On a trip to both our high school and county libraries with
this question in mind, I was appalled by what I found. In the adult
section there was a total of 11 books, which included one called Mohammedanism and 3 politically oriented books. Upon opening the one called Militant Islam by
G.H. Jansen the first sentence I read was “The plain fact is that the longest and bloodiest
fighting against the forces of Europe was carried out by Muslims.” Other passages quoted
‘Islamic religious teachings’ which justified militant Islam. The other books were old and
unappealing.
In a separate display of new books under Religion there were no books on Islam, 2 on Judaism, 2 on Bahai
religion (which were donated by the local Bahai church), one called Selu--Seeking the
Corn Mother’s Wisdom, another called Mother Earth spirits, and a big five volume collection
on Mythology.
Americans cannot be blamed for their lack of understanding about Islam when there is no alternative to the negative media and literature.
Imagine instead.... an average American non-Muslim going to the religion section in the library and instead of finding Militant Islam, they would see a copy of Martin Lings book, Muhhammad or a beautiful edition of Angels Unveiled by Sheikh Hisham Kabanni or other quality books on the Islamic approach to science, medicine, art, etc.
The inaccurate, biased and outright ill-intentioned books about Islam are out there on the library shelves now. As Muslims
who love our religion and are disturbed by the all media images of Islam as a
militant/sexist/terrorist religion, there is something positive we can do begin to offset this....starting in our local libraries.
The concept behind The Salaam Book Project is to plant the knowledge, the love and inspiration, and an awareness of the vastness of Islam to the general public of non-Muslims through its libraries, public school and colleges. Like a seed, once planted they will germinate according to the conditions of people's minds and hearts.
By beginning a dialogue with the librarians, giving them a list of many
quality Islamic books covering a wide array of topcis, and making a donation of some of these books, we can begin to bridge the gap that exists for many Westerners who
do not understand this religion.
A book which inspires the heart to the beauty of Islam is like a ‘seed’ you can
plant to effect the flowering of Islam in America. The donation of a book describing the 99 Most Beautiful Names of God, or stories which relate the noble qualities of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) or inspiring journals of Muslims spiritual journeys can be like lighting a candle in a darkened room.
While it may not, by itself, cause the
conversion of someone who reads it to become Muslim, if it inspires their heart, then they
are softened towards Islam and more understanding and less threatened.
In the Jan ‘99 issue of TMM the article titled “Muslim Should Take Control of their
Image & Stereotype” the author said it was “how Muslims respond to their stereotypes
(that) defines their image.” In it he makes the point that we cannot control the reality of
current affairs that darkly color our image with films like "The Siege" and the threats of
Osama bin Laden against America. To ‘whine’ as he puts it only harms our image more. But to do something positive
is the best revenge against the dark forces.
Here are some simple
steps we can take to begin changing this situation:
A list of books about Islam been compiled which you can present to your libraries. The choices were made with 3 criteria in mind:
The list is by no means complete and we would appreciate feedback on these choices on any recommendations that you have.
Here are 3 easy ways to participate in this project in your local community:
1-- A letter and suggested booklist for librarians has been prepared for you to print out and present to your local librarian. Ask for the person who does the purchasing and begin a dialogue with them. Then he/she will have a list of quality books to choose from and by making them aware of the need for educating the public about Islam, they might then (insha'Allah) include these books in their budget.
2--You can view the Muslim Magazine or call 888-278-6624 to donate a subscription to your local library to keep the public abreast of the diverse aspects of the current affairs of the Islamic world. (Note: some libraries have already received a free copy of TMM. Please inquire and ask if they would like to continue receiving it and request a subscription be sent to them. Please get the correct address and zip, plus the name of the librarian responsible for handling magazines.
3-Donate a book from the following book list to your library. Most libraries have very
limited budgets and are extremely happy to receive any donated books. (Note: There are books donated by other religious groups in our library and the library
puts a ‘gift tag’ inside the front cover of the book, which can show the name of the donor,
or organization, along with a phone number for anyone to call for further information.)
4--Consider donating a subscription to The Muslim Magazine or a book to other places in your community,
such as the high school libraries and local community colleges, or universities.
When you consider the small cost of one book (some as little as $7.95), to the potential audience of readers at your library, that is sadaqa for everyone whose lives are affected.
We would like to hear from you...your comments and suggestions. We would also like to hear from those of you who have begin a dialogue with your libraries and
how you were received.
Thank you,
The Salaam Book Project
