Towards Building a British Islam: New Muslims' Perspectives

Description

Despite the current negative image of Islam in Europe there has been a steady growth of converts to Islam over the past few decades. British converts are a highly diverse group, with different social, economic and educational backgrounds. Recently this group has grown in confidence and become increasingly active in influencing positive Islamic discourse in Britain. The book sheds light on the intellectual and spiritual contributions of some of the prominent figures of this group of 'new Muslims', and assesses their efforts in shaping Islam in British society; including: Martin Lings, Gai Eaton, Tim Winter and Hamza Yusuf. The research investigates the potential benefit 'new Muslims' can bring to bridge the gap between Muslim communities and wider British society, thus helping in the process of building mutual trust, greater cooperation and positive understanding among all parties in Britain. The work will help readers to become aware of the evolution of a "British Islam" that is more open, rooted in British values and spiritual traditions, and forms a part of the continually changing British religious landscape.

Haifaa Jawad is Senior lecturer in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies in the department of Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham, UK.

"What is the fundamental nature of "British Islam"? What kind of message is being conveyed by British Muslims? This book helps answer such questions, providing an in-depth series of case-studies of the most influential voices in the contemporary Muslim community in Britain. Dr Haifaa Jawad's sensitive evaluation of Islam in Britain debunks the media stereotypes of British Islam, and reveals instead that what inspires the finest minds of the British Muslim community is a creative synthesis between what is most noble in British culture and what is most profound in Islamic faith." -- Reza Shah-Kazemi, author of The Other in the Light of the One-The Universality of the Qur'an and Interfaith Dialogue (Cambridge, 2006) 'This book's fascinating case studies of influential native British Muslim writers and thinkers provide a revealing illustration of the manifold spiritual, intellectual and aesthetic attractions of the Islamic tradition, and an inspiring window on human, personal dimensions of Islam too often neglected in the recent media focus on Muslim immigration and Islamist political ideologies.Prof. Jawad's historical and contextual chapters also highlight earlier key European Muslim figures whose pioneering works and teaching were often the inspiration for her contemporary biographical subjects here.' -- Dr J.W. Morris, Professor of Islamic Studies, Boston College, United States 'Those who give Jawad's scholarship its due and read her work carefully will discover that the greatest contribution of this book is that, perhaps unwittingly, it offers hope: hope for a world of shared humanity, of shared values, and of understanding and tolerance.' -- Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, Alfi Distinguished Professor of Islamic Law, UCLA School of Law, USA