'Innes Bowen, a radio journalist who has studied British Islam for a decade, provides a readable anatomy of the [British] Muslim scene, with all its intricate subdivisions. The spirit is neither hostile to nor defensive of Islam; it offers a nuanced picture reflecting diligent investigation.'
The Economist
'An admirable and clear-headed study [that] corrects ugly attitudes to ... Read moreIslam in the West. ... Every page is full of essential information, and Bowen opens up a great deal that is mysterious or poorly understood. I urge every commentator and politician who wants to open his or her mouth about British Islam to read this work. This well-written book is a desperately needed antidote to the hare-brained commentary from politicians and writers who ought to know much better.'
Peter Oborne, The Telegraph
'The first serious excavation of the religious fault lines which embody the British Muslim experience ... Bowen should be commended.'
The Independent
'A sober and meticulous survey of Muslim thought and practice in Britain ... thanks to the work of people like Innes Bowen we no longer have any excuse for ignorance.'
David Goodhart, Prospect
'Sober, meticulous and revelatory ... A start for anyone in government should be to read Medina in Birmingham, Najaf in Brent, the fruit of 80 interviews over seven years by a respected editor at the BBC.'
The Guardian
'Anyone wanting to understand the profile and landscape of the new Muslim Britain should start here.'
Evening Standard
'After a decade of fear-mongering, when Islam was portrayed as a unitary threat to the West, here comes a book that cuts through the hysteria. In this short and very readable volume, Bowen shows the complexity and nuances of Islam in Britain. This is a must-read for all people who want to understand the changing nature of Britain and its Muslim communities.'
Marc Sageman, author of Leaderless Jihad: Terror Networks in the Twenty-First Century
'Innes Bowen provides what is by far the most comprehensive, in-depth overview of Muslim organisations and their ideas in Britain. Anyone interested in understanding the history and contemporary situation of British Muslims must read this book.'
John R. Bowen, Dunbar-Van Cleve Professor in Arts & Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis
'A compelling study reveals that so-called leaders of the Islamic community are not only self-appointed but tend to come from marginal sects.'
The Times
'Innes Bowen's book dissects the ideological intricacies of British Islam with the insight of a seasoned investigative reporter and the scholarly analysis of a top-notch academic. One can only hope that policymakers (not only in Britain) will learn from this book how to better engage with Muslim communities.'
Lorenzo Vidino, Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich, and author of The New Muslim Brotherhood in the West
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