Is the novel's portrayal of Islam different from or similar to how you feel it is portrayed in Western culture?

Consider the novel's depiction of Islam, including that of the pious character of Jalalod-Din and his discussion of jehād at the end of Chapter 75. Is the novel's portrayal of Islam different from or similar to how you feel it is portrayed in Western movies and other media? Did it surprise you that mystic poets are so much a part of Iranian culture?

In this book, Islam is portrayed as a more mystical and peaceful religion than is frequently described in Western news media -- much closer to the image that I hold of Christianity. The Islam of Jalalod-Din, though, even in the book, seems distant from the Islam espoused by the government, which is much more rigid and violent.

The author notes in her Postscript that during the Bush (43) administration, she could find no literature that painted a positive view of this country [Iran] or its culture, writing "A single story cements our perception of the others." So, I think the book's portrayal of the Islamic religion as one similar to any religion wanting people to follow a moral, peaceful path (Christianity, Buddhism, etc.) had an intent to show similarities rather than differences. The references to poets such as Rumi who was a great mystic as well also shows that this region of the world has great depth in its thinking. And as noted earlier, the author had an intent to create another view or way of thinking.

I was touched by the grace and peace portrayed by Jalalod-Din when speaking to Amineh in the rose garden. This is not the version of Islamic religion utilized by the media. We are exposed to the hate and violence projected by radicalized Islamist bent on destroying non-believers. 9-1-1 was a sad day for so many reasons, not the least of which was the shoehorning of all Muslims into the category of evil beings. I am not into politics and must admit I did not understand a lot of the political background of this book, but I think it is clear that all people are not 100% good or bad. All belief systems contain good and bad aspects. The evil arises when one group cannot tolerate the beliefs of another and decides to put a stop to it. History is filled with stories of violence inflicted in the name of one religion or another. It never ceases to sadden me to hear of man's inhumanity to man. When will it end?

I really didn't know much about Islam so this book enlightened me somewhat. I tend to not pay much attention to negative in the news. My hope is that everyone no matter what religion could somehow come to the realization we are all on this earth and have many things in common.

I have family members who are Muslim and I don’t feel the way the religion is practiced in America is as constricting as in other countries. However I think the religion is unfairly depicted in America highlighting those that are disruptive.

Religion has been weaponized since the dawn of time. It is used to justify violence, persecution, murder, war…it goes on.
No wonder our society is becoming more secular. People , especially young people, are fed up. Practicing religion is supposed to enlighten and encourage our best selves.
To forgive ourselves and others when we inevitably falter.
Instead it is used as a vehicle for power.

I think Jalalod-Din might have been my favorite character, and I felt he was almost saintly. Unfortunately I think Western culture has a very limited understanding of Islam, and I feel like most are fine with that. This "us vs. them" mentality has existed for centuries and doesn't appear to be going away any time soon.

I feel that most of western culture has a slim view of Islam. I am fairly familiar because I worked with many people who practiced Islam.

Well, I guess it depends on how much a reader knows about Islam.
So, I do not have an unfavorable view of Islam.
While I am not in favor of the extremists who use their religion to justify their hatred and/or their violence.

The novel is much more nuanced, accurate and respectful towards Islam than what many Americans today may think, the ones who only hear about the actions of Khomeini’s regime or groups like Hamas. Every major religion has its extremists—including some Christians in the US— and here, it is the Islamic extremists who make the news. But like the author, I have read many of the great poets of Islam, and also other novels that explore Islamic cultures and characters. That is what drew me to read this, with great pleasure and deepening understanding.

I am not sure that Americans have an accurate picture of the Islamic religion and most equate it with extremism due to the media . I wish this weren't true and that we could come to respect each other a little more and accept each others differences without wanting to take control over everything.

The novel's portrayal of Islam focused on the peaceful tenets which probably lies at the foundation of most religions. The extremist impressions of Islam are more common amongst the non-Islamic population in general, not just the western culture. My personal experiences with people from those cultures have been nothing but pleasant, hence hard to comprehend why Islam is singled out by the masses as any more extreme. Religious fanatics exist in all faiths. The author's research and experience as an outsiders sheds a positive light on probably one of the most misunderstood cultures.