A Long Jihad My Quest for the Middle Way

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A Long Jihad

In an era of fanaticism and polarisation, Dr Bari’s life is an example of a prominent Western Muslim rejecting extremes and finding the balance

In this memoir, Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari asks us to look beyond the extremism and violence that all too often defines the Muslim community toward those, like himself, navigating a middle-way life. A path defined in Islam as the “natural way,”.far away from the cliff of radicalisation that threatens to harm others.

Through his personal journey as an Air Force officer in Bangladesh to the leader of the Muslim Council of Britain during the ill-advised War on Terror and beyond, Muhammad’s proud and reassuring reflections on being a Western Muslim come to light: the importance of community engagement, civic responsibility, and what it means to live a good life.

In articulating his positions Muhammad Abdul Bari offers Muslims, and everybody else, guidance on going forward as engaged, confident individuals, down a path that rejects radical views and seeks to stay in the centre, living a life of moderation that is, as the Qur’an says, “justly balanced.”

Reviews

“This book offers an interesting reflection of British Muslim engagement at the highest levels of public life and should be read widely by policymakers, media professionals, community work practitioners and activists within Muslim communities and beyond.” — Dr Sadek Hamid, Author of Sufis, Salafis and Islamists: The Contested Ground of British Islamic Activism

"[Muhammad Abdul Bari] is not afraid to challenge the elders or the angry voices of young people. His words and advice in this book will be an uncomfortable challenge for all who wish to stay in their comfort zones and blame others for their plight.’" — Neil Jameson CBE, Executive Director of Citizens UK

"The subject of Muslim engagement in Britain is a fraught one. In this book we hear first hand one man’s journey and hopes for the future." — – Shelina Janmohamed, author of Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World

"This book is a deeply moving personal story about how one British Muslim has dealt with courage and patience with very complex and sensitive issues for over three decades." — Peter Oborne, Columnist for the Daily Mail and Middle East Eye

"Dr Bari’s efforts to cultivate relationships within and beyond the Muslim community to contribute towards a better understanding and foster positive relations is a great example of how Muslims can play a positive role in society." — Shaykh Akram Nadwi, Islamic scholar, Dean of Cambridge College and author of The Women Scholars in Islam

"In this memoir, Muhammad Abdul Bari provides a unique perspective on the evolution of the Muslim community in the UK, through his role as a community activist." — Shaykh Akram Nadwi, Islamic scholar, Dean of Cambridge College and author of The Women Scholars in Islam

About The Author

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari is an educationalist, community activist, author, parenting consultant and commentator on social and political issues. Dr Bari has written for various newspapers, blogs and journals including The Huffington Post and Al-Jazeera English, and is the author of a number of books on marriage, family, parenting, identity and community issues from contemporary British Muslim perspectives.