Sabeeha Rehman

I love Sabeeha Rehman’s intimate and often witty account, written as emails to family and friends, of her six years of working in Saudi Arabia. Even though she is a devout Muslim, she still encountered instances of culture shock. Much of that was eased by living in a compound that was free of the restraints upon dress and social interactions. While she was often frustrated by the insular patriarchal society, the friendliness and helpfulness of the people enabled her to enjoy her time there.

I loved her explanations of how their religion shapes their day-to-day lives. I enjoyed reading about the culture of Saudi Arabia and the lifestyles of the people. She writes of her experience of participating in the Hajj. During her six years there, two significant historical events happened – 9/11 and the death of King Fahd. (Did you know that beekeepers go to each beehive to tell them the king has died and announce the new king? They recently did that with the death of Queen Elizabeth.)

Rehman provides a refreshing glimpse into the lives of the women living in Saudi Arabia. While Saudi women are often portrayed as being oppressed, Sabeeha tells of the importance of women in the workforce there. She also tells of her experiences with the morality police – how frightening! And you may be surprised to hear that some women find the wearing of the abaya to be freeing.

This is the third of Rehman’s books I have read. Her beautiful writing is.

I highly recommend this book. It will shatter the impressions you may have of the country, negative impressions drilled into us by our media.… (plus d'informations)

We Refuse to Be Enemies is a manifesto by two American citizens, a Muslim woman and Jewish man, concerned with the rise of intolerance and bigotry in our country along with resurgent white nationalism. Neither author is an imam, rabbi, scholar, or community leader, but together they have spent decades doing interfaith work and nurturing cooperation among communities. They have learned that, through face-to-face encounters, people of all backgrounds can come to know the Other as a fellow human being and turn her or him into a trusted friend. In this book, they share their experience and guidance. ~Amazon… (plus d'informations)

Having read Sabeeha Rehman’s memoir “Threading My Prayer Rug”, I was eager to read her new book co-authored with Walter Ruby. Being Jewish and having worked for years in Muslim nations, interfaith relations, especially between Muslims and Jews, is of great interest to me. I found this book to be very informative and hopeful.

Parts 1 and 2 provided the background stories of Sabeeha’s relationship with Pakistan and Walter’s with Israel, along with historical and political facts and cultural values.

I enjoyed their back-and-forth narration style, especially in Parts 3 and 4. These are the parts that get to the heart of it - the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and portions of the Tanakh and Quran that may be considered offensive. Sabeeha and Walter write openly of topics they agree and disagree on. They discuss what they have found in common in their faiths. I appreciated the honest and respectful sharing of their beliefs, even when they did not agree.

An open mind is needed as it will challenge many beliefs you may have grown up with. It gave me a lot to think about. In fact, I have read the book twice now. Essential reading for anyone interested in interfaith activities.… (plus d'informations)