Tass Saada

I'm a Christian believer, and open to the idea of the miraculous. There is something about the book that seems as if what were underlying truths and events have been embellished or romanticized. They didn't need to be. A less dramatized telling would seem more authentic and be more thrilling--a life transformed, a new life dedicated to good work, to peace in the name of Christ. Some of the claims are frankly hard to take at face-value, and all of those are beyond the reach of any kind of validation. At one point he seems to describe the Trinity in modalist terms. Some of his exegesis might be a bit of a stretch, but worthy of discussion.… (mer)

A wonderful true story by a former Muslim terrorist who became a Christian, about his life and his self-described journey from hate to love.

The author's heart for reconciliation between Muslims, Jews, and Christians in and beyond the Middle East is very evident, and his wisdom, insight, and unique perspective are informative and enlightening. The author has a very gripping and engaging life story - both his exploits as a young Palestinian Fatah fighter who was close to Yasser Arafat, and the miraculous events of his conversion and reconciliation with his family. Themes of grace, redemption, forgiveness, and reconciliation are greatly displayed throughout, and the book made me cry at least once, which is rare for me in books.

I definitely recommend this book along with several other amazing autobiographies I've read about similar conversions. 4.5 stars.

Content warning: This book contains violence, blood, and descriptions of battle and killing. It's not gratuitous or overly detailed, but it's realistic, vivid, and recounts real events, and it may bother some readers.… (mer)

I gave up on this in the end. I had the same issues with this as with the author's auto-biography Once an Arafat Man although at least that contained an interesting story. The first few chapters defining different terrorist groups and how they link back to Islam was worth reading. Unfortunately, the author then heads off down his favourite path--God's plan for Isaac AND Ishmael. He reinterprets historical and biblical events to support the idea that the descendants of both men are blessed but in different ways. There are whole chapters on this. I noticed that a lot of readers have thanked the author for pointing out a viewpoint that has never been expressed before. There is a reason why generations of careful Bible study and examination have never espoused this view.....

The author then spends the rest of the book talking about how to make peace with the terrorists by not inflaming the situation. He speaks of Jews and Arabs living peacefully side by side. I obviously believe that all things are possible with God but think it more likely that God will use the events in the Middle East to bring about the end of the world when the time is right. I feel that the author paints an unrealistic picture and his idealism does not present a solution for world peace.

… (mer)