The Trouble with Islam : A Wake-up Call for Honesty and Change

Irshad Manji calls herself a muslim refusenik. “That doesn’t mean I refuse to be a Muslim,” she writes. “It simply means I refuse to join an army of automatons in the name of Allah.” These automatons, Manji argues, include many so-called moderate Muslims in the West. In blunt, provocative, and deeply personal terms, she unearths the troubling cornerstones of Islam as it’s widely practiced: tribal insularity, deep-seated anti-Semitism, and an uncritical acceptance of the Koran as the final, and therefore superior, manifesto of God.

In this open letter to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, Manji asks pointed questions about mainstream Islam. “Why are we all being held hostage by what’s happening between the Palestinians and the Israelis? Who is the real colonizer of Muslims -- America or Arabia? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God’s creation?” Manji offers a practical vision of how Islam can undergo a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities, and fosters a competition of ideas. Her vision revives Islam’s lost tradition of independent thought.

This book will inspire struggling Muslims worldwide to revisit the foundations of their faith. It will also compel non-Muslims to start posing the questions we all have about Islam today. In that spirit, The Trouble with Islam is a clarion call for a fatwa-free future.

The New York Times describes Irshad Manji as “Osama bin Laden’s worst nightmare.” She takes that as a compliment.

Irshad is the best-selling author of The Trouble with Islam: A Wake-Up Call for Honesty and Change. Her book has been published internationally, including in Pakistan. The Arabic and Urdu translations are posted on her website and can be downloaded free-of-charge.

Irshad hosts “Big Ideas,” TVOntario’s weekly show that features innovative thinkers in fields ranging from science to spirituality. She is also a mentor to young scholars at the Pierre Trudeau Foundation in Montreal.

As a volunteer, Irshad sits on the inter-faith editorial board of Seventeen magazine, based in New York. Above all, she is working with young Muslims throughout the world to launch a leadership center that will promote the liberal Islamic reformation.

Recognizing Irshad’s own leadership, Oprah Winfrey has honoured her with the first annual Chutzpah Award for “audacity, nerve, boldness and conviction.” Maclean’s put her on its 2004 Honour Roll of “Canadians Who Make a Difference.” And Ms. magazine has named Irshad a Feminist for the 21st Century.