Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward by Nabeel Quresh

From New York Times bestselling author and former Muslim Nabeel Qureshi comes this personal, challenging, and respectful answer to the many questions surrounding jihad, the rise of ISIS, and Islamic terrorism.


San Bernardino was the most lethal terror attack on American soil since 9/11, and it came on the heels of a coordinated assault on Paris. There is no question that innocents were slaughtered in the name of Allah and in the way of jihad, but do the terrorists’ actions actually reflect the religion of Islam? The answer to this question is more pressing than ever, as waves of Muslim refugees arrive in the West seeking shelter from the violent ideology of ISIS.


Setting aside speculations and competing voices, what really is jihad? How are we to understand jihad in relation to our Muslim neighbors and friends? Why is there such a surge of Islamist terrorism in the world today, and how are we to respond?


In Answering Jihad, bestselling author Nabeel Qureshi (Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus) answers these questions from the perspective of a former Muslim who is deeply concerned for both his Muslim family and his American homeland.

My review:
  I read and reviewed Nabeeel's first book; Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. He has an amazing story, and everyone should read that book.

  This one is different from his first. It isn't a long book, and is done in question format. The book has a few different sections, with each chapter asking a question, and the author answering it in length. The main focus of the book is on jihad. Nabeel goes way back and talks about what it originally was and compares it to what it is now. There are some great chapters on things such as whether God and Allah are the same god, and the radicalization of some Muslims.

 I found the book interesting and informative. I did learn a lot about jihad and Islam in general. I found the explanation very helpful of why some Muslims are being radicalized and others are not. I know I tend to lump all Muslims together, and this short book does a great job of showing that not all Muslims are equal. I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about what makes radical Muslims tick, and just what Jihad is all about.

About the author:



Nabeel Qureshi is a New York Times best-selling author and an itinerant speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Since completing his medical degree in 2009, he has dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel through teaching, preaching, writing, and debating.

Dr. Qureshi has lectured to students at over 100 universities, including Oxford, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Hong Kong. He has participated in 18 public debates around North America, Europe, and Asia. Following the release of his first book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, he received the Christian Book Award for the categories of both ‘Best New Author’ and ‘Best Non-Fiction’ of 2015.

Nabeel focuses on the foundations of the Christian faith, ancient Judaism, early Islam, and the interface of science and religion. He holds an MD from Eastern Virginia Medical School, an MA in Christian apologetics from Biola University, and an MA in Religion from Duke University. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in New Testament studies at Oxford University where he lives with his wife, Michelle.

Answering Jihad is available from Zondervan Publishing. Thanks to Zondervan for the review copy.

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