The latest book on my reading book combines two of my favorite topics – religion and political science. I have been a Christian for many years, and have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. So ‘A World Without Islam’ by Graham E. Fuller is right up my alley.
What if Islam never existed? To some, it’s a comforting thought: no clash of civilizations, no holy wars, no terrorists.
But what if that weren’t the case at all? In A World Without Islam, Graham E. Fuller guides us on an illuminating journey through history, geopolitics, and religion to investigate whether or not Islam is indeed the cause of some of today’s most impassioned and important international crises. Fuller takes us from the birth of Islam to the fall of Rome to the rise and collapse of the Ottoman Empire. He examines and analyzes the roots of terrorism, the conflict in Israel, and the role of Islam in supporting and energizing the anti-imperial struggle. Provocatively, he finds that contrary to the claims of many politicians, scholars, theologians, and scholars, a world without Islam might not look vastly different from what we know today.
Filled with fascinating details and counterintuitive conclusions, A World Without Islamis certain to inspire debate and reshape the way we think about Islam’s relationship with the West.
Here is the biography of this author:
Graham E. Fuller is a former vice chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA, in charge of long-range strategic forecasting. He is an adjunct professor of history at Simon Fraser University and is the author of numerous books about the Middle East, including The Future of Political Islamand The Arab Shi’a: The Forgotten Muslims.
Here is an extensive exposition from the author about his book:
This is a little off the beaten path for me in terms of book reviews of late. Most of the books I have been reading have a Christian theme or worldview. This book looks at the religion of Islam from a subjective perspective – not necessarily from an Islamic, Judaic, or Christian point of view. It was actually refreshing to read a book by which I had to take a look at Islam that was not from any particular point of view. It was also refreshing to look at the topic from an intellectual/scholarly perspective. It’s been a little while since I’ve been in school, so I had to retrain my brain a little in order to read this book. That is always a good thing!
In the Introduction, Professor Fuller asserts that we need to rethink our ideas on Islam and recent events:
History did not begin with 9/11. Our dealings with the Middle East go a long way back. The attack on 9/11 was a violent, extremist, and outrageous act, but it was also almost a culmination of a preceding chain of events over many years. If we choose to see history beginning at 9/11 – whereby we suddenly become the sole justifiably aggrieved party, now authorized to bring vigilante justice to the world – then we will continue to do what we have been doing all along, with disastrous consequences evident to all. (pp. 8-9)
Professor Fuller, in Part One, takes us through the history of Islam, from ancient Rome to the Crusades through to the Protestant Reformation. Part Two looks at areas that border the Islamic world, including Russia, India, and China. Part Three analyzes Islam’s place in the modern world.
Professor Fuller proposes a strategy for dealing with Islam:
In keeping with the title of this book, Washington should act as if Islam did not exist in formulating its policies in the Middle East. The vast majority of issues in the region can be dealt with and resolved without recourse to Islam as an explanation or operating factor. Indeed viewing Islam as an explanation obfuscates clear vision of the issues. Islam, particularly in its more extreme ideological form, can complicate, even exacerbate, but not create such problems. The issues and problems, instead, spring from quite specific, concrete regional political, economic, and social problems – including inadequate education – that transcends religion, however wrapped in Islamic (cultural) rhetoric they may be. (p. 300)
The book concludes this way:
If we think religion has been a negative force in modern world history, consider the alternative. Religion couldn’t have done worse than the history of savage secular violence and unprecedented butchery that dominated the history of the West in the twentieth century, marked by two world wars, fascism, Nazism, and communism – none of which had anything to do with religion. Secular extremism has only offered us worse. The real problem lies in the nature of human aspirations, good and bad. We in the West will be on a sounder path if we can de-Islamize our perceptions of regional issues and view them simply as universal human social and political problems for which we, too, share some responsibility. (p. 304)
If you are interested in the history of Islam, I recommend this book. Professor Fuller is a fine writer, and has an interesting perspective on the topic.
This book was published by Little Brown and Company, and provided by them for review purposes. This review is based on the Advanced Reader Copy; page numbers may not correspond with the final product, which is currently available.
As I’ve mentioned several times here, our church is involved in an outreach campaign here in Metro Detroit this year called E.A.C.H. – Everyone A Chance to Hear, to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in this region. Being that Metro Detroit has the largest Muslim population outside of the Middle East, it is important to understand the Muslim mindset so that we can make a connection with them. I have read many books about Islam and its members. The latest is ‘Which None Can Shut: Remarkable True Stories of God’s Miraculous Work in the Muslim World’ by Reema Goode.
“See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.” Revelation 3:8.
Imagine a place where becoming a Christian is a punishable crime – and your own family exacts the punishment. Where those who spread the Gospel among locals are deported if discovered. Where converts to Christianity faces persecution, isolation, or even death as the price for their faith.
“Reema Goode” and her family are Christians working in a closed Middle Eastern country where all of these things are true. Yet they are also firsthand witnesses of a whole new trend that is taking shape in missions to Muslims. Despite all obstacles, God is opening miraculous doors in the Islamic world, where an unprecedented number of Muslims are becoming followers of Jesus.
In this powerful collection of personal stories, Reema takes us deep inside her Arab neighborhood to show how God is opening doors in just one of many Islamic communities. As she walks us through everyday life in a Muslim town, she reveals the diverse, creative, unexpected, and thrilling way God is reaching her neighbors with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This encouraging, uplifting, and even humorous firsthand account of a Christian family living among Muslims will inspire in your own walk of faith, teach you how to pray for Muslims and those who minister to them, and encourage you with the knowledge that God’s loving Light is penetrating the darkness.
Here is Mrs. Goode sharing a story about how Christ is meeting Muslims right where they are. According to the ‘Which None Can Shut’ Facebook page: ‘The videos of Reema Goode on the Internet were produced using voice-alteration techniques and, yes, it does kind of make her sound like a man. Her voice was disguised in order to keep her from being recognized. If Reema's real identity were known, then her location could be investigated. If her location were discovered then she, her family, and their neighborhood could be at risk:’
Here is an excerpt from the Oasis Audio version of this book:
The Foreword is written by Brother Andrew, aChristianmissionaryfamous for his exploits smugglingBiblesto communistcountries in the height of theCold War, a feat that has earned him thenickname"God's smuggler." He writes about reaching out to the Muslim community:
Maybe we heard God’s call but did not go…did not tell, did not share, did not care.
Maybe we thought it was too dangerous. But not caring and sharing is far more dangerous!
Yes, each person has a story; in fact, this book is full of them. What these stories from the Arabian Peninsula tell us is what happens when they meet the love of Jesus.
And that is why I look forward to a hundred more books like this one.
It’s not just their story; it’s “His” story. (p. ix)
In the first chapter, entitled ‘The Story Behind the Storyteller,’ Reema (which is a pseudonym) shares her heart for missions shortly after she became a Christian:
The revelation that there were still places in the world where people could live their entire lives and die without having her heard the Gospel caused Reema to ask herself a question. With what she now knew, how could she stay in America, where there were Bibles in every bookstore and complete freedom to choose Christ? And so, although she finally did find other followers of Christ and became an active part of a church fellowship, Reema was now committed to going to an unevangelized field someday. It turned out she wouldn’t be going alone. (pp. xiv-xv)
God brought to her a man with the same worldview:
Reema met Mike in a cafeteria. She happened to get in line next to him, and then he followed her to her seat and wouldn’t go away. She was actually a little miffed, assuming that this obviously older man, who was also tall and handsome, must be married. It soon became clear he was not. He was a single Christian man who had committed himself to serving God on an evangelized field, and he was looking for a like-minded wife to God with him. There were married without the year. (p.xv)
They followed the Lord’s leading:
After three years of establishing a church support base to stand behind them, Mike and Reema arrived on the Arabian Peninsula. They, along with their two children, Tim and Lydia, are still there. (p. xvi)
In the Preface, Reema shares why she wrote this book:
We’d like to shift the vantage point, focusing the reader’s lens from a distant “aerial view” of the Muslim World at large to “zoom in” on how God has actually been working in the practical, everyday life of just one of many Islamic communities over the past several years. Instead of sharing statistics about how Muslims are coming to Christ, we want to walk you through the local scenery where we live through stories, and let you see for yourself the incredibly creative, diverse, unexpected, and thrilling ways in which God is reaching our neighbors with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His Word is spreading, and His Spirit is confirming the Truth to their hearts in very real ways. (p. xix)
This book is full of amazing stories of how God is moving in the Muslim World. One of these instances is when Reema explains to one of her acquaintances how Jesus is the Lamb sent to save us:
“God said that Abraham’s son had to die, just like He says sinners have to die. God stopped the son’s death and sent a ram from Heaven to take his place, just as He stops our death by sending a Substitute from Heaven to take our place. Dear Noora, don’t you see? That’s why Jesus is called the Lamb…the ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’ He is the ram sent down from Heaven to die for us! Jesus sacrificed Himself to fulfill our death sentence. All who believe and confess Him are forgiven, and allowed into Heaven with God forever!”
