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Book Review: Commander of the Faithful: The Life and Times of Emir Abd el-Kader: A Story of True Jihad

Dr. Faroque Khan reviewed Commander of the Faithful: The Life and Times of Emir Abd el-Kader: A Story of True Jihad by John Kiser for the Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of North America.

Review: The Cave by Uthman Hutchinson

Uthman Hutchinson has written numerous books for Muslim children.

The Islamic Foundation of North America, Inc summarized this book.

The first story has an anti-war message, although it probably simplifies, in retrospect, the Afghan rebellion against its Communist government. The second story has a good message of gender equality, or at least an expansion of the spheres in which Muslim women can participate as equals.

I have not been able to find an outlet which sells this book.

Fantasy Academy in Iran

Fantasy Academy is an Iranian science fiction and fantasy club devoted to promoting SF/F.  Read more at The World SF blog.

Review: Teach Us to Live: Stories from Hiroshima and Nagasaki by Diana Wickes Roose

This book can be ordered from Intentional Productions.

Listen to the CD accompanying this book with the recordings of translated testimonies of survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I hope no Muslim ever uses the term "Islamic bomb." There's nothing "Islamic" about the bomb, and we should work towards complete nuclear disarmament.

P.S. If you get a chance, watch David Rothauser's Hibakusha, Our Life to Live.

Matt Ruff's The Mirage Sounds Like a Good Read

If you amalgamated the methodical, punctilious, world-building skills of Ian McDonald (“The Dervish House”) with the reality-distortion powers of Philip K. Dick (“The Man in the High Castle”) and then folded in the satirical, take-no-prisoners savagery of Norman Spinrad (“The Iron Dream”), you might very well be able to produce a book approximating Matt Ruff’s “The Mirage” — God willing, as Ruff’s characters are continually cautioning.

Read more ...

Review: Addicted to War: Why the U.S. Can't Kick Militarism by Joel Andreas

The peace groups in which I participate distribute this book. It's an easy read which introduces most of the basic premises of the U.S. peace movements. Most residents of the United States will not know the basic facts introduced in this book. It also contains a directory of national peace organizations and a list of references for those who want to take the next step in advocating for peace.

At its website, you can read the book for free online and order printed copies.

Review: The Invisible Arab: The Promise and Peril of the Arab Revolution

Marwan Bishara, a political analyst for Al-Jazeera satellite news network, wrote an Arab-nationalist perspective essay about the ongoing revolutions in North Africa and Southwest Asia.

Equal Worth: When Humanity Will Have Peace

I'm looking forward to reading Adil E. Shamoo's Equal Worth: When Humanity Will Have Peace. It is scheduled to be released May 2012.

Dr. Shamoo has written extensively on the ethics of research.

Update: I reviewed it.

Sophia Al-Maria (Sci-Fi Wahabi)

Profile appeared at the Islam and Science Fiction blog.

Media for the Deaf and Blind

Do our masajid practice ableism? In my practice of Islam, I think being deaf would be one of the greatest barriers to performing religious rituals such as hearing and reciting the Qur'an and listening to the Jumu`a khutba. Some Muslims are striving to provide services to the blind and deaf:

Ordered: Falcons on the Floor by Justin Sirois

I just ordered Falcons on the Floor, a novel by Justin Sirois about the people of Fallujah and Ramadi in Iraq.

Justin blogs. Also, check out The Understanding Campaign, which Justin promotes.

Update August 13, 2012: I read it and reviewed it.

"A Song For Me" A Muslim Holiday Story / Book with CD

I first heard about this book because

parental protests caused the Muslim mother and author to cancel a talk with students at A.M. Kulp Elementary School in Hatfield [in Pennsylvania].

I have not read it, but I hope to acquire it and add it to the list of children's books I've reviewed.

LookingGlassReview.com gave it a positive review.

Where Should the Birds Fly?: A Documentary from Gaza

Updated July 26, 2016 - The film has been completed. Here's its website.

Donate to support a Palestinian filmmaker from Gaza!

Documentary Film Deen Tight: Trailer

Official web site

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of North America published a review of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I have not read the book.

Rebecca Skloot's official website

Updated 2015-September-9. I did read the book in April 2013. It was good.

Documentary on Pakistan Receives Sundance Grant

From the Sundance web site:


These Birds Walk (U.S. / Pakistan)
Directors: Omar Mullick and Bassam Tariq
A portrait of contemporary Pakistan is created through the eyes of an ambulance driver and a runaway boy who call a humanitarian and his mission based organization home. 


h/t Ebad-E News

Support The Oregon Islamic Chaplains Organization with a Book Purchase

FAMACO Publishers is supporting The Oregon Islamic Chaplains Organization when you make a purchase of the following books using the promo code Fullway:

• Muslim Child: Understanding Islam Through Stories and Poems
• The History of Islam
• Commanders of the Muslim Army
• A Woman Among Warlords: The Extraordinary Story of an Afghan Who Dared to Raise Her Voice
  
• Men & Women Around the Messenger
• Nine to Five Muslims in the Western Workplace
  

The Moor Next Door reviewed A Convergence of Civilizations: The Transformation of Muslim Societies Around the World by Youssef Courbage and Emmanuel Todd. I have not read the book.