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The unseen face of IslamFolk-IslamTHE UNSEEN FACE OF ISLAM Bill Musk has done extensive research in this newly-updated book dealing with 'folk-Islam' or 'unofficial Islam' Folk-Islam is the whole realm of practices and superstitions that a Muslim does and believes in to gain power over the normal events of life. The author actually makes the case that even though much of folk-Islam is found only in the hadiths (Muslim traditions) and not the Qur'an itself, some elements of folk-Islam are found in the Qur'an and so are very much a part of orthodox Islam. The first ten chapters of the book deal with various aspects of folk-Islam, such as the evil eye (the destructive eye of jealousy), jinn (spirit beings), the worship of saints, fortune-telling, Muslim festivals, healing, the people in the Muslim community who have these powers, its all-pervasiveness in the actual rites of passage such as births, circumcisions, marriages and deaths, days on which such rites ought to be done, and beliefs about evil and good controlling different areas in the world and their communities. Each of these ten chapters begins with an actual account of a Muslim seeking to use power to deal with a situation of life. This book is important for anyone who knows Muslims or is witnessing to them. The author says: 'Muslim society is integrated by its beliefs about causal concepts; as we understand them, they enable us to glance beneath the surface and discover the assumptions by which Muslims are actually living.' He emphasises that though Muslims living in the West outwardly appear to be 'Westernised', the beliefs that really affect their daily lives are not easily seen. However, in relating to Muslims we must understand the influence these beliefs have on their lives. The author points out that in some ways their view of the world is more in line with the Bible's view of the world than our secular society's view of the world. Therefore, the truths and stories in the Bible of the power of Christ can be very relevant to them if we know our Bible well and seek to understand the mindset of the Muslim. Having lived in a Muslim country and known Muslims for years, I highly recommend it. Mark Penner,
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