LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- "With the demise of the Soviet Communism, the United States as the sole superpower is facing the challenge of Islamic fundamentalists who believe in the illegitimacy of its interests in their homelands. Belonging to a political religion, Islamic extremists have been misusing jihad blindly and attempting unsuccessfully to terminate the American presence in their countries. The conflict will continue," says Seid M. Zekavat, a lawyer, university professor, and practicing Muslim. His new book, Perils of Blind Faith, powerfully analyzes the bitter realities borne out of the conflicting interests of the United States and the Islam fundamentalists.
The book shows that while the three religions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity -- as respectively represented by Islam fundamentalist governments, Israel, and the United States -- are monotheistic, their selfish political and economic interplays have overshadowed their spiritual dimensions, cooperative nature, and peaceful coexistence. The pursuit of their own economic and political interests has deeply affected people's lives in every corner of the world. What is fascinating about this pursuit is that religion has been used as a means of gaining and maintaining political power.
Brilliant and revelatory, The Perils of Blind Faith deepens the readers' understanding and provides them with a panoramic view of how and why people of other countries, particularly the Muslims, perceive the American power. Dr. Zekevat, born and raised in the house of a renowned Ayatollah equal in rank to a cardinal in the Catholic Hierarchy, has been practicing Islam and teaching the Quran for years. This knowledge, combined with his years of teaching at a Catholic university with ample opportunity to mingle with students of various backgrounds and religions, particularly as a member of the Interfaith Group, gave him the resources and qualifications to write this book.
About the Author: Seid M. Zekavat is a professor of statistics and economics at Loyola Marymount University of Los Angeles. He earned a law degree from the University of Tehran, a degree in political science from Pepperdine University, and a doctorate in economics from the University of Southern California. He served as chair of Loyola's Economics department, and was elected chapter president of the American Association of University Professors and vice president of the Southern California Chapter of the American Statistical Association. He is also the author of Terms of Endurance and State of Environment in Iran, and has also published a number of research articles in the fields of economics and statistics. In 1998, Seid Zekavat won the Eddy Award given annually to the most distinguished teacher of the year. In 2003, the LMU Economic Society awarded him as the outstanding contributor to scholarly research.
Perils of Blind Faith The Challenge of Global Islamic Fundamentalsim By Seid M. Zekavat Publication Date: 11/3/2003 Trade Paperback; $21.99; 283 pages; 1-4134-1801-5 Cloth Hardback; $31.99; 283 pages; 1-4134-1802-3
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