Choosing Faith (P/B)

Many conflicting narratives exist regarding women in Islam and this subject is the cause of much criticism from the West leveled against Islam as a religion. The discrepancies between Islamic religious discourse and the practice of Muslim communities are often disregarded. Women In Islam – Challenging Narratives intends to address certain misconceptions about women in Islam and dispel some common myths. At the same time, this book also challenges the accepted narrative that women in modern Western cultures are emancipated. The chapter titled ‘Women in Islam’ provides a more accurate representation of the lofty position conferred to women within the Islamic tradition, which is often illusive in Muslim communities around the globe. A final analysis of feminist discourse scrutinizes the impact of the feminist movement on setting new ideals for women that negate their roles within the family and home, and assesses whether this has created greater challenges for women in the modern era. Ismail Adam Patel is a writer and campaigner. He is chairman of Friends of Al-Aqsa, a UK based NGO dedicated to campaigning for a free Palestine. He has lectured widely on a number of political and social issues affecting Muslim, and has authored books and articles on an array of subjects. He also acts as an advisor for several other organizations including the Conflicts Forum and Clear Conscience. A graduate of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and technology, he is an Optometrist by profession.

This book is a highly relevant piece of research for our turbulently chaotic world today. The heavy baggage of mutual distrust and detestation from the days of ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Spain through to the Crusades and Colonialism has left behind a fuzzy and muddled image of Islam and Muslims in the eyes of others; Muslims too, have been seeing the West as the primary cause of all their woes and vilification.