John W. Kiser: Christian Spiritual Seeker Finds a Muslim Hero
By Asma Hasan -- Publishers Weekly, 1/14/2009 12:31:00 PM
Christian author Kiser first came across the remarkable Algerian Muslim historical figure Abd El-Kader, who fought French colonization of Algeria for 17 years, in writing his previous book, Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love and Terror in Algeria (St. Martin’s Press, 2003). Kiser’s new biography from Monkfish of the “Algerian George Washington,” Commander of the Faithful: The Life and Times of Emir Abd el-Kader, A Story of True Jihad, squarely places readers at the intersection of colonial politics, Islamic theology, and the concept of a just war.
RBL: What motivates your interest in Islam and in Emir Abd el-Kader?
Kiser: I spent a year in France, and, for the first time in my life, I met a lot of Muslims. I was totally ignorant. I realized there’s so much more to Islam than what we read about it as casual observers. This book was a great opportunity to educate myself and present to the world a different image—one that’s real—a model of someone who was admired by all. He cut across all imaginable sectors of society. I thought, someone ought to resuscitate him, and why not me?
RBL: Your book is sub-titled “A Story of True Jihad.” What can an American reader of today learn from reading about a jihad of over 170 years ago?
Kiser: The important thing to understand about jihad is that it is fundamentally a process of spiritual hygiene. To be a servant of God, whether you are a Muslim, monk, Jewish Kabbalist, or rabbi, you need to work on your inner self, and that primarily means self-mastery of those nasty demons, which the Catholics call pride, envy, greed, lust and so forth. What is so remarkable about the emir’s life is that he never allowed himself to be dominated by greed, anger, revenges.
RBL: Is there a modern political figure that can be compared to the unique Abd el-Kader?
Kiser: He was so many things—a warrior, a statesman, a poet, a philosopher . . .[El-Kader] was like a Vatican II Catholic 100 years before Vatican II. He basically said Islam does not own God. Nobody does.
RBL: What effect does your book have in the greater discussion today about the true nature of Islam and the identity of Muslims in the War on Terror age?
Kiser: For the angry youth of the Muslim world who have legitimate grievances, I think the emir shows that you can be a good Muslim, you can be a warrior and fight, but you can also know when not to fight and how to fight and be compassionate and follow the rules of your faith as divine law. . .He brings to his faith what both Christians and Muslims need: knowledge of their own faith, but also virtue and perseverance.
