In our fifth guest special, Hajar speaks to author, lawyer and human rights activist Tawseef Khan about his book The Muslim Problem.
Raised a strict Muslim and having more than a few issues with faith and faith identity, Hajar had to get her hands on The Muslim Problem: Why we're wrong about Islam and why it matters.
Tawseef Khan's book challenges perceptions of what it means to be Muslim while examining their portrayal in the British media.
He takes common tropes about homophobia, violence and misogyny and examines why we have these ideas about Muslims and Islam, and how different the reality actually is.
Hajar got him on the show to talk about his favourite novels, female authors and to share experiences growing up in the UK.
This was a challenging and eye-opening book and will definitely give you much to reflect on. It's all too easy to absorb external messages and this was an important reminder to challenge not only stereotypes but the personal biases we've become all too comfortable with.
You can get the book from our Bookshop and do listen to Tawseef's podcast with Atlantic Books, Muslim Actually.
Publisher's blurb
Why are Muslim men portrayed as inherently violent? Does the veil violate women's rights? Is Islam stopping Muslims from integrating?
Across western societies, Muslims are more misunderstood than any other minority. But what does it mean to believe in Islam today, to have forged your beliefs and identity in the shadow of 9/11 and the War on Terror? Exploding stereotypes from both inside and outside the faith, The Muslim Problem shows that while we may think we know all about Islam we are often wrong about even the most basic facts.
Bold and provocative, The Muslim Problem is both a wake-up call for non-believers and a passionate new framework for Muslims to navigate a world that is often set against them.
Listen now and if you do get the book, tell us what you think!