If Oceans Were Ink: A Journey into the Quran and the Power of Dialogue

By New Age Islam Correspondent 21 August 2025 Summary: Carla Power’s If Oceans Were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran is a moving account of her year-long study of the Quran with Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi, a traditional Islamic scholar from India teaching in Oxford. The book blends journalism with personal reflection, capturing honest conversations on women’s rights, violence, justice, and faith in modern life. Power brings her Western feminist scepticism, while Sheikh Akram responds with depth, patience, and surprising openness, especially in highlighting forgotten histories of female scholars in Islam. What emerges is not agreement on every point but a rare example of respectful dialogue across cultures and beliefs. In today’s polarised world, the book is a timely reminder that listening, questioning, and friendship can bridge even the deepest divides. Religion books go to two extremes. Some speak only to the believers, and some speak against belief from the outside in. Carla Power's If Oceans Were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran doesn't. It doesn't attempt to convert or to judge. It is a story of a conversation—one that is open and respectful between two individuals from vastly different worlds. On the one hand, there is Carla Power, a liberal-influenced American journalist, questioning everything. Across from her is Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi, a traditional Islamic scholar from India learning in the traditional way and teaching at Oxford, England. They learn the Quran together for a year. What ensues is a real-life story of faith, doubt, learning, and ultimately, friendship. Power starts off by declaring, "The sheikh and I were not trying to prove each other wrong. We were trying to understand." This straightforward declaration encapsulates the book's central theme. The Author and the Scholar Carla Power has long been fascinated with Muslim societies. She spent her childhood living in Iran, Afghanistan, and Egypt and became an international news journalist. But she claims never to have actually read the Quran. Doing the book was her way of bridging the gap. Sheikh Akram Nadwi comes from quite a different background. From rural Uttar Pradesh, India, he was educated at the elite Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow before making his way to Oxford. He is now renowned around the world for his research on women in Islam and has both traditional and quiet desires for reform. Power explains what she first thought of him: "He was a man of great knowledge, but his knowledge did not make him proud. His humility was as evident as his power." This unlikely combination—a secular feminist journalist and a conservative Muslim cleric—combines to produce the book's special chemistry. Creating a Bridge of Differences Early on, their worlds appear quite dissimilar. Power is sceptical and tends to question how men perceive religion. Sheikh Akram does believe in the validity of revelations and in the significance of years of research. But rather than engaging in combat, they begin to hear one another. Power quotes: "There were times when we tiptoed around one another like awkward dancers, not knowing whether we were about to step on each other's toes. But gradually we built a trust." This bridge of trust is the central portion of the book. Readers not only witness a study of the Quran but also how a friendship develops with respect, patience, and curiosity. The Quran as a Living Text One of the book's best parts is how it portrays the Quran—not as an untouchable book but as a practical handbook for Muslims. When Power is struggling with problematic verses, she speaks her objections out loud. "How do I reconcile this," she wonders, "with the ideals of justice and equality I hold dear?" Sheikh Akram does not brush her anxieties away. Rather, he tells her that the key is context. "You can't take a verse like a pebble out of the stream," he tells her. "You have to see the flow of the whole river." This metaphor summarises his approach. To him, the Quran must be interpreted in the context of its history, its jurisprudence, and its religious vision. Power may not always approve, but she does concede his depth. Women in Islam: A Key Issue One of the central subjects of the book is women. Feminism, or women's rights, puts Sheikh Akram in question regarding issues like marrying more than one wife, divorce, and dividing property. What strikes her is that Sheikh Akram has written so extensively about the place of women in Islamic scholarship. His 40-volume encyclopaedia of women scholars—a monumental and under-the-radar tome—transforms the way Power thinks about Islamic history. She has him quoting: "If you remove women from the narrative, you remove half of Islam." This new information leads Power to think, "The idea that Muslim women are voiceless and invisible fell apart when I learnt about hundreds of women teaching, debating, and leading decades ago." The book does not claim that gender issues in Islam are easy. But it proves that the tradition is more complex and richer than stereotypes portray. Violence, Justice, and Modern Life Yet another big theme in the Quran is violence and justice. Power poses difficult questions about Quranic verses on war and punishment. Sheikh Akram states, "The Quran does not glorify war. It controls it. It sets limits where there were none before." He explains that mentions of war in the verses must be taken in context, where Muslims were being attacked. He also insists that justice and mercy are at the very centre of the message of the Quran. Power openly acknowledges her reservations. But she also states, "Hearing the sheikh, I began to see the text not as a licence for violence but as a struggle toward restraint." This combination of candour—her scepticism and his responses—renders the book interesting to read for individuals across all professions. The Personal and the Human Aside from the intellectual argument, the reason why If Oceans Were Ink is so persuasive is that it has a personal voice. Power doesn't just come from writing as a journalist but as a friend. She recalls nights of laughter, tea, and even fights that melted into grins. "He was teasing me about my Western impatience," she notes, "and I was teasing him about his old-fashioned certainty." This humanness keeps the book from being abstract theology. It is the account of two individuals—flawed, humorous, and reflective—who are instructing one another. Why This Book Matters Today In a world where religion is causing wars, If Oceans Were Ink is an extraordinary and important book. It uncovers the real differences. It is not a promise of smooth consensus. But it shows that you can speak about the toughest things. Power states, "The sheikh and I disagreed many times, but we always trusted one another's honesty." That alone felt like a big change." This lesson is needed today, when stereotypes and hostility condition dialogue about Islam. The book illustrates an alternative: patient listening, honest questioning, and mutual respect. Relevance to the World and to India For Indian readers, the book is especially significant. Sheikh Akram is an Indian by birth, having studied in Lucknow before attending Oxford. His book establishes India's centuries-long tradition of Islamic scholarship. While people in India like to speak of Muslims in limiting terms, his life and work show us the richness of thought and diversity of Indian Islam. The book speaks of Muslims and non-Muslims engaging in real conversation. Rather than battling or ignoring one another, Power and Sheikh Akram demonstrate what it means to sit side by side and engage in real conversation. Conclusion If Oceans Were Ink is more than a book about the Quran. It is about the courage to ask questions, the patience to hear, and the power of friendship through difference. For non-Muslims, it shows the wealth of Islamic heritage. For Muslims, it shows that they can talk about their religion authentically and respectfully to the world. For every reader, it reminds us that to talk to each other is not a sign of weakness—it is a sign of strength. Power concludes by stating, "We did not uncover the secrets of God. But we demonstrated that human beings, however different, can still sit together and learn." URL: https://www.newageislam.com/books-documents/oceans-ink-quran-dialogue/d/136555 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism