The New York Times describes Irshad Manji as “Osama bin Laden’s worst nightmare.” She takes that as a compliment.

Manji is the author of the best-selling The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith, published in 26 countries. In regions that have banned her book, she is reaching readers by posting free translations on her website.

Manji is a Senior Fellow with the European Foundation for Democracy and a former resident writer at Yale University and the University of Toronto. She writes syndicated columns that are distributed worldwide by the New York Times syndicate, and has also launched an online initiative to revive Islam’s own tradition of dissent and debate.

Oprah Winfrey recently honoured Manji with the first annual Chutzpah Award for “audacity, nerve, boldness and conviction.” Ms. named her a Feminist for the 21st Century and Maclean’s selected her for its honour roll of Canadians Who Make a Difference. The Jakarta Post in Indonesia – the world’s largest Muslim country – has declared Manji one of three women creating positive change in Islam today.