Infidel

By Ayaan Hirsi Ali

'Remarkable . . . Infidel shows that a determined woman can change more history than her own' Christopher Hitchens, Sunday Times

'If there is one book that really addresses the existential issues of our civilisation, then Hirsi Ali's autobiography is it' Michael Burleigh, Sunday Telegraph

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of today's most admired and controversial political figures. She burst into international headlines following the murder of Theo van Gogh by an Islamist who threatened she would be next.

An international bestseller, her life story INFIDEL shows the coming of age of this elegant, distinguished – and sometimes reviled – political superstar and champion of free speech. Ultimately a celebration of triumph over adversity, Hirsi Ali's story tells how a bright, curious, dutiful little girl evolves into a pioneering freedom fighter. As Western governments struggle to balance democratic ideals with religious pressures, no other book could be more timely, or more significant.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Sep 4, 2008
• ISBN: 9781847395979

Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, was raised Muslim, and spent her childhood and young adulthood in Africa and Saudi Arabia. In 1992, Hirsi Ali came to the Netherlands as a refugee. She earned her college degree in political science and worked for the Dutch Labor party. She denounced Islam after the September 11 terrorist attacks and now serves as a Dutch parliamentarian, fighting for the rights of Muslim women in Europe, the enlightenment of Islam, and security in the West.

Reviews for Infidel

[deborahj2016 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An amazing biography of a life still in progress.

[stellaphant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating

[aront-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a political book with an agenda. Some have used those words to criticize this book & Ali. To me it is the highest praise. Her politics are the politics of freedom, like Martin Luther King Jr. Her agenda is to bring freedom & dignity to millions of women suffering under the yoke of oppression. If you think these are bad things, you need to examine your values. In fact - this is the "agenda" that the book is about - a defense of the values of the Enlightenment that Ali embraced.

Saying her anger taints her views, saying she is being "too political" just proves her point - people refuse to look too carefully at ideas that make them uncomfortable. Hand waving won't change the reality she wants us to face. Engage with what she says and her clear arguments and appeal to facts. If you disagree with her views, provide a factual & reasoned argument laying out where she is wrong.

Besides the "politics" this book is a fascinating and gripping story about a courageous, brilliant & powerful women, and worth reading for that reason alone,

[creighley_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ayala Hirsi Ali was raised as every strick Muslim woman. Infidel shows the coming of age of this remarkable woman who comes from a deep-rooted life of oppression and evolves into a champion of freedom of speech and women's rights.

[homeschoolmimzi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was not on my radar. My husband brought it home from work one day- it was in a free pile- and so I decided to read it, not expecting the huge impact it would have on me. I'd never heard of Ayaan Hirsi Ali before. She is a well known Somalian activist, feminist, author, speaker and former member of Parliamant in the Netherlands. Infidel is her memoir, her story of growing up (in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and Kenya) in an atmosphere of constant civil unrest, violence, poverty and religious oppression and upheaval. Ayaan talks frankly about what it was like growing up under Islam- being beaten for even questioning the Quran, scolded and disciplined for not wearing the proper coverings, having to undergo female circumcision as a very young child (!), being expected to comply with an arranged marriage and to submit to her father and other men without question, among many other things.
Ayaan was not interested in living the typical life of a Muslim woman. She did not want to forgo her education, marry a man whom she didn't choose, bear and raise many children, or remain a virtual prisoner in her own house unless escorted by her husband or uncle-she did not and would not submit herself to a system that denigrated and beat women into submission. And so at age 18, having been promised by her father to a much older man, she decided to run. She escaped to Holland, where she was granted refugee status, received money and resources and training so that she could become the independent woman she wanted to be. Ayaan eventually would be elected to Parliament, where she spoke out bravely against the religious oppression of Islam. She made many enemies from both the right and the left. She has received death threats and when she together w/Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh made a film called "Submission", she had to be placed under armed guard. Her colleague Van Gogh was brutally assassinated by a Muslim man shortly after the completion of the film.
This is not an easy book to read. Ayaan's home life was brutal. There were constant beatings, sudden moves to other countries and many deaths. People from rich countries such as the US are not accustomed to the lifestyle she describes. Many Westerners in their attempt to appear open minded and friendly to other cultures fail to understand the truths she speaks about Islam.

As Ayaan herself states in regards to the difficulties faced in Holland:

What matters is abuse, and how it is anchored in a religion that denies women their rights as humans. What matters is that atrocities against women and children are carried out in Europe (in the Muslim population). What matters is that governments and societies must stop hiding behind a hollow pretense of tolerance so that they can recognize and deal with the problem.

Ayaan calls attention to things no one wants to talk about or face. Honor killings. Beatings. Female circumcision. She was and is a very brave woman to stand up and speak the truth, despite being disowned by her father and clan and receiving multiple death threats. I learned so much from reading this book and want to read her other books. I recommend this book to everyone.

