The Accidental Preacher: A Novel

Zayed came to his dream city, Delhi, to escape abject poverty and a not-too-good relationship with his abusive father. He thought he had found his moorings when he joined a prestigious University for higher education. But there were people around him who wanted him to believe, dress and talk in a certain way. He came to realise that ascetic teachings were the way to go. But that turned out to be an error, an error that was too late for him to turn around. In pursuit of his dreams to attain higher education, Zayed reaches Turkey. However, the trap around him keeps closing in. Zayed finds himself caught in the crossfire into two warring groups—one in favour of the ruling dispensation and the other fighting it. Despite his several attempts to escape the trap, Zayed ends up with the accusation of being with the radicals.

In his first fiction work, author Kashif Hasan Khan lays bare the choices that are there today before a Muslim youth, as those at the helm of their communities leave them virtually with no choice to lead a life independent of dogmas.