Moving the Mountain Beyond ground Zero to a New vision of Islam in America By Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (New York: Free Press, 2012. 240 pages.)

Abstract

Few are as qualified as Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf to articulate a vision for
American Muslims. He has been involved with several major institutionbuilding
projects to address the concerns of American Muslims; his wife,
Daisy Khan, has also participated in some of these projects. Since 1983, he
has served as imam of New York City’s al-Farah Mosque and thus is rather
familiar with the achievements, struggles, and diversity of the American-
Muslim experience. His involvement with one of this community’s most
formative post-9/11 undertakings, the Cordoba House Project (also known
as Park 51 and the Ground Zero Mosque), attracted national and international
attention.
Several other American Muslims have written about the community. For
example, James Yee’s For God and Country (2005), Sumbul Ali-Karamali’s
The Muslims Next Door (2008), and Asma Nomani’s Standing Alone in Mecca
(2006) have experienced modest mainstream success. Mucahit Bilici’s Finding
Mecca in America (2012) is a notable, although a more academic, work.
Imam Rauf’s book belongs to the first genre. Aimed at a general audience, it
provides a good understanding of such issues as jihad and gender relations in
Islam, the Shari‘ah, and American-Muslim identity formation.
Book Reviews 127
The author’s key idea is that American Muslims are on their way to creating
a unique identity, one that is true to the spirit of Islam and also fits into
American cultural norms. If fully realized, this identity would have three
major potential benefits: making the United States more tolerant and just,
healing the wounds between it and the broader Muslim world, and inspiring
Muslims everywhere to reclaim Islam from the extremists. According to
Rauf, this identity can only be fully realized if Muslims have a good understanding
of Islam, uphold American laws, and engage in the country’s ongoing
multi-faith projects ...