One God and Two Religions - by Amir Hussain (Paperback)

About the Book

The book serves as an introduction to Islam and Muslim lives. Most Americans still do not know a Muslim, and many Americans view Muslims far less positively than they view members of most other major religious groups. This book helps North American Christians to understand their Muslim neighbors.

Book Synopsis

Islam is a religion of violence and behind every Muslim there lurks a potential terrorist. Islam is a threat to values of the Christian West. They are like oil and water. Clearly, they don't mix.

One God and Two Religions confronts these popular perceptions head-on. With keen insight and gentle understanding, Amir Hussain explores the differences between Christianity and Islam, as well as the many things these two enduring faith traditions hold in common - including, first and foremost, their belief in and desire to be faithful to the one, true God; their shared roots and scripture (from the Jewish faith); and the spiritual values of peace and social justice.

Written for Christians by Muslim world-religions scholar, the book is divided into two parts. Part 1, provides an overview of the Islamic faith and of the lives of Muslims in North America today. Chapters focus on the place and identity of Muslims in society, as well as on the importance and role of Muhammad, the Qur'an, and basic beliefs and practices (The Five Pillars of Islam). Part 2, explores key points for dialogue, including issues of violence and jihad, the roles of women and men, and the mystical tradition within Islam. The final two chapters look at interfaith dialogue and the practical aspects of being good ""neighbors.""

In all of this, the book invites the reader to a place of reconciliation, to a place where the truth and value of each of these great faith traditions can be recognized and honored by the other. In the end, the metaphor of oil and water is an interesting one for the reality of conflict and the hope for reconciliation between Islam and Christianity today.

Review Quotes

As dean of a multifaith divinity school, I am thrilled that Amir Hussain wrote this beautiful book. Informative and aspirational, One God and Two Religions: Christians and Muslims as Neighbors invites readers to eschew harmful stereotypes and unnecessary division--focusing instead on the power of honoring our shared humanity. Religion, when wielded as a force for good, can show us that our similarities outweigh our differences in both quantity and quality. This is an excellent read for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of Islam particularly and religious pluralism more broadly. --Marla F. Frederick, dean, Harvard Divinity School

One God and Two Religions is one of the most skilled and accessible introductions to Islam I have encountered, weaving together Amir Hussain's encyclopedic knowledge of Islam's history in North America with his deep sensitivity to Christians. I can think of few scholars of Islam as carefully attuned to the nuances of Muslim-Christian relationships as Amir Hussain. This book is a model for doing scholarship in the service of interfaith engagement with honesty and grace. --Aysha Hidayatullah, associate professor, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Francisco, and author of Feminist Edges of the Qur'an

Seasoned by time and wisdom, Amir Hussain continues to guide readers--dare I say lovingly--to understand deeply and respectfully a faith that shares God with Christians. Writing as a Muslim whose interest in Christianity is not just intellectual but spiritual, Amir invites readers to experience something reciprocal. Perhaps one needs to have ears to hear and eyes to see in order to understand, but I think, too, that one may understand in order to have ears to hear and eyes to see. If you want to understand your Muslim neighbor--and yourself--I implore you to read One God and Two Religions. You may be tempted to skip to the conclusion. Please don't: it's a profoundly satisfying journey to a shared future. --John F. Kutsko, executive director of Atla, author of Between Heaven and Earth: Divine Presence and Absence in the Book of Ezekiel, and contributing editor to The SBL Handbook of Style

Amir Hussain is as persuasive as he is a lyrical and charming writer. Walking his reader through religion, politics, history, and culture--especially with respect to his Islamic faith--he persuades effortlessly, stimulates generously, and humanizes gently. A must-read for anyone who wishes to understand how Islam weaves into North American culture, by one of the leading scholars of American religion today. --Ebrahim Moosa, Mirza Family Professor of Islamic Thought and Muslim Societies, University of Notre Dame, and author of What Is a Madrasa?