Rushdie Haunted by his unholy Ghosts — Page xvi
xviii in Britain and a void has been driven between its Muslim pub- lic and the indigenous population. Extremist Muslim groups like Hizbe-Tehrir and the Khalafah Movement have taken stronger root. Their antics have further strengthened the West’s suspicion of Islam and engendered mistrust between the two communities. This cycle has to stop. The West needs to relinquish its view of Islam from the perspective of the Crusades and its age-old battles with the realm of Islam. It needs to abandon its policy of beating ordinary Muslims into fundamentalism and then beating them for fundamentalism. But all is not doom and gloom. For amidst the voices condemn- ing Islam, there are those in the West, like Prince Charles, who recognise this folly and are calling for a greater understanding. However, fostering greater understanding is a two way process. Arshad Ahmedi’s work goes a long way to presenting an uncom- promising but conciliatory Muslim response. By putting the Satanic Verses in its true context, it helps Muslims to deal with their wound- ed feelings in a measured and responsible manner. It attempts to build bridges without yielding an inch on matters of faith. By doing so, and by presenting the real image of Islam, it helps to allay some of the fears of the West and dampens its animosities towards those who hold this faith. It therefore has something positive to offer to people of all backgrounds whether they are from the East or the West, Muslim or non-Muslim. As such, this book is invaluable and should prove to be an interesting read. Waleed Ahmad, 1996