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The Missing Martyrs: Why There Are So Few Muslim Terrorists
Why are there so few Muslim terