Radical Lib/E: My Journey Out of Islamist Extremism

An insightful account of one man's drastic evolution from religious fervor to enlightened peace. Maajid Nawaz spent his teenage years listening to American hip-hop and learning about the radical Islamist movement spreading throughout Europe and Asia in the 1980s and '90s. At sixteen, he was already a ranking member in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a London-based Islamist group. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a top recruiter, a charismatic spokesman for the cause of uniting Islam's political power across the world. Nawaz was setting up satellite groups in Pakistan, Denmark, and Egypt when he was rounded up in the aftermath of 9/11 along with many other radical Muslims. He was sent to an Egyptian prison where he was, fortuitously, jailed along with the assassins of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. Twenty years in prison had changed the assassins' views on Islam and violence; Maajid went into prison preaching to them about the Islamist cause, but the lessons ended up going the other way. He came out of prison four years later completely changed, convinced that his entire belief system had been wrong and determined to do something about it. He met with activists and heads of state, built a network, and started a foundation, Quilliam, to combat the rising Islamist tide in Europe and elsewhere, using his intimate knowledge of recruitment tactics in order to reverse extremism and persuade Muslims that the "narrative" used to recruit them--that the West is evil and the cause of all Muslim suffering--is false. Radical is a fascinating and important look into one man's journey out of extremism and into something else entirely.

About the Author :
Maajid Nawaz is the cofounder of Quilliam. He holds a BA in Arabic and law and an MS in political theory. Maajid has addressed the US Senate, been interviewed by 60 Minutes and the New York Times, and has written for the London Times, the Wall Street Journal, and others. David Linski (a.k.a. David Ligudzinski and David Atlas) is a graduate of the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia. He has numerous voice-over credits, an extensive theatrical résumé, and has starred in short and feature films both in the United States and Australia.

Review :
"A British Muslim reveals a harrowing tale of violence, imprisonment, and torture...A lively and convincing antidote to hatred." -- "Kirkus Reviews" "Maajid Nawaz's Radical is fascinating, and essential if you want to understand in a visceral way why some young Muslims embrace extremist ideology. Nawaz went from being a hip-hop loving youngster to a radical Islamist before finally renouncing extremism. He now works to prevent others from choosing such a dangerous path and his is a voice I urge you to hear." -- "Anderson Cooper, journalist, author, and anchor of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360°" "One of the essential books to understanding the path to radicalism...[It] will fill one with hope that others can find their way back as Maajid Nawaz relates so movingly." -- "Tina Brown, former editor-in-chief of Newsweek" "One of the most compelling descriptions of radical and political immersion of recent times." -- "Mail on Sunday (London)" "Riveting." -- "Christian Science Monitor" "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" "This book is the account of a redemptive journey through innocence, bigotry, hard-line 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"