Review: Even Angels Ask

Title: Even Angels Ask *****

Author: Jeffery Lang

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Advice (copyright 1997)

Audience: For those on the fence between converting and not converting to Islam. The "Second Generation" American Muslims who need to take a look at how to understand their faith in America. For all Muslims, especially first generation, so they can see the damage that has been done to the Ummah.

Content:

"Even Angels Ask" covers three major points on converting: Why people convert, why people, who seem to love and thrive in Islam, do not covert, and lastly why people leave Islam. Jeffery Lang uses his own life stories to illustrate his points beautifully and can make the convert and "pre-convert" feel like they are not alone; in fact, someone understands them completely. His sub-theme is that of the condition of the Muslim Ummah and how it drastically needs a second look. He goes into depth about the issues of Middle-Eastern culture verses the religion and how Muslims need to start taking a second look at what they are really doing. That they need to look at their behavior and realize they are harming their Ummah.

Opinion:

This book touch me deeply. It is definitely in the top 5 best books I have ever read. Jeffery Lang tells his story in such an honest fashion that one easily identifies with his short comings and revelations. He beautifully describes the human struggle for faith; how it is never ending regardless of your religious faith. Professor Lang talks at length about the need for tolerance in the Ummah. It did not surprise me that one of the main reasons converts leave Islam or people choose not to convert is the feeling that the Ummah pushed them out, that they were unwanted due to their culture or differences in interpretation. He also talks about the great difficulties of being Muslim in America, the prejudice, hatred, and discrimination felt by many (especially women) in American society. Written in 1997, the book covers the treatment of Muslims prior to 9/11. I was shocked to see that before 9/11 things were actually worse than they are now. I didn't even know what a Muslim was in 1997, but apparently they were being horribly treated in this country much like the Jews in the 1940's and 1950's. Unwanted, ridiculed, and put down. The difference, as Jeffery Lang explains, was that the Muslim community was also attacking itself causing even greater unrest in the Ummah than we have today. He has countless stories of groups (even groups within Sunni or Shia schools) not allowing others to come into the mosque. he tells a story of how three women converts wanted to come to prayer at the mosque and the men were so vile the women gave up: none of these women remained Muslim.

This is a beautiful book and I recommend it especially to those on the fence about converting. It touched my heart and made me realize that I am not alone in how I feel. That countless people go through what I am going through everyday and it is ok. It is ok to be afraid of the Ummah, of your society, of the pressures of people. It is natural. That even if you have a religious family it is possible to reconcile after conversion. But most importantly, regardless of what religion you choose, God loves you.

If you like this you may like: Anger - Thich Naht Hanh, No God But God - Reza Aslan, When Bad Things Happen To Good People - Harold Kushner, Struggling to Surrender - jeffery Lang