I could hardly contain myself. Just telling the Gospel through the vivid imagery of that story was a thrill in itself. But there was more to rejoice about. There were tears emerging from Noora’s beautiful, dark eyes and lodging in her lashes. She understood. I think it was the first time she had really understood. (p. 51)
One phenomenon that I have heard about for years is how Jesus is revealing Himself to Muslim adherents through dreams. Reema and her husband, Mike, heard firsthand about one of those dreams from the building attendant in their apartment building:
“Well, one night I was sleeping,” the young man began. “I was sleeping but I heard someone calling my name. Ibrahim. Ibrahim. So I sat up and looked, and there at the foot of my bed was this…this man. But he was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. He wasn’t standing on the ground; he was somehow above it. And he was wearing brilliant clothes of amazing whiteness, with a band of shining gold around his waist and across his chest. His hair and beard were dazzling white-gold. And there was light…coming from his face...” (p. 134)
Reema and her husband, Mike, pointed Ibrahim to Revelation 1:12-18, and he came to the realization that Jesus appeared to him that night. The following happened:
In the next moment, Ibrahim became a child of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
He was radiant. The glory filling his newly cleansed heart shone through his face. I couldn’t help but ask how he felt. Smiling broadly, glowing with new life and freedom, he said, “The fear is gone! I’m not afraid anymore. Now if they kill me,” he pointed upward, “I know where I’ll go!” (p. 138)
Jesus is really moving in the Muslim world, and it is amazing!
Mrs. Goode provides information on several websites that will provide more information on Islam:
·www.islameyat.com – Arabic audio and video teaching; Daring Questions program)
As noted, I have read several books (and watched one DVD) of late with a Muslim theme: ‘The Topkapi Secret’ (you can read my review here), ‘Little Town of Bethlehem’ DVD (you can read my review here), and ‘The Twelfth Imam’ by Joel C. Rosenberg (you can read my review here). This book was different in that it showed how Jesus is reaching people right where there are – no matter where they are! I appreciate Mrs. Goode sharing these stories with us. It is incredible and inspirational, and it comes with my highest recommendation.
A 1,400 year old secret….Those who threaten this secret die…Two people risk their lives to uncover the truth…
Cultures clash and emotions soar as Arab researcher Mohammed Atareek and American professor Angela Hall team up to solve one of history’s greatest cover-ups. Time is running out. Opponents who will stop at nothing are dedicated to maintaining the secret. Will Mohammed and Angela finish their whirlwind journey of discovery or will it cost them their lives?
On display at Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul lies the Topkapi Codex, an ancient manuscript of the Koran. Its secrets are just out of reach, sealed behind impenetrable glass. Is its text the key to exploding a centuries-old myth about the Koran? Are its pages stained with the blood of one of the Prophet Mohammed’s mortally wounded followers? No one knows, because the Topkapi Codex is off-limits.
Mohammed Atareek is committed to gaining access to the museum’s forbidden manuscript. His research leads him to believe that the Koran hides within it an extraordinary secret – a truth that would turn the Muslim world upside down. Evidence lies within the Topkapi Codex, but the risks involved increase as other Koranic scholars start turning up dead.
Angela has lost just about everything except her money and her job. On a study trip to the Middle East, her research on women’s issues gets sidetracked when her path crosses Mohammed’s. His overconfident, impulsive behavior is strangely refreshing, but when he tries to engage Angela in his quest, he finds she has an agenda of her own. Death awaits at every turn, and sparks of romance fly in this compelling adventure that reaches from the United States, across Europe, and through exotic settings of North Africa and the Middle East.
