Book Review: If the Oceans Were Ink

Overall Rating: 5/5-Must read

This is an interesting book to be sure. Written from the viewpoint of Carla Power, this is a semi-biography of Sh. Akram Nadwi. The biography genre is very popular in the Muslim community, with biographies of the sahabah and famous imams counting amongst the top-sellers in Islamic non-fiction. More than a biography though, this book is a fascinating insight into the life of a 21^st century Muslim scholar as he navigates the fledgling Western community.

This is a quick read, touching on a vast array of topics from Sh. Akram’s research on female hadith scholars to his parenting skills to his desire to train Muslims with greater critical thinking skills. All in all, I think this book should take its place as a must-read for Western Muslims.

I think this Amazon review sums it up well: This book is different, it moved me, humbled me and able to connect me to the solemn and peaceful [real] religion of Islam, one verse of Quran interpretation at a time. The Sheikh’s wisdom and teachings about Islam is very calming and reassuring, while the author’s worldly knowledge gave me a new perspective on how to see the so-called “Islamic World” from a different light.

Amazon link