Author: Amil Khan

Publisher: Zero Books

ISBN: 978 1 84694 368 3

Click Here To Purchase The Long Struggle: The Muslim Worlds Western Problem


“Collective wounded pride” is how author Amil Khan explains Muslim opposition to the West and Western-aligned leaders. In his timely non-fiction book The Long Struggle: The Muslim World’s Western Problem, Khan argues that for centuries the world of Islam felt content and secure in its destiny as the pinnacle of human achievement. But as Western civilization rose, people in the Muslim world began to realize a weakness and deep emotional sense of loss which motivated their “long struggle” to move away from their humiliating status to perceived past glories.

In a surprisingly readable format for a scholarly presentation, the author takes the reader on a fascinating journey through personal conversations with Jihadi fighters, fellow journalists and young teenaged Muslim extremists in the UK. He offers a historical analysis into the roots of extremism in the Muslim world (noting the influence of the Ottoman Empire of 1299 – 1923, the Suez Crisis of 1948, the Six Day War of 1967, the input of Qutb and Mawdudi, Ariel Sharon’s provocative walk on the site of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, the death of 12 year old Mohammed al-Durrah, the significance of the alliance between Ayman al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden) concluding that the opportunity to build a new relationship arises.

After ten years working as a journalist in the Middle East and growing up in a Muslim community in the West, the author has unique experiences, connections and insight that contribute to his understandings of the present situation. For Khan, the Muslim world’s “long struggle” (between emulation and rejection of the West as international events continued to stoke anger among people who were forced to give up the wealth and global influence they felt was their birthright) resulted in a “fall from grace” uniting the world’s billion Muslims. For Khan, this explains the rise in Islamic extremism.

In light of today’s political climate in the Middle East with country after country imploding, the tone of Khan’s book is reminiscent of the thoughts of Thomas Jefferson – a man who likes “the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”

The opportunity to build a new relationship does arise for both the West and the Muslim world. Those who seek to hear a word of hope about the future will have to wait for answers to the two questions posed at the end of the book:

“What sort of alternate visions for the future will the new voices of the Muslim world be able to offer?”

“Will the West be ready to join them in a new relationship?”


This is a well-researched book and an excellent read for those wanting to understand Muslim world history and outlook; keep up-to-date on unfolding events in the Middle East; and separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to truth and fiction about the Islamic world and organizations.

Click Here To Purchase The Long Struggle: The Muslim Worlds Western Problem