Based on solid historical research, The Topkapi Secretis a captivating debut novel of romance and mystery that sizzles like the desert heat with vivid characters, a page-turning plot, colorful locales, and eye-opening facts about the Muslim holy book.
Terry Kelhawk is an award-winning writer, speaker, and teacher. She holds a doctorate degree and has considerable personal and professional experience with the Middle East and Islam.
In Terry’s words, “I love peoples and cultures. We have so much to learn from each other, and this makes the world a richer place. Yet when I come across a misunderstanding or deception which adversely impacts a culture or people group, for the sake of those people I believe it should be exposed.”
Terry Kelhawk holds a doctorate degree, but believes people should keep on learning through life. Her areas of interest are culture, religion, and women’s rights – especially of Middle East. She blogs at www.huffingtonpost.com, www.foxnews.com, and www.politicalmavens.com, and likes travel, reading, and asking questions.
Terry believes we should, as Honey Jean of Atlanta inThe Topkapi Secretwould say, “Make the world a better place, or y’all just taking up space!”
Here is the book trailer for this adventurous and suspenseful novel:
Early on in the book, readers learn about one of the most important relics in Islam, located in Istanbul, Turkey:
For there, at the foot of all the ancient relics the guide had pointed out, lay the unmentioned Topkapi Codex, one of the earliest Korans and claimed to be the Koran that Caliph Uthman was reading when he died. The one with his blood.
This important relic of the faith and the mystery surrounding it had been an ongoing obsession of Mohammed Atareek. He stared at the two pages open for display, his mind swimming with questions. Which Koran had Uthman been reading – and which was stained with his blood? The Topkapi Codex, as the Turks claimed, or the Samarkand Codex, as the Uzbekis claimed? Perhaps neither. Perhaps Uthman’s Koran was destroyed by his assailants or lost over time. Perhaps the whole story was nothing more than a legend fabricated by the Sunnis to smear the Shiites. Such partisan hadiths, or traditions, had been known to exist. (p. 23)
Mohammed discovers that his research is dangerous, but he makes a decision about it. Here is a conversation between him and his colleague, Nasir:
“What should we do?” Nasir inquired.
“I don’t know. So far I only have one idea. Research. It sounds straightforward, but the more I look into it, the more complicated it gets. I am trying to find everyone in the world who is expert in Arabic or Islam or ancient manuscripts. I started checking the rosters of the professional organizations we belong to. Now I am checking all the universities with departments of Islam or Middle EasternStudies. After I assemble a list of names, I need to research each professor to see what he or she published. From there, we will need to read between the lines to determine who are likely candidates to be ‘one of us.’” (p. 54)
In their research and travels, they encountered a gentleman named Jamal al-Hajji in Beirut, Lebanon:
Jamal al-Hajji was a self-professed infidel of the worst kind. He had traveled the route of Nasir and Ibrahim two decades earlier, and ended up becoming what imams warned would happen to anyone who questioned Islam – he became an atheist. He was an apostate under a death fatwa.
Al-Hajji now lived out his last days in semi-hiding in Beirut, under an assumed name, like an old Nazi in Brazil. He was sound in his academics and still retained a historical interest in the development of Islam, so he had been invited to work on the same project as Nasir and Mohammed.
Although in his eighties, Al-Hajji’s mind was sharp. He remembered not only the multitudinous volumes of Islamic learning, which he taught at the Islamic University al-Madinah al-Munawwarah in Saudi Arabia, but he continued on with clever insights into the new manuscripts. It was he who noticed the difference in ink composition between AD 640 and 655. (p. 127)
Angela Hall, the other main character, is a professor of Women’s Studies. Interspersed throughout the book is information on woman throughout history. I was not familiar with most of them. One of them was Gertrude Bell:
Finding an appropriate page, she read what Gertrude Bell said of Damascus when she was there in 1905.
The view from Nakshibendi’s balcony is immortal. The great and splendid city of Damascus with its gardens and domes and its minarets, lies spread out below, and beyond it to the desert, the desert reaching almost to its gates.
