Radical: My Journey from Islamist Extremism to a Democratic Awakening

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Review "This is a book for our times. It should be read by anyone who wants to understand how the extremism that stalks our world is created and how it can be overcome. It could only be written by someone who has lived this story. And Maajid has" (Tony Blair)"This book is more powerful than America's drone attacks because it helps kill the ideas that inspire terrorists. Ultimately, it is by defeating the extremists' worldview that we will make our world safer. Maajid's compelling story from hatred to hope shows us how this can be done" (Ed Husain, author of The Islamist)"Maajid Nawaz was thirty years my junior when I first encountered him in the Torah Prison. His story saddened but inspired me. His innocence and idealism sharply contrasted with the corruption and despotism of his captors. Through Maajid my faith was renewed that a spring of freedom was bound to happen eventually, and so it did" (Dr Saad El-Dine Ibrahim, Egyptian liberal reform pioneer and former political prisoner)"This book is the account of a redemptive journey – through innocence, bigotry, hardline radicalism and beyond – to a passionate advocacy of human rights and all that this can mean ... I was moved beyond measure" (Kate Allen, Director, Amnesty International UK)"Imagine Homeland crossed with Skins, and you will get some idea of what a gripping, revelatory book this is. Unputdownable" (Tom Holland) About the Author Maajid Nawaz is the co-founder and executive director of Quilliam and founder of Khudi. He was formerly on the UK national leadership for the global Islamist party Hizb ut-Tahrir and was involved in the organisation for almost 14 years. He served four years in an Egyptian prison as an Amnesty International 'prisoner of conscience', until he became de-radicalised and renounced his extremist views. Maajid now engages in counter-Islamist thought-generating, social-activism, writing, debating and media appearances. He holds a BA (Hons) from SOAS in Arabic and Law and an MSc in Political Theory from London School of Economics. Maajid serves as an ambassador for the global Alliance of Youth Movements, is a member of the Liberal Democrat party, and a proud father to his young son.