Islam Under Siege: Living Dangerously in a Post- Honor World / Edition 1

by Akbar S. Ahmed

Overview

In this groundbreaking book, Akbar Ahmed, one of the world's leading authorities on Islam, who has worked in the Muslim world but lives in the West, explains what is going wrong in his society by referring to Islamic history and beliefs. Employing theological and anthropological perspectives, he attempts to answer the questions that people in the West are asking about Islam: "Why do they hate us?" "Is Islam compatible with democracy?" "Does Islam subjugate women?" "Does the Quran preach violence?" These important questions are of relevance to Muslims and to non-Muslims alike. Islam Under Siege points out the need for, and provides the route to, the dialogue of civilizations.

September 11, 2001, underlined the role of Islam in our time. In its demographic spread, its political span, and its religious commitment, Islam will be an increasingly forceful presence on the world stage in the twenty-first century. While some scholars predict that there will be a clash of civilizations, others see a need for a dialogue of civilizations.

This book will help students, scholars of politics, sociology, international relations, and cultural studies, and reporters as well as a more general audience interested in some of the most important issues of our time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745622095
Publisher:	Polity Press
Publication date:	08/08/2003
Series:	Themes for the 21st Century
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Akbar Ahmed is Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University, Washington, DC

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments.

Introduction: God’s Gamble.

Chapter 1 Islam under Siege.

i The Return of Anthropology and the Final Crusade.

ii The Sense of Muslim Siege.

Chapter 2 What is Going Wrong?.

i Is it about Islam or is it Globalization?.

ii A Post-Honor World?.

Chapter 3 Ibn Khaldun and Social Cohesion.

i The Khaldunian Breakdown.

ii The Man in the Iron Cage.

Chapter 4 The Failure of Muslim Leadership.

i. Muslim Leaders.

ii. Veiled Truth: Women in Islam.

Chapter 5 Searching for a Muslim Ideal: Inclusion.

i Case Study One: The Scholarship of Inclusion.

ii Inclusivists in America: Islam in Toledo, Ohio.

Chapter 6 Searching for a Muslim Ideal: Exclusion.

i Case Study Two: The Scholarship of Exclusion.

ii Exclusivists in America: The Debate in Cleveland, Ohio.

Chapter 7 Toward a Global Paradigm.

i The Challenge for Islam.

ii Questions for our Time.

Notes.

References.

Index

Editorial Reviews

"The 21st century will be the century of Islam," writes Ahmed, who holds a chair in Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. Moreover, the 21st century may be "a time of war between Islam and... other world civilizations." Ahmed resists easy characterizations of Islam, always striving to offer a balanced depiction: Islam is both exclusivist and inclusivist, respectful of women but also mired in some cultural traditions that oppress them. Some portions of the book are dry and theoretical, and the academic jargon makes for slow reading. Other sections are fascinating and engaging--particularly Ahmed's ethnographic explorations of different pockets of Muslim life. He shares his difficult personal experiences as a scholar who spearheaded a controversial film study of Pakistan founder M.A. Jinnah, and concludes: "Looking at the breakdown of society for a Muslim scholar is like staring into the face of despair." In the next section, however, he communicates his optimism after visiting the inclusive, tolerant Muslim community in Toledo, Ohio. (July) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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