Gertrude Bell was one of Angela’s favorite writers. Also known as the “Female Lawrence of Arabia,” she overcame the barriers of class and gender to attain influence in the Middle East under the British, and became the first and only woman Oriental Secretary to the British Imperial Service. (p. 245)
Another thing I learned from ‘The Topkapi Secret’ is a doctrine in Islam known as the Doctrine of Abrogation. I could hardly believe what I read, but it is true. Here is a conversation between Mohammed and Angela, beginning with Mohammed:
“I found the way experts explain the contradictions.”
“What’s that?”
“The Doctrine of Abrogation.”
“Abrogation?”
“Yes, the idea that one revelation can cancel another. It is based on sura 2, verse 106: ‘Such of Our revelations as we abrogate or cause to be forgotten, we bring in place one better or like thereof.’ This doctrine explains that the peaceful verses revealed to Mohammed when he was in Mecca, and trying to gain favor with the Jews and Christians, are cancelled by relevation received after he moved to Medina, when he had the power to spread the faith by the sword.”
“You mean the verses about war replace the ones about peace?”
“Exactly! For example, sura 9, verse 5 cancels 124 peaceful verses.”
The implication of this soaked into Angela from the top of her head down, and she said slowly, “Oh, my God. Then Osama bin Laden has not ‘hijacked the religion…”
Mohammed finished the thought. “He is just practicing it strictly as revealed in the Koran through the Doctrine of Abrogation, and as assisted by the hadiths and commentaries.”
“But most Muslims are peaceful!” She thought of her beloved Uncle Mohammed in Dearborn.
“Average Muslims don’t know of or accept the Doctrine of Abrogation. If they don’t either ignore or have a problem with the numerous contradictions. If they do accept it, as do many of the deeply religious Muslims, then---”
“Voila!” Angela interjected. “We have the kind of Islam that America is fighting. It almost makes me feel ashamed.”
“That’s the way I felt,” Mohammed said. (pp. 282-283)
Many of the issues and problems with the Koran are addressed in this book. The character Mohammed explains the meaning of the ‘Satanic Verses.’ That phrase was made famous by the book written by author Salman Rushdie. I had not read that book, and was unfamiliar with the meaning of the phrase:
Mohammed explained, “They refer to sura 53:19. Some experts think they used to say that three goddesses worshipped by Mohammed’s tribe were intercessors to Allah. Afterward, when Mohammed realized this was against monotheism, he abrogated it. He received a revelation that told him not to worry – Satan always mixes his words with the ones Allah gives the prophets.”
Incredulously, Angela asked, “Seriously? If that’s the case, the cure is as bad as the disease. How do we know which words are God’s and which are Satan’s?”
“Exactly. But that’s what the Koran says. Check out sura 22.”
Angela picked up her Koran, and read it.
“So you see how the dinosaur is reconstructed,” Mohammed said, pointing at his sketch, which now resembled a pin cushion, “and how easily it is shot down.” (p. 337)
The book ends with a chase that rivals any I’ve seen in a movie! As a matter of fact, I think this book would make a remarkable movie. It is full of twists and turns, and lots of creativity.
The Postscript reads this way:
In 2007, the Topkapi Palace finally published the Topkapi Codex of the Koran. It is currently under academic study, but preliminary finding show significant variations from other ancient texts of the Koran, as well as the 1924 Cairo edition used by most Muslims in the world today. (p. 402)
I was really intrigued by this book – both the storyline and the amount of information was imparted by Ms. Kelhawk; she obviously has done a lot of research. I was aware of the inconsistencies in the Koran to a certain extent, but not to the extent that Ms. Kelhawk shares in this novel. Although this is a novel, the information is based on research and fact. This book also strengthened my faith in Jesus and the God of the Bible. The Bible can stand up to scrutiny in a way that the Koran cannot.
Two of my topics of interest in recent years is Islam and the Middle East. Author Joel C. Rosenberg has built a successful career writing novels focusing on both of those topics. The latest is ‘The Twelfth Imam.’
Here is the synopsis of this book:
Tensions Rise in the Middle East.
·Israeli Defense Minister Says Someone Must Hit Iran’s Nuclear Sites “Before It’s Too Late”
·President Warns Against Israeli Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities
·U.N. Security Council Considers New Round of Iran Sanctions
·Iranian President Warns Israel “Doomed” If Zionists Attack
As the apocalyptic leaders of Iran call for the annihilation of Israel and the United States, CIA operative David Shirazi ships into Tehran with one objective: use all means necessary to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program – without leaving American fingerprints and without triggering a regional war.
