
If the Oceans Were Ink
An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $24.47
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kate Reading
-
By:
-
Carla Power
About this listen
Hailed by The Washington Post as "mandatory reading" and praised by Fareed Zakaria as "intelligent, compassionate, and revealing", this powerful journey will help bridge one of the greatest divides shaping our world today.
If the Oceans Were Ink is Carla Power's eye-opening story of how she and her longtime friend, Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi, found a way to confront ugly stereotypes and persistent misperceptions that were cleaving their communities. Their friendship - between a secular American and a madrasa-trained sheikh - had always seemed unlikely, but now they were frustrated and bewildered by the battles being fought in their names. Both knew that a close look at the Quran would reveal a faith that preached peace and not mass murder, respect for women and not oppression. And so they embarked on a yearlong journey through the controversial text.
A journalist who grew up in the Midwest and the Middle East, Power offers her unique vantage point on the Quran's most provocative verses as she debates with Akram at cafés, family gatherings, and packed lecture halls, conversations filled with both good humor and powerful insights. Their story takes them to madrasas in India and pilgrimage sites in Mecca as they encounter politicians and jihadis, feminist activists and conservative scholars. Armed with a new understanding of each other's worldview, Power and Akram offer eye-opening perspectives, destroy long-held myths, and reveal startling connections between worlds that have seemed hopelessly divided for far too long.
©2015 Carla Power (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Secrets of Divine Love
- A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam
- By: A. Helwa
- Narrated by: A. Helwa
- Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Secrets of Divine Love is the #1 international bestselling book on Islam that draws upon spiritual secrets of the Qur’an, ancient mystical poetry, and stories from the world’s greatest prophets and spiritual masters to help you reignite your faith, overcome your doubts, and deepen your connection with God. Through the use of scientific evidence, practical exercises, and guided meditations, you will develop the tools and awareness needed to discern and overcome your negative inner critic that prevents you from experiencing God’s all-encompassing love.
-
-
Best Audiobook I have ever heard!
- By LiveLaughLove on 05-06-21
By: A. Helwa
-
The Man Who Broke Capitalism
- How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America—and How to Undo His Legacy
- By: David Gelles
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1981, Jack Welch took over General Electric and quickly rose to fame as the first celebrity CEO. He golfed with presidents, mingled with movie stars, and was idolized for growing GE into the most valuable company in the world. But Welch’s achievements didn’t stem from some greater intelligence or business prowess. Rather, they were the result of a sustained effort to push GE’s stock price ever higher, often at the expense of workers, consumers, and innovation.
-
-
OnlyPart of the Whole Story
- By teekay on 09-29-22
By: David Gelles
-
The Sealed Nectar
- Biography of Prophet Muhammad
- By: Darussalam Publishers, Safiur Rahman Al Mubarakpuri
- Narrated by: Bilal Abdul Kareem
- Length: 23 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him, are severe against the disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking bounty from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces (fore heads) from the traces of prostration (during prayers). This is their description in the Taurah (Torah).
-
-
Audio Damaged
- By Eric José on 04-17-18
By: Darussalam Publishers, and others
-
7 Rules of Power
- Surprising—but True—Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career
- By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Narrated by: Zac Aleman
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 7 Rules of Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer, professor of organizational behavior at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, provides the insights that have made both his online and on-campus classes incredibly popular—with life-changing results often achieved in 8 or 10 weeks. Rooted firmly in social-science research, Pfeffer’s 7 rules provide a manual for increasing your ability to get things done, including increasing the positive effects of your job performance.
-
-
Great advice and evidence based perspective
- By Camilo Velasquez on 06-22-23
By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
-
How the World Really Works
- The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going
- By: Vaclav Smil
- Narrated by: Stephen Perring
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don’t know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check—because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts.
-
-
Let me save you a credit: progress is hard
- By Dalton on 06-06-22
By: Vaclav Smil
-
The Qur'an: A New Translation
- By: Thomas Cleary
- Narrated by: Michael Hatak
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a new and complete translation of the Qur'an - the Muslim scripture - by one of the premier translators of religious texts in the world. The meanings of this sacred text are rendered into the English language with subtle touches of poetry, allowing for the opportunity to fully understand the spirit and soul of the Qur'an.
