The trouble with Islam - Irshad Manjii

These automatons, Manji argues, include many so-called moderate Muslims in the West. In blunt, provocative and deeply personal terms, she unearths the troubling cornerstones of Islam as it is widely practised:tribal insularity, deep-seated anti-Semitism and an uncrital acceptance of the Koran as the final, and therefore superior, manifesto of God. In this open letter to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, Manji breaks the conspicuous silence that surrounds mainstream Islam with a series of pointed questions:'Why are we all being held hostage by whats happeni ng between the Palestinians and the Israelis? Who is the real coloniser of Muslims - America or Arabia? How can we read the Koran literally when it's so contradictory and ambiguous? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God's creation?' Not one to be satified with merely criticising, Manji offers a practical vision of how Islam can undergo a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities and fosters a competition of ideas. Her vision revives Islam's lost tradition of independent thought. This book will inspire Muslims worldwide to revisit the foundations of their faith. It will also compel non-Muslims to start posing the questions we all have about Islam today. In that spirit, The Trouble with Islam is a clarion call for a fatwafree future.