Ed husain reflections of a former islamist extremist. Ed husain on his life after islamic extremism, a middle. A briton of indian parentage, a muslim whose bestselling book, the islamist, described his temporary embrace of the values of global jihad in the 90s, husain retained his religious faith even after he became a government adviser on deradicalisation. Ed husains the islamistis the shocking inside story of british islamic fundamentalism, told by a former radical. Ed husain expertly and compassionately guides us through the nuances of islam and its people, contending that the muslim world need not be a stranger to the west, nor its enemy, but a peaceable ally.
In a fervor to deter terrorist acts, he says, britain and the west have utterly failed to understand the complex and subtle mindset, which make him and others susceptible to radicalization in the first place. Ed husain s the islamistis the shocking inside story of british islamic fundamentalism, told by a former radical. Ed husain is the author of the islamist, a memoir of his time inside radical islamism. In a fervor to deter terrorist acts, he says, britain and the west have utterly failed to understand the complex and subtle mindset, which make him and others.
Bestselling author of the islamist, ed husain, explores the nuances of islam and its people and discusses his latest book, the house of islam. Mohamed ed husain born 25 december 1974 is a writer, senior fellow at the british think tank civitas, and a global fellow of the wilson centers middle east program. Nov, 2015 ed husain was an islamic fundamentalist for five years. When i was sixteen i became an islamic fundamentalist. Husain has written a valuable book guardian the house of islam is a plea for the renewal of classical, traditional islam against its extreme and politicised versions. Ed husain is the author of the bestselling book the islamist. Husain has written a valuable book guardian the house of islam is a plea for the renewal of classical, traditional islam against its extreme and politicised versions for anyone interested in the future of islam, both in britain and the islamic world, this is an important book david goodhart, the times.
Ed husain reflections of a former islamist extremist the. Anyone who is unfamiliar with muslim history should not rely only on his work to gain a first understanding of these important issues. Studied arabic in syria, and worked for the british council in saudi arabia. Jun 27, 2018 former islamic extremist turned antiradicalisation thinktank founder ed husain talks to krishnan gurumurthy on the release of his new book house of islam. Ed husains new book, the house of islam, is an attempt to correct the ignorance and halftruths pertaining to islam and muslims, set out the dilemmas, doctrinal, and sociopolitical, that muslims confront, and what should be done to address the conflicts that define contemporary scenarios in the muslim world. Peter frankopan, author of the international bestseller the silk roads. A briton of indian parentage, a muslim whose bestselling book, the islamist, described his temporary embrace of the values. Why i joined radical islam in britain, what i saw inside and why i left by ed husain, penguin, 2007, 288 pp. Ed husain has written a persuasive and stimulating book. Ed husains story of how a young london muslim was turned into a potential jihadist, the islamist, is a wakeup call for britain, says anushka asthana anushka asthana sat 5 may 2007 19. The house of islam could very well be his magnum opus. He has since traveled widely in the middle east and worked for the british council in syria and saudi arabia.
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 fam. Ed husain was an islamic fundamentalist for five years. An adherents view of islam, a religion too easily hijacked for ill political purposes. Ed husain on his life after islamic extremism, a middle east. He writes regularly for the new york times, financial times and the guardian. Aug 22, 2019 the house of islam by ed husain, 9781408872284, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. This book is very evenhanded in its discussion of the beauty of the islamic faith and at the same time, does not shy away from the beliefs and practices that westerners might find difficult. Husain has written a valuable book, full of suggestions for islams.
Why i became an islamic fundamentalist, what i saw inside, and why i left. What husain presents in this book is a history of islam that explains the religion by a practitioner who is also an educated and successful westerner. In this book, he accounts for the present situation of islam, that is for the negative spotlight in which it is viewed in the present time. Why i became an islamic fundamentalist, what i saw inside, and why i left, 2009, etc. A global history by ed husain is a history and explanation of islam by an educated western moslem. Raised in a devout but quiet muslim community in london, at sixteen ed husain was presented with an intriguing political interpretation of islam known as fundamentalism. The true story of one mans journey to islamic fundamentalism and back raised in a devout but. The true story of one mans journey to islamic fundamentalism and back raised in a devout but quiet muslim community in. Jun 01, 2007 the book was obviously written for the nonmuslim audience hence the pen name ed. Ed husains book, the islamist, took that country by storm after it was published in may 2007. Ed provides an introduction to the minds and hearts.