-
-
Great English Translation of the Quran
- By Fatima Zahara on 05-12-23
By: Thomas Cleary
-
Secrets of Divine Love
- A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam
- By: A. Helwa
- Narrated by: A. Helwa
- Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Secrets of Divine Love is the #1 international bestselling book on Islam that draws upon spiritual secrets of the Qur’an, ancient mystical poetry, and stories from the world’s greatest prophets and spiritual masters to help you reignite your faith, overcome your doubts, and deepen your connection with God. Through the use of scientific evidence, practical exercises, and guided meditations, you will develop the tools and awareness needed to discern and overcome your negative inner critic that prevents you from experiencing God’s all-encompassing love.
-
-
Best Audiobook I have ever heard!
- By LiveLaughLove on 05-06-21
By: A. Helwa
-
The Man Who Broke Capitalism
- How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America—and How to Undo His Legacy
- By: David Gelles
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1981, Jack Welch took over General Electric and quickly rose to fame as the first celebrity CEO. He golfed with presidents, mingled with movie stars, and was idolized for growing GE into the most valuable company in the world. But Welch’s achievements didn’t stem from some greater intelligence or business prowess. Rather, they were the result of a sustained effort to push GE’s stock price ever higher, often at the expense of workers, consumers, and innovation.
-
-
OnlyPart of the Whole Story
- By teekay on 09-29-22
By: David Gelles
-
The Sealed Nectar
- Biography of Prophet Muhammad
- By: Darussalam Publishers, Safiur Rahman Al Mubarakpuri
- Narrated by: Bilal Abdul Kareem
- Length: 23 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him, are severe against the disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking bounty from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces (fore heads) from the traces of prostration (during prayers). This is their description in the Taurah (Torah).
-
-
Audio Damaged
- By Eric José on 04-17-18
By: Darussalam Publishers, and others
-
7 Rules of Power
- Surprising—but True—Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career
- By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Narrated by: Zac Aleman
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 7 Rules of Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer, professor of organizational behavior at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, provides the insights that have made both his online and on-campus classes incredibly popular—with life-changing results often achieved in 8 or 10 weeks. Rooted firmly in social-science research, Pfeffer’s 7 rules provide a manual for increasing your ability to get things done, including increasing the positive effects of your job performance.
-
-
Great advice and evidence based perspective
- By Camilo Velasquez on 06-22-23
By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
-
How the World Really Works
- The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going
- By: Vaclav Smil
- Narrated by: Stephen Perring
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don’t know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check—because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts.
-
-
Let me save you a credit: progress is hard
- By Dalton on 06-06-22
By: Vaclav Smil
-
The Qur'an: A New Translation
- By: Thomas Cleary
- Narrated by: Michael Hatak
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a new and complete translation of the Qur'an - the Muslim scripture - by one of the premier translators of religious texts in the world. The meanings of this sacred text are rendered into the English language with subtle touches of poetry, allowing for the opportunity to fully understand the spirit and soul of the Qur'an.
-
-
Great English Translation of the Quran
- By Fatima Zahara on 05-12-23
By: Thomas Cleary
-
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
- By: Yuval Noah Harari
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Yuval Noah Harari's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century is a probing and visionary investigation into today's most urgent issues as we move into the uncharted territory of the future. As technology advances faster than our understanding of it, hacking becomes a tactic of war, and the world feels more polarized than ever, Harari addresses the challenge of navigating life in the face of constant and disorienting change and raises the important questions we need to ask ourselves in order to survive.
-
-
Disappointing
- By Noah Lugeons on 09-11-18
-
Numbers Don't Lie
- 71 Stories to Help Us Understand the Modern World
- By: Vaclav Smil
- Narrated by: Ben Prendergast
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vaclav Smil's mission is to make facts matter. An environmental scientist, policy analyst, and a hugely prolific author, he is Bill Gates' go-to guy for making sense of our world. In Numbers Don't Lie, Smil answers questions such as: What's worse for the environment - your car or your phone? How much do the world's cows weigh (and what does it matter)? And what makes people happy?
