Inside Islam

Published : Aug 24, 2007 00:00 IST

The Islamist, a new book with the subtitle, Why I joined radical Islam in Britain, what I saw inside and why I left has evoked mixed reactions in the U.K.

THE death a few days ago of Kafeel Ahmed (also described as a possible Khalid Ahmed) who rammed a jeep into the Glasgow airport on June 30 and walked out of the vehicle after setting himself on fire highlights once again the barbarity of all that passes off as the jehadi cause. Kafeel was in hospital for more than a month. He succumbed to the burns despite the best of medical treatment given to him.

The police in the United Kingdom had a high stake in his recovery because they needed to know more about the conspiracy that led to the gory incident from Kafeel himself. Even though I have never heard of the lad or his possible accomplishments, the horror that surrounds the happening arouses in me a feeling of acute depression. That a 28-year-old engineer well settled in a foreign clime, who had everything to look forward to in his profession, should inflict this kind of cruelty on himself is sad.

Suicide terrorism I am not exactly happy with the phrase but cannot think of an appropriate substitute is not a new phenomenon. Many across the globe have been driven to this madness, but when someone hailing from a place closer home commits hara kiri the pain is all the more intense.

Three others Bilal Abdullah, an Iraqi doctor who was the other occupant of the jeep; Dr. Sabeel Ahmed, a brother of Kafeel; and Dr. Mohammed Asha of Jordananian descent arrested in connection with the London and Glasgow incidents are still in police custody. Viewed in conjunction with the July 7, 2005 bombing in London, whichkilled 50 people, and the aborted attempt to explode bombs on July 21, 2005, the recent happenings serve notice on the Gordon Brown government that it must do everything possible to keep track of terrorist designs. With only feeble signs of any rethinking on Iraq, the country is still a major extremist target.

Prime Minister Browns announcement on July 25 in Parliament that his government contemplates creating a border security force to keep track of arrivals and departures at British ports is logical. Although such a force is no guarantee against terrorist infiltration, it is an indication that the Labour government is determined to act decisively. Also on the anvil is a proposal to raise to 56 days the period for which the police may detain a terror suspect without charge, from the present 28. This is controversial and widely regarded as a gross violation of human rights. Such action could actually incite feelings in the extremist fringe, culminating in a possible repeat of terrorist attacks. But then this is a risk any government will have to take if it has to carry any credibility at all.

The point debated currently in a variety of forums is, however, whether legislative and administrative measures alone can keep restive Muslim youth in check. This is no ground not to act on the lines conceived by Tony Blair earlier and Brown now.

The need of the hour, undoubtedly, is a well-integrated policy that comes down heavily on violence and disruptive action and simultaneously pays greater attention to the task of winning over the alienated among British Muslims. This calls for extreme ingenuity and patience.

Browns willingness to act and the sagacity of his utterances in his first months in office are encouraging. The scope for consultation in the matter with more than a cross-section of the population is larger than ever before. And I am sure Brown is alive to this.

It is against this backdrop that The Islamist (Penguin 2007), a recent book by Ed Hussain of London, assumes great significance. (Interestingly, it is believed Ed stands for Mohammed and not for E dward.) Not surprisingly, it has received a lot of attention in the media. It is even mentioned by some as compulsory reading for those who sit in the House of Commons.

Hussain rejects all that Islamist fanaticism stands for. The sub-title of his book Why I joined radical Islam in Britain, what I saw inside and why I left says it all. He does not say anything fuzzy, and his condemnation of those who are confrontationist towards the British society and government is unmitigated. He has, therefore, provoked the ire of those whom he left some years ago following his disillusionment and there is a threat to his life. All this has made Hussain a near-icon and his book a much discussed one in elite circles in the U.K.

Born on December 25, 1975, Hussain comes from a middle-class family of London. His father was born in India and his mother belonged to Bangladesh. The former was a pious Muslim who looked upon Islam as a guide to righteous living rather than a route to political authority. After his initial education in a mixed school at his fathers instance, which exposed the Hussain to a cosmopolitan culture, he moved to an inclusive school for Muslim students. In this process, he was slowly drawn to the East London Mosque, which his father loathed for its suffocating atmosphere, one that bred hatred equally towards non-Muslims and the British government.

