Jamilah Kolocotronis
Encyclopedia
Linda "Jamilah" Kolocotronis is an American Muslim
writer and former educator in American Islamic schools. A convert to Islam
, she has published several Islamic fiction
novels as well as her doctoral dissertation. Kolocotronis changed her first name to Jamilah when she became Muslim in 1980 and took her husband’s last name, Jitmoud, when she married. Kolocotronis has six sons and three grandchildren.
(then Northeast Missouri State University), graduating in May 1978 with a degree in Philosophy and Religion and immediately began studies the following fall at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
, Hinduism
, Buddhism
, Baha'i and the Chinese religions. After reading the Quran "looking for mistakes and inconsistencies" she found none and converted to Islam in July 1980 (Ramadan 19, 1400), and changed her name to Jamilah. Over the next year she completed her master's degree and gained acceptance into a Ph.D. program for Social Science Education at Ball State University.
novel, Innocent People, was written post 9/11 as a reaction to the proliferation of misinformation about Muslims in America. The themes of the book include anti-Muslim actions and sentiments targeted at the characters, as well as the emotional turmoil felt by individual Muslims who were being associated with the acts of the terrorist. Her subsequent novels explore other challenges routinely faced by Muslims in America, especially converts to Islam. Kolocotronis’ Echoes Series is the second series of Islamic fiction novels to be written in English.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
writer and former educator in American Islamic schools. A convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, she has published several Islamic fiction
Islamic fiction
Islamic fiction is written by and for Muslims as it expounds and illustrates an Islamic world view in its plot and characters. Islamic fiction excludes vulgar language and explicit depictions of sexuality; as well it aims to identify non-Islamic practices as such, portraying Muslims as striving to...
novels as well as her doctoral dissertation. Kolocotronis changed her first name to Jamilah when she became Muslim in 1980 and took her husband’s last name, Jitmoud, when she married. Kolocotronis has six sons and three grandchildren.
Life
Linda Kay Kolocotronis was born in St. Louis, Missouri August 2, 1956. She is the oldest of four sisters, and is of both Greek and German ancestry. Raised in the Lutheran church and attending a Lutheran elementary school, Kolocotronis decided to eventually enter the Lutheran ministry. She enrolled at Truman State UniversityTruman State University
Truman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in Missouri, United States and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. About 6,000 students attend Truman, pursuing degrees in 43 undergraduate and 9 Graduate programs. It is located in Kirksville in...
(then Northeast Missouri State University), graduating in May 1978 with a degree in Philosophy and Religion and immediately began studies the following fall at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Conversion
Deciding that the ministry was not for her, Kolocotronis returned to St. Louis and worked for several months before returning to Truman State to earn a master's degree in Philosophy and Religion. During the course of her master’s work, she studied many religions, including ZoroastrianismZoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
, Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Baha'i and the Chinese religions. After reading the Quran "looking for mistakes and inconsistencies" she found none and converted to Islam in July 1980 (Ramadan 19, 1400), and changed her name to Jamilah. Over the next year she completed her master's degree and gained acceptance into a Ph.D. program for Social Science Education at Ball State University.
Books
Kolocotronis’ first book published in 1990, Islamic Jihad: An Historical Perspective is her only non-fiction title. She is also featured in the seminal book about female American converts to Islam, Daughters of Another Path. Kolocotronis' first Islamic fictionIslamic fiction
Islamic fiction is written by and for Muslims as it expounds and illustrates an Islamic world view in its plot and characters. Islamic fiction excludes vulgar language and explicit depictions of sexuality; as well it aims to identify non-Islamic practices as such, portraying Muslims as striving to...
novel, Innocent People, was written post 9/11 as a reaction to the proliferation of misinformation about Muslims in America. The themes of the book include anti-Muslim actions and sentiments targeted at the characters, as well as the emotional turmoil felt by individual Muslims who were being associated with the acts of the terrorist. Her subsequent novels explore other challenges routinely faced by Muslims in America, especially converts to Islam. Kolocotronis’ Echoes Series is the second series of Islamic fiction novels to be written in English.