Title: Islam in the Heartland of America
Author: Imam Omar Hazim
Publisher: Imam Omar Hazim
ASIN: B0DLX46LB8
Pages: 478
Genre: Non-fiction / Religion & Spirituality
Reviewed by: Christina Avina
Pacific Book Review
While it isn’t always easy to discern in the United States, the nation is one founded on religious freedom, freedom from persecution and judgement from others. While the founding fathers saw their Christian faith as the predominant belief system of their time, this promise of religious freedom extends to all faiths and has allowed in our modern era the faiths of all people to thrive and grow in the US. While many still adhere to the Christian faith, those from other belief systems have established ties to the communities that make up the United States, including that of Islam.
The most difficult task Islam could face in this country however is the stigma and judgement which comes from misconceptions and false information about what Islam is. That is why author Imam Omar Hazim’s Islam in the Heartland of America is such an important read. The book seeks to inform and educate the public how Islam as a religion is practiced and taught within a Mosque and in the heartland of America in particular. The book and its author hope to clarify and erase some of the misconceptions that surround the Islamic faith and includes looks into the Friday sermons from the author himself.
A truly powerful and insightful read, the author does a remarkable job of delving into the heart of what Islam truly is. The immediate impact the author’s work has on the reader is evident in its retrospective look at what jihad is, separating the Western influence of the word on Western civilization by turning it into a call for a “holy war” when in fact it is a call for the exertion of good by anyone in their faith, and not in reference to any violent or war-based actions. The concept that this change in meaning came during the Holy Crusades so long ago was truly fascinating and yet deeply disheartening to see another example of one predominant force rewriting history to suit their own needs. The author does a remarkable job of not only explaining the various facets of the Islamic faith and the holy book they live by, but of the history of how Islam came to settle in the heartland of America to begin with, in this instance the history of Islam in Topeka, Kansas.
Anyone who shares a passion for understanding different cultures and belief systems, in particular the nature of Islam and the ways in which it can and has integrated into the United States culturally, will instantly be drawn to this book. The way the author was able to include both their sermons and the teachings of other Imams as well allowed for readers to further explore this particular faith, such as a teaching of the authors in 2010 that dealt with reasoning in the HolyQur’an and how people in general advance through thought, a concept that resonates with anyone no matter what their particular faith is. A well rounded and excellent book that explores a powerful faith, this is one book readers will not be able to put down.