-
-
Strange book
- By Stephen on 05-25-21
By: Vaclav Smil
-
The Sum of Us
- What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
- By: Heather McGhee
- Narrated by: Heather McGhee
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Heather McGhee’s specialty is the American economy—and the mystery of why it so often fails the American public. From the financial crisis of 2008 to rising student debt to collapsing public infrastructure, she found a root problem: racism in our politics and policymaking. But not just in the most obvious indignities for people of color. Racism has costs for white people, too. It is the common denominator of our most vexing public problems, the core dysfunction of our democracy and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all.
-
-
Good book but Recording tech is poor. Glitches
- By Jeannepup on 02-25-21
By: Heather McGhee
-
The Paradox of Choice
- Why More is Less
- By: Barry Schwartz
- Narrated by: Ken Kliban
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counterintuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on the important ones and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.
-
-
The Tyranny of Pop Economics
- By Darwin8u on 10-28-13
By: Barry Schwartz
-
Reality+
- Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy
- By: David J. Chalmers
- Narrated by: Grant Cartwright
- Length: 17 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Virtual reality is genuine reality; that’s the central thesis of Reality+. In a highly original work of “technophilosophy,” David J. Chalmers gives a compelling analysis of our technological future. He argues that virtual worlds are not second-class worlds, and that we can live a meaningful life in virtual reality. We may even be in a virtual world already.
-
-
A book that could have been an email
- By Peter C. on 04-15-22
-
The Qur'an
- A New Translation by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem
- By: M. A. S. Abdel Haleem - translator
- Narrated by: Ayman Haleem
- Length: 19 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Qur'an, believed by Muslims to be the word of God, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad 1,400 years ago. It is the supreme authority in Islam and the living source of all Islamic teaching; it is a sacred text and a book of guidance that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of the Islamic religion. It has been one of the most influential books in the history of literature. Recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, it has nevertheless remained difficult to understand in its English translations.
-
-
Missing chapter 44
- By Anonymous User on 05-29-19
-
Sahih Al Bukhari Hadith Volume 1 of 9 in English Only Translation Book 1 to 12
- Sahih Al Bukhari in English Only Translation 9 Volumes
- By: Muhammad Bukhari
- Narrated by: Hodan Hussein
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sahih Al Bukhari is a collection of sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), also known as the sunnah. The reports of the Prophet's sayings and deeds are called ahadith. Bukhari lived a couple of centuries after the Prophet's death and worked extremely hard to collect his ahadith. Each report in his collection was checked for compatibility with the Qur'an, and the veracity of the chain of reporters had to be painstakingly established.
-
-
quiet beneficial!
- By Ahteek on 11-25-22
By: Muhammad Bukhari
-
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
- By: Zoulfa Katouh
- Narrated by: Rasha Zamamiri
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager’s life. Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion.
-
-
Tell me something good
- By Michel on 02-11-24
By: Zoulfa Katouh
-
The Address Book
- What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power
- By: Deirdre Mask
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An exuberant and insightful work of popular history of how streets got their names, houses their numbers, and what it reveals about class, race, power, and identity. When most people think about street addresses, if they think of them at all, it is in their capacity to ensure that the postman can deliver mail or a traveler won’t get lost. But street addresses were not invented to help you find your way; they were created to find you. In many parts of the world, your address can reveal your race and class.
-
-
Simply OK
- By CJFLA on 07-18-20
By: Deirdre Mask
-
Lafayette in the Somewhat United States
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Sarah Vowell, John Slattery, Nick Offerman, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the best-selling author of Assassination Vacation and Unfamiliar Fishes, a humorous account of the Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette - the one Frenchman we could all agree on - and an insightful portrait of a nation's idealism and its reality. Lafayette in the Somewhat United States is a humorous and insightful portrait of the famed Frenchman, the impact he had on our young country, and his ongoing relationship with instrumental Americans of the time.
