Synopses & Reviews
1 corinthians 10:13, niv
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Amber Frey's life was full of blessings: an exciting new business, a beautiful home, and most of all, her infant daughter, Ayiana. But Amber had been through some unhappy relationships, and she longed for a true and loving partner. In November 2002, she went on a blind date with Scott Peterson. He was handsome, charming, thoughtful, and romantic. Best of all, he was single and ready to settle down... or so he said.
Their connection was immediate. Over the next few weeks, Amber and Scott grew closer and closer. Scott won her over with his warmth, humor, and intelligence, and he even won the heart of little Ayiana. Before long, he began to speak of the beautiful future the three of them were destined to share as a family.
Soon enough, however, Amber began to suspect that Scott Peterson might not be the man he claimed to be. On December 9, he broke down in tears and told her that he had been married, but had lost his wife. This was weeks before Laci Peterson, eight months pregnant at the time, was even reported missing. Scott Peterson hadn't lost her, but clearly he was planning to.
Suddenly a relationship that seemed full of promise was turning into Amber's worst nightmare.
Amber launched an investigation of her own. The moment she was able to confirm her worst suspicions, she contacted the Modesto Police Department, in northern California, and offered to do whatever she could to help. She began secretly taping her conversations with Scott, pressing him for information but never letting on that she had heard the news of Laci's disappearance. Those conversations became the basis for the prosecution's case against Scott Peterson for the murder of his wife and unborn child.
Amber's whole world was turned upside down in the process. She lost her privacy, as every detail of her life was scrutinized by the media, who couldn't seem to get enough of this tragic, heart-wrenching story. But she soldiered on, looking deep inside herself and drawing strength from her faith.
Witness is the chilling story of how a young woman became ensnared in Scott Peterson's web of lies, then risked everything to seek justice for Laci Peterson and her unborn child, Conner. It is also a story of forgiveness and faith, and of one woman's struggle to live with an open and honest heart.
Synopsis
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).
About the Author
Amber Frey is a certified massage therapist and lives in Fresno, California. She has a daughter, Ayiana, and a son, Justin.