British Muslims
New Directions in Islamic Thought, Creativity and Activism
Philip Lewis, Sadek Hamid
Foreword by Baroness Warsi
A new generation of Muslims – activists, academics, religious scholars and professionals – are drawing on contemporary reformist thinking emerging from outside their parents' or grandparents' tradition and are using this to inform their activism. This positive new thinking is traced as it impacts and shapes the burgeoning field of Muslim women’s activism, the formation of religious leaders, what is to count as ‘Muslim politics’, the dynamics of de-radicalisation and what has been dubbed the ‘New Muslim Cool’ in music, fashion and culture.
A collaboration between two academics, one Muslim and one not, the book gives a distinctive take on understanding Islam and Muslims in Britain today.
Key Features- Explores creative new trends in British Islamic thought, art and activism
- Highlights the contributions of Muslim women in affecting positive social change
- Maps changing patterns of intra-Muslim identity politics and community formation across the UK
- Includes a short annotated bibliography and relevant websites
Preface
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: Muslims in Britain: A Changing Landscape
CHAPTER 2: The Islamic Seminary: Between Crisis and Renewal
CHAPTER 3: Engaging Democracy and Debating Islam
CHAPTER 4: Radicals, Extremists and Terrorists: Contextualising the Challenge of Radicalisation
CHAPTER 5: Creating Culture: Emergence of the New "Muslim Cool"
CONCLUSION
An Annotated Bibliography
British Muslims are redefining their role in life as individuals and as a wider community, projecting a positive image that breaks through entrenched views in their own communities, and tackles established Islamophobia in wider British society. Lewis and Sadek’s scholarship is a timely commentary on this social change.
Innovative, informative, and incisive, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in Muslim-Christian relations.
The central argument of British Muslims is the way that Muslims in Britain are engaging with Islam through English, the language of their new home… The authors explain that the use of English as a new language through which to engage with Islam is not inherently unique and is a part of a larger historical trajectory of Islam being embraced by a diverse range of distinct cultures leading to its expression in different languages…To demonstrate this, they provide examples of the way that Muslims in Britain are expressing their practice of Islam through art and activism…Considering the light the book throws on the burning issues in British society that directly impact Muslims such as those of Islamophobia, identity, immigration, extremism, terrorism, and integration, it is required reading for anyone - especially journalists, policy makers, and scholars wishing to understand modern British society.
Not only is the book written in a pleasant style, it also provides readers with a vast amount of thoroughly-researched information and the sources (online and offline) to enable them to continue their own explorations. It is a timely-written book and, notwithstanding some of the issues mentioned above, a ‘must read’ for policy makers and journalists, and for practitioners who want to go beyond the boring and worn out stereotypes.
Lewis and Hamid created a substantial work in British Muslims. The book is a necessary addition to the libraries of Muslims seeking to learn about or enhance their knowledge of complex Muslim cultural identities... I highly recommend it.
Overall, the book is very intriguing and useful to everyone interested in understanding the new place of Islam and Muslims not only in Britain but also in the West in general. It could be a useful tool for policymakers, youth workers, community workers, as well as for sociologists, anthropologists, and others working on this topic.
If you teach Islam to GCSE students, then I think you should definitely buy, read and use this book…Your work will be enriched. Your students will benefit.
From generation Jihad to generation M, this book attempts to get inside the minds and lives of young British Muslims to provide a complex and nuanced picture dispelling the one-dimensional simplistic narrative we are more accustomed to.
The authors have pulled no punches in discussing sensitive issues within the context of the 21st century multi-faith Britain… Readers will gain an understanding of how the Muslim community, particularly its younger section, is going through an internal introspection and trying to navigate its way into mainstreaming its presence in Britain.
This thoroughly engaging and accessible book charts with clarity both existing and new approaches to Islamic thought and activism, including the efforts of Muslim women to improve their standing. ... this is a valuable text for a range of readers, including politicians, policymakers, academics, students and those with a professional or general interest in Muslims resident in Britain, which contains a wealth of constructive insight and information.
A timely antidote to the, arguably, twisted characterisation and popular perception of British Muslims in circulation.
