Koncocoo

Best Women in Islam

Hiding in the Light: Why I Risked Everything to Leave Islam and Follow Jesus
It is also the untold story of how she ran from her father’s threats to find refuge with strangers in Florida, only to face a controversial court case that reached national headlines. In the words of this young woman who has already been through so much, we are painted a picture of stark cultural contrast—that of slavery and liberty, duty and love, and bondage and freedom. As much as anything, this is a story about the first freedom upon which America was built—the freedom to believe and live one’s life according to those beliefs. Rifqa’s inspiring story reminds us why we must continue to stand for faith and freedom!”. —Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council. “Rifqa Bary’s story unveils God as the Father to the fatherless whose pursuit of His children is fiercely beautiful. This story will give you not only insight into what it means for a Muslim to convert to Christianity and the heavy price associated with that, but also the importance of Christians breaking through the stereotypes and reaching out to Muslims in love.”. —Naghmeh Abedini, wife of imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini. In my own experience as a child, I had hidden in a cocoon of despair and lived with the brutality of loneliness—I understand how she felt. She also cherishes long talks with loved ones over coffee and eating lots of chicken curry.
Reviews
"We read the book starting in the early evening, continuing into the night, until we finished it in the morning. My heart broke for her as she fought for faith and conscience at an age when many girls are tossed and torn by identity issues and consumerism. Get a glimpse into Islam, immigrant life, the plight of many Muslim women, the dark side of Honor and Shame cultures, an incident of real injustice in the justice system, and the cost a young Muslim woman had to pay to receive Jesus here in America."
"This amazing relationship with God through Christ."
"The life of this believer is direct result of God's many miracles."
"I found this a great read, very inspiring."
"I loved this book!"
"Poignant life story of great courage and how reveals Himself and carries us through a perilous life."
"It is sad her family didn't come to know the Lord, who knows maybe someday she will have restoration with her family, but they will probably never happen if they stay Muslim since they are required to disown her."
"I'd give this 100- stars - absolutely one of the most inspiring riveting wonderful Christian books ever."
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I Dared to Call Him Father: The Miraculous Story of a Muslim Woman's Encounter with God
I Dared to Call Him Father is the fascinating true story of Bilquis Sheikh, a prominent Muslim woman. It is the fascinating true story of Bilquis Sheikh, a prominent Muslim woman in South Asia who faced these questions at the crossroads of her life-and found the astonishing answers.
Reviews
"The life experiences of the author is truly enlightening."
"I highly recommend this book to believers who want a closer walk with Jesus and nonbelievers who are curious about who He is."
"I loved this book!"
"Had a hard time putting this book down."
"Very well written book on the difficulties of converting from Islam to Christianity."
"What a beautiful story of a Muslim woman's discovery of God, acceptance of Jesus and her decision to live her life for him at all costs."
"Every once in awhile the human nature takes over and she is gently taught a lesson."
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Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman's Journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim
It is also the luminous story of many journeys: from Pakistan to the United States in an arranged marriage that becomes a love match lasting forty years; from secular Muslim in an Islamic society to devout Muslim in a society ignorant of Islam, and from liberal to conservative to American Muslim; from student to bride and mother; and from an immigrant intending to stay two years to an American citizen, business executive, grandmother, and tireless advocate for interfaith understanding. — Booklist , starred review. "Rehman’s spirited debut memoir illuminates the challenges of living an authentically Muslim life in America. "A heartfelt memoir plumbs the multilayered experience of being Muslim in America. Rehman's memoir offers a deeper understanding and appreciation for Muslim lifestyles while imparting a message of unity and international fellowship. Rehman lends a strong and compelling voice to moderate Muslims, and her discussion of her faith and the areas she believes need modernization illustrate the different opinions within the Muslim community.” — Library Journal. "The country needs this counterbalancing personal story to correct the pervasive misunderstanding of what Islam is truly about and the contributions to our American democracy that most American Muslims make every day of their lives. Somebody donate a copy of Threading My Prayer Rug to every Republican member of Congress, every Republican member of a state legislature, and every Republican governor who advocates for preventing Muslims from settling in their state." "Take this journey on Sabeeha's prayer rug, and you will be enchanted as she vividly and beautifully transports you through rich and elaborate threads of a lifetime lived with love, intelligence, and compassion—an inspiration to all." "With anti-Islamic sentiments on the rise in this country, Threading My Prayer Rug is a refreshing look at what it is really like to be a Muslim in the US today. With humor, charm, and great insight, Sabeeha Rehman recounts how one can be both a devout Muslim and an American wife, mom, grandmother and community activist." Rich in exotic detail, Sabeeha's true-life story is funny, sweet, beautiful, warm, and deeply touching to any reader, who will note how much the heart and soul of a Muslim mother is like that of any other." She achieves a richly textured narrative that introduces readers to the rituals and enduring values of her Muslim faith as she, her husband Khalid and their sons Saqib and Asim integrate into the American melting pot. " Threading My Prayer Rug is a beautifully written memoir of a cosmopolitan and faithful Pakistani-American Muslim woman.
Reviews
"The story tells of how she and her family come to be patriotic Americans, but also how they worked to maintain a strong bond with their Pakistani culture and the Muslim religion."
"Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman's Journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim. by Sabeeha Rehman Books are my friends. I was able to see and learn about Muslims and how good and loving the religion and people are."
"Her story offers an educated Muslim women's quiet dramatic change from Pakistan to New York."
"A well written memoir from a Pakistani Muslim who came to the U.S. in 1971 after an arranged marriage, she discusses what it was like to be a Muslim in America."
"This is a well-written, thoughtful and intriguing memoir, following the author's life from Pakistan to the USA and from a sheltered life to a life open and engaged with her community."
"We really enjoyed the personal style of the author and her experiences taking both her religion and the culture of Pakistan, having an arranged marriage to a wonderful Pakistani husband who was was trained as a medical doctor and living in New York City."
"I really enjoyed this book."
"I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Islam and those who practice it."
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Best African Poetry

