New Releases by Ed Husain

''Timely and important'' THE TIMES ''Considered and nuanced ... A must-read'' The Rt Hon. Sajid Javid MP ''Compelling and moving'' Tom Holland, author of Dominion __________________ Islam is the fastest-growing faith community in Britain. Domes and minarets are redefining the skylines of towns and cities as mosques become an increasingly prominent feature. Yet while Britain has prided itself on being a global home of cosmopolitanism and modern civilisation, its deep-rooted relationship with Islam - unique in history - is complex, threatened by rising hostility and hatred, intolerance and ignorance. There is much media debate about embracing diversity in our communities, but what does integration look like on the ground, in places like Dewsbury, Glasgow, Belfast and London? How are Muslims, young and old, reconciling progressive values - of gender equality, individualism, the rule of law and free speech - with literalist interpretations of their faith? And how is this tension, away from the public gaze, unfolding inside mosques today? Ed Husain takes his search for answers into the heart of Britain''s Muslim communities. Travelling the length and breadth of the country, Husain joins men and women in their prayers, conversations, meals, plans, pains, joys, triumphs and adversities. He tells their stories here in an open and honest account that brings the daily reality of British Muslim life sharply into focus - a struggle of identity and belonging, caught between tradition and modernity, East and West, revelation and reason.

"As a new presidential administration takes the reins in Washington, and as the United Kingdom begins exiting the European Union, 2017 promises to bring dramatic and unpredictable change. In the Middle East, after decades of brutal conflict, poor governance, increasing sectarianism, and economic malaise, Muslim-majority states remain caught between conflicting interpretations of their Islamic foundations. Across the region, sectarian theological differences are compounded by powers with ambitions of regional domination and their weaponization of religion in pursuit of political aims, a trend that shows no sign of slowing in 2017. In the West, economic instability, mass migration, political dysfunction, and foreign security crises have enabled the rise of populist movements, testing the commitment of Western countries to pluralist values. In the context of these intra-civilizational identity crises, the liberal international order faces increasing strain. These pressures are exacerbated by long-running conflicts and expanding power vacuums, Russia''s resurgence on the world stage, Europe''s struggle to define relations with its neighbors, and a U.S. presidential administration set to dramatically revise American foreign policy. In 2017, the instability of the West will contribute to increasing strain on the economic, political, and security foundations of the international order that have underpinned global security since the end of the Second World War. The U.S. retreat from its role as leader of the international economic order could create large-scale volatility. The continued fragmentation of the EU will likely further undermine the appeal of multi-lateral global institutions. Growing uncertainty is likely to strain relations between states, potentially making them vulnerable to exploitation by revisionist powers such as Russia and China. Non-state actors -- such as ultra-nationalist hate groups and terrorist organizations -- will also seize the opportunity to undermine the legitimacy and control of central governments and to promote their extreme ideologies. As a result, states will be forced to focus increasingly on threats within their borders, to the detriment of international cooperation. With these challenges in mind, this paper discusses the outlook for religion, conflict, and geopolitics in the year ahead. While not an exhaustive list, these issues represent some of the most significant challenges to international stability in 2017"--Page 1.

Som en del av ungdomsopprøret mot sine muslimske foreldre, ble Ed Husain islamistisk fundamentalist som sekstenåring. Etter fem år innså han hvor galt dette var. Etter å ha vært gjennom en slik utvikling opplever han det som sin menneskelige plikt å rope varsku mot alt det han ser av falsk islam i Storbritannia. I boken forsøker han å svare på hvorfor de ekstreme miljøene appellerer til unge menn og hvordan deres religiøse fanatisme har infiltrert muslimske miljøer. Han ønsker å komme med noen svar på hvordan religiøs ekstremisme kan utfordres og bekjempes i dagens samfunn.

When I was sixteen I became an Islamic fundamentalist. Five years later, after much emotional turmoil, I rejected fundamentalist teachings and returned to normal life and my family. I tried to put my experiences behind me, but as the events of 7/7 unfolded it became clear to me that Islamist groups pose a threat to this country that we - Muslims and non-Muslims alike - do not yet understand. Why are young British Muslims becoming extremists? What are the risks of another home-grown terrorist attack on British soil? By describing my experiences inside these groups, the reasons I joined them and how, after leaving I recovered my faith and mind, I hope to explain the appeal of extremist thought, how fanatics penetrate Muslim communities and the truth behind their agenda of subverting the West and moderate Islam. I will lay bare what politicians and Muslim ''community leaders'' do not want you to know. This is the first time an ex-member openly discusses life within radical Islamic organisations. This is my story.