Why i joined radical islam in britain, what i saw inside and why i left is a 2007 book about ed husains five years as an islamist. The true story of one mans journey to islamic fundamentalism and back raised in a devout but quiet muslim community in london, at sixteen ed husain was presented with an intriguing political interpretation of islam known as fundamentalism. Apr 09, 2008 the true story of one mans journey to islamic fundamentalism and back raised in a devout but quiet muslim community in london, at sixteen ed husain was presented with an intriguing political interpretation of islam known as fundamentalism. The current political landscape of the muslim community is one that is dominated by islamist groups. As i recovered my faith and mind, i tried to put my experiences behind me, but as the. May 05, 2007 ed husain s story of how a young london muslim was turned into a potential jihadist, the islamist, is a wakeup call for britain, says anushka asthana anushka asthana sat 5 may 2007 19.
This should be compulsory reading peter frankopan, author of the silk roads, the house of islam is a long awaited and desperately needed book from one of our foremost. His first name is actually mohamed but students started calling him ed. Five years later, he rejected extremism and tried to. Five years later, after much emotional turmoil, i rejected fundamentalist teachings and. Husain cofounded, with maajid nawaz, the counterextremism organization the qui house of islam. Ed husain has become one of the most vital muslim voices in the world. Karen armstrongs islam a short history of 2000 is good. The islamist is the story of a young mans journey in and outside of radical fundamentalist islamic groups in britain in the 90s and early 2000s. There are many similarities between husains account and other apologists writing on islam and its diverse history and interpretation of its creed. Oct 14, 2018 ed husains new book, the house of islam, is an attempt to correct the ignorance and halftruths pertaining to islam and muslims, set out the dilemmas, doctrinal, and sociopolitical, that muslims confront, and what should be done to address the conflicts that define contemporary scenarios in the muslim world. The house of islam by ed husain, 9781408872284, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Jun 19, 2018 athough the house of islam is a product of greater intellectual maturity. May 17, 2018 the house of islam is on fire and the arsonist still lives there. Other muslim writers including inayat bunglawala, andrew booso and yusuf smith are much more critical of him. The islamist isbn 9780143115984 pdf epub ed husain ebook. Persistence pays off, however, because the accumulation of detail provides the evidence required to advocate a kind of islam very different from that propagated so energetically in recent. Ed husains latest book, the house of islam, a global history, is an honest and informative writing about the past and current state of muslims in the world according to a former islamic radical. His book is a detailed primer on islamic history, the tenets of islamic belief, and the events and issues that have fueled misunderstandings in recent years, from the legacy of the u. Mohammed ed husain was raised in england by pakistani parents who demonstrated a sincere if quiet faith in islam. The book has been described as as much a memoir of personal struggle and inner growth as it is a report on a new type of extremism. Five years later, after much emotional turmoil, i rejected fundamentalist teachings and returned to normal life and my family. Ed husains the islamist is the shocking inside story of british islamic fundamentalism, told by a former radical.
The true story of one mans journey to islamic fundamentalism and back. However, it is not the global history the subtitle promises. No doubt the islamic world used to be well ahead of the west in the middle ages. Although the house of islam is aimed at the general reader, nonmuslims may struggle at times with the intricacies of the islamic faith. But as he builds to his affirmatory conclusion he visits a false dichotomy on us, and one that has recently gained an undeserved respectability. The islamist by ed husain overdrive rakuten overdrive. For anyone interested in the future of islam, both in britain and the islamic world, this is an important book david goodhart the times. Ed husain spells out many important insights in his book the house of islam, which was published last year. The house of islam by ed husain is a remarkable book that clears several misconceptions surrounding islam. Publication date 2007 topics husain, ed, islamic fundamentalism great britain, radicalism great britain, extremists great britain biography. Five years later, after much emotional turmoil, i rejected fundamentalist teachings and returned to normal life and my fami. Ed husain s the islamist is the shocking inside story of british islamic fundamentalism, told by a former radical.