soft magic.
is the debut collection of prose and poetry by Malawian writer, Upile Chisala.
Reviews
"You can't read this set of poems and then just put them away."
"Perfect."
"wow this book was exactly what i needed."
"Abosolutely lovely!"
"A fantastic collection of poems!"
"There is hope for poetry, for words without fear of criticism, for thoughts with heart, for sharing with fearless compassion."
"Profoundly magical."
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Best Islamic Law

No Go Zones: How Sharia Law Is Coming to a Neighborhood Near You
Now Raheem Kassam, a courageous reporter and editor at Breitbart, takes us where few journalists have dared to tread—inside the No Go Zones, revealing areas that Western governments, including the United States, don't want to admit exist within their own borders. How in No Go Zones a blind eye is being turned to polygamy, female genital mutilation, sexual assault, segregation, and even honor killings Why Muslim ghettos in the West aren't the equivalent of Little Italy or Chinatown, but a serious cultural and political threat How the welfare state actually funds and supports a Muslim subculture of resentment How to identify extremist mosques A matter of numbers: how mass migration could transform Europe into a Muslim-dominated continent within our own lifetimes The alarming speed at which No Go Zones are coming to America Compelling in its reporting, shocking in its detail, Raheem Kassam's No Go Zones is one of the most frightening true stories you will read this year.
Reviews
"As Kassam details, Europe has appeased Islamists who have taken over Islamic communities and created a state within a state, encouraging Muslims not to assimilate, spreading lies about the police and the citizens, and using the threat of violence and actual violence to instill fear in the locals to get what they want. Fear, guilt, and naivety has made the regressive left, political and media elites, submit to the radical Islamic right, to their Ultra Conservative Imams and religious scholars and self-proclaimed 'community leaders' who form and enforce the No Go Zones to enforce Sharia (Islamic law)."
"Much as I wonder at giving a 'like' rating to a book that expresses so much potential darkness for the future of Western Civilization, the author earned this evaluation."
"I, a West London boy who studied politics at the University of Westminister, arguably should not be the one telling these stories from the United States, or Belgium, or France, or Swedon. But the failure of the mainstream media to produce real reporting on No Go Zones has left me with no other choice but to bring this topic to light." -- page 235. Did you know that while Saudi Arabia has consistently refused to welcome Syrian refugees into their own country while at the same time they have pledged to build 200 mosques in Germany? Clearly there is something sinister afoot in Europe and unless we shift gears forthwith here in America the same sort of egregious problems will be coming to a town near you. As editor-in-chief of Breitbart London, Raheem Kassam has been aggressively and courageously covering these and a whole host of other troubling stories regarding the march of radical Islam through Europe and now to the shores of America."
"Many immigrants are fine, who could object to Hindu's or Sheikhs but one group refuses to assimilate and second and even third generations are do not speak English as their first language."
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Best Islamic Sunnism

