Born in Kuwait to Palestinian refugee parents, a chance meeting led Mostafa Salameh first to London and then to Edinburgh, where he partied to excess, despite having little money. Islam played almost no part in his thinking. Yet it was in Edinburgh that Mostafa had a dream – a profoundly religious experience that would see him renew his faith and change the course of his entire life.
One night, Mostafa dreamt that he was standing at the highest point in the world reciting the call to prayer. Despite having no prior mountaineering experience or training, he was inspired to follow his vision and climb Mount Everest. He failed to summit twice before finally reaching the top in 2008 – going on to become the first Jordanian ever to reach the North Pole, and to scale the ‘Seven Summits’. In 2016 he reached the South Pole, the first Muslim ever to have done so.
Yet exploring is only half the story. Now a devout Muslim, Mostafa is committed to spreading the message of tolerant Islam. A motivational speaker and activist, he is working to turn Arab youth away from radicalisation. Through climbing, he has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity. At a time when positive images of Islam can seem few and far between, Dreams of a Refugee tells Mostafa’s remarkable story, one of extraordinary faith and positivity. His message for our sceptical times is simple: that each of us has an Everest inside us, which we all can summit if only we dare to dream.
By:
Mostafa Salameh
Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 198mm,
Width: 129mm,
Weight: 197g
ISBN: 9781472943835
ISBN 10: 147294383X
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01 February 2017
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
List of illustrations Foreword Preface: 2017 - Climbing Ben Nevis for the People of Palestine 1 Childhood 2 London 3 Edinburgh 4 India 5 The Dream 6 Mount Everest 7 The Seven Summits and the North Pole 8 Islam 9 Palestine, Isis, Radicalisation 10 The South Pole and Onwards
Mostafa Salameh is a Jordanian mountaineer who has completed the Seven Summits, including Mount Everest in 2008, and the North and South poles. He is also a motivational speaker and campaigner for anti-radicalisation.
Reviews for Dreams of a Refugee: From the Middle East to Mount Everest
An extraordinary story of faith, bravery and perseverance. Mostafa Salameh, the first Muslim to climb the Seven Summits and reach both Poles, claims each of us has an Everest within us; this book persuades us we can all achieve our goals if we have the courage to begin trying. * Ranulph Fiennes, explorer, fundraiser, author and public speaker * Mostafa Salameh's story should be read for its larger message on the determination necessary to face real challenges and make a change for the better. * His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan * A heroic epic for the ages: The trailblazing path of Jordan's most famous global explorer and conqueror of the Three Poles. * HRH Princess Ghida Talal of Jordan, Chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation * Dreams of a Refugee is not merely a self-help/motivational/positive thinking book, neither is it a tragic story of refugees and their painful struggle in the unjust world; it is a story of finding one's true self, a purpose, to dream and live to bring a change for the better. * Free Press Journal, Mumbai * A wonderful evocation of what the human spirit can achieve, through grit, determination, inspiration and leadership in the face of all types of adversity. * H. E. Mr Edward Oakden, British Ambassador to Jordan * Inspiring is an understatement, this book spreads hope to the hopeless, optimism to the pessimist, and wakes the sleeping adventurer in many; I am witness to how many young people from all walks of life are touched by his story. * Maher Kaddoura, businessman and philanthropist *