I found the premise of this book very interesting. As someone that doesn't understand the Islamic faith I was hoping this book would provide insight in an enjoyable read kind of way (we can all pick up educational books, but I was hoping for something that wasn't dry). I also wanted the perspective of the American element and how violence and radicalism was addressed compared to the belief that Islam is a peaceful path (the violence and radicalism not being wanted by most). What I found was a decent novel (the writing was ok, but the repetitiveness of statements - she "sucked her teeth", "chuckled", "forced laughter" - were way overused).
The story starts with Tamika being the victim of racial discrimination at her college dorm. Her (wrongful) punishment is having to leave the dorm for the campus apartment setting where she is paired with two Muslim young women. One (Aminah) is a faithful follower in her belief with prayers, dress, not socializing with young men or taking part in the social aspects of college life. The other (Durrah aka Dee) is confounded with her beliefs and has shorn the Islamic dress and basic ways while being torn by her own decision to do so. She wants to experience other things (singing, socializing where the opposite sex is allowed, beauty pageants) yet feels she will eventually return to strict Muslim ways. Tamika must research a religion and give a term paper of her research. She's trying to pick a religion at the same time as being forced from the dorm and into the apartment with Aminah and Durrah.
As for the underlying desire of Islam....I don't think this book helped one bit. What it showed me was control through fear by a scary God that punishes with eternal hell fire. Sounds like the basis all Abrahamic religions. It seems that (to me) from what this book and author states are her goals, Islam is another faith claiming to have all the answers (the final answer would be because the Messenger said so) but it remains that it's simply faith. Faith and belief that Muhammad is a Messenger and must be obeyed. While faiths may differ, it is still faith and belief. Further, in addressing various Muslim beliefs (where Muslims do not agree with other Muslims) the simple answer was "believe this way or it's not really Muslim". The book puts down Christianity for having so many sects, but quickly explains "only this way is Muslim, the other Muslims aren't really Muslims" so we don't have that pesky problem like Christianity (or Judaism I would expect, as they too have different ways of following). As for the Bible - "But the Bible is not from God". "How do you know that (it was inspired by God - page 56)? Yet, this same statement is not applied to the Islamic faith because of the fitrah - a covenant between God and each person prior to their birth that God is our Lord - we just happen to forget this when we enter physical form, but our fitrah guarantees that we will know the truth (of Islam) when it reaches us. Thus, the fitrah would be that Muhammad's message was the truth and our basic nature would know this instinctively and that is why we must follow what Muhammad declared or suffer hell fire eternally (at least this is what I got from the book in finality).
I found it hard to come to grips with such a quick conversion from Christianity to Islam on Tamika's part. She converted without any study that the reader could garner from the book as written. Yes, she did her Religion paper on Islam, but the reader never hears what she discovers. We only hear what Aminah's thoughts are, and, basically, they are Islam is the only way, Muhammad is the Messenger of God (and as is such we must follow what he says). The book doesn't even explain what the Sunnah is (the book of Muhammad's words saying how people should live) nor that Muslims believe Muhammad is the final Messenger of God (others claiming to be Messengers have come since - Muslims do not believe they are Messengers as Muhammad is the final and last Messenger of God). The hadith isn't even touched on.
One of the most poignant remarks in the book was when Tamika realized that she felt so discriminated against for the color of her skin and awakening to the fact that she was "a racist" (as she described herself) realizing she discriminated against Muslims just as she had been discriminated against. The realization of this and her heartbreak over being so was the finest part of the book. I'm still left wondering about the rest....
