Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now

From Ayaan’s Desktop

I have dedicated my life to speaking out when my conscience guides me to do so, even when my views are unpopular, and worse, even when those views put my life in danger.

The issues of which I speak are personal to me. I have first-hand experience of what it means to be denied basic rights and opportunities simply because you are a woman or girl. Unfortunately, I am not alone in these experiences. Too many women and girls around the world are not free.

I watched my sister suffer from the physical and – worse – the psychological consequences of having her genitals cut. My school friends were ripped away from the joys and promises of an education and thrown into unwanted marriages, having babies when they should have been on the playground themselves. I witnessed my aunts and cousins experience violence and abuse at the hands of their husbands with nowhere to turn for help.

For these women and their daughters, and for the future my son will inherit, I continue to speak out, raising my voice to bring change.
I am proud to share with you today that my new book Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now is available in bookstores across the US and online.
As with many things I say and write, I know my new book will cause controversy. But my hope is that Heretic will be a spark that fires up new discussions and makes readers reassess their current perspectives.

Just as I am not alone in the challenges I have faced, I am certainly not alone in my desire to actively seek the change that is necessary to create a better, safer world for each of us. Women from across the globe reach out to me and to the AHA Foundation almost daily asking how they can stand up for their rights.

Through the AHA Foundation, you empower these women who have the courage to demand change.
You can amplify their voices and we can make a difference.