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An Important Preface

It is highly likely that you will one day hear that I have been murdered. Therefore, before we begin, I believe it is necessary to clarify certain matters regarding this book, which I believe will be matters of concern for the reader. There will be many who will make claims about what I have set out to do by writing this book, and thus I wish to make clear the goals I hope to achieve.

Audience and Purpose

This book is written for both Muslims and non-Muslims who have failed to obtain an explanation of why Islam, as a religion, is struggling to find a place within the West. The first chapter is a necessary review of the last two decades of my life, and what has led me to make such statements and confessions, then the second chapter begins to shed light on the tragedy of Islam. This is not a book that “bashes” or attacks Islam and Muslims. It is rather intended to be an informative volume that presents my personal development and educational journey within Islam and the Islamic seminaries throughout the Middle East.

I understand that English is a second language in numerous European countries suffering from Islamic extremism. Therefore, I have intentionally written this book in straightforward English for the benefit of all English-speaking people.

Sectarianism and Internal Islamic Conflicts

Although I was educated and trained by both Shia and Sunni Islamic schools and religious authorities, I have avoided falling into the trap of sectarianism when writing this book. I strongly oppose sectarianism, and as a reformist Muslim scholar, my difficulty is with fundamentalist elements which have led to the current situation of the religion as a whole. I have no regard for minor disputes between sects, and I criticize and expose the wrong within all Islamic denominations based on facts and solid historical evidence. Moreover, I have dedicated an entire chapter to the difficulties within my own denomination, Shia Islam.

Methodology and Approach

When I began writing this book, I intended it to be only about Islam and the ideological challenges it faces in our era. However, I also believe that it is important for the reader to gain an understanding of who I am, where I came from, and how I developed into a reformist Imam.

Although I do intend to write about my journey in detail sometime later down the track, in the first chapter of this book I have shared a number of episodes from my life that will allow you to recognize what I have gone through in the past, how I became the person I am today, and why I have chosen to make these dangerous admissions.After discussing my personal journey, I will begin to shed light onto the ideological difficulties within Islam.

This book identifies the main theological and doctrinal problems within my religion, simply because identifying the problems is the first step to offering possible solutions.This book is by no means a complete chronicle of the present failings in my religion. It does not contain everything that is relevant to modern Islam, because that would be impossible. Its main focus is the problems and complications which form the foundations of Islamic scripture, history, theology, and jurisprudence.It concludes by shedding light on the reform movement within Islam and the prospects of genuine reform.

Notes on the References

I have used the most authentic Islamic scriptures as sources, from both Islamic denominations, Shia Islam and Sunni Islam. What you will read in the chapters discussing the difficulties within Islamic thought will most likely be new to you. This is because the Muslim institutions do not and will not translate certain parts of religious scripture to preserve and maintain the reputation of the religion, as I will explain. Therefore, I have translated the teachings as accurately as possible, as Arabic is my mother tongue.

I have repeatedly called for my detractors within the Islamic clergy to nominate a qualified person to debate me publicly, and to refute my statements if they can. More than a year has passed, yet no-one has come forward. I am sure this silence is because they know that such a debate can only expose the dark secrets they wish to conceal. The most chilling of these secrets is that the books they promote are the religious fuel that powers violent Islamic terrorism.

The sources I have used are unavailable as hard copies in the majority of countries, which is why I have spent over 100 hours compiling online links to the original Arabic and Islamic scriptures for the reader’s convenience. These are available on my website: www.ImamTawhidi.com/References or

www.TragedyofIslam.com.

A Note for Muslims

This book is about Islam, but it is not an Islamic book. The prayer of blessings upon the Prophet Mohammad and his family will not be included in this volume. Readers are free to observe this practice whenever names you may revere are mentioned.

When mentioning Prophet Mohammad, I have maintained a balance throughout this book. I have referred to him as “Prophet Mohammad” and at times simply as “Mohammad.” I have also presented what both the majority and minority of Muslims believe regarding their Prophet.