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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
75 of 85 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Damning Indictment From a True Believer,
By
This review is from: The Islamist: Why I joined radical Islam in Britain, what I saw inside and why I left (Mass Market Paperback)
The author is probably the most religiously sincere man I have ever come across, and his current faith is revealed by the end of the book in a way which managed to impress even me, a life-long atheist with a very cynical view of all religion.
It is Husain's journey to this point that provides the narrative, and in his calm and transparent prose the author has managed to pen the most terrifying story I have ever read. Here was an ordinary British Muslim with a loving and supportive family who started life a poster-boy for integration as a colour and faith-blind student at a multi-ethnic primary school. Without personal tragedy or disaster, without any poor experiences at the hands of the "Establishment", this happy schoolboy found himself recruiting "soldiers of Islam" to destroy his country, and toppled on the brink of taking that route himself. So complete was his indoctrination that even years after his epiphany he found himself experiencing a uniquely Islamic doublethink when it came to the traditions and institutions of his country. What terrifies about this book is the sheer ordinariness of Hussain's experience. Through no great genius or inspiration on the part of those who recruited him to the Islamist cause he found himself turning his back on family and nation, burning with a hatred for everyone outside his own small clique. Husain was bright enough to see the cracks in Islamism - the lack of genuine Koranic scholarship, the transmutation of religion into politics, the racism at the heart of Saudi Arabia, and the exploitation of ignorance and disillusionment among young men. It is clear from his experience that most are not so well equipped. This book provides an explanation not only for recent events in the UK but also across the wider world. A must-read for anyone with an interest in the future.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pandora's box,
By
This review is from: The Islamist: Why I joined radical Islam in Britain, what I saw inside and why I left (Mass Market Paperback)
I couldn't stop thinking about this book when I had read it. I thank Ed Husain for being brave enough to write it. A difficult and compelling read, it scared the heck out of me, but I think everyone should read it - it will open your eyes.
33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended.,
By Big Andy (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Islamist: Why I joined radical Islam in Britain, what I saw inside and why I left (Mass Market Paperback)
This is a fascinating book. I read a broad selection of the criticisms of this book in an attempt to gauge its authenticity. Much of the criticism is about his "Muslim credentials" and his portrayal of specific Islamic groups and it is quite easy to understand why the said groups have a vested interest in attacking these portrayals. Whilst I do not doubt for one moment Ed Hussein portrayal, for me this is irrelevant to the central point of the book.
The book's central aim is to demonstrate how a young person born into a Western liberal democracy with no particular grievances against the people around them, can justify indiscriminately murdering the very people they have grown up with. This book achieves this and reveals how young naive minds can be twisted by an irrational hatred and shows how religion can be used to persuade otherwise good people to commit horrendously evil acts. We are given an insight into the minds of certain Islamic groups, who beliefs and aims are to destroy liberal democracy and to live in a Caliphate. This kind of Islam has been allowed to flourish because of the tenets of freedom of speech and religious tolerance, values that our society holds so dear. Ironically this a freedom that would certainly not be allowed in Islamic societies such as Saudi Arabia, or the society so desired by certain Islamic groups in this country. As I have mention much of the criticism of this book is from Muslim writers, but there is also a fair bit from the liberal press. The book does quite clearly identify an Islamic threat and in doing so gives plenty ammunition to far right views. Certain liberal writers (and I consider myself a liberal) condemn the book, as they fear it could be used as a recruiting call to the far right, not because they necessarily disagree with the books opinions and statements. I have only given this book 4 stars, but I can't fault it really I just reserve 5 stars for a truly life changing book.
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