[4bonasa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just read the chapter about how her mother and her aunt mutilated hers and her little sister genitalia when they were young girls, not old enough to fight back. I'm glad the National Organization for Women are leading the fight in the UN to end the practice, along with sanctioned wife beating.

[slug9000 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a fascinating and thought-provoking book. It is an autobiographical tale that also touches on issues of religion, culture, women's rights, immigration, and personal freedom. I am reticent to agree entirely with her stance on Islam (which is, essentially, that it is not a peaceful religion and that it is a greater threat to Westerners than we think), partly because I think this is true of most religions and not just Islam. Religious zealotry is rarely (if ever) a good thing, particularly when it is used in the governance of nations. This is not exclusive to Islam, a fact that Ali doesn't really touch on. Granted, she was raised a Muslim and this is an autobiography, but her bold statements about Islam are at risk of being co-opted and distorted by people who believe in surveilling/registering all Muslims. So I think she needs to take some responsibility by drawing real and fair comparisons between Muslim nations and other troubled nations where religion is at the helm (see El Salvador) so that the focus is on the problems of religion in general and not just Islam.The book spends a long time on Ali's youth, and by far the most exciting segment of the book is her escape to Holland, which is an unbelievable tale of bravery. The sections of the book that take place after college, her time in Parliament, and the chaos surrounding the status of her Dutch citizenship felt a little rushed. Nonetheless, it is a great and quick read, and I highly recommend it.

[gma2lana · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A friend lent me this book to read, and I was finally able to sit down and finish it. I was shocked at some of the rituals that still continue to this day, saddened as well. As for the writing, it went pretty smoothly, and kept me interested up until the ending. Sounds funny huh, but I think I became a tad bored with it. To fight for something you believe in is very admirable. Unfortunate that her family will probably never have anything more to do with her, but I think she is a strong woman for standing up for what she believes in and trying to make changes.

[slvlib · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating if not disturbing biography of a stridently heroic woman leaving Islam and successfully making her own way in life. Filled with information about Islam not previously known to this reader.

[devil_llama · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A story of the personal journey of one of the best known Muslim apostates, certainly the best known female apostate. The author, under a fatwah for her outspoken denunciation of the oppression of women in the Islamic world, writes eloquently and movingly about her own life experiences.

[Pinto Kali · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Profound, enlightening and somewhat sad. A book well worth reading.

[Tokes LawiGee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unputdownable!! Fast paced and engaging. An eerily objective account of highly emotional events.

[Nawaz Ahmed · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Blessed.Misleading and calculator discrimination of the World fastest faith. No mention of positives. Personal bad upbringing reflects on strange mission to simpel hate not love.

[JustinDoward · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very important book to read, one view of an apostate from Islam looking at her experiences of a religion she believes is desperately in need of a reformation. Her personal story is remarkable and gripping to read, she appears to be both blessed and cursed... I hope she continues to make an impact.

[highlander6022 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fabulous must-read for anyone who wants to fully understand conservative Islamic faith

[cygnet81 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Definitely provided food for thought.

[michael_rose-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an exceptionally brave person, and if you haven't yet seen it (it's available on Youtube), you need to watch Submission: Part 1 (there is no part 2). You'll gain insights into various cultures, including those of Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya. You'll read a graphic depiction of circumcision, and not just of her brother but of her (both are horrible, but it's the girls that get it worse when it's practiced on both). You'll also gain an understanding of how many Muslims think, including that of the Muslim Brotherhood. Then there's the betrayal of her by the political left, a form of betrayal all too common these days.

[Ngozi Onuogu Ajaero · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very true and important memoir. She is very brave to write the truth about her life and I hope many other victims will speak out too

[martinbodek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There's only one word to describe the author: brave. To be stepped on and squashed and humiliated and down-trodden and to keep popping up with maximum drive is nearly beyond comprehension. She's a good writer, not a great one, but her story tells itself. I'm devouring religiously-opressed-female memoirs. There's something important to be learned from them. This book is up there with its message of perseverance.

[justindtapp · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A powerful autobiography, painful to read at every chapter. Ali has become famous for renouncing Islam and shining a harsh spotlight on the lives of women in Muslim context cultures all over the world. (Here is a recent op-ed piece by her.) Much of what she says isn't popular, Nick Kristof, for example reviewed her most recent book and her anti-Islamic remarks very harshly.

This is truly a rags-to-riches story. Ali was born into an unstable family in an unstable country (Somalia) and spends most of her life as a refugee. She recounts her life as a Muslim Somali growing up in both "Christian" Kenya and in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Female circumcision, beatings from her mother and one of her Koran instructors, family killed and dislocated in civil wars, a harsh life without much love. Ali escapes an arranged marriage and takes refuge in Holland, where she puts herself through school and eventually becomes a member of parliament. Now she's a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (unfortunately making her an enemy of the political Left).

If you have an interest in the plight of Muslim women, then this book is a must-read. If you're interested in what folk, every day Islam looks like and how rigid militant Islam has evolved in places like Somalia then this is also an informative book.

