Daughters of Islam: Building Bridges with Muslim Women

by Miriam Adeney

Book Overview

Miriam Adeney introduces you to women such as Ladan, Khadija, Fatma and others from around the world. You'll learn about their lives, questions and hopes. And you'll gain new understanding of why Muslim women come to Christ.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 083082345X
• ISBN13: 9780830823451
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: IVP
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Rare insight into Muslim Women Who Follow Jesus

I was introduced to this book by a speaker at a Harvard University class. What struck me was the compassion that the author, who is an anthropologist, has for these women whose stories she tells. These are women who hail from a bevy of countries, continents, and cultures, a veritable feast for the spiritually and culturally interested. If you're a Christian or Jew or agnostic or missionary or atheist or anthropologist (or whomever) who wants to learn more about women with Muslim backgrounds, or a Muslim who wants to understand more about Muslims in other countries who look for meaning to Jesus, this book is a treasure.

A kind book on Islam from a invitative Christian perspective

The reviews on this book seem to be very polarized between Christians who find this to be a kind and informative book on Muslims, and Muslims protesting that this book demeans or does not respect them. As a Christian I belong in the first camp, but would like to discuss this polarization a little more. This book tells the story of a variety of women who have converted from Islam to Christianity in Africa, the USA, and the Arab world. Miriam Adeney interviewed these women over seven years by traveling all around the world, and as a trained anthropologist she tries to be sensitive to their perspectives. Like many converts, these women had strong personalities, high needs, or close relationships with those of another faith that in part led them to convert. And like many converts, they believe that the primary reason they converted is because of the love of their new Lord, Jesus Christ. The book intersperses these stories with some of the dilemmas of family, money, education, and culture found in some Muslim communities in the world. From the perspective of a Christian, this book is sensitive and loving towards people that Christians would like to invite into their religious community. Adeney clearly believes that conversion to Christianity is a good thing, much as Muslims believe that conversion to Islam is good and right. If I try to imagine the perspective of a Muslim, I could see how this would be an upsetting book, written by an outsider with desires and goals contrary to their own. A book by a sensitive Muslim about Christians who converted to Islam and the wonderful life they found would no doubt be similarly upsetting to some Christians. However, I would remind prospective readers that invitative Christians (those who try to gently invite others to their faith) are clearly Adeney's audience, and for them, she writes beautiful stories that humanize formerly Muslim Christians for western eyes. These stories draw us away from stereotypes of terrorists and victims, and lead us into insight on what it means to convert from Christianity to Islam, and the respect and care that Christians need to give to Muslims if and when they invite them to convert.

Heart-warming

I really enjoyed this book. The stories are heart-warming... and from my limited knowledge, characteristic of what Muslim ladies face. It treats them with honor and respect. Additionally, the author has decades of experience. I recommend it.

Fair, compassionate, and honest.

I am not sure what book the critics below have been reading, but it is hard to believe it was this one. The most recent reviewer has nothing at all to say about the book. Another complains that Adeney has "cherry-picked" problems in Islamic societies: "I can also list all the ills in the Western society and blame it on Christianity . . . " But Adeney specifically admits that "Muslims are appalled at Western family life," with good reason, and that "millions" of Muslim women enjoy loving families. So who is this critic arguing with? (As for the critic's claim that Christianity had nothing to do with the high status of women in "Christendom," see my Jesus and the Religions of Man for detailed evidence to the contrary.) A third critic calls Daughters of Islam "misleading and offensive because it "generalizes" Muslim women by telling "a few sad stories and makes it seem that all Muslim women are oppressed, stupid, and in need of God." This is ridiculous. Miriam Adeney has got to be about the last person on earth to portray Muslim women as "stupid." "Oppressed?" Again, she explicitly denies this is true of "all" Muslim women; but who can honestly deny that it is true of many? A 1988 UN survey of the status of women around the world that made no explicit reference to religion, yet the countries it found had the lowest status for women were mostly Muslim. It is one thing to decry over-generalizations; another to pretend that generalizations have no force at all. Daughters of Islam is an honest book written by a kind and personable anthropologist. It's primary audience is Christians who want to "reach Muslim women for Christ," as they put it. The book is well-written and engaging, full of lively stories. The author does not begin with ideology, but from the grass-roots, with stories, with people whose lives she describes. Miriam Adeney is the last thing in the world from an ideologue, but she does think Muslim women can profit from meeting Jesus. If that offends you, it may take a special effort to be sure the book you read is actually the one she wrote.

Very Helpful and Applicable Book

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.