Leaving Faith Behind | An evening with the authors

Join us for an evening panel discussion, Q&A and book signing with the authors of Leaving Faith Behind.

Published in 2018, Leaving Faith Behind gives voice to men and women who have made the decision to leave Islam or to dissent against some of the most significant aspects of Islamic doctrine. As increasing numbers of people in Britain choose to turn away from organised religion, this book allows the stories of some of them to be heard: the reasons for their decisions to leave, the challenges, and the effects on their lives and relationships. It also captures portraits of life and culture within Muslim communities in our fast-changing world, and how they are reacting and responding to migration, secularisation, more inclusive attitudes to gender and sexuality, and other trends of modern society.

Aliyah Saleem was born into a Pakistani Sunni family and was educated at an Islamic girls' private boarding school in Nottingham. Aliyah is an advocate for secular education and in 2015 co-founded Faith to Faithless which is now a program within Humanists UK. Leaving Faith Behind is her first book.

Fiyaz Mughal OBE is the founder and director of Faith Matters, an organisation committed to reducing extremism and developing platforms for discourse and interaction between faiths in the UK. Fiyaz also founded the charity TellMAMA which monitors and provides support for victims of anti-Muslim bigotry.

Will Bose project manages Faith to Faithless. He is the vice-chair of Karma Nirvana, a national charity that has supported victims of honour-based abuse and forced marriage for 25 years. Will co-chaired the Girls Not Brides UK campaign for 14 months, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation GNB is a global coalition of over 1,000 organisations working to fulfil the United Nations sustainable development goal of ending child marriage by 2030. 

Hassan Radwan was born to an Egyptian father and Christian mother and became a practising Muslim in his teens. He graduated in Arabic & Islamic Studies from SOAS University of London and spent 15 years teaching at the Islamia primary school, where he wrote four children's books. Hassan left the faith in his fifties.

Jimmy Bangash was raised in a traditional Pashtun family in London. As a gay man, he struggled with the homophobia and ardent misogyny within his community. Jimmy is a spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and is a committee member of Faith to Faithless.

This is a complimentary event, and tickets will be assigned on a first to register basis.