/73/BlogID/14/language/en-US/Default.aspx.

2. Review by Edip Yuksel, a leading advocate of the "Quran-only" Islam, main co-author of Quran: A Reformist Translation, and author of Manifesto for Islamic Reform:

(Author’s note: This review also refers to the original edition of the book. Some concerns expressed in the review by Edip Yuksel have been duly addressed in the new edition published by his Brainbow press.)

"Exploring Islam in a New Light" by brother Abdur Rab is another valuable addition to a list of books that question the sectarian teachings under the light of the Quran. The Quran, as history's one of the most influential books, is perhaps world's most read, yet the least understood, book. Furthermore, it is a book that has been betrayed by those who claim to follow it, which has been prophesized by verse 25:30. It has been made subservient to volumes of hearsay collections and sectarian teachings. Abdur Rab, who received a PhD from Harvard and served the governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan, and the World Bank, diligently provides a theological and political evaluation from the Quranic perspective.

Muslims also need to rediscover afresh what they acknowledge to be the central book of their religion. They need to do so, because sadly, most of them do not care to read it; some read it only in part; and only a distinct few care to make any real effort to understand it. Muslims who do not know the Arabic language are typically taught by their religious teachers to recite the Arabic text of the Quran without understanding its meaning. They are led by their religious leaders to believe that whether or not they understand the text of the Quran, the recitation per se is a virtue (thawab).

Reducing the Quran to an amulet, to a book […] recited on sick and dead, or taking its verses out of their context and reducing them to slogans to justify violence and terrorism, are two examples of old and new distortions of the Quran's message.

In the first chapter, brother Abdur Rab provides some arguments for why he thinks that the Quran is divine... He provides some good arguments; yet, he occasionally falls into circular arguments or over-reliance on people. For instance, for his argument regarding the protection of the Quran, he ignores the numerical structure of the Quran, and appeals to history, which is written by the believers of the book in question. "The history of its recording, collection and compilation suggests sufficient precaution was taken to preserve it from any manipulation or corruption." Though I agree with the conclusion of this statement, I find his reliance on the so-called history problematic... The history regarding the preservation of the Quran contains many dubious claims and false information... This is not a place to discuss it; but anyone who is familiar with that "history" will know what I am talking about... For instance, the very story of compilation of the Quran after Prophet Muhammad is a fabrication..

To give you an idea about the book, I would like to list the subtitles of the first chapter, which is titled "Why it is so important to read and understand the Quran":

• The Quran is divinely inspired
• The Quran is a book of wisdom
• The Quran provides comprehensive guidance but introduces no new religion
• The Quranic message is immutable whilst flexible
• The Quranic message is universal, and an inimitable miracle in itself
• The Quranic religion is a science
• The Quran is easy to understand, detailed and self-explained
• A Final note on the healing power of the Quranic verses

Though I do not agree with the convention that translates the word "din" as religion and "iman" as faith, Abdur Rab supports his arguments with reason and Quranic verses. His description of Islamic system captures the essence of its purpose and function in the world:

Religion proclaims a message of peace, tolerance, justice, mercy and compassion. It teaches us to live in peace and harmony with others in society. Even scientists who do not believe in God recognize the great importance of the moral and ethical lessons that religion teaches.

Though Abdur Rab does not consciously follow the hearsay stories called hadith or sectarian teachings, like all of us, he has not yet eliminated all the residues of false ideas originating from them. For instance, he describes Adam's mission as "the task of representing God on earth." After quoting verses 2:30-34 that mistranslates the word "khalifa" as "a representative" rather than "successor" he continues: "Evidently man is most qualified to represent God." Unfortunately, my mentor Rashad Khalifa too could not detect this major error. Though, Rashad Khalifa's translation contains some errors, it is by far the best compared to those translations that distort the meaning of the Quran to comply with hadith and sectarian teachings. Had Abdur Rab used Rashad's or our translation perhaps he would not translate "salli ala" as "blessing" in 33:56, or interpret the Farthest Mosque of 17:1 to be in Jerusalem verse, or insert Muhammad's name in verses that contain instructions to every acknowledging and intelligent audience of the Quran.

