The Caged Virgin: A Muslim Woman's Cry for Reason

Powerful expose of the torture of some Muslim women by their own families. Strongly recommended.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells it like it isFirsthand what it is to be a woman in a veilWhat is their mindsetHow this mindset traps womenHow this mindset is perpetuatedMore importantly how to liberate women from this cageA good read for the liberation of women

Everyone should read this book or the author's updated version. The author provides a highly readable explanation of the basic beliefs of Islam, its conflicts with western values, the struggles of Muslim refugees in the west (focusing on women), and distinguishes between the religious and the cultural/traditional position of Muslim women. Ayaan Hirsi Ali presents very articulate arguments about Muslim women issues and proposes reasonable responses in western society. She also points out the unintentional effects of political correctness and religious tolerance on the rights of Muslim women in the west.

Das Buch von Ayaan Hirsi Ali gibt einen exellenten Einblick in das Leben muslimischer Frauen und zeigt in aller Deutlichkeit die Unterdrückung der Frau und auch die daraus folgende Fehlerziehung der Kinder auch der männlichen auf. Das Ganze ist dann noch verstärkt durch die in vielen muslimischen Ländern herrschenden Clanstruckturen. Vor allem zeigt das Buch auf, wie schwierig vor diesem Hintergrund die Integration derart geprägter Muslime in die westliche Welt ist. Wie die Autorin in Ihren Büchern und auch andere Autoren wie Hamed Abd el Samad und Mark A. Gabriel in ihren Büchern aufzeigen schein eine Integration in unsere westliche Gesellschaft ohne eine grundlegende Reform des Islam nur schwer möglich

It is rare for me to read a book in one go, even when time allows. This remarkable book proved an exception. Its structure is a little disjointed, but her message gets to the core of the problem with Islam, and in particular, the tragic problems it creates for women.And what is the core problem that Ayaan Hirsi Ali identifies? It is not the corruption, by extremists and fundamentalists, of a noble religion of love and peace. We heard alot of that woolly talk after 9/11. The problem is with Mahomet himself. Even Mahomet would not be a problem were his teachings recognised for what they are. They are the notions of a 7th century man from a violent, tribal and male dominated society. His ideas, as far as we can gather them from the Koran and Hadiths, may have been a great improvement on what had preceded them. In the 21st century, indeed for several centuries now, adherence to his ideas has been a great hindrance, especially to women. It is centuries since Islam was in the vanguard of scientific and social progress. This author points out how the Islamic world is retarded by the very creed it holds so dear.Ayaan Hirsi Ali describes the terrible results of the abuse of Muslim women in her adopted country of the Netherlands. Victims of female circumcision, marital violence and rape are certainly not confined to Islamic communities. The creed, however, fashioned by and for men, and frozen by its rigid adherence to obsolete texts, inevitably condones and encourages such abuse.Although most of the case studies are Dutch, many of her warnings about the dangers of multiculturalism can be applied in the UK too. As her book went to press there was a misguided bill, in progress through Parliament, which would have outlawed expressions of religious hatred. Fortunately for our traditions of free speech the bill failed and we are still free to speak out against ideas and practices which we find offensive.A great read. I sincerely hope it will do its bit to challenge our attitudes, and to make us value more our hard won freedoms.

This book should be compulsory reading for all concerned citizens who are appalled by domestic violence. Muslim women need both moral and physical support from other members of the wider society for true empowerment