I highly recommend the audio version which is read by the author. The most important books to read are the ones that are the most difficult to keep reading. This was a tough book to finish.

In a related note, I would love to see a conversation between Ali and Ziauddin Sardar.

4.5 stars out of 5.

[gbelik_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a story! This memoir takes the author from Somalia to Saudi Arabia to Kenya to Holland, from religious Islam to atheism, from a strict Islamic girlhood to parliament in Holland. Such honesty and such courage.

[anitatally · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There are a few books that are so significant to me that they changed the way I think about a subject. This is one.

[squeakychu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this autobiography of Ayaan Hirsi Ali totally fascinating. It amazed me how this woman proceeded as a child in Somalia from a family of devout Muslims to the atheist activist member of the Dutch parliament that she eventually became. Her story takes us on travels through Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. It shows us the progression of her change from a devout Muslim to an atheist. It lays bare the facts of Islam which bind it to religious beliefs from centuries ago making it almost a contradiction in the modern world and to human rights. Ironically, it also gave me more of an understanding of the way Islam is practiced in the modern world and why.I was also astonished to learn of the large Muslim population in the Netherlands and what upheaval Ali's progressive agenda for women's rights gave to the Dutch parliament. Being the liberal country that the Netherlands is, what surprised me even more was that, by protecting immigrants' rights, that country was inadvertently giving free rein to abuse of women for such acts as infibulation, wife beating, forced marriages, forced body covering, and honor killing. This is a brave book in the way that it exposed Ali to fear for her life due to those Muslims who intend to kill her for being an "infidel". She has dedicated her life to making this world a better place for all women. She also gives us food for thought as to how religion can work for us or against us as we incorporate it into our daily lives and to what extent we do that.

[loisb-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very interesting memoir of a Somalian-born woman who rebels against her famiy's fundamentalist Islamic beliefs. The first half of the book is tough reading due to the subject matter, but definitely worth it. The story is well-written, well-paced and compelling. The author has caused me to rethink my understanding of Islam.

[fogcityite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a difficult, important book. The language is not difficult -on the contrary, it is quite straightforward. What is difficult is to read about the life of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who is a most remarkable woman. Raised by her devoutly orthodox Muslim mother and her very conservative Somali grandmother, she lives in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Kenya as a child. Her doubts about what she is taught end up saving her, though her freedom has cost her dearly. Some feel she is writing an anti-Islamic screed thinly disguised as a memoir, but I disagree. Her arc is her growth as a woman and a human being, and that is necessarily framed within her beliefs about Islam. If I have a criticism, it is that she does not apply the same lens to the fundamentalist excesses of the other major world religions. However, that is not this book. Highly recommended.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating.This is the autobiography of a Muslim woman who came to question her faith, especially its effects on women. In doing so, she put her life at risk.The book is well written, and begins with the author's childhood. She was raised by her mother and grandmother, frequently beaten and called names. As a young child, she suffered excision (often called female circumcision). Later, she was forced to marry a stranger from Canada by her father. Ms. Ali escapes to Holland where she gains refugee status and, utlimately, citizenship. She becomes a Member of Parliament and outspoken advocate for Muslim women's rights. Her struggles -- both with her own beliefs and practices, and with the societies she is part of -- is the substance of this book.

[marlene9nl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow, what a great book. I wish I had written this review the moment I'd finished it cause that was about 3 weeks ago and I had so many things to say. Now of course I forgot.

I do know that I loved it and thought provoking. It became a bit harder for me to read once she got to my country cause that made me so angry. In 1993 we already had so many refugees living in this country and people were complaining about it and reading this there is the proof that so many of them lied but what angered me more is that they want to live here but then they look down to us. (not everybody but majority) They were allowed to live like they used to live, (Year null) and not mix. We now have so many mosques here and many problems. Still most to blame is the government who allowed this. Anyways, I very much admire Ayaan Hirsi Ali and wish there were more people like her. Highly recommend this book.

[lindap69 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I learned what it meant to be raised as a Muslim woman and how many women are still fighting for their basic human rights.

[periodista_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating life, but Ali is not an intellectual, by any means. If you actually want to know more about what the Koran says about women--or is interpreted to say, that is--far better, by a far more learned woman is: Iran Awakening by the Nobel prize-winning lawyer Shirin Ebadi. Is she/was she ever a believer? You don't know and it doesn't matter because Iran's theocracy has forced her to study the Koran very closely. Other people have questioned parts of Ali's life story but I'm most skeptical that she ever spent much time studying Islam. Maybe her exposure consisted of rote memorizing in Arabic, a language she didn't know well ...

[parvita-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of the feminist that had to go through the unfairness of how moslem women are treated in Africa. Her questions about Islam in school and her pain going through what young islam girl has to go through (genital mutilation, arranged marriage, refuge) and finally managed to runaway to Europe (Netherland) where she continued her studies and finally became herself although her life is in danger. The book was well written and page turning for me.