Rating: 
Summary: A fresh point of view--not at all the same old rehash
Review: When Amana Publications was first considering Lang's manuscript of this book, they asked me to review it. At the time, I commented that it lacked internal cohesion and was really two or three smaller books stuck together, as far as topical organization. In retrospect, I'm glad they ignored my reservations about the book and went ahead and published it. Lang brings a refreshingly original voice to breathe new life into some old questions. The main value of this book is not that it includes a convert's autobiographical story of his conversion--there are already tons of those. The later parts of Struggling to Surrender tackle issues that concern all Muslims: how to reassess the Sunnah and Shari`ah from the original sources and realize a more liberal approach to living as a Muslim. Especially vital is Lang's forthright, well-researched, and clearly articulated defense of women's liberation within Islam. He shows how the misogynist attitudes that cripple so many Muslim societies in their stultifying grip have no justification within the original revelation, and that it's up to us to think for ourselves instead of blindly following the diktats of mullas from societies that deny women their rights. Bravo, Jeffrey Lang, write on! This book deserves to be read by all Muslims as it can stimulate them to use their God-given minds.
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