The Other Muslims

With another French Muslim, Ghaleb Bencheikh, and a host of Europeans, Samia Labidi tells her story in an edited volume that has just been published in the U.S. These 'O ther Muslims, Moderate and Secular' speak out under the auspices of Zeyno Baran, a scholar of Turkish origin who lives in the U.S. and directs [a program] at the [Hudson] Institute. They are 'the' solution in the face of the growing role of Islamism, the authors proclaim. The French propose the creation of a federation that would regroup all the Muslim associations and could, in this way, represent the Islam of France, not the Islamism of France as the UOIF only does today. -- Marianne Political freedom, religious tolerance, and economic prosperity are universal values open to all races and creeds. To fight extremism, as this timely book reveals, we must promote Muslims who call for openness. Reform is possible if we heed and help them. This invaluable work of Zeyno Baran is worth reading. --Jose Maria Aznar, Former Prime Minister of Spain The Other Muslims by Zeyno Baran is an important contribution to a better understanding of the complexities, contradictions, as well as more hopeful prospects for the world of Islam. It is especially timely because of the tendency to view Islam in a Manichean perspective. --Zbigniew Brzezinski, Former U.S. National Security Advisor For too long, radical Islamists have claimed to speak for all Muslims. Since 9-11, we have needed moderate Muslims to speak up on behalf of America and against Islamist extremists. They have done so in this book. --U.S. Representative Sue Myrick, Co-Chair of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus A fascinating and important contribution to the debates about Islam, integration, and democracy compiled and edited by one of the most interesting scholars of Islam in Washington. --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize recipient and Washington Post columnist How political Islam evolves will be a crucial factor affectin