Soon he began to take active interest in mobilising students and used the position of leadership he had begun to assume in what was known as the Young Muslim Organisation. When his parents took umbrage at his activities, especially the close links he had forged with the East London Mosque, which was a picture of contrast with the sedate Brick Lane Mosque to which his parents owed their allegiance, Hussain slipped away from home.

His succeeding years at Tower Hamlets College and the Newham College drew him close to the Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HT), generally recognised for its militant language and posture. The HT is known for promoting hatred towards non-Muslims, although its leaders deny this. Many countries, including Pakistan, have banned it, and surprisingly, the British government has refused to do so.

Playing a leading role in HT propaganda at Newhams College, Hussain got disillusioned with it rapidly. He was particularly appalled at the violence it was instigating on the sly. The murder of a Nigerian-Christian student at Newhams by a Muslim student left him with no doubt that he did not belong there. He narrowly escaped being questioned by the police for the murder.

His romance at that time with another Muslim student convinced him that it was the right time to concentrate on his education and settle for a peaceful family life. A comfortable job with a multinational bank gave the couple the security they were looking for. Soon thereafter, the spiritual streak in Hussain got the better of him and he felt he should devote more time to religious studies. Opting for a quiet, low-paid job in the local government, he plunged into serious Quranic studies. The couples fascination for Arabic took them on a two-year stint to the Damascus University, during which they taught English at the British Council to help fund their language training. Later, they had a seven-month stint at Jeddah, where also English teaching paid for their sustenance.

If one reads Hussain carefully, it seems the exposure to Saudi Arabia was the clinching factor that led to his ultimate disillusionment with all the goings-on inside Islam. Wahhabism was too austere for him, and to cap it there was an attempt to politicise Islam. The inequalities he saw in Saudi Arabia, coupled with the harsh treatment of women and minorities, were galling to a British youth brought up in an ambience of religious freedom and tolerance.

When he returned to England the message was clear. He would vow to fight those who had hijacked my faith, defamed my Prophet and killed hundreds of my own people. The product of this resolve is The Islamist.

Currently a Ph.D scholar at the University of London, Hussain writes a lucid prose. As if he wants to make clear to those who do not understand what he stands for, he quotes Prophet Muhammad at the very beginning: Beware of extremism in religion; for it was extremism in religion that destroyed those who went before you.

He goes on to say that his book is a protest, one against political Islam, based on my experience as a British Muslim who grew up in London, became an extremist an Islamist and saw the error of his ways. More telling is his conclusion: Without doubt a British Islam is emerging. It remains to be seen whether it will be in harmony with the world in which it finds itself, or if it rejects and repels it. The future of Islam is being shaped now.

The Islamist is a good book. It is definitely not a great book because it leaves many questions unanswered, possibly out of an anxiety not to confuse the reader with theology or tire him with tedious details.

Ed Hussains transformation is convincing to those who uphold the Establishment, but contrived and manufactured to those who believe that British society is divisive and unfair to Islam and its followers. The latter go to the extent of describing Hussain as a pin-up boy for the British government. I am not surprised at the polarities Hussain has produced through his strong statements, which show those who applaud the likes of Kafeel Ahmed and his ilk in poor light.

It is natural to go euphoric when such an unusual book like The Islamist is written. I would not, however, like to join the bandwagon. Hussains story could well be a genuine tale of contrition. It may be imprudent to overplay its value at a time when passions run high. It would be more sensible to watch what Hussain is going to do as a follow-up.

Does he have the courage to go round the country and transmit the message that in the long-run an Islam devoid of political ambitions has a better chance of succeeding in lands where the majority owes its allegiance to other religions? Hussain is too young to carry any charisma just now. Who knows, he may acquire one in the long journey that awaits him. That alone would give him the credibility he badly needs.

Sign in to Unlock member-only benefits!
  • Bookmark stories to read later.
  • Comment on stories to start conversations.
  • Subscribe to our newsletters.
  • Get notified about discounts and offers to our products.
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment