Even Angel Ask: Menerapkan Iman Dengan Berpikir Kritis
by Jeffrey Lang (Author)
Buku ini berangkat dari keprihatinan penulisnya setelah melihat banyak orang Islam di negerinya menghindari atau bahkan membenci Islam, lantaran tidak mampu mendamaikan agama yang mereka warisi dengan pandangan Barat-sekuler yang mereka peroleh. Fenomena yang sesungguhnya melanda nyaris semua negeri muslim ini telah membelah umat Islam ke dalam dua kubu yang berlawanan: mereka yang membekukan dirinya dalam tradisi lama dan mereka yang mengekor pada peradaban Barat. Yang pertama memandang pemikiran Islam terdahulu sebagai rujukan ideal, yang kedua melihat Barat sebagai puncak peradaban. Yang pertama kaum "fundamentalis" sedangkan yang kedua kaum "liberal".
Kedua kelompok itu sama "menyesatkan". Agar tidak terperangkap dalam bahaya itu, Dr. Lang menganjurkan agar umat Islam senantiasa mengembangkan sikap kritis, baik dalam memandang kenyataan-faktual yang muncul maupun, dan terutama, dalam memahami pesan-pesan itu sendiri. Menurut profesor mualaf Amerika ini, cara paling efektif untuk menghadapi bahaya itu bukanlah mencegah timbulnya pertanyaan atau kritik. Sebaliknya, kaum muslim harus terus mendorong kedua hal itu. "Kita akan cenderung berbuat salah bila tidak mau bersikap kritis pada diri sendiri." Kita harus selalu bertanya dan mempertanyakan. Bahkan malaikat, yang sangat dekat dengan Tuhan, pun bertanya! Mereka "berani" mempertanyakan kebijakan Tuhan menunjuk khalifah di muka bumi: Apakah Engkau akan jadikan di sana makhluk yang berbuat kerusakan dan menumpahkan darah?
Buku ini membawa pembaca mengarungi perjalanan spiritual-intelektual dengan mendiskusikan konflik-konflik yang terjadi antara agama dan akal, rintangan-rintangan yang dipasang oleh kaum muslim sendiri yang menghalangi orang untuk memeluk Islam, ekstremisme dalam komunitas Islam, dan lain-lain.
Membaca buku ini, dari awal sampai akhir, berarti mengikuti perjalanan spiritual bukan saja orang muslim Amerika tetapi juga perjalanan intelektual muslim di mana pun, ketika ia dihadapkan pada kegelisahan karena benturan Islam konseptual dan Islam aktual …. Lang meyakinkan kita tidak saja dengan argumentasi yang logis dan tidak terbantahkan, bukan hanya dengan dalil aqli dan naqli. Ia juga menyentuh emosi kita dengan kisah-kisah yang terkadang jenaka, terkadang mengharukan.
Pernah diterbitkan dengan judul: Bahkan Malaikatpun Bertanya
Freesoul: an amazing one.Worth reading, I have the honor to read his three books and looking for his upcoming works inchaAllah. I've learned a lot from you Dr.Jeffrey and inchaAllah we will meet one day.
Afifah: This book is very good not only for people who are converting to islam, The book tells us about reasons and reality, Which related to the basic faith of islam. His spiritual experience and logical thoughts made us recontemplate about our faith and actions.
i really like this book and consider one of the best book i've read. and still reading for his other book.
Mariam: I am not good at writing reviews but this book is pushing me to do so. I loved this book. I don't know from where to start , but this book touched me in diffrent ways, spirtiual, logical and intellectual. Each chapter can be a book by itself.
Even the pure angels asked why to create a human, so who can prohibit asking and wondering or force us to accept ideas as it is.
Thank you Dr.Lang, I really wish that the muslim community can have more people like you.
Eri: Jeffrey's idea about being critical has been given example by the angels when they asked Allah why He still insist to create human although some of them would destroy the environment (earth) and killing each other. The angels are described to be the most obedient, however based on those point of view, that doesn't mean we could not be critical and give constructive critics to others who have higher social status nor upper level of economy or whatsoever.
Thus, I believe, Jeffrey wanted to emphasize to us for avoiding ignorance towards surround us.
Ellen: I have a thirst for books by American converts to Islam. This is one of the better ones I've read. Not only does the author share his own journey to Islam, he also spends more than half of the book going over various beliefs and attitudes attributed to Muslims and analyzing them according to the Qur'an. The book also includes a discussion about how Muslims can help Islam to grow in America. I got a lot out of it and definitely recommend it for anyone who is interested in how Muslims think, what they believe, and how they can live out their faith in the world.
Juliana: Reading this books is like as if I'm taking the journey to Islam alongside the author (not as an atheist, though). When stumbled upon some of his provoking thoughts, I had to take a detour for a while - out of curiosity - to research on the issues or topics that he argued in this book. I must say, the reading experience is a fulfilling one, and I love the fact that this book makes my reading list grows exponentially.
Jeffrey Lang was born a Christian, but somewhere in his life - just like any other fellow Americans - he became an atheist. Learning about Islam was merely an act of his curiosity, but during his journey it turned out that he found all the answers he had been asking himself when he was a Christian and an atheist.
Shazani: This book brings fresh perspectives in viewing and reviewing some of the most 'sensitive' questions regarding Islam. I find Dr. Lang's insights intriguing as well as thought-provoking as he challenges some of the most strongly held dogmas and beliefs of Qur'anic interpretations. Certainly his Western-style critique widens the dimension of religious discussions with loads of honest questions new converts may have in mind (and to this respect, current Muslims as well).
For Muslims, this book is certainly a grab if you have hard questions regarding the Faith and yet not dare to voice them aloud in religious classrooms.
Chapters in this books are also coherent and easy to follow. Conversational-style narrations interwoven with provocative yet honest questions regarding the Faith keeps me engaged for hours reading the book. Although I may not personally agree with all of Dr. Lang's conclusions, his arguments are clear and logical.
Highly recommended for those who have personal questions about his or her faith in Islam and those who are curious about the American (or Western) dimension of looking Islam.
Even angels ask! ;)
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