upcoming book, "Jewel of Medina" : A new attempt to slander the Prophet of Islam
A Freind of mine forwarded a email from Shahed Amanullah
He say:
Just got a frantic call from a professor who got an advance copy of
the forthcoming novel, "Jewel of Medina" - she said she found it
incredibly offensive. I don't know anything about it, but I did find
this synopsis online:
--------
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/MsJones/
"Appearing on bookstore shelves in August 2008. THE JEWEL OF MEDINA
tells the story of A'isha, the Prophet Muhammad's most beloved wife,
and her struggle for personal freedom in a society -- seventh-century
Saudi Arabia -- where women had no rights of their own.`
Married at nine to the much-older Muhammad, A'isha uses her wits, her
courage, and her sword to defend her first-wife status even as
Muhammad marries again and again, taking twelves wives and concubines
in all. At the same time, the harim becomes a prison for the wives,
thanks to new rules confining them to the home. Is it any wonder
A'isha is tempted by a seductive young warrior's promises of escape
and adventure?
Meanwhile, Muhammad's jealous cousin Ali is working hard to discredit
A'isha in the Prophet's eyes. Despite his efforts, A'isha becomes
Muhammad's trusted adviser -- and gains the power to destroy
everything he has worked for, incuding her sister-wives and, yes, Ali.
What happens when she finally gets the chance to use that power
surprises A'isha, and binds Muhammad more closely to her than ever
before.
THE JEWEL OF MEDINA (113,000 words) is an historical novel published
by Ballatine Books, extensively researched, potraying the origins of
Islam and the earliest foundations of its culture, so influential
today. Dozens of sources include the ninth-century historian al-Tabari
and contemporary author Karen Armstrong. And, like MEMOIRS OF A
GEISHA, it offers a glimpse into an exotic, mysterious world alien to
our own.
Foreign rights already have been sold in Spanish, Italian and
Hungarian!"
He say:
Just got a frantic call from a professor who got an advance copy of
the forthcoming novel, "Jewel of Medina" - she said she found it
incredibly offensive. I don't know anything about it, but I did find
this synopsis online:
--------
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/MsJones/
"Appearing on bookstore shelves in August 2008. THE JEWEL OF MEDINA
tells the story of A'isha, the Prophet Muhammad's most beloved wife,
and her struggle for personal freedom in a society -- seventh-century
Saudi Arabia -- where women had no rights of their own.`
Married at nine to the much-older Muhammad, A'isha uses her wits, her
courage, and her sword to defend her first-wife status even as
Muhammad marries again and again, taking twelves wives and concubines
in all. At the same time, the harim becomes a prison for the wives,
thanks to new rules confining them to the home. Is it any wonder
A'isha is tempted by a seductive young warrior's promises of escape
and adventure?
Meanwhile, Muhammad's jealous cousin Ali is working hard to discredit
A'isha in the Prophet's eyes. Despite his efforts, A'isha becomes
Muhammad's trusted adviser -- and gains the power to destroy
everything he has worked for, incuding her sister-wives and, yes, Ali.
What happens when she finally gets the chance to use that power
surprises A'isha, and binds Muhammad more closely to her than ever
before.
THE JEWEL OF MEDINA (113,000 words) is an historical novel published
by Ballatine Books, extensively researched, potraying the origins of
Islam and the earliest foundations of its culture, so influential
today. Dozens of sources include the ninth-century historian al-Tabari
and contemporary author Karen Armstrong. And, like MEMOIRS OF A
GEISHA, it offers a glimpse into an exotic, mysterious world alien to
our own.
Foreign rights already have been sold in Spanish, Italian and
Hungarian!"
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Shahid Pradhan on -
The Novel is to be released on August 12, 2008.
Pre-order is available on many online sites.
a list of website can be found on http://www.google.com/search?q=%22The+Jewel+of+Medina%22&hl=en&...
This is an double-edged trick again.
Insulting the Prophet and trying to crop up issues, which have difference of opinion in the Islamic World.
Surely the collective effort will be fruitfull when its only to gain nearness to Allah
18:44: There, the (only) protection comes from Allah, the True One. He is the Best to reward, and the Best to give success.
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Permalink Reply by Shahid Pradhan on
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Thats great! the Book has been withdrawn.