As David begins to infiltrate Iranian government circles, news spreads throughout the region of a mysterious cleric claiming to be the Islamic messiah known as the Mahdi or the Twelfth Imam. News of his miracles, healings, signs, and wonders spread like wildfire, as do rumors of a new and horrific war.
With the prophecy of the Twelfth Imam seemingly fulfilled, Iran’s military prepares a final strike that will bring about the End of Days. Shirazi must take action to save his country and the world, but the clock is ticking.
Here is the biography of this author:
Joel C. Rosenberg is the New York Times best-selling author of The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll, Dead Heat, Epicenterand Inside the Revolution, with more than a million copies in print.The Ezekiel Optionreceived the Gold Medallion award as the “Best Novel of2006” from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Joel is the producer of two documentary films based on his nonfiction books. He is also the founder of The Joshua Fund, a nonprofit educational and charitable organization to mobilize Christians to “bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus” with food, clothing, medical supplies, and other humanitarian relief.
As a communications advisor, Joel has worked with a number of U.S. and Israeli leaders, including Steve Forbes, Rush Limbaugh, Natan Sharansky, and Benjamin Netanyahu. As an author, he has been interviewed on hundreds of radio and TV programs, including ABC'sNightline,CNN Headline News, FOX News Channel, The History Channel, MSNBC,The Rush Limbaugh Show,The Sean Hannity Show, andGlenn Beck. He has been profiled by theNew York Times, theWashington Times, theJerusalem Post, andWorldmagazine. He has addressed audiences all over the world, including those in Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Russia, and the Philippines. He has also spoken at the White House, the Pentagon, and to members of Congress.
The son of a Jewish father and a Gentile mother, Joel is an evangelical Christian with a passion to make disciples of all nations and teach Bible prophecy. A graduate of Syracuse University with a BFA in filmmaking, he is married, has four sons, and lives near Washington, D.C.
I really appreciated the fact that Mr. Rosenberg included a ‘Cast of Characters’ at the beginning of the book. There are a lot of characters, and it is valuable to be able to have a place to look to remind you who all of them are!
One of the main characters is Najjar Malik, a physicist with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. He had a very interesting encounter with a stranger at the age of ten who came to his defense when two boys were beating him up:
The stranger was not a man but a boy – one not much older than he. He certainly wasn’t more than eleven or twelve years old, and he was short, with a slight build. He had jet-black hair, light olive skin, a pointed, angular, almost regal nose, and a small black spot like a mole on his left cheek. He didn’t wear street clothes like others his size and age. Rather he wore a black robe and sandals. But what struck Najjar most was the boy’s piercing black eyes, which bored deep into his soul and forced him to look away in humiliation. (p. 36)
This boy went on to tell Najjar his name, his ancestry, which languages he spoke, and many other details. Here is a portion of what he was told:
“Allah has chosen you, Najjar Hamid Malik. You will become a great scientist. You will help the Islamic world achieve ultimate power over the infidels and establish the Islamic caliphate. You will help usher in the era of the Promised One. But you must follow Allah without hesitation. You must give him your supreme allegiance. And then, if you are worthy, you shall live forever in paradise.”
Najjar hoped it was true.
“Yes, I will serve Allah with my whole heart,” he said with all the strength and sincerity he could muster. “I will devote myself to preparing for the Promised One. But who are you? Are you the One that---?”
The stranger raised his hand, and Najjar stopped talking.
“When the time is right, you will see me again.”
Najjar stared into those black eyes. And then, without warning, the stranger vanished into the crowd. (p. 38)
Another main character, David Shirazi, was personally invested in the events of September 11, 2001. He fell in love with Marseille Harper. They had been in a remote section of Canada when the events occurred. When the floatplanes that had dropped them off were finally able to pick them up – three days late – they discovered what had caused the delay:
“A group of terrorists hijacked four commercial jetliners – two from Boston’s Logan Airport, one from Newark International, and one from Washington Dulles,” MacKenzie explained.
David gasped.
“Two of the planes plowed into the World Trade Center,” MacKenzie went on. “Another flew right into the Pentagon. The fourth went down in a field in Pennsylvania. Everyone on the planes was lost. No one knew if there were more hijackers on more planes out there, so the entire air transportation system was simply shut down. Believe me, we wanted to come get you guys. But the Air Force was threatening to shoot down any unauthorized plane in the sky. The only planes in the air were F-15s and F-16s, all armed with air-to-air missiles and ready for action. I’ve never seen anything like it. But again, I apologize for what you’ve been through. If there had been any way to get you – or get word to you – please know that we would have done it.”
The group stood there in stunned silence. And then it got worse.
“Was anyone in the towers hurt?” Marseille asked.
David noticed that she was ashen, and her hands shook.
“I’m afraid the towers don’t exist anymore, young lady,” MacKenzie replied.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I mean the towers collapsed not long after the planes hit them.”
“Both of them?”
“I’m afraid so,” MacKenzie said.
“Was anyone hurt?”
“Are you kidding?” MacKenzie asked. “At this point, they’re saying almost three thousand people have died, but there may be more.”
“Three thousand?” David’s father asked.
McKenzie nodded. “There’s a big gap in the middle of Manhattan where the towers used to stand. There’s smoke rising as far as the eye can see. Whole thing took less than two hours, and whoosh, they were gone, both of them.”
Marseille collapsed to the ground and began to sob uncontrollably. David looked to Mr. Harper, expecting him to comfort her. But Marseille’s father just stood there, the blood draining from his face. (p. 90)
Unfortunately, Mrs. Harper worked for a bank in the South Tower. She did perish in the tragedy, and David had a purpose in life – to hunt down Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
Another eye-opening aspect of this book is a window into the mind of some Muslims. Here is the reaction of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Hamid Hosseini when a young aide disturbed him to tell him others were waiting for him:
“Everyone is waiting for you, your Excellency,” a young male aide said.
“Did I not ask to be left undisturbed?” Hosseini fumed.
The aide blanched and began to back away. “You did, but I thought…”
“You wicked son of a Jew!” Hosseini shouted. “How dare you disturb me as I enter the holy place!”
With that, Hosseini shot the man in the face.
The sound of the explosion echoed through the retreat facility. Hosseini stared at the dead man as a pool of blood formed on the hardwood floor of the hallway. Then he knelt down and dipped his hands in the blood and began to pray aloud.
“Allahu Akhbar. Highly glorified are you, O Allah. The prophet – peace be upon you – taught us that when we find those who are unfaithful and disobedient infidels, we must ‘kill them wherever you may come upon them,’ that we must ‘seize them, and confine them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place.’ The Prophet – peace be upon him – taught us to ‘strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern against them’ for ‘their final refuge is hell.’ May this sacrifice, therefore, be acceptable in your sight.”
With that, Hosseini rose, his hands dripping with warm blood, and turned to the chief of his security detail, who stood stone-faced and trembling in the hallway.
“I will come out soon,” Hosseini said calmly. “Make certain my way is not obstructed.”
With that, the Supreme Leader entered the bedroom alone. The security chief shut the door behind him. Hosseini then returned to his prayer rug, knelt again facing Mecca, and bowed down. (p. 179)
That passage is just about as chilling as any horror novel I have ever read…
Immediately thereafter, a voice that Hosseini identified as the Lord of the Age or the Twelfth Imam spoke to him:
“You shall finish the weapons and test them immediately. When I finish roaming the earth and all is set into place, we will proceed to annihilate the Little Satan first and all the Zionists with it. This is your good and acceptable act of worship to me. You must bring to me the blood of the Jews on the altar of Islam. You must wipe the ugly cancerous stain of Israel from the map and from the heart of the Islamic caliphate. This is right and just, but it is only the first step. Do not be distracted or confused. This is not the ultimate objective. I have chosen you above all others not simply to destroy the Little Satan, for this is too small a thing. The main objective is to destroy the Great Satan – and I mean destroy entirely. Annihilate. Extinguish. Obliterate. Vaporize. In the blink of an eye. Before they know what has hit them. The Americans are a sleeping giant. A dying empire. A sinking ship. And their time has come.” (p. 180)
Anyone who has read the Bible can see the similarity in the wording at the beginning of this paragraph is strikingly similar to 1 Peter 5:8: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
David had reservation about Islam, the religion which he loosely held to his whole life:
The problem, as David saw it, was that Islam provided no way for a Muslim to assess how he or she was doing throughout his or her life. There was no Web site to log on to and check daily scores. There were no quarterly report cards. There were no annual performance reviews. How, then, could anyone know for certain whether he would spend eternity in paradise or in punishment? How could anyone find the assurance of salvation that every thoughtful soul seeks before death?