After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam
Even as Muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would take control of the new Islamic nation had begun, beginning a succession crisis marked by power grabs, assassination, political intrigue, and passionate faith. Pitting the family of his favorite wife, the controversial Aisha, against supporters of his son-in-law, the philosopher-warrior Ali, the struggle would reach its breaking point fifty years later in Iraq, when soldiers of the first Sunni dynasty massacred seventy-two warriors led by Muhammad's grandson Hussein at Karbala. Balancing past and present, she shows how these seventh-century events are as alive in Middle Eastern hearts and minds today as though they had just happened, shaping modern headlines from Iran's Islamic Revolution to the civil war in Iraq. It began with a question asked after a particularly ghastly suicide bombing in Iraq: "How come Muhammad, the prophet of unity who spoke of one people and one God, left behind him this terrible, unending, bloody legacy of division between Sunni and Shia?" The subject was all the more irresistible to me personally since it brings together many of my deepest interests: the interplay of religion and politics, more intricately intertwined in the Middle East than anywhere else in the world; my own experience living in and reporting from the Middle East for Time magazine and other publications; my affinity for narrative nonfiction and for tracing the interplay of past and present; and my original training as a psychologist, which comes into play as I explore the story, the way it has endured, and how it is used today in politics, society, spiritual life, and, too often, war. I could almost imagine that if all this had only been better known in the West, American troops would never have been sent within a hundred miles of Iraqi holy cities like Najaf and Karbala, which figure in it so largely, and that we would never have tried to intervene in an argument fueled by such a volatile blend of emotion, religion, and politics. In the end, I will be happy if readers simply turn over the last page and breathe out the words I found myself saying again and again as my research deepened, and that seem to me an entirely appropriate response to a story of this power: "Oh my God..." --Lesley Hazleton.
Reviews
"I wonder if one can trust so much in a source that seems almost 'partisan' to one of the branches of Islam..., although I can only say, it is inviting to keep reading and searching for other opinions."
"Probably better than many devote Moslems would because the are simply too close to the subject matter and the figures involved are "larger than life"."
"Did not know much of the history after the death of Prophet Muhammad SAW so this narrative was very enlightening."
"Good, simple, short and to the point not 100% accurate but still worth reading."
"Quite objective."
"Heavily sourced and well researched, I caught myself thinking "oh I need that book, and that one, and that one.""
"This historical narrative conveys the complex nature of familial and religious ties in the 7th Century developing Islamic world in an easily understood manner."
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Best Islamic Quran

The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
It is the supreme authority in Islam and the living source of all Islamic teaching; it is a sacred text and a book of guidance, that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of the Islamic religion. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. "Haleem has managed to transform the complex grammar and structure of the holy book into a form of modern English which reads easily and flows smoothly without taking liberties with the inviolable text.
Reviews
"Tarif Khalidi:: Do not turn your cheek away from people in contempt, and do not walk merrily upon the earth: God loves not every swaggering snob. Haleem, in addition, does not provide a literal translation, i.e. cheek, rather gives a more well-known idiom in English "turn up nose". Tarif Khalidi:: O mankind, We created you male and female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may come to know one another. Another important word here is atQaakum, which is related at-Taqwa and Muttaqun, which is usually translated to mean God-fearing or God-conscious. But "mindful of God" as Haleem presents and "pious" as Khalidi translates are not wrong either. MAS Abdel Haleem:: We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire. Tarif Khalidi:: We adorned the lower sky with Lanterns, and made them to be volleys against the demons, for whom We have readied the torment of the Blaze. My Opinion:: Each of Hammad, Haleem and Khalidi translates "Shayateen" as satans, devils and demons respectively. ~79/1~. Ahmad Zaki Hammad:: By the [angelic] pullers, pulling forth violently [the souls of the disbelievers at death]! MAS Abdel Haleem:: By the forceful chargers. Tarif Khalidi:: By those that dispatch, to the very limit! My Opinion:: Many translate first five verses of this chapter to include interpretations such as "angels", "winds", "stars", "herd of horses" etc. As such his translation seems to be forced to match the description of a herd of military horses going out. ~~~. My Conclusion:: Quran can't be properly translated into any other language to convey 100% of the meaning. In some places, his penchant for shorter and friendlier translation, he omits a word or two."
"Am using this in my research."
"Love it."
"Interesting and informative footnote translations of the religion for those with little knowledge of Islam!"
"Best translation I've ever read!"
"Easy reading to try to understand the Muslim faith."
"I could not be more please."
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Best Islamic Shi'ism

