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Merryl Wyn Davies is appalled by the sectarian divisions in Muslim societies; Yasmin Saikia is angry at the Sectarian violence unleashed in the name of Islam; Ebrahim Moosa suggest the Sunnis, the majority Muslim sect, need a little self-reflection; Faisal Daviji explores the historic contribution and present predicaments of the Ismailis; Imranali Panjwani explains what it means to be a Shia; Zacharias Pieri joins the evangelical Tablighi Jamaat on a religious retreat; Robin Yassin-Kassab traces the origins of the Alawis of Syria; Hassan Mohamedallie has a conversation with Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Caliph and spiritual leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; Francesco Cavatorta thinks the Salafis represent the greatest danger to Islam; Jamie Gilham asks why converts tend to be over-zealous; and Faizur Rahman spends some quality time with the puritan Deobandis of India.
About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.
About the author
Ziauddin Sardar is a renowned writer, broadcaster and cultural critic. A former columnist on the New Statesman, he has also served as a Commissioner on the Equality and Human Rights Commission. He is professor of Law and society at Middlesex University, and the author of numerous books, the most recent being
Reading the Qur'an (Hurst);
Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim (Granta);
What Do Muslims Believe? (Granta); and
Balti Britain: A Provocative Journey Through Asian Britain (Granta). Robin Yassin-Kassab is the author of the acclaimed novel,
The Road From Damascus (Penguin). Born in west London, he has lived and worked in France, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Oman. He is a regular contributor to the literary pages of
The Guardian and
The Independent.
Summary
Examination of Islamic sects worldwide.
