We got the first shipment of Dina Zaman's book I Am Muslim on the 3rd of March. The major bookshops started getting their hands on the book on Monday the 5th of March. The first print run of 3000 books was sold out within a month, with the bookshops clamouring for more. We are just into the second week of the third month and we are out of the second print run of another 3000. We have currently ordered another 3000 copies from the printers.With 6000 sold in the first two months, this must be the fastest selling Malaysian book in English ever. Rehman Rashid and Karim Raslan have probably sold more in total. But the Dina Zaman juggernaut has just only started. The Malay version will be out soon.
The vast majority of the feedback received so far has been positive. "Thank you for writing the book Dina. Thank you for airing these issues. You have done us all a big favour." But not everyone, it appears, is happy. Dina has received threatening phone calls, rude emails, has been called names, branded an apostate and received "How dare you" hate mail - exactly the type of close-mindedness she rallies against.
Dina needs our support. Support her, post her a note.
