British Muslim

The hilarious and pubescent debut book from your favourite British Muslim comedian (that's Tez Ilyas, by the way). You may know and love Tez from his stand-up comedy, his role as Eight in Man Like Mobeen, his Radio 4 series TEZ Talks, or panel shows such as Mock the Week and The Last Leg. Where you won't know him from is 1997, when he was 13¾. (But now you will—because that's what the book is about.) In this suitably dramatic rollercoaster of a teenage memoir, Tez takes us back to where it all began.

Does history matter? This book argues not that history matters, but that Islamic history does. This very short introduction introduces the story of Islamic history; the controversies surrounding its study; and the significance that it holds - for Muslims and for non-Muslims alike. Opening with a lucid overview of the rise and spread of Islam, from the seventh to 21st century, the book charts the evolution of what was originally a small, localized community of believers into an international religion with over a billion adherents. 

'I recommend it strongly, especially to those minded to consider its author guilty until proven innocent, precisely because it will surprise them. Wherever you stand on the culture wars - what we used to just call 'politics' - Birbalsingh is a thinker and practitioner you have to reckon with...

Grounded in scholarship and bold in its aims, Western Muslims and the Future of Islam offers a striking vision of a new Muslim Identity, one which rejects once and for all the idea that Islam must be defined in opposition to the West.

Trace the gripping geopolitical drama of how the British colonial empire fractured to birth a new independent nation. This immersive historical deep dive transports you to the twilight of the Mughal era and the tumultuous 1940s, offering the perfect focus for your daily commute. As imperial...