I just finished reading one of my summer reads. The book is Seeking Allah, Finding JESUS by Nabeel Qureshi. The subtitle is "A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity". It's so much more than an encounter. He wrestles with God, argues and defends the Islam faith. He is challenged again and again by his best friend in college and in trying to prove the Islam faith is truth, Qureshi proves to himself that it is anything but the truth of God. Through friends, The truth of the bible, discovery of the falsehoods of the Quran, visions and dreams, God brings Nabeel Qureshi to the end of himself.
This story gives great details and insight to the Muslim community and family. Qureshi tells you this in the introduction. He wants to help "non-Muslim reader an insider's perspective into a Muslim's heart and mind." This is his story of how he was raised, taught to pray and what he was taught about the Islam faith.
Nabeel Qureshi had the courage to study what the bible says and to challenge God in prayer was inspiring and had me turning the pages long after my eyes wanted to close for the night. There are many Islamic terms and prayers and sayings that are used and a full glossary is in the back of the book. More importantly the inset boxes of definitions are on the pages itself with the introduction to a new term that would be unfamiliar for a non-Muslim.
As a christian myself I found the book very helpful in understanding a bit more of the Quran and the teachings of Muhammad. I have never wanted to read the Quran myself, however I found it very interesting that many Muslims have read some of the bible and are familiar with the teachings of Jesus.
Something I did not understand in the book was a discussion between the author and his college roommate David who is a devout Christian. The conversation is their first meeting and immediately Nabeel challenges David about the bible he is reading. Nabeel says, "I don't know the exact references, but I know that they added the Trinity into the bible. Later, when they were called out, they removed it".
David responds, "Oh, I know what you're talking about. You're talking about first John five".
The conversation picks up again with Nabeel stating, "Bible Scholars are saying that the end of Mark is not original, and neither is the story in John about the woman caught in Adultery"
(This is where I got confused myself) David responds, "Yeah, I know the story. You're right, they are not original to the text. What's your point?"
Again the conversation continues a page later with David saying, "I already told you, the end of Mark, a story in John, and the interpolation in first John five about the Trinity are all examples of how the Bible has been changed"
Even not understanding specific conversations of argument, you will come away with better understanding of the Muslim Family dynamics and how important prayer and the Quran are in their lives. Only when we see the incredible sacrifices a Muslim has to make to convert to Christianity will you really begin to see the words of the bible; "For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household." Tell me could you turn away everything you have ever been taught, knowing that your family may ostracize you? Could you love Jesus knowing that your family will never come to your wedding, accept your wife and children because of a decision for Christianity?
So... Does Nabeel decide to accept Jesus as his savior? Pick up a copy and read for yourself.
This is Girl Schmuck signing off
No comments:
Post a Comment