UNVEILED: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam | Yasmine Mohammed | Free Hearts, Free Minds, 290 pages.
This is a thoroughly uncomfortable book to read. The story it tells is a dark and torturous tale of a young woman repeatedly beaten and abused by her “family.” According to the writer, this maltreatment is permitted, empowered, and motivated by adherence to an understanding of fundamental Islam. Additionally, while growing up - mostly in Canada - Western dignity and human rights protections were denied her due to the overriding demands of cultural toleration imposed by judicial mandate.
This courageous story is told in tones still fresh with anguish. The tome’s tenor makes clear the author has neither forgiven nor healed from the inflictions she endured at the hands of fundamentalists.
Given the headlines of domestic abuse - including so-called honor killings - attributed to fundamental Islamic practices, the idea that Yasmine’s story is representative of many remains plausible. A fact of which more should be intolerant. This type of abuse could - and does - occur with a repugnant sanction in Western societies.
In the end, Ms. Mohammed finds escape from Islam and hope, freedom, security, equality, and individual dignity. But Unveiled is not a book about redemption. It is a personal memoir forcefully reminding readers that systemic evil exists.