-
-
You likely haven't heard it this way...
- By William L. Scott III on 06-04-16
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Infidel
- By: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Narrated by: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This New York Times best-seller is the astonishing life story of award-winning humanitarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali. A deeply respected advocate for free speech and women's rights, Hirsi Ali also lives under armed protection because of her outspoken criticism of the Islamic faith in which she was raised.
-
-
Tough, Candid Assessment
- By Paul Mullen on 02-18-08
By: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
-
Aavarana
- The Veil
- By: Sandeep Balakrishna - translator, S. L. Bhyrappa
- Narrated by: Deepti Gupta
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aavarana: The Veil by S. L. Bhyrappa is a story of a free-spirited and rebellious young woman, Lakshmi, who marries the man she is deeply in love with. Amir, her husband, requests she convert to Islam, and she reluctantly agrees. Despite her father being completely against the marriage, she breaks ties with him and changes her name to Razia. However, things change for the worse, and she discovers a different side to Amir. He is not the progressive and liberal person she thought he was.
-
-
History and research
- By Manan Shukla MD on 11-16-24
By: Sandeep Balakrishna - translator, and others
What listeners say about If the Oceans Were Ink
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shuja Baig
- 04-29-20
Illuminating
Enjoyed every minute of it. Explained many conundrums and passages in the Quran. I have may not agree with all of what the Shaikh believes. But I admire his erudition, and her sensitivity.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jubriel Meneses
- 05-20-19
Iqra.
I really enjoyed this book. As a Muslim, like Carla did, I appreciate the effort of seeing Islam from another's point of view. Recommend reading this, Muslim or not. 👌🏾
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 07-23-18
Excellent Read/Listen
Great storytelling! Contextual presentation of the universal values of Islam based on the sacred text.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Emma
- 08-22-16
Great story- bizarre accents/voices
Thoroughly enjoyed the story- interesting perspective and very reflective. Rather absurd pretend foreign accents though.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 10-04-23
If Oceans were ink.
Very insightful and informative as to the Islamic community. seeing the history of this grow to be worldwide .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- wordlywork
- 10-14-16
potential unrealized
compelling topic but judgmental tone mars understanding. needs balance, background and edit to half length.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dina ElMaamoun
- 12-21-18
Excellent book, horrible narration
The narrator actually attempted to speak in voices with an Indian English accent for Re sheikh which I personally found offensive, high pitched tones for females, and deep voices for males. What are we 6??
The book itself is lovey, funny, touching, honest, and open. It’s refreshing to read about Islam for such a secular view as the author likes to call herself.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mohammed
- 04-26-17
Truly enlightening!
A must read for those who genuinely want to see a better tomorrow for all humanity.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Coniqua
- 05-16-24
Narrator Butchers Pronunciations
Overall this book is an interesting take on how a non-Muslim goes about learning more about Islam. The main issue with the performance is that the narrator frequently mispronounces words.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- teri_novabern
- 07-30-16
WAY TOO LONG-but good material
What would have made If the Oceans Were Ink better?
It should have been 1/3 the length--it was so repetitive. When a book doesn't really have a story--and it is presenting a viewpoint or perspective, as this one is--it needs to be short.
What could Carla Power have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?
Stop repeating herself! Polygamy, child brides, Koran 4: 34 Women, politics of Muslim countries. Over and over again. Pages and pages on headwear. She made the point about piety vs the show of piety! She should have edited like crazy. Also, she seemed very opinionated and self-important. There was no movement or growth in either main protagonist.
Did Kate Reading do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?
Yes. The voices were distinct and believable.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Compassion for the majority of Muslims. Honor for the values of modesty in all things, and devotion.
Any additional comments?
If I listened to it again, I would listen at "double speed" on my iPod. Really, I was so bored by about 2/3 of the way through I was sorry I had started the book--even though it taught me a lot.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful