Medina in Birmingham, Najaf in Brent: Inside British Islam

Muslim intellectuals may try to define something called British Islam, but the truth is that as the Muslim community of Britain has grown in size and religiosity, so too has the opportunity to found and run mosques which divide along ethnic and sectarian lines. Just as most churches in Britain are affiliated to one of the main Christian denominations, the vast majority of Britain's 1600 mosques are linked to wider sectarian networks: the Deobandi and Tablighi Jamaat movements with their origins in colonial India; the Salafi groups inspired by an austere form of Islam widely practiced in Saudi Arabia; the Islamist movements with links to religious political parties in the Middle East and South Asia; the Sufi movements that tend to emphasise spirituality rather than religious and political militancy; and the diverse Shi'ite sects which range from the orthodox disciples of Grand Ayatollah Sistani in Iraq to the Ismaili followers of the pragmatic and modernising Aga Khan. These affiliations are usually not apparent to outsiders, but inside Britain's Muslim communities sectarian divides are often fiercely guarded by religious leaders. This book, of which no equivalent volume yet exists, is a definitive guide to the ideological differences, organisational structures and international links of the main Islamic groups active in Britain today.

About the Author :
Innes Bowen is a BBC radio journalist who has produced programmes such as 'Analysis'.

Review :
'Innes Bowen, a radio journalist who has studied British Islam for a decade, provides a readable anatomy of the [British] Muslim scene, with all its intricate subdivisions. The spirit is neither hostile to nor defensive of Islam; it offers a nuanced picture reflecting diligent investigation.' 'An admirable and clear-headed study [that] corrects ugly attitudes to Islam in the West. ... Every page is full of essential information, and Bowen opens up a great deal that is mysterious or poorly understood. I urge every commentator and politician who wants to open his or her mouth about British Islam to read this work. This well-written book is a desperately needed antidote to the hare-brained commentary from politicians and writers who ought to know much better.' 'The first serious excavation of the religious fault lines which embody the British Muslim experience ... Bowen should be commended.' 'A sober and meticulous survey of Muslim thought and practice in Britain ... thanks to the work of people like Innes Bowen we no longer have any excuse for ignorance.' 'Sober, meticulous and revelatory ... A start for anyone in government should be to read Medina in Birmingham, Najaf in Brent, the fruit of 80 interviews over seven years by a respected editor at the BBC.' 'Anyone wanting to understand the profile and landscape of the new Muslim Britain should start here.' 'After a decade of fear-mongering, when Islam was portrayed as a unitary threat to the West, here comes a book that cuts through the hysteria. In this short and very readable volume, Bowen shows the complexity and nuances of Islam in Britain. This is a must-read for all people who want to understand the changing nature of Britain and its Muslim communities.' 'Innes Bowen provides what is by far the most comprehensive, in-depth overview of Muslim organisations and their ideas in Britain. Anyone interested in understanding the history and contemporary situation of British Muslims must read this book.' 'A compelling study reveals that so-called leaders of the Islamic community are not only self-appointed but tend to come from marginal sects.' 'Innes Bowen's book dissects the ideological intricacies of British Islam with the insight of a seasoned investigative reporter and the scholarly analysis of a top-notch academic. One can only hope that policymakers (not only in Britain) will learn from this book how to better engage with Muslim communities.'