Author Ghazi came to an understanding of his faith later in life and has devoted recent years to discovering everything he can about Islam. His intention for The One and Only Face of Islam: It’s a Good Face is to celebrate Allah and the Muslim faith, to share his excitement of his religion and to inform the misinformed: “Killing and shedding blood are not part of Islam, as you will discover about that and much more in this book.”
Ghazi sets his sights on exploring four main topics in his short book: providing a condensed biography of Mohammed; exploring women’s rights in Islam; examining how Islam provided and continues to provide a road map for civilization, and what the faith says about animal rights. Ghazi’s dedication to his material is apparent, and while he’s quick to praise the faith, he doesn’t rely on his own opinions but on the words of the Qur’an, which gives the book a sense of authority.
While Ghazi, for the most part, provides simple declarative statements about his subject, there are times when run-on thoughts make his prose difficult to understand ( “Traveling the desert with his army—hungry, thirsty, tired and hot—you can imagine the rest of how traveling for days under the hot sun of the desert, marching toward Meccas, and going back to their home city that they win back”). Moreover, there is quite a bit of repetition. Lastly, much of what you find in Ghazi’s book can be found in most basic books on Islam.
So, while the author should be praised for bringing much love and devotion to his topic, he needs a seasoned editor and an expanded vision to rise above the many other books that attempt to explain in general language the beauty and depth of this vast and complex religion.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
