Witness

The press has been filled with information and misinformation about the true nature of Islam. Hasan represents what is left out of the daily newspapers and explains why being a Muslim is not merely a matter of birth, but it is a matter of choice.

In the wake of 9-11, the activities of Osama Bin Laden and Hamas, and the most recent Gulf War, the western press has been filled with information and mis-information about the true nature of Islam. Is it a feudal misogynist belief system that is a threat to Western values? Is it an ideology of oppression? Or, is it a religion that is as varied as Christianity; a "big tent" that includes not only bomb-throwing ideologues, but also those committed to an authentic spirituality that embraces many of the values shared by the mainstream in Europe and America?

Why I am a Muslim is an attempt to grapple with these issues. Part memoir, part polemic, it represents the side of Islam that is left out of the daily newspapers. For Hasan, being a Muslim is not merely a matter of birth, but it is a matter of choice.

In seven chapters, she presents seven reasons why she is committed to Islam and why it is a viable spiritual option for anyone.

1. Because I was born Muslim.

2. Because Islam gives me a direct relationship with God.

3. Because Islam has a rich mystical tradition in Sufism.

4. Because Islam allows and expects me to make mistakes.

5. Because Islam is ethnically diverse.

6. Because Islam is a woman's religion.

7. Because being Muslim makes me a better American (and being American makes me a better Muslim).