Maryam Jameela: An Unlikely Jihadist

The Takeaway

When we think of Jihadists, we tend to think of people like Faisal Shahzad, who attempted to bomb Times Square last spring. But it so happens that one of the most famous Jihadist thinkers is a 76-year-old white woman from Westchester, New York named Maryam Jameela.  Born to a non-observant Jewish family, she converted to Islam in her twenties, emigrated to Pakistan, and became a prominent female voice for conservative Islam, writing over thirty books on the subject.   Deborah Baker  is the author of a new book about Maryam Jameelah. It’s called “The Convert: A Tale of Exile and Extremism.”

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