Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives

Book Overview

9/11 and continued acts of global terrorism have challenged the understanding of academic experts, policymakers, and students, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Critical questions have been raised about Islam and Muslim politics in the modern world: Are Islam and modernity compatible? Is Islam in need of and capable of reform? What do Islam and what do Muslims have to say about globalization, democracy, human rights, women, jihad, violence, terrorism, and suicide bombing?
Thoroughly revised and updated in this second edition, Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives responds to these and other questions, taking into account the myriad of changes and challenges that Islam and Muslims have experienced over the last twenty years. Featuring numerous contemporary writings, fifty percent of which are new to this edition, it provides a point of entry into the various and changing dynamics of Muslim discourse and politics. This volume also bridges the nineteenth and the twenty-first centuries by retaining relevant classic selections from the first edition--by a diverse group of contributors from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the U.S.--that offer historical background.
Ideal for courses on Islam, politics in Islam, and Middle Eastern history, Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives, Second Edition, presents a wide range of viewpoints from a cross-section of Muslim intellectuals and religious leaders, from secular to devout, traditionalist to reformist, and moderate to extremist. The essays address key issues including Islam and nationalism, socialism, the secular state, economics, modernization, democracy, women, jihad, violence, terrorism, suicide bombing, globalization, and civilizational dialogue.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195174313
• ISBN13: 9780195174311
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 1.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Required reading!

This book is a wonderful compilation of first person sources regarding Islam in the Modern Era from the 17th century to the present day, focusing on the divergent responses of Muslim thinkers to Western influence. It begins with a selection of articles responding to the challenges of colonization and imperialism and ends with a discussion of contemporary challenges, including the notion of jihad and terrorism. This book's advantage is in letting the reader draw his or her own conclusions instead of relying on interpretations of the opinions. Articles speak on a variety of Muslim responses to post-Enlightenment Western concepts, including socio-economic theory; the nation-state; democratic principles; law; and secularism, to name a few. It also presents a variety of perspectives on distinctly Muslim issues, including the role of Islam in society; Quranic interpretation; religious law; gender; and jihad. The articles in this book are best read with a good knowledge of the principles of Islam, and a good knowledge of the historical development of Islam and the Muslim world. This book should be required reading for all serious English-speaking students of Islam and the Muslim world in contemporary society, including those focusing on the Middle East, terrorism, conflict studies, politics, culture, etc.