The House of Islam: A Global History

A fascinating and revelatory exploration of the intricacies of Islam and the inner psyche of the Muslim world from the bestselling author of The Islamist 'Not just timely but important too. Ed Husain does not just set out the fundamentals of Islam as a religion but explains how and why understanding it properly matter. This should be compulsory reading' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads `Islam began as a stranger,' said the Prophet Mohammed, `and one day, it will again return to being a stranger.' The gulf between Islam and the West is widening. A faith rich with strong values and traditions, observed by nearly two billion people across the world, is seen by the West as something to be feared rather than understood. Sensational headlines and hard-line policies spark enmity, while ignoring the feelings, narratives and perceptions that preoccupy Muslims today.

Wise and authoritative, The House of Islam seeks to provide entry to the minds and hearts of Muslims the world over. It introduces us to the fairness, kindness and mercy of Mohammed; the aims of sharia law, through commentary on scripture, to provide an ethical basis to life; the beauty of Islamic art and the permeation of the divine in public spaces; and the tension between mysticism and literalism that still threatens Islam. The decline of the Muslim world and the current crises of leadership mean that a glorious past, full of intellectual nobility and purpose, is now exploited by extremists and channelled into acts of terror. How can Muslims confront the issues that are destroying Islam from within, and what can the West do to help work towards that end? Ed Husain expertly and compassionately guides us through the nuances of Islam and its people, contending that the Muslim world need not be a stranger to the West, nor its enemy, but a peaceable ally.

"Not just timely but important too. In The House of Islam, Ed Husain does not just set out the fundamentals of Islam as a religion but explains how and why understanding it properly matter. This should be compulsory reading" -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads

"The House of Islam is a long awaited and desperately needed book from one of our foremost thinkers at the nexus of civil society and theology ... Incisive and thought-provoking" -- Bruce Hoffman, author of 'Inside Terrorism'

"A powerful and impassioned polemic ... This is strong stuff. And it is a compelling thesis from a British Muslim writer whose relationship with Islam has evolved dramatically over time" -- Justin Marozzi * Sunday Times * 

"The House of Islam is a plea for the renewal of classical, traditional Islam against its extreme and politicized versions ... For anyone interested in the future of Islam, both in Britain and the Islamic world, this is an important book" -- David Goodhart * The Times *

"All who glibly generalize about the no-man's-land between terrorism and multiculturalism should read this articulate and impassioned book" -- Simon Jenkins * Sunday Times *

"Wonderful ... Husain has been on quite a journey. A British Muslim of Bengali heritage, he was radicalized as a student and spent five years with militants. He eventually grew away from extremism by rediscovering the Sufi ways of his fathers, and the book is a beautiful homage to that tradition" -- Daniel Hannan * Sunday Telegraph * 

"Husain has a knack for explaining complicated matters in straightforward layman's language"-- * Financial Times *