The Publishers have acted sensibly.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121797979078815073.html?mod=opinion...
We love the Great Prophet of Islam more than our parents.
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Permalink Reply by Voice of Today on -
Dear Brothers in Islam,
The Book has been withdrawn, but the author is still not budging from her stand. She has just released the first chapter of this book. which is absolutely senseless. Its a work of Historical fiction as she says..
But it seems that the International Media Online is supporting her Wholeheartedly for so called "Freedom of Speech".
you can reach the author at http://sherryjones.blogspot.com/
This is what is the review written by smartbitchestrashybooks.com for the novel..
SB Sarah • Thursday, August 07, 2008 at 10:50 AM
The Jewel of Medina
Sherry Jones emailed me the prologue of her book The Jewel of Medina to share with you all. I’ve read it, and I sent it to shewhohashope to gain her perspective, as she and I are of different faiths and cultures, and have differing views of the prologue and the book that it introduces. Obviously, sweeping judgments based on the prologue are as frail as sweeping judgments based on not having read the book at all, but hey, what is our site without some randomly sweeping judgments, right?
If you’d like to download the prologue and read it for yourself, a PDF is available here (please right click and download, thanks). All contents of the prologue are copyright Sherry Jones.
My reactions are from the perspective of a reader, and someone who is, due to this controversy, very curious about Islam, Aisha, Mohammed, and this book itself. Shewhohashope, a 22 year-old student of Anthropology living in London, England, is a Sunni Muslim and rabid Heyer fan.
More,more,more!>
My reaction: would this prologue make me continue reading? Yup. It’s half dishy and half history (which therein lies a problem, yo) and almost reads as a hybrid of YA, historical fiction, and historical romance. Aisha, in the prologue, is 14, and is returning to her caravan after they traveled without her. She arrives in camp with a man named Safwan ibn Al-Muattal, and upon her return is accused of adultery with Safwan. Muhammad later receives a vision or revelation that Aisha was not unfaithful to him, and her accusers were punished.
My initial impressions were that the tone was melodramatic, and that the heroine seemed very, very young, more like a modern 14 year old than what I would presume at 14 year old would be like at that time. Nowadays, a 14 year old is in middle school, and, if it’s a 14 year old girl, likely given to impulsive behavior and, in some instances, a hormonal overdrive that causes them to act like pubescent minions of evil. 14 year old girls can be MEAN like DAMN.
The biggest contention from those who would read this and be upset would be the depiction of Aisha as possibly having been tempted, and certainly having taken deliberate steps to sneak behind Mohammed’s back. Aisha is very, very human and young-acting, since she’s 14 and driven by some impulse in the prologue. A 14 year old then might have more presence of mind to resist impulse than a 14 year old today. I would figure a 14 year old at that time, who was married to a leader, who genuinely cared for him, who had been married for awhile, and who had, in context, a much shorter lifespan than we have now, would be in some ways more mature and less impulsive. But then, this is a supposition that could easily be flawed on my part, or addressed by the rest of the narrative.
However, the prologue sets up the narrative tension very quickly: what is Aisha feeling guilty about? She mentions that she and Safwan crafted a story on the ride to the caravan so that their stories would match, but she also mentions that she remained faithful to Mohammed. She has something about which she is ashamed, and there is a deliberate reason she allowed the caravan to leave her behind, but that tension and guilt betray her to those who accuse her of much, much worse, so she’s defending herself while she feels guilty and ashamed.
As I wrote to shewhohashope, the conflict about this book is as much about faith as it is understanding wh - Attachments:
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Prologue-JewelMedina.pdf, 30 KB
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Permalink Reply by Shahid Pradhan on
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The content of the books are surely disturbing.
We Muslims don't talk about the Prophet , his wife and his companions in this manner.
Nor we give others the freedom to talk in this manner.
Freedom of Speech does not means that you can hurt other sentiments in this way.
In the Grab of Freedom of Speech enemies of Islam are attacking Islam.
You have the freedom of throwing the stones in the sky.
But you can be prosecuted if it injures or kills some one.
Why not be careful when we are writing contents, which can hurt religious sentiments of others.
Either the Western are trying to fool us in the name of Freedom of Speech or they are Mad.
May Allah save us from their madness.
