Abstract
This book is a ‘must read’ for students starting academic studies in qualitative research methodology. Kraft includes fieldwork and ethical considerations in Chapters 1 and 2, with citations of relevant resources. For missiologists and academics in Islamic studies, particularly those working in Christian-Muslim dialogue or in witnessing/discipleship, this book is an invaluable addition.
Kathryn Ann Kraft’s readable book is filled with stories of real life experiences of Arab Muslims, who believe in Jesus. Kraft’s sociological discussion of conversion gives an in-depth analysis of the concept of conversion, which is a combination of both intellectual and emotional elements. Conversion does not necessarily constitute a definite break with one’s former identity but some degree of change is often experienced, which makes the past and the present antithetical in some important ways.
Kraft’s most valuable contribution is that she brings out the complexity and the dynamics of identity challenges faced by Arab Muslims, who converted to Christianity. Muslims are instructed to follow the sunna (sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad), together with Muhammad’s habits: his style of eating, how he slept and how he talked. These traditions have become the means by which Muslim identity has become distinct, even among many non-practising Muslims, who still adhere to it, at least in part.
Islamic religion is underpinned by the motif: ‘Unity in oneness (tawhid). The unity of lifestyle and faith, unity in of politics and religion, unity of the community defined by conformity’ (p. 36). This concept of tawhid (oneness) ingrained in the Arab Muslim converts to the Christian faith, makes it hard for them to separate their new found faith from the rest of their lives, their jobs, families and everyday activities. Furthermore, the Arab culture and the Muslim culture are one and the same. Kraft argues that leaving the fold of the umma (community), where they were raised, is not a simple sacrifice. Tawhid leaves no room for dualism.
On the contrary, the Christian doctrine of most of the Middle East’s Christians is a theological dualism, a tension between the other-worldly (transcendental) and the inner-worldly (immanent). In this worldview, the other-worldly is sacred, and the profane, or non-religious aspects of life, are simply left out of religious practice and instruction altogether.
Besides the tawhid verses, the dualism in Christian theology teaches adherents to exalt shame. Christ’s shameful death was to be an example to Christians of how to shun honour in the eyes of men, even though Jesus himself lived in a strong honour/shame-based society. This theological teaching seems contradictory to the culture from which Arab Muslim converts come. This means that converts are expected to re-orientate themselves on the concept of honour and shame, as a result of a change in belief. This is a difficult tension to negotiate and most converts go through different phases in the process of maturing in their new faith.
Arab Muslim converts to Christianity have a number of sacrifices they make: the loss of the generous hospitality from families; the loss of tawhid in its various forms; the challenge of child-rearing in a Muslim country; and most male converts found choosing a life partner extremely challenging, while females lose their Christian faith if no Christians marry them.
The consequences of these challenges affect individual Arab Muslim converts differently: some converts continued to live a Muslim lifestyle, just for peace and unity in their community. Whereas some did not see the need to change religion because of the challenges though they see Christianity offering them a new and clearer picture of God, other converts practice their Christianity secretly but remain Islamic outwardly. Some converts return to Islam because they found it is too stressful to negotiate a new identity and to abandon one’s umma.
According to Kraft (p. 99),
religious identity is not one single concept and does not mean the same thing to everyone affiliated with a given religion. A religious affiliation might involve any or several of the following: a sense of connection with the divine, beliefs, ritual, community involvement, family, and attitude towards co-religionists in the rest of the world.
However, the study did not discuss why some Arab Muslim converts were able to break off from Muslim culture and embrace a new identity while others struggled with this identity process without success.