Book Review: Son of Hamas

The Middle East is a place like no other. It's hard to know if anyone truly knows what is going on in the conflict. Despite some attempts to make comparisons between the Northern Ireland peace process and the search for peace in Israel and Palestine; indeed, with many in Northern Ireland lining up to take sides based on questionable alliances and allegiances, it's probably best to admit ignorance of the entire thing.

On holiday, one of the books I read was Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef. You've probably heard of Hamas, but who is it, what does it do, and what are they trying to achieve? Yousef has a 'most unique perspective... I am a son of that region and of that conflict. I am a child of Islam and the son of an accused terrorist. I am also a follower of Jesus.'

Yousef shares his family history, as well as his own story. His father was one of the founders of Hamas, passionate for returning people to the teaching of the Qur'an. Yet in the situation of Palestine and the conflict over territory and religion, Hamas felt that something had to be done. 'Hamas was largely animated by religious fervour and the theology of jihad, while the PLO was driven by nationalism and the ideology of power.'

Yousef's personal story is remarkable, being under surveillance by the Israeli authorities and the American special forces, being arrested, and all that follows in prison. I can't really say much more without spoiling it for you if you're going to read it, but let's just say that it's a white knuckle ride through times of trouble and terror.

As has already been mentioned, Yousef is now a Christian, having been invited to a Bible study in Jerusalem, and through the book we see how he is transformed in his words, thoughts, and actions. If anything, it's slightly disappointing in how little he talks of his conversion and how he explains it, and yet, his analysis of Islam is perceptive and illuminating:

'...the other side of Islam. Islamic life is like a ladder, with prayer and praising Allah as the bottom rung. The higher rungs represent helping the poor and needy... the highest rung is jihad... few look up to see what is at the top... A moderate Muslim is actually more dangerous than a fundamentalist, however because he appears to be harmless, and you can never tell when he has taken that next step toward the top.'

This is a fascinating and tense insider account of the turbulent times of the recent middle East. The story commands your attention, and helps to explain what is really going on, and what is needed for a true and lasting peace in the region.

Jesus Among Other Gods: Book Review

Comparative Religion is normally the study of various religions to discover and emphasise their similarities. It's a particularly popular enterprise, particularly in these days of ecumenical and inter-faith dialogue and discussion. The basic premise for those involved is that all religions are basically the same and of equal merit, with the golden rule at the heart of them - do to others what you would want them to do back.

It was refreshing to read Jesus Among Other gods by Ravi Zacharias, which is a completely different exercise in comparative religion. Taking incidents from the Gospel according to Saint John, Ravi discusses the implications of what Jesus says and does, and then compares it with the leaders / founders / originators of religions can say and do.

The end result, Jesus wins hands down, because of his unique person, being, source, claims, promises and ability to deal with death. Jesus lives, Mohammed is lying in a grave. Jesus guarantees eternal life with Him, Buddha offers the uncertainty of endless reincarnations until 'you' cease to exist.

Allow me to quote a couple of short passages, just to give you the full force of what Zacharias declares about the Lord Jesus:

'His earthly sojourn was not an origination, but a visitation. Every other person who is at the heart of any religion has had his or her beginning either in fancy or in fact. But nevertheless, there is a beginning. Jesus' birth in Bethlehem was a moment preceded by eternity. His being neither originated in time nor came about by the will of humanity. The Author of time, who lived in the eternal, was made incarnate in time that we might live with the eternal in view. In that sense, the message of Christ was not the introduction of a religion, but an introduction to truth about reality as God alone knows it.' (p. 34)

Or this as he writes of holy places:

'The history of Christendom is not free from perversions. But Jesus sent a message loud and clear. We are His temple. We do not turn in a certain direction to pray. We are not bound by having to go into a building so that we can commune with God. There are no unique postures and times and limitations that restrict our access to God. My relationship with God is intimate and personal. The Christian does not go to the temple to worship. The Christian takes the temple with him or her. ' (pp. 72-73)

Reading this book can definitely restore a confidence in the person, words and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. No one else can compare, not now, nor in eternity. Amen!

The Challenge of Islam: Book Review

Recently, we had Patrick Sookhdeo of the Barnabas Fund speaking in our church, and after the services there was the opportunity to pick up some of his books. This one, to give it its full title of The Challenge of Islam to the Church and its Mission, was a great introduction to the beliefs and behaviours of Muslims, and provided some pointers on how to tell Muslims the good news of Jesus Christ, God's Son.

In the first section, he sets out some background to understanding Islam. Interesting topics such as Muhammad, the Qur'an, and the five pillars of Islam. Despite Islam being in the news so much, there's probably a general ignorance as to what it's all about, and the book helpfully highlights some of Islam's claims.

These claims are then weighed against the claims of Jesus Christ, with a useful comparison to show that, in the words of Al Mohler, 'We may find common ground on some issues, but the Muslim worldview and the Christian worldview differ radically. No informed person should be unaware of the basic incompatibility of Christianity and Islam.'

The key difference (among many others) is centred on the person of the Lord Jesus. Sookhdeo demonstrates that the Islamic declaration that 'There is no god but God (Allah) and Muhammad is his prophet' is aimed directly against the Son of God, Jesus Christ. By claiming that only Allah is God, they deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, and by claiming Mohammed as the only prophet, deny that Jesus Christ is the Word became flesh, the final revelation of God the Father, the one true capital P Prophet.

Certain key issues are then discussed, relating to cultural and social aspects, including the treatment of women, and the implementation of shari'a law in Western countries. In this section, Sookhdeo describes the reluctance of Islamic states to modernise, holding on to their customs which would horrify any liberal human rights lawyer, while seeking to try to introduce such laws and customs into the United Kingdom.

The final section of the book then seeks to help Christians, and especially Christian leaders to think through the issues involved in Christian-Muslim dialogue and shared projects. Here there is to be found some timely advice on inter-faith issues, particularly where the pattern appears to be that Christians bend over backwards to facilitate and welcome Muslims to speak in pulpits, but without any opportunity on the other side.

Patrick Sookhdeo has been a controversial figure - a google search of his name confirms this almost immediately - and yet the book is extremely important as we think through the issues and strategy to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God and of Jesus the King to all people, and especially Muslims.