Daughters of Islam: Building Bridges With Muslim Women

Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful and Applicable Book
Review: I read this book as an assignment for a missions class in college. I was not expecting to actually enjoy reading the book, however, I was very surprised to find this book an easy read. This book is written in a very informational style and it tells many stories about various obstacles which Islamic women face. It also provides many ways in which Christian women can relate to Islamic women. I would recommend this book for any Christian missionaries who will be working in Islamic areas of the world. I would also recommend this for women who would like to know how to effectively witness to their Islamic neighbors.

Rating:
Summary: Misleading and Offensive
Review: This book attempts to generalize Muslim women. It tells a few sad stories and makes it seem that all Muslim women are oppressed, stupid, and in need of God in their lives.
FYI, educated Muslim women already know Jesus and have God in their lives!

Rating:
Summary: compassionate, politically sensitive
Review: This book is written from the perspective of Christian missions. That means that the author and her intended audience are all people who believe that Christianity is true. This does not mean that they think Islam is all wrong, but it does mean that where Christianity and Islam differ, Christians think Christianity is right, therefore better, therefore (since the truth about God is the matter at hand) most life-giving. Anyone who has discovered life-giving truth will want to share it with her neighbor: that is the impetus behind missions and thus the reason this book exists. If that was less than obvious to anyone, well, I've just spelled it out.

Now, having allowed the author her right to her own perspective, I find this book to be tolerant, fair-minded, respectful, and most reverent toward Muslim culture. She takes great pains to combat stereotypes and generalisations, and where abuses are depicted they are the true stories of individual women. Even if the ultimate goal of its author's paradigm is to change religious beliefs, at its heart this book simply teaches Christians cultural sensitivity to Muslim women's issues and thus hopes to help them build friendships with Muslim women.

That's pretty much it: the author, being a Christian, believes that it will lead to Muslims becoming Christian. If you disagree, I don't see why that should cause you to oppose the intercultural understanding this book attempts to foster.