It wasn’t big news, but it was making headlines in the publishing world when a new book called “The Jewel of Medina” about Aisha, the last wife of The Prophet Muhammad, hit the stands and stoked some controversy–not because of Muslim outrage, but because of a perceived Muslim outrage.
Written by Sherry Jones (a non-Muslim), the book chronicles Aisha’s life and imagines her relations with her husband–The Prophet Muhammad. Apparently there are some racy scenes. And when a University of Texas professor who was invited to comment about the book said that it might offend Muslims, Random House yanked it as quick as a dangling loose tooth. Because, you know, if a Muslim is outraged, the only thing he/she will do is riot, burn, pillage, and maim.

But, as Beliefnet’s newest blogger, Aziz Poonawalla pointed out in his City of Brass blog, there has been no outrage. Many Muslims have spoken up about free speech, defending the author’s right to pen the book. Read what Aziz has to say. You may be surprised–and see that Muslims are as diverse and varied, as anyone else, in our opinions and how we express them.