This astounding breakthrough is the outcome of significant research and survey work co-produced by John Esposito, a professor of International Affairs and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, also the director of the Prince Alwalid Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, and Dalia Megahed, advisor of U.S. President Barack Obama on the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, as well as Executive Director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies.
Since it first hit the book market about two years ago, Who Speaks for Islam still enjoys a renowned status as one of the world best selling books, whether in the West or countries with a majority Muslim population, carrying groundbreaking insights and startling findings.
This astounding breakthrough is the outcome of significant research and survey work co-produced by John Esposito, a professor of International Affairs and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, also the director of the Prince Alwalid Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, and Dalia Megahed, advisor of U.S. President Barack Obama on the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, as well as Executive Director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies.
Sectioned into 6 meticulously ordered and organized chapters, the book scans through a number of the most intriguing and controversial matters pertaining to Islam, its adaptation to the Western nations, the rights of women, misconceptions about Islam and Shariah Law, providing unprecedented statements reflecting what the vast majority of Muslims all over the world believe, apart from what’s communicated through the mainstream media, the accounts of which largely fall short of truthful facts representing the Muslim population.
Who speaks for Islam comprises mostly of excerpts of review and analytical articles by a number of writers who touch on a wide range of subjects relatable to the current debates about Islam, its image through Western eyes, and what the most Muslims, referred to in the book as the silenced majority, believe and think.
Views highlighted in such analytical columns are supported by facts and figures concluding a worldwide survey conducted by the world no1 survey foundation; Gallup Institute, and supervised by Dalia Megahed.
Data provided and presented by Gallup come to serve as a striking evidence of what 1.3 billion Muslims all over the world believe, as communicated by writers whose analytical pieces are quoted in the book, and in stark contradiction to what’s circulated among most mainstream media.
Using the findings of thousands of Interviews, carried out in some 35 nations, the Gallup survey captured the views of the majority of Muslims, the silenced majority as referred to in the book on topics that happen to be at the heart of most heated debates of our time, asking them about reasons behind rising anti-Americanism in the Muslim world, whether they’re in favor of Shariah law or not and what it connotes, about extremism and who befits the criterion of extremist, the status of Muslim women and what they really want, among many other issues.
The book can be of true value and aid for students and academics researching about Muslim-related matters. By and large Who Speaks for Islam, represents one of the most truthful accounts about Muslim views and the status of Islam of the century.
Wassalaam,
Maha Youssuf
Posted on: 18- May- 2011
