Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
This book is about a mans journey from Islam to Christianity. Nabeel Qureshi is raised in a strict Muslim family but becomes a believer in Jesus after investigating Christianity through friends, books, and supernatural dreams. At times I found the book to be hard to understand even though words were explained in the back and concepts were explained on the side of the page. I did learn a lot about both religions. I read this book as supplemental reading for a comparative religion class I'm taking at my church studying the differences between Christianity and Islam. This book ranks higher than the actual textbook we're using for three very important reasons:1. Qureshi emphasizes the fact that not all Muslims are militant Islamists. He's very careful to explain how Islam works on a day-to-day level for Muslims, and he clearly shows the similarities between growing up in a Muslim household and growing up in a Christian household. I could relate easily to his description of his younger years and growing up religious.2. Qureshi explains both Christian and Muslim theology and philosophy in his book. In a lot of ways I wished he'd gone into deeper detail about some things and how they compare and contrast, but this book is also a biography, and if he had the personal journey would have been lost. He makes sure, though, that readers on either side of the Islam vs. Christianity argument understand his terms and the concepts discussed--some of which are quite advanced. In doing this he also assures that readers coming to this book without a religious background can understand what's going on theologically. Even more importantly, when Qureshi begins discussing his arguments, talks, debates, etc. with his Christian friends, he gives weight to both his own arguments for Islam and the arguments his Christian friends made. I honestly felt like both religions were given fair attention.3. Qureshi freely admits his biases, both at the time toward Islam, and currently toward Christianity. Make no mistake, this is a book written by a Christian who converted from Islam. He 100% believes in Christianity now, and he makes no bones about the fact that he believes the Bible is true and that Islam and all it's teachings are false. It's very important to consider an author's bias when reading books like this, and I appreciated very much that Qureshi was so upfront and honest about his, and about how he intended to present his material. I've taken issue in the past with other Christian authors who make a big production of presenting their material one way (Lee Strobel I am looking at you) and then through their writing revealing that they've been intentionally misleading in order to make a better narrative. Qureshi does not do that, and it makes his book so much more readable and honest.I think it is also important to note that Qureshi remains respectful of Muslims throughout the book. This is not a book that bashes, makes fun of, or disrespects the millions--perhaps billions--of people who practice Islam. This is a book that thoughtfully examines the claims of Islamic teaching, and comes to the conclusion that it cannot stand up to that scrutiny. Qureshi makes some claims that will be highly offensive to Muslims, and even to non-religious people who preach tolerance and love. However he does so gently but firmly. He is not harsh, he merely states his conclusions and explains how he arrived at them.The book was an easy but engaging read, and provided a lot of really good insight into how Islam and Christianity differ.
What do You think about Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity (2014)?
Powerful story that had me gripped from the beginning. Finished it in a day it was so good.
—lashboy
