Ed Husain is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is best known for his book The Islamist, which chronicles his journey from radical Islamism to a more moderate form of Islam. He is also the co-founder of the Quilliam Foundation, a counter-extremism think tank. Husain was born in London and raised in a traditional Muslim family. He studied at the University of London and later at the London School of Economics. He was drawn to radical Islamism during his university years, and eventually joined the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. After a period of reflection, Husain left the group and began to advocate for a more moderate form of Islam. Husain has written extensively on the topics of Islamism, extremism, and the Middle East. He has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal. He is a frequent speaker at universities and other institutions around the world. Husain is a passionate advocate for religious tolerance and understanding. He believes that the only way to combat extremism is through education and dialogue. He is a strong proponent of interfaith dialogue and has worked to bridge the gap between different religious communities.