"In Islamic terminology, for example, a bee is a Muslim precisely because it lives and dies obeying the sharia that God has prescribed for the community of bees, just as a person is a Muslim by virtue of the fact that he or she submits to the revealed sharia ordained for humans in the Qur'an and Sunnah" (192).

This was really interesting to think about, especially considering that Christianity (as far as I'm concerned) doesn't hold a similar view.

How would a bee go about following sharia law?

"Men are superior to women...." (201).

It's hard for me to think that a foundational text is trying to promote compassion and equality when it explicitly states this as fact...

"I honor those who try to rid themselves of lying, who empty the self and have only clear being there" (232).

"Emptying the self" has really been an issue for me lately; no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get rid of all the negative aspects of my being out of my life. I only hope that I'm able to as I mature.

Unfortunately, I'm currently filled with a to of "self."