7/7
Muslim Perspectives

The book captures compelling testimonies for those with an interest in the lives of Muslims - students, journalists, politicians, policy makers and academics. It gives a voice to Muslims who are rarely heard, and an opportunity to disseminate those voices in such a way as to promote cross-cultural bonds and amity.

This book explores and articulates the insights, reactions and experiences of a range of Muslim men and women following the events of 7/7 - their feelings, anxieties and concerns. It explores how they negotiated their own positions with mainstream society and with each other in the aftermath. The contributors reflect upon the event and express their personal responses, serving as a starting point for an exploration of the challenges and expectations which the future holds for them. As the contributors come from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, and a wide variety of spiritual practices, this project offers a rich mosaic of lived experience, subjective accounts of people's hopes, worries and fears. In doing so, it offers a deeper understanding of Muslim lives in the UK. It serves equally to put into perspective Islamic extremist ideologies in fringe groups.

Contents
Open Your Eyes Ahmed Bashir 17 Introduction Murtaza Shibli 19 7/7 &
Me Mohammed Amin 25 Making The Connection Laura Stout 31 Long Night, Longer Day Ruhul Tarafder 41 Unpacking Suitcases Sadia Habib 47 Under Siege Raihan Akhtar 53 Bin Laden's relative? Anjum Anwar 57 Reliving The Past Murtaza Shibli 65 Being A Taliban Anisa Abouelhassan 73 From Covert to Convert Muhammad Amin 79 Fighting Stereotypes Saiyyidah Zaidi 87 A Day of Sorrow Imam Mohamed Rawat 93 The 7/7 Effect Fatima Khan 97 The Terror Of The Deserts Ibrahim Lawson 103 The Alarm Bell Asra Fareed 111 US, Them, &
'Them' Mohammad Sartawi 117 On 'Becoming' Muslim Serene Kasim 123 Flight From Pakistan Ammar Ali Qureshi 129 Bridging The Divide Seja Majeed 135 From Tyranny To Terror Hassan Alkatib 141 Reflections Of A Student Nada Mansy 147 An Act Of Humiliation Farhat Amin 157 Summer Of Sirens &
Sleeplessness Saadeya Shamsuddin 163 The Rage &
The Fear Yaser Iqbal 171 In Search Of Horizon Shahida Ahmed 179 Actions, Reactions &
New Directions Ahmed Bashir 185 A Last Poem For London Murtaza Shibli 191