About this item
"Carla Power's intimate portrait of the Quran captures the extraordinary, living debate over the Muslim holy book's very essence. A spirited, compelling read."-Azadeh Moaveni, author of Lipstick JihadIf the Oceans Were Ink is Carla Power's eye-opening story of how she and her longtime friend Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi found a way to confront ugly stereotypes and persistent misperceptions that were cleaving their communities. Their friendship-between a secular American and a madrasa-trained sheikh-had always seemed unlikely, but now they were frustrated and bewildered by the battles being fought in their names. Both knew that a close look at the Quran would reveal a faith that preached peace and not mass murder; respect for women and not oppression.
About the Author
After a childhood spent split between the Midwest and the Middle East and Asia, I grew up interested in the relationship of Muslim societies and the West. I went on to study and write about Islam and Muslim issues as a journalist. But it wasn't until I sat down with my old friend Sheikh Muhammad Akram Nadwi to read the Quran that I found myself really engaging with the surprising ways they converged and diverged. Having been raised moving around, I'm happy to continue doing so. I now live in England with my British husband and Brit-American kids, though I get back to the Midwest--and the Mid-East and Asia--as much as I can.
