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The press has been filled with information and misinformation about the true nature of Islam. Hasan represents what is left out of the daily newspapers and explains why being a Muslim is not merely a matter of birth, but it is a matter of choice.

In the wake of 9–11, the activities of Osama Bin Laden and Hamas, and the most recent Gulf War, the western press has been filled with information and mis–information about the true nature of Islam. Is it a feudal misogynist belief system that is a threat to Western values? Is it an ideology of oppression? Or, is it a religion that is as varied as Christianity; a "big tent" that includes not only bomb–throwing ideologues, but also those committed to an authentic spirituality that embraces many of the values shared by the mainstream in Europe and America?

Why I am a Muslim is an attempt to grapple with these issues. Part memoir, part polemic, it represents the side of Islam that is left out of the daily newspapers. For Hasan, being a Muslim is not merely a matter of birth, but it is a matter of choice.

In seven chapters, she presents seven reasons why she is committed to Islam and why it is a viable spiritual option for anyone.

1. Because I was born Muslim.

2. Because Islam gives me a direct relationship with God.

3. Because Islam has a rich mystical tradition in Sufism.

4. Because Islam allows and expects me to make mistakes.

5. Because Islam is ethnically diverse.

6. Because Islam is a woman's religion.

7. Because being Muslim makes me a better American (and being American makes me a better Muslim).

Amber Frey is a certified massage therapist and lives in Fresno, California. She has a daughter, Ayiana, and a son, Justin.