Lesley Hazleton at TEDxRainier

Lesley Hazleton explores the Quran and finds much that is quite different from what is reported in commonly cited accounts.

A psychologist by training and Middle East reporter by experience, British-born Lesley Hazleton has spent the last ten years exploring the vast and often terrifying arena in which politics and religion, past and present, intersect. Her most recent book, After the Prophet: the Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split, was a finalist for the 2010 PEN-USA nonfiction award.

She lived and worked in Jerusalem for thirteen years -- a city where politics and religion are at their most incendiary -- then moved to New York. She came to Seattle to get her pilot's license in 1992, saw the perfect houseboat, and stayed. By 1994, she'd flown away all of her savings, and has never regretted a single cent of it. Now her raft rides low in the water under the weight of research as she works on her next book, The First Muslim, a new look at the life of Muhammad.

Twitter: @accidentaltheo
Blog: http://accidentaltheologist.com/

Arabic translation: Amineh Ayyad.

TEDxRainier is an independently organized TED event held in Seattle Washington.

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[hwazn511]

Islam = Truth

[Azrudi]

Where does it say in the Quran that "peace be unto you" can only be said to other muslims?

Don't confuse arabic culture and their self-proclaimed racial superiority with islamic qualities. I am a Malaysian and I am in despair every time God's Word is hijacked by the arabs who threaten to oppress everybody else even their own people.

I never said Islam has a monopoly over these traits. These qualities are requested by God from his followers. But still not many of his followers pass the tests.

[xusmalsi]

"you ignorant ass!!"

Thanks for that islamic greeting.

May you always smell like your favorite camel.

[Kevin Mard]

and that coming from someone who believes and angel spoke to a man in a cave - because his holy book says so.

LOL.

[kaddiharrow]

i hate wen anonymous idiots like you come on YT claiming to be educated in some field, and then only proceed to show how uneducated ignorant and retarded you really are.

[kaddiharrow]

the 99.999% who write anti Islamic propaganda do it because they don't want to make money do they, you ignorant ass!!

[Abdul Khan]

Kevin Im sorry people made your post into spam.. I don't think your comment should recieve negative notes..but if you consider yourself humble than you fail to be humble.. a humble person would never tell others of how humble he is..thus you fail to suggest how humble you .. as a muslim I follow my path to humbleness as it leads to God..no different from the christian faith in that aspect.. and don't learn islam on the example of man..learn it on the example of the Prophets.. ie. Adam, Noah, etc

[Saoud Mohammed]

The Shit is you LOOL

[ibrahim razak]

You will know good r bad when u kick that bucket then there I's no u turn

[Ken MacMillan]

Islam=Shit

[ism3c]

A Jew explains the actual Quran and the comments sink to the lowest. No prophets will return any time near in the future.