Abdur Rab is not shy of expressing unorthodox views. For instance, he finds no contradiction between the theory of evolution and creation. He justifiably quotes one of the many Quranic verses referring to evolutionary creation, such as, verse 71:13-14. Another example is his criticism of reciting prayers like parrots without understanding their meaning:

Praying in a language, which the person who prays does not understand, cannot make any sense. Muslims who do not understand Arabic are also generally taught to pray in Arabic. The Quran has forbidden us to go near prayer when we are intoxicated and we do not know what we pray. [Nisa (4):43]

Though the book uses an unnecessarily complex reference scheme with innovated Arabic names (see the example above), it is easy to read. The titles of chapters may give you some idea about the content of the book:

• Introducing the Quran: Why it is important to read and understand the Quran
• The meaning and raison d'etre of religion and it's relation to science
• Understanding religion in light of the Quran: the road to spiritual progress
• Formalizing understanding on religion and conceptions of heaven and hell
• The essence of Salat in light of the Quran:
• Righteousness in light of the Quran: Getting our iman right
• Righteousness in light of the Quran: getting our actions right
• Marriage, divorce, the status of women and the treatment of slaves in light of the Quran
• Some implications of the Quranic message for the economic system
• Reevaluating the hadith: Survey of earlier hadith criticism, and theological and historical tests of hadith authenticity
• Reevaluating the hadith: the objective test of hadith authenticity.
• Epilogue: The rise of religious fanaticism and direction for true Islamic revival

The 480-page hard-cover book starts with a forward by Prof Riffat Hassan and contains several annexes and appendices. Following its 435 endnotes, it has a glossary of terms and an extensive index.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning Islam through the perspective of a student of the Quran. I congratulate brother Abdur Rab for this scholarly contribution to the message of Quran alone or rational monotheism movement.

[…]

3. Reviews by Arnold Yasin Mol, founding CEO of a modern Islamic think tank DRC and a student of Theology at Utrecht University, Netherlands:

a. Rarely have I seen such a complete and accessible work on the message of the Quran and its rational approach to religion as it applies to humankind – an introduction, an encyclopedia, a commentary and convincing research on what the Quran truly tries to convey, all in one book. In addition, Abdur Rab provides a detailed and compelling critique of historical traditions which became dominant in Islamic thought more than two centuries after the Prophet’s death, and shows how these traditions have given rise to numerous misconceptions and led to immense distortion of the true Quranic message. […] Rab shares his decades of knowledge and research and proves that the Quran is the only message that was given to the prophet Muhammad, and is also easy to understand for everyone, even if the person can use only translations, as the main message of the Quran is too clear to misread.

b. 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 G. A. Parwez. Next to this the very good reviews by convert Prof. Jeffrey Lang (author of "Loosing my Religion" & "When angels ask", prof. in [Mathematics]) and prof. Reza Aslan (author of "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!

4. Reviews by Amana Publications (the US Islamic book publishing company to which this book was submitted):

(Initial reaction from Amana Publications in an email sent by Mr. Fahim Munshi on March 30, 2007:)

In connection with your book, initial reaction from our Editorial Board concerning the manuscript is that the subject matter is worthwhile to be taken up as a book. However it is being sent out for a blind reviewing to highlight a few text areas that may need reviewing.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jamal [Barzinji] of [Virginia-based] IIIT [International Institute of Islamic Thought] found your manuscript to be of "a superb class and the amount of effort [the] author has put in has been well reflected in his work." But as I suggested, he too felt some toning down here and there in the text may be called for.

(Author’s note: Ironically, however, after receiving reviews from reportedly three external scholars (one of whom was reportedly a university professor, but all of whom were anonymous to me), Dr. Jamal Barzinji retracted his earlier praise and recommendation for the title and recommended its rejection for publication by Amana Publications, as mentioned in his email to Mr. Fahim Munshi of Amana Publications dated July 3, 2007, and forwarded to me by Mr. Munshi on July 5, 2007. The email is worth reproducing here:)

Dear Br. Fahim,

Assalamu Alaykum.

