Book review: Being Muslim

The ill-fated event of 9/11 where thousands of innocent persons had lost their life is the most unfortunate incident that could happen to Islamic world. It changed the world’s view of Islam and in some cases strengthened the doubts and apprehensions surrounding this faith.

The world got caught in an increasingly strong grip of “Islamophobia”, and Muslims found themselves beleaguered and persecuted.

This slim and succinctly written book by Haroon Siddiqui, is aimed at being an eye opener in the world of uncertainties and misgivings regarding Islam, and explains what ‘Being Muslim’ means in today’s’ hysterical times.

About ‘Being Muslim’, some say that it is a complete white wash on Muslim behaviour, and that Siddiqui has tried to justify the Muslim behaviour, while overstating the world’s narrow viewpoint about Islam.

Most of the critics say that Muslims have been too sensitive to attacks on their faith and their attitude is that of besieged followers, misguided by overstatements.

Nevertheless, Siddiqui’s book is an upfront attempt to dispel some of the injudicious allusions that ‘being’ a Muslim entails for a Muslim.

Since Siddiqui has served as the most revered editor of ‘The Toronto Star’, a Canadian Newspaper, and is also the past president of PEN, Canada, he has been vocal about many issues pertaining to Muslim faith and the world’s view about it. Being an Indo-Canadian, and having lived for many years in US, Siddiqui has been open to the elements, of how after 9/11 the world of a Muslim is suddenly finding itself vulnerable to many speculations regarding its credibility as a peace-loving citizen.

As a crusader of human rights in an age of terrorism and as an advocate of anti-war campaign he has called for the recognition of Cold war sates such as Macedonia and Ukraine.

He edited the editorial page of Indo-Canadian Newspaper, ‘Toronto Star Canada’, and also served as its foreign affairs analyst. The writing of ‘Being Muslim’ is one of those crusading acts to which he is accustomed, throughout his journalistic and writing career.

Without being apologetic or proselytizing about the Muslim world, this book is objective in its approach and is written without any superfluities or subjective empathy. Due to his rebellious columns in the rather notorious Star, he is often labeled as an overbearing and intimidating man. But he speaks out for Muslims with a single-minded clarity and forthrightness.

He writes this book in his characteristic outspoken style, taking up the cudgels, to fight the popular myths, though in the past he has faced much hostility for his outspoken views and has also been labeled as a “Third World Apologist”.

‘Being Muslim’ is full of information about the true doctrines of Islam and is easy to read due to its lucid and simple language. The book is targeted at children14 years, upwards and it indicates that perhaps Siddiqui is catching them young, and making them conscientious towards their religion.

He has not approached this book as a scholar of Islam, but has reported facts, bare facts; challenging the conjectures surrounding this absolutely careworn faith, with clear picture of Islamic theories.

Siddiqui doesn’t talk about Islamic history much in this book (though he does engage in the history briefly to provide adequate background for the readers to relate to the topic) and stays loyal to the current hysteria of mistrust, which is ailing the Muslims and Islam.

He writes about every controversial issues such as: Terrorism, Jihad, Hijab, War, Polygamy, Prophets Mohammed’s many wives, honor killing, female circumcision, Sharia, stoning, status and oppression of Muslim women etc. that is picked up as topic of discussions and censure regarding the image of Islam.

He also realized that Muslims are mostly responsible for the charges that they are facing in the world’s opinion of their religion. When he speaks about fanaticism he speaks to the Muslim disintegration and ghettoes mentality. He condemns both the Muslims and the Non-Muslims who have such obscurity in their beliefs about this religion.

One of the favorite topics of the world at large is the oppression of women in Islam. This book takes a look at the issues of Hijab, and the implied suppression of women by their men. Siddiqui feels that just as many other fallacies surrounding Islam, one that stands out most is the idea of women’s inferiority in Islam and the proof used to support this notion is the veil, called purdah, or hijab that most Muslim women wear, which is often seen as a sign of suppression.

There are about three million Muslim women in the United States, and they are not the archetypal oppressed women confined to home and hearth. They are highly educated professionals, lawyers, University teachers, software developers and Doctors, who have chosen to wear the veil out of their own free will. In clearing the miasma surrounding this piece of cloth, Siddiqui is contesting the prototype image of Islam and Muslim women in his book, ‘Being Muslim’, enforcing the fact that Quran in fact promotes personal freedom and education for women, and emphasizes the importance of being economically secured.

Siddiqui suggests that hijab is a power statement and symbol of modesty, as Quran says; and not of subjugation.

This book by Haroon Siddiqui is like a detailed brochure of Islam, and he has written it with his true famous /infamous Siddiqui style of candor.