After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam
Even as Muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would take control of the new Islamic nation had begun, beginning a succession crisis marked by power grabs, assassination, political intrigue, and passionate faith. Pitting the family of his favorite wife, the controversial Aisha, against supporters of his son-in-law, the philosopher-warrior Ali, the struggle would reach its breaking point fifty years later in Iraq, when soldiers of the first Sunni dynasty massacred seventy-two warriors led by Muhammad's grandson Hussein at Karbala. Balancing past and present, she shows how these seventh-century events are as alive in Middle Eastern hearts and minds today as though they had just happened, shaping modern headlines from Iran's Islamic Revolution to the civil war in Iraq. It began with a question asked after a particularly ghastly suicide bombing in Iraq: "How come Muhammad, the prophet of unity who spoke of one people and one God, left behind him this terrible, unending, bloody legacy of division between Sunni and Shia?" The subject was all the more irresistible to me personally since it brings together many of my deepest interests: the interplay of religion and politics, more intricately intertwined in the Middle East than anywhere else in the world; my own experience living in and reporting from the Middle East for Time magazine and other publications; my affinity for narrative nonfiction and for tracing the interplay of past and present; and my original training as a psychologist, which comes into play as I explore the story, the way it has endured, and how it is used today in politics, society, spiritual life, and, too often, war. I could almost imagine that if all this had only been better known in the West, American troops would never have been sent within a hundred miles of Iraqi holy cities like Najaf and Karbala, which figure in it so largely, and that we would never have tried to intervene in an argument fueled by such a volatile blend of emotion, religion, and politics. In the end, I will be happy if readers simply turn over the last page and breathe out the words I found myself saying again and again as my research deepened, and that seem to me an entirely appropriate response to a story of this power: "Oh my God..." --Lesley Hazleton.
Reviews
"I wonder if one can trust so much in a source that seems almost 'partisan' to one of the branches of Islam..., although I can only say, it is inviting to keep reading and searching for other opinions."
"Probably better than many devote Moslems would because the are simply too close to the subject matter and the figures involved are "larger than life"."
"Did not know much of the history after the death of Prophet Muhammad SAW so this narrative was very enlightening."
"Good, simple, short and to the point not 100% accurate but still worth reading."
"Quite objective."
"Heavily sourced and well researched, I caught myself thinking "oh I need that book, and that one, and that one.""
"This historical narrative conveys the complex nature of familial and religious ties in the 7th Century developing Islamic world in an easily understood manner."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Islamic Music

The Mysticism of Sound and Music: The Sufi Teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan (Shambhala Dragon Editions)
Music, according to Sufi teaching, is really a small expression of the overwhelming and perfect harmony of the whole universe—and that is the secret of its amazing power to move us. "Inayat Khan brought one of the strongest and sweetest lineages from India to the West: the music and open heart of Sufism as it blends with Persian poetry and Western intellect. Music, according to Sufi teaching, is really a small expression of the overwhelming and perfect harmony of the whole universe - and that is the secret of its amazing power to move us.
Reviews
"Certainly an amazing company, they sent a sweet gift with my order which was beloved for the synchronization!"
"Mindblowing artful metaphor about subjects impossible to be written or spoken about, subjects which can only experienced for oneself to get close to the truth of reality."
"A master book about the influence of vibrations (music) in our life, the meaning of love in our heart and how we are all connected to everything."
"excellent book & prompt delivery & item as described; complete satisfaction."
"This man has something to share with musicians, poets, and music lovers."
"It's good for a present to people who are interested in the subject."
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Best Islamic Theology

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (And the Crusades) (The Politically Incorrect Guides)
Islam expert Robert Spencer reveals Islam's ongoing, unshakable quest for global conquest and why the West today faces the same threat as the Crusaders did--and what we can learn from their experience. "A much-needed antidote to the poisonous propaganda that compromises our current battle against jihadist murder." -- Ibn Warraq, author "A much-needed antidote to the poisonous propaganda that compromises our current battle against jihadist murder." Spencer reveals facts that you won't be taught in school and will never hear on the evening news, supplies a revealing list of "Books You Must Not Read" (as far as the PC left is concerned), and takes you on a fast-paced politically incorrect tour of Islamic teaching and Crusades history that will give you all the information you need to understand the true nature of the global conflict America faces today.
Reviews
"I already have a copy of the Quran in English, and a book that describes and praises Islam and its history."
"Every freedom loving individual should read this before it's too late."
"A great read."
"An absolutely fascinating and informative analysis of Islam and the true history about the Crusades, as well as the current looming crisis with Islam."
"Very good info."
"A very important look at an enemy we will have to face more and more."
"We have to do our own homework when it comes to learning the truth about history."
"I have recommended this book to everyone I know."
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Best Sufism