He is a senior fellow at civitas, institute for the study of civil society in london and a global fellow at the woodrow wilson international centre in washington dc. Having rejected extremism, he now advises governments and political leaders on islam. This blame then grew hatred in some minority extremists. He writes regularly for the new york times, financial more about ed husain. In this book, he accounts for the present situation. He has made appearances on cnn, fox, npr, and more. Ed husains book the house of islam contains important. He is the author of the islamist, an account of his five years as an islamist activist in britain, and the house of islam. Susannah tarbush welcomes the debate husains book has caused. Kindle ebooks can be read on any device with the free kindle app.
Husain writes and speaks extensively on global threats from terrorism. The house of islam is a rather slight book that lacks thematic coherence or firm historical underpinning. A global history, which discusses the classical tenets of islam and the ways in which they have been. Publication date 2007 topics husain, ed, islamic fundamentalism great britain, radicalism great britain.
Ed husain does not just set out the fundamentals of islam as a religion but. In the house of islam, ed husain does not just set out the fundamentals of islam as a religion but explains how and why understanding it properly matters. Jun 25, 2018 bestselling author of the islamist, ed husain, explores the nuances of islam and its people and discusses his latest book, the house of islam. Jul 11, 2018 an airstrike on islamic state militants in sirte, libya in 2016. Why i joined radical islam in britain, what i saw inside and why i left is a 2007 book about ed husain s five years as an islamist. In this memoir he writes of his youth, college and university years, his time as a graduate working at hsbc, and travels abroad to as a. As a boy, ed had the rare opportunity to study with sheikh abd allatif, a master of several muslim mystical traditions and a spiritual leader who taught ed a certain way of being gentle and godrevering. With so much of islamic faith and tradition misunderstood by the west, ed hussains sober and balanced book feels nothing short of revelatory. He is the author of the islamist, a book about political islamism and an account of his five years as an islamist activist.
He is a cofounder of the quillium foundation, britains first muslim counterextremism think tank. In the house of islam, ed husain does not just set out the fundamentals of islam as a religion but explains how and why understanding it properly matter. May 17, 2018 even this westernised musulman ed husain shows a history in which the west humiliated the islam world, and the muslims so proud a people, so deserving dignity somehow rightfully started to blame the west. Buy the islamist book online at low prices in india the. Karen armstrongs islam a short history of 2000 is good complementary reading. The house of islam ed husain 9781408872260 netgalley. Jun 23, 2018 his book is a detailed primer on islamic history, the tenets of islamic belief, and the events and issues that have fueled misunderstandings in recent years, from the legacy of the u. Jul 25, 2018 ed husain expertly and compassionately guides us through the nuances of islam and its people, contending that the muslim world need not be a stranger to the west, nor its enemy, but a peaceable ally. The house of islam is on fire and the arsonist still lives there. About the house of islam a powerful corrective guardian this should be compulsory reading peter frankopan, author of the silk roads for anyone interested in the future of islam, both in britain and the islamic world, this is an important book the times the gulf between islam and the west is widening.
The house of islam is a long awaited and desperately needed book from one of. Former islamic extremist turned antiradicalisation thinktank founder ed husain talks to krishnan gurumurthy on the release of his new book house of islam. Mahbub and i both attended ht activities in london back in the early 1990s. Jul 03, 2018 an adherents view of islam, a religion too easily hijacked for ill political purposes. Read the islamist why i became an islamic fundamentalist, what i saw inside, and why i left by ed husain available from rakuten kobo. An airstrike on islamic state militants in sirte, libya in 2016.
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