Once again apologies for the delay as I just finalized the report of the reviewers on the manuscript ‘Exploring Islam in New Light’ by Abdur Rab.

Attached is a summary of the report [See below]. As you can see, the three reviewers are in agreement that the manuscript as is will create a great Fitna if published. The reason is the position of the author on Hadeeth and Sunnah primarily expressed in Chapters 10 and 11 [11 and 12 in the second edition]. To deny the role of Sunnah and Hadeeth in issues of Ibadah and claim we can rely solely on Qur¹an destroys the very foundation of every Ibadah and worship. You may forward the report as it has been edited to the author, but my recommendation is to reject the title unless the author is willing to reconsider and rewrite those two chapters and revise any reference to the issue throughout the book. I think it is very unlikely that he will do that.

Wassalam.

Jamal Barzinji

(Summary of Reviews Collected by the Editorial Board of Amana Publications from Traditional, Hadith-Following Scholars)

EXPLORING ISLAM IN [A] NEW LIGHT

Islam has become the topic of discussion in the academic and in the public square. There are seven reasons that have warranted this development over the last thirty years:

1. The first is between the Arab royals and the Arab nationalists under Nasser and the Baathists.

2. The second was the Cold War which pitted the Communist against the Capitalists. Under this political dispensation, the Arabs and the Muslims collectively were brought under one ideological roof. Some opted for America and the West and the others rallied around the Soviet banner. Islam became the bone of contention between the rival forces. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was a result of this struggle as a way how to control Islam.

3. The third reason for which Islam has become the bone of contention among Muslims and the source of local and global legitimization lies in its deep psychological force in Muslim societies.

4. The fourth reason was the Iranian Revolution. This invocation of Islam in a battle between the Iranian opposition and the Shah laid the foundations for the two raging struggles among Muslims. It is evident in the empowerment of the Shia after years of Sunni and foreign hegemony over their lands. Furthermore, it cannot be missed in the series of historical confrontations between the new leadership of Iran and their real or perceived enemies from either the West or the Muslim World.

5. The fifth reason why Islam is also gaining ground in the West and all over the world rests on the revitalization of religion even in the West, and most particularly in the United States of America. The rise of the Christian Right owes a great deal to the negative consequences of the Iranian Revolution and to the humiliation of the U.S. by the Iranians through the hostage crisis.

6. The sixth reason for the great attention given to Islam lies in the power struggle between the two fundamentalisms, this is, Islamic fundamentalism and Christian fundamentalism. Both parties are hell bent on disseminating their beliefs and they are willing to summon science and technology opportunistically to do their bidding. Hence the emergence of what may be called the “international fundamentalist cartel”

7. The last and final reason for the newspaper consciousness and reporting about Muslims centers on the violence of international terrorism. This peculiar and deadly combination of violence and ideological fundamentalism has planted almost everywhere the seeds for the politics of fear. Scared or scarred by the slings and arrows of violence from strange and invisible forces dancing to the music of their God, almost all national leaders around the world have come to discover the non-state power of international terrorism.

Because of these reasons, I would argue that those scholars who write books today tend to be influenced by one of many of these reasons for writing. The author whose book I review here fits the pattern. There are many points to discuss about this book. But before I go into this enquiry, let me identify the mental estate of the author in terms of his vocabulary and his point of departure. The three critical points that go into his intellectual making are the following:

1. Fascination with reason and the need to apply reason in the discourse of Islam.

2. His allergic reactions to what he perceived to be the limitations of Hadithic literature to Muslim understanding of the original message of the Prophet and to the urgency for a “Muslim Protestant” revisitation of the earlier teachings of the Prophet. Here the author shares the same domain as other Muslim writers who found traditional Islamic practice too limiting and too narrow for their interpretations of the revealed text.

3. The note about the intellectual building blocs that go into the making of his book lies in the author’s notion that Hadithic literature offers itself as the fountain of imbibitions for Islamic extremism. There is some element of truth in his assertion; however, the battle between Sayyid Hussein Nasr and his detractors about traditional Islam does play itself out in these chapters. Unwilling to be read and accepted as an emulator (taqlid) of those who followed the Prophet and then had succeeded in planting their legacy as the true traditions of the Prophet, our author proceeds to his task with the faithfulness of a believer but without the deference of the taqlid .