The Essential Rumi - reissue: New Expanded Edition
The Essential Rumi continues to be the bestselling of all Rumi books, and the definitive selection of his beautiful, mystical poetry. -- Huston Smith, author of "The World's Religions""In this.delightful treasury, Barks sparklingly demonstratesonce again why his free-form interpretations of [Rumi's] poetryhave been a major impetus for the current Rumi vogue."
Reviews
"One can pick up this volume and turn to any page for a shot of verbal adrenaline, for Rumi talks about everything under the sun and is completely free of puritanical shame - so very refreshing. In fact, he writes as if the listener is on the same level and can ignite the identical inner spark that Rumi has through some kind of spontaneous combustion. I'd also like to see a few hundred copies of Rumi circulated at our nation's capitol, since it's hard to imagine anyone there having read something even as basic and moral as "A Thousand and One Nights," either as a child or by their parents, to expand their perspective on the world as an adult - and unfortunately this contracted and limited view of life really really shows and the rest of us have to suffer for it... Free copies for everyone paid out of the military budget."
"One of best book of great Rumi."
"In September of 2012, I created a photographic gallery of Rumi quotations and used a few of the quotes from Coleman Bark's book with direct permission from the author - I thought it was so cool that he emailed me back and was gracious about it. The translation is great but the content is very hard to put into context.... it's like reading about another person's dreams.... they make very little sense except a few moments in time when something clarifying and brilliant happens."
"Great poetry that inspires and is easily relate able to modern times."
"One of my all-time favorite books which I can and will read over and over."
"I read this book daily."
"I have had this in book form and I need something I can just carry with me anywhere I go."
"Coleman Barks is one of the best for bringing Rumi to the 21st century!..not literal translations from Persian, I've heard, but renderings that do capture the taste of Rumi's message."
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Best Islamic Rituals & Practice

The Muslim Next Door: The Qur'an, the Media, and That Veil Thing
Written from the point of view of an American Muslim, the book addresses what readers in the Western world are most curious about, beginning with the basics of Islam and how Muslims practice their religion before easing into more complicated issues like jihad, Islamic fundamentalism, and the status of women in Islam. She combines scholarship with an engaging and accessible style and frank self-criticism that crystallizes the faith and commitment of a majority of mainstream Muslims in its unity and diversity.”. — John L. Esposito, University Professor and Professor of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University. Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the publishing world has generated a virtual flood of books on Islam and Muslims, and the vast majority of what has been published is no better than pseudo-intellectual drivel. This book easily ranks as one of the best three books published on the Islamic faith in the English language since the tragedy of 9/11. Indeed this book is a necessary read not just for those who are interested in learning about Islam, but even more so for those who believe that they have learned all there is to know about Islam." — Khaled Abou El Fadl, J.D., Ph.D., Professor of Immigration, Middle Eastern, and Islamic Law – UCLA School of Law, Author of The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists. Sumbul Ali-Karamali has written a lovely, lyrical and learned book about living Islam. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about Islam from someone who lives it". Sumbul mixes scholarly insight about Islam with a personal, well-considered perspective on being a mainstream American Muslim. Intended primarily for non-Muslims seeking to understand their Muslim neighbor, Muslims will also see much value in Ali-Karamali’s book." "The Muslim Next Door provides a timely, candid and sensitive insight into the experience of growing up Muslim in a post-9/11 America, along with a much-needed and impeccably researched explanation of the historical and cultural contexts of today’s Muslim world and the religion of Islam. Often the only Muslim her acquaintances knew, she had ample practice answering questions about Islam and Muslims. While working as a corporate lawyer, she was repeatedly asked to recommend books on Islam, so she decided to write a book that was both academically reliable and entertaining to read. She served as a teaching assistant in Islamic Law at SOAS and a research associate at the Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law in London, and then she wrote The Muslim Next Door for everyone who ever asked - or wanted to ask - a question about Islam.
Reviews
"This is good information and I recommend more people to read this book!"
"Written in a very warm, personal and sometimes humorous style, The Musliim Next Door educates about Muslims and Islam without being lecturey and is a good read for both those familiar and unfamiliar with the faith."
"I bought this after hearing Ms. Ali-Karamali speak at a local college and found her very friendly and open when fielding questions on the Muslim faith."
"I learned much, and now at least have some appreciation of Muslim culture and the fact that they should not all be condemned as enemies."
"A necessary read for people who desire to learn more about our Muslim neighbors and the faith that they practice."
"I bought this book for my mom for Christmas and she really enjoyed it."
"Good book to read."
"An informative and educational book that is a must read in this day and age."
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