Caged Virgin
by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Ebook version

Front cover and details: amazon

Started reading 18 April 2007
Finished reading 9 June 2007

“I have nothing against religion as a source of comfort. Rituals and prayers can provide support, and I am not asking anyone to give those up. But I do reject religion as a moral gauge, a guideline for life. And this applies above all to Islam, which is an all-pervasive religion, dominating every step of your life.”

This is just one of the paragraphs found in the book that I find very stimulating and most probably would not find favour with the current intelligentsia in the Islamic world.

Her main premise of looking at ourselves again should be seriously considered by all who value critical thinking rather than being blind followers of the religion. This is especially true when it comes to the laws that are blatantly inhumane, for example stoning someone to death .

I've always believed that only God has the power to give and take a life. If we humans are supposed to be the instrument of death, then please let it be a quick death. Not prolonged suffering. The punishment, however severe would never bring back a lost life or put things back to normal for the traumatised victims. The faster the culprit is banished from the earth the better, if he has been proven guilty and really deserves that kind of fate.