Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Perhaps you heard some media coverage last spring about Brandeis University's inviting and then uninviting Ayaan Hirsi Ali to speak at their commencement ceremonies and to receive an honorary degree.  (In case you missed it, try this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/10/brandeis-ayaan-hirsi-ali_n_5127792.html)  They said they admire her, but "cannot overlook certain of her past statements that are inconsistent with Brandeis University's core values."  It seems that badmouthing Islam is not approved on the Brandeis campus.

In older news, you may have read about Ali's speaking out against forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and Islam's overall poor treatment of women. For her efforts, she became the subject of an international hunt. She not only survived but became a member of parliament in her adopted home, the Netherlands. In Infidel, Ali tells her story. Born in Somalia, then living in Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and Kenya, she experienced the full range of subjugation under which Muslim women suffer.  Reading about her experiences, I can't say that I blame her for rejecting Islam.

The vehement opposition she has met from the Muslim community stems from her claims that Islam should end.  Ali sees the oppression of women as an essential element of Muslim theology and practice, thus she not only rejects Islam but also calls for its eradication.  Further, she rejects theism altogether.  Surely this is a case of the baby going with the bathwater.  I am a Western Christian, and no fan of the horror that elements of Islam have brought into the world, but I also recognize that many Muslims are, in fact, peaceful, life-affirming people, even though I completely reject their overall theology.  I also recognize that many Christians, Jews, and even Muslims have long advocated for women's rights.  I got the feeling that Ali's atheism is grounded more in her personal pain; her tormentors did what they did in the name of what they recognize as God.  I just wish Ali could experience the boundless love and grace of the God of creation.

Her story is a powerful one.  The first half of the book drags a bit; there was a lot of detail about her family and childhood that provided somewhat interesting cultural background, but it contributed little to her larger message.  I wish her the best as she continues to advocate for women's rights in the Muslim world.  God bless you, Ayaan.