Radical

My Journey out of Islamist Extremism

By: Maajid Nawaz

Narrated by: David Linski

An insightful account of one man's drastic evolution from religious fervor to enlightened peace.

Maajid Nawaz spent his teenage years listening to American hip-hop and learning about the radical Islamist movement spreading throughout Europe and Asia in the 1980s and '90s. At 16, he was already a ranking member in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a London-based Islamist group. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a top recruiter, a charismatic spokesman for the cause of uniting Islam's political power across the world.

Nawaz was setting up satellite groups in Pakistan, Denmark, and Egypt when he was rounded up in the aftermath of 9/11 along with many other radical Muslims. He was sent to an Egyptian prison where he was, fortuitously, jailed along with the assassins of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. Twenty years in prison had changed the assassins' views on Islam and violence; Maajid went into prison preaching to them about the Islamist cause, but the lessons ended up going the other way.

He came out of prison four years later completely changed, convinced that his entire belief system had been wrong and determined to do something about it. He met with activists and heads of state, built a network, and started a foundation, Quilliam, to combat the rising Islamist tide in Europe and elsewhere, using his intimate knowledge of recruitment tactics in order to reverse extremism and persuade Muslims that the narrative used to recruit them - that the West is evil and the cause of all Muslim suffering - is false.

Radical is a fascinating and important look into one man's journey out of extremism and into something else entirely.

©2013 Maajid Nawaz (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Well worth the listen

Sadly it takes the controversy around Covid and a Maajid’s censored episode with Joe Rogan for an American political junkie like myself to hear the remarkable story of Maajid Nawaz leading me to find this book and take in a truly unique and hopeful perspective steeped in hard truths and a successful transformative journey. I hope the world hears more from him and we inch closer to the dream of coexistence.

Eye opening

Couldn't put it down. Very insightful into how ideologies ride and fall. Maajid's story is incredible and very useful to the world.

We all need to. This side of the story

This book provides a perspective that we all need to understand. It will change how we vote and look for leadership

more information from someone who was there

I like reading this book for another perspective in dealing with the world's issues and problems and some hope for the future

Learned about him from Joe Rogan

I first learned of Maajid Nawaz when he went on the Joe Rogan experience. I knew I had to read his book after hearing him speak. He really helped open my mind and learn about Islam and Islamism and the difference between them. Hearing his old perspective on 9/11 had me in tears.