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Permalink Reply by Zahra on -
Salam,
yes,
the content of this book is really really distubin
the author of the book showed the behaviours of the Holy characters
as if they were some normal ppl
for example showing Imam Ali a.s as jealous and talkin back to the prophet
Asthagfarullah
this is all false
Imam Ali is a masoomeeen he is one of the Infallibles
he was not jst some noramal human being
and thts the same for the Holy Prophet SAWS.
This book showed them in a really bad character
Asthagfarullah
this is not true
and yes
the author should've been more carefull in wriitng the content
because it did hurt religious sentiments of others.
and Khuda na khastha it can create alooot of violene which nobody wants at any cost.
Wassalam
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Permalink Reply by Shahid Pradhan on
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"Jewel of Medina" banned in Serbia
Serbs halt sale of controversial novel on Islam
http://www.reuters.com/article/artsNews/idUSLJ49002320080819
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Permalink Reply by Sohel Ajani on -
Book based on Muhammad's child bride not to be published
Wed, Aug 20 02:35 PM
New York, Aug.20 (ANI): A racy, historical novel based on the Prophet Muhammad's child bride A'isha has been pulled out of the publishing line just before its release date.
Sherry Jones, author of The Jewel of Medina, said she received word from Random House Inc. that the book's release would be "postponed indefinitely."
The decision came after copies of her book were sent to stores, her book tour was scheduled and the Book of the Month Club had accepted her work, reports Fox News.
"My book is a respectful portrayal of Islam, of A'isha, of Muhammad. And anyone who reads it with [an] open mind will come away with an understanding of Islam as a peaceful religion," said the American author.
In a statement to Fox News, Random House said that although it supports a free discussion of ideas, it decided to stop the book from hitting the shelves due to security concerns.
"We felt an obligation to take these concerns very seriously. We consulted with security experts as well as with scholars of Islam, whom we asked to review the book and offer their assessments of potential reactions," the release stated.
Jones said Random House will pay her a 100,000 dollars advance, and that it will allow her to seek another publisher for the book.(ANI)
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20080820/888/twl-book-based-on-muhamma...
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Permalink Reply by jane mohammad doe on -
Muslims control this world by violence. And we will take it back. Nowhere do Muslims curb their free speech to show sensitivity towards Non-Muslims, no where should Muslims be allowed to whine about free speech. You can't even question whether the Prophet Mohammad was the devil and considering how so many people who are named after him act, it makes you wonder. In Iran they they pretend the Jewish holocasut never happened while creating hoaxes like the earthquake in Bam. Bam was a lie orchistrated by the Iranians to get money from the west! How's that for free speech? How about cartoons? After all, no double standards?
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Permalink Reply by jane mohammad doe on
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Ali- what happened to your committment to free speech? It's okay to slader Jewish victims of the Holocaust but not Sana Fatameh? WOW! So the Prophet Mohammad can't be spoken about harshly... but people tortured and murdered can be ridiculed and treated without compassion(as long as they are not Muslims)? What does that say about your morality? I assume by "taking action" you mean to prevent me from speaking as honestly as you do? Kind of like you were complaining the west always does to Muslims! Ironic!
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Permalink Reply by Sajeda Ali on -
You guys need to be treated your way - it suits you best - the Islamic(peaceful) treatment is not desireable.
You guys dont understand the language of peace - guess thats why some guys had to take up adverse techniques to get you guys straight ;)
Also Prophet slandering, prophet killig is in your blood - Jews Killed Christ and Jesus's disciple ditched him - thats what christians and Jews are all abuot - betrayal and killing....
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Permalink Reply by jane mohammad doe on
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Ali-
You call Islam peaceful? The west takes you in, feeds you, clothes you... and you return the favor by calls for murder? Here are a few examples of your peaceful religion in action:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/25/94978303_a0fe97e606.jpg?v=0
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f189/01978/british-muslim-protest...
http://www.theipinionsjournal.com/uploaded_images/muslimPopeprotest...
http://thepeoplescube.com/images/images_working/Hitler_Muslims/Musl...
Yes...... all but one of these was taken in the west and shows how RESPECTFUL your immigrants treat the non-Muslims who have let you move to their country. Have you ever noticed
that Hindu and Buddhist imigrants don't act like this? If the west is so bad, why won't you stop coming here?! Maybe the problem IS YOU
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