The brutal truth was, no one could. That was what terrified Davis most. He had lied to almost everyone he had ever known. He had been unkind to people he loved. He had been ungrateful to people who had treated him well. He didn’t stay in touch with his parents. His professional life required that he be a liar and, more recently, a hypocrite – playing the part of a religious man but denying Islam’s truth and power. And then there were his secret sins, the ones he dared not confess. The more he cataloged his bad deeds, the worse he felt, and he had no idea where to turn.
No wonder devout Muslims took the verses in the Qur’an about waging jihad and killing infidels so seriously. Why shouldn’t they? To disregard the command to Jihad would be to disobey, and such disobedience could tip the scales of justice against them in the final reckoning.
Which brought him to martyrdom.
The mullahs and ayatollahs taught that the only true assurance or secure promise of eternal salvation for a Muslim was to die as a martyr, ideally as a suicide bomber, in the cause of Jihad. Osama bin Laden himself had once said, “The call to jihad in God’s name…leads to eternal life in the end and is the relief from your earthly chains.”
There was no way that was true, David was certain. But what was? (pp. 228-229)
Miraculously, Jesus revealed Himself to many characters in this book. This is happening with regularity to many Muslims in real life lately. Here is the encounter Najjar Malik had with Him:
“I am Jesus the Nazarene,” came the man’s deep voice.
Najjar felt the sound of its rattle in his chest, as though the words went through him.
“You have come?” Najjar cried. “The lieutenant to the Twelfth Imam has actually revealed himself to me?”
But at these words, the ground below Najjar shook so violently that he feared it would open and swallow him. Rocks skittered across the road from ledges above. The wind picked up strength. Najjar flattened himself to the ground, covering his head with his hands.
“I AM first and last. I am the One who lives,” Jesus said. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever after, and I have the keys of hades and of death. Come and follow me.”(p. 293)
I find the subject of Islam to be very interesting. I have my own interpretations on their beliefs, and where the religion originated. It was interesting to see that Mr. Rosenberg’s characters followed the same line of thought in one section. Here is an exchange between Najjar and his wife, Sheyda (who also had a bodily encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus). Sheyda begins:
“Sometimes false prophets and ungodly rulers can do signs and wonders. Sometimes they can do tricks that look like miracles of God, but they are really tapping the power of the devil. But we should not fear because God is greater, and in due time, He will swallow the enemy and thwart the enemy’s plans.” (p. 385)
This is the first time I have read a Joel Rosenberg novel. I have a friend at church (for whom I have a lot of respect) who speaks very highly of Mr. Rosenberg’s work. I have to agree with that assessment! This book is highly intriguing, very interesting, and well researched. In addition, the writing is exemplary. I did not want to stop reading it, and stayed up a little too late a couple nights doing just that!
I think this is an incredible book! My only criticism – and it is minor- is that I was rather disappointed and taken aback by the ending; it was rather abrupt and unsatisfying. I am not sure if the finished product ends the same way (I have an Advance Reader Copy), but it certainly leads to the conclusion that there will be a second book taking up where this one left off. Despite the disappointment that it ended (!), I look forward to seeing what happens next in the Middle East that Rosenberg’s portrayed – the one in which Jesus is still moving in a mighty way!
The Advance Reader copy of this book was provided by Tyndale House for review purposes. The quotes and page numbers cited in this review are from the ARC; they may not match up with the final edited and printed version.
I am a native Michigander who loves - Christ, my husband Fred, our English Cocker Spaniels Shelby and Sammy, God's Creation aka The Great Outdoors, the latest gadgets, Jeeps, marathons, the Appalachian Trail, books, movies, music,and on and on it goes! I look forward to my new business venture with Thirty-One Gifts!
’ by Graham E. Fuller is right up my alley.
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’ by Reema Goode. 
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’ by Joel C. Rosenberg (you can read my review 
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