To put it in another way, one can argue here that our writer is very much influenced by modern modes of thinking and he feels strong that the relevance of Islam is beyond the local and traditional proclivities of the past writers and modern Muslims should be aware of several things. Among these things are the powers of reason and the limitations of deference to those before you. As long as reason is a shared faculty that exists in all living human beings, and no human being is devoid of it, it is dangerous and unwise to believe that present Muslims have little or no power of discernment to form credible and non-jahilic understanding of the traditions of the Prophet. In his view, the modern Muslim is not necessarily handicapped because of distance in time from the Prophetic days; rather, his careful review and critique of the Hadithic literature could enable him or her to pass through the closeness to time of those living at or later than the Prophetic period. Without pride or prejudice that occasionally limit the capacity of the human being to make meanings out of Quranic verses, because of reliance on one Hadith here and another hadith there, our author believes that the body of extremist opinions that have wangled their ways to the minds of many Muslims today derived from this fascination with accepted evidences from Hadiths.

The critical and skeptical attitudes of the author tend to drive him against the acceptance of the significance of hadithic blocks in the creation of the Islamic household of ritual and worship. Skeptical about the traditional mode of Muslim prayer, the author argues, that Muslim prayer is to a large extent robbed of the original intent of the Prophet. Through the dominance of hadithic literature in the institutionalization of prayer, contemporary Muslims are in many respects purveyors of a tradition that deprives most Muslims because they recite the Quran without understanding their prayers. Another thought that grew out of his writing is the claim that, though the Prophet Muhamad and his contemporaries might have learnt and mastered the ways of praying traceable to Prophet Ibrahim, the lack of historical evidence other than the claims of hadiths, makes it impossible for us to make a critical and affirmative judgment on which prayer is acceptable or not.

Since our writer is of the opinion that traditionally established mode of prayer in the Muslim World is the creature of hadithic literature, the myriad of traditions about prayer and the varying contents in the hadiths reporting on what the Prophet did, makes it difficult to know for certain. Another challenge of our author to the present notions of prayer is his attitudes towards rakah in prayer. Because the Quran, in his view, does not speak in rakah terms, he draws the conclusion that such practices as are widely accepted and embraced by Muslims lack Quranic groundings.

What are remarkable about this author are his anti-traditionalism and his love affair with reason and the scientific method. The combination of modernity with his fascination for reason now makes him a believer who wishes to see Islam progress and grow unimpeded by traditional modes of worship and self- articulation. Real or imagined, this attitude of our author makes it difficult for many mainstream Islamic book publishers to promote his tafsir and his deciphering of the Hadithic literature. It is done not out of malice, but because the ideas promoted underline [undermine?] the established traditions of the faith.

Another point to note is the fact that in his survey of earlier hadith criticism in chapters 10 and 11 betrays his reliance on the writings of Sayyid Ahmad Khan and a host of writers opposed to hadiths. These pro-Quranic advocates include a number of writers in Egypt and other Muslims lands to the east and in some parts of Asia where the Hadiths has become the toll of political engagements and discontent. Not only does our author reference the writings of Ignaz Goldziher, the most vocal of Western critique of the Hadith, but he drew from the works of certain Arab and South Asian students of Hadith. Through a careful synthesis of what he read, the author has given us his understanding of our tradition and the manner in which the debate over Hadith will continue to reverberate in the firmaments of Muslim discourse for years to come.

On the question of the bibliography of the author’s sources, one has the following conclusions to make. First of all, reading the manuscript with care and caution, one comes to the conclusion that the author is Qurano-centric in his judgment, but his dispelling of the relevance and effectiveness of the Hadithic literature put him in a very troublesome zone of discourse. Of course, his point of view is not unique in our history. There have been men and women in our history who embraced the Quran as the only thing worthy of our attention. To such individuals the road to God is paved with Quranic letters and those who wish to know him must disentangle themselves from the staggering tentacles of Hadith.

But if one is impressed by the large number of Quranic verses cited throughout the work, the absence of hadithic references forces many Muslims traveling with him on the highway of life blind to Islamic milestones put in place by hadiths from companions of the Prophet. Related to this critical point of the author are two other essential debating arguments. One is his over reliance on a few South Asian writers on the Quran and the lack of intensive and comprehensive documentation of Quranic studies by Muslims and non-Muslims in the field. Although he references many Western writers to underscore what they think and how they feel about the Prophet Muhammad, he fails to fill his bibliography with texts from the past as well as the present. This point is forcefully caught when he wrote: “There can be no question that the rakah system which is being universally practiced by Muslims is indeed a very beautiful form. Yet what is important to recognize and appreciate is that this system is not of the essence of salat, the essence of salat lies in keeping to the spirit of salat and living up to it.”

What is strange about this manuscript, which is fairly well written, rests not only on the Qurano-centrism of the author but also on the unwillingness of the author to accept and acknowledge the relevance of prayer in the public square. Not only does this privatization of prayer in the hands of the author makes Islam a modern day item of appropriation and self-endearment without social critique and appreciation, but it also places it ironically, and perhaps contrary to the expectations of the author, into the company of human acquirable things for the heart. Certainly, many practicing Muslims would appreciate the utility and fruitfulness of personal and private prayers; however, to confine prayer only to the inner sanctum of the individual without any social and group benefits through social solidarity and communalism would be denying prayer a valuable benefit.

(Author’s note: Before publication of the second edition of the book, I mentioned this to Brother and my great Friend Edip Yuksel, who is a leading proponent of the Quran-only Islam and who kindly volunteered to publish this edition through his Brainbow Press. On March 25, 2010, he wrote the following very kind, reassuring email to me, which is a good rejoinder to the above Amana report:)

Dear Abdur Rab:

[…] I read the full rejection letter and I found it pedantic and pathetic. I hope that you will decide to publish the letter and your brief response to the letter in the introductory section of the book. People need to learn what is going on. If you wish, I could write the evaluation/response as the publisher or under my name.

[…]

My dear brother,

Don't feel bad for being rejected by those who consider adherence to God's book as "fitna." They are in the middle of the greatest fitna and backwardness and the entire Muslim world is suffering in the filth of ignorance these people are trying to maintain. Being rejected by an orthodox establishment does not necessarily justify one's rightness, but almost all messengers of God and their early supporters were shunned, ridiculed, and rejected by the religious establishment.

I wanted to remind you [of] a verse from the Quran. I decided to open a random page and find a random verse to share with you. The verse I came across is prophetic, as I have numerous times experienced.

5:71 They did not consider that it might be a test [fitna], so they turned blind and deaf. Then God accepted the repentance from them. But again many of them turned blind and deaf. God is watcher over what they do.

[…]

(Author’s brief response to the review of Amana’s reviewers: Readers should judge if the above review of Amana’s reviewers does any iota of justice to my book. The review does nothing to address, and effectively rebut, the specific anti-Hadith, anti-Sunnah arguments forcefully presented in the book. The review report’s conclusion “To deny the role of Sunnah and Hadeeth in issues of Ibadah and claim we can rely solely on Qur¹an destroys the very foundation of every Ibadah and worship” blatantly contradicts the very claims of the Quran that it is a fully reliable and complete guidance (6:115, 126; 12:111; 5:15-16; 17:9; 2:2, 159, 185; 3:138; 10:57; 11:17; 12:111; 14:1; 16:64, 89, 102; etc.), detailed and self-explained (6:114; 12:111; 16:89), and straightforward, clear, and sufficiently easy to follow (39:28; 43:2; 44:2, 58; 54:17, 22, 32, 40). The book devotes a whole long chapter to the essence of salat (worship) in light of the Quran and details how the reliance on Hadith and so-called Sunnah has rather corrupted the salat practiced generally by Muslims. The book also sufficiently demonstrates that the corruption or distortion of our religion proclaimed by the Quran – as reflected in the general mindset and conduct as well as the religious practices of Muslims – wrought by the Hadith literature has been rather deep and pervasive, which amply explains their deplorable plight in the world. For more, the reader is referred to Chapters 11 and 12 of the second edition of my book.)

5. Review by Professor M. Shahjahan of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff:

I consider that the book is original in many respects. The author deserves high compliments and our heartfelt gratitude. The author’s skill in explaining concepts in a simple way is commendable.

6. Review by Professoor Haroon A. Khan, Ph.D. of the Henderson State University:

As I skim through the book, I must say that [the author] did a great job and it will make a significant contribution to the literature.

7. Review by Dr. Muazzam Husain, former Professor of Mymensingh University, Bangladesh:

[The author's] views better represent the true spirit of our religion, quite different from those of the fanatics and ill educated religious leaders around the world.

8. Review by Dr. Hasan Abbas, affiliated as Senior Advisor with Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs:

It’s [this book is] very insightful and scholarly.

(Author’s note: Dr Abbas informed me that he wanted to write a standard review of my book, but this somehow did not materialize. He runs a blog - www.watandost.blogspot.com).

9. Review by Ms. Le Grand:

I am nearly finished reading your book \"Exploring Islam In a New Light\". I simply want to say thank you so much for writing such a wonderful, and informative book. You capture the spirit of Islam beautifully, and you have restored my faith in Islam and what it truly means to be a good Muslim.

10. Review by Mr. Wan-Adli Wan-Amli of the Department of Islamic Theology, University of Malaya, Malaysia:

This book is on Islam from only the Qur'anic perspective and rejecting the authority of the Hadith as second source in interpreting Islam. The author, Abdur Rab, quoting from Panaullah Ahmad in his Creator and Creation (Bangladesh: Islamic Foundation, 1986, p. 295), states that '[t]he position presented here is that the Hadith is "more a detractor of the Quran and the Prophet than a real guide".' He adds that Hadith 'has held back the adoption and growth of the progressive outlook of Islam...' (p. 271). Amongst the sources of the author's analysis are the works of Ghulam Ahmed Parwez, Rashad Khalifa, Panaullah Ahmad, and Kassim Ahmad. General Muslim audiences from Sunni and Shi`i tradition should be more careful in reading this book.

11. Review by Mr. A. M. Luis, a Muslim convert from London, UK (a rejoinder to the above adverse comment):

Just because the book may not agree with your initial perspective of what the foundation of Islam is, doesn't mean it warrants 1 star. It seems a little unfair. Personally, being a new convert to the religion, the Quran'ic perspective with the added apprehensiveness about hadith makes far more sense than the traditional views. The Qur'an itself is the authority of the basis [of] the primary arguments against the hadith, and assuming anyone reading this is Muslim, it is very difficult to refute what you believe to be the words of the Creator.

12. Review by Mr. Ali:

After studying pro-hadith arguments and the verses they suggested in the Quran, I realized that the argument[s] made little sense.

I should mention that my family has decided to reject the Hadith after rereading verses in the Quran (they already had their suspicions).

I appreciate the work that you've done.

13. Review by Mr. Khin Aung from Myanmar (Burma):

Your […] book […] gives me more insight about my religion. […] I admire
you so much. NO ONE dares to evaluate The Hadiths. I have with me
Sahih Bukhari and Muslim Hadiths. After reading your book I find some
of the Hadiths written centuries ago like reading comic books. Well,
please carry on with your works.

14. Review by Mr. M. Jahangir:

This is an excellent book, enriching. On page 83 author wrote " akbar - Great (Hajj 22:62)" but it is kabir in 22:62. No "akbar" in the Qur'an.

(Author’s response: I am thankful to the commentator for his compliments and comment. It should be noted, however, that “akbar” is an isme mubalaga variation of “kabir”. The verse reference therefore, though not direct, was not inappropriate in a sense. In that sense, “akbar” could well be regarded as an attribute of God. However, in view of his comment, I have omitted this attribute in this second edition of the book. Also, it is not correct to maintain that there is no word “akbar” in the Quran; this word is very much there in verse 29:45 that highlights the great virtue of God’s remembrance – wala zikrullahi akbar.)