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REVIEWS
Short Takes
Sanctity of Life
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achedina rejects the informal consensus that Islamic theology and human rights, at least within the context of the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights, cannot coexist. Instead, he argues for their essential compatibility by measuring Islam against the yardstick of human rights — and human rights against Islam’s theological principles. He criticizes those western experts who have ignored or downplayed religion’s importance on the development of human rights, assertIslam and the Challenge of Human Rights Abdulaziz Sachedina ing that any theory of universal 2009. pp. 288. HB. $35.00 rights necessarily emerges out of Oxford University Press, USA particular cultural contexts. His reexamination of the juridical and theological traditions that form the basis of conservative Muslims’ objections to western concepts of human rights leads him to declare that Islam, like any culture, is open to development and change. Sachedina, who bases his work on Islamic history and thought, makes the case that while both traditions are rigorous and rich with meaning, neither can lay claim to a comprehensive vision of human rights. He remarks that what is needed is not a comprehensive system of doctrine, but rather a set of moral principles, whether sacred or secular, that can protect people from abuse and mistreatment.
Clear Explanation
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eminiscing about his childhood motivations, Ramadan states that his parents instilled in him a desire to help others. He says that his travels at an early age allowed him to see the good in those who suffer quietly in poor and destitute countries. His role models, among them the Dalai Lama, Brazilian archbishop Dom Helder Camara, Abbé Pierre Dufresne, and What I Believe Hindu sage Sankara, only Tariq Ramadan: Books caused this desire to grow. 2009. pp. 160. HB. $12.95 Oxford University Press, USA In his introduction, he stresses that Prophet Muhammad never struck a woman and that the verse that supposedly allows a man to “beat” a woman after all other approaches have failed has been misunderstood by both Muslims and westerners. Moving on to his understanding of the “reformist approach to Islam,” he says that it has three essential steps: quoting the primary source (Qur’an or Hadith), explaining the different readings by scholars, and making rulings suitable for our time and place. —BY USHRUF SUBREEN
62 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2010
Pocket Timeline of Islamic Civilizations Nicholas Badcott 2009. pp. 32+12 pg foldout. HB. $13.95. Interlink Pub Group, Northampton, MA
A brief introduction to the Islamic world’s artistic, scientific, and political achievements, including the rise and fall of major dynasties and their impact on world history and culture. A 12-page foldout timeline over 1,300 years offers a quick visual reference to key periods, events, and developments. Islam and the Australian News Media Halim Rane, Jacqui Ewart, and Mohamad Abdalla (eds.) 2010. pp. 259. PB. Aus$ 49.99 Melbourne University Press, Melbourne
The editors have collected research and insights from academics, editors, and journalists detailing the representation of Islam and its impact on social relations, the newsworthiness of Muslim issues, and the complexities of covering Islam. They also explore how Muslim Australian communities respond to their media-generated image. My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer Anousheh Ansari with Homer Hickam 2010. pp. 256. HB. $25.00. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, NY
Ansari, a successful telecommunication entrepreneur, joins prize-winning author Hickam to relate how she became the first Muslim woman to travel into space.
She traces her steps from a difficult childhood in Tehran, through immigration and personal and professional success in America, and provides an inside look at her life and life-long dream of space travel. Oxford Essential Arabic Dictionary 2010. pp. 416. PB. $19.95 Raed Al-Jabari, ed. Oxford University Press, USA
This new compact and portable Arabic-English and English-Arabic dictionary offers up-to-date coverage of day-to-day vocabulary of both languages, with over 16,000 words, phrases, and translations. It is very useful for study, work, or travel. Shooting Kabul N. H. Senzai 2010. pp. 288. HB. $16.99 Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
In her debut novel for young adults, Senzai talks about a big brother finding his lost little sister and bringing her to his side from half a world away, as well as finding himself and restoring his honor in a land that is both foreign and home. Neither This Nor That Aliya Husain 2010. pp 260. PB. $19.99 Lulu.com
Fatima, a young Muslim American daughter of Indian immigrants, is not quite sure if she completely belongs. Her upbringing and her personal Islamic morals seem to be at odds with everything around her. Will this clash of cultures lead to her loss of identity and compromises to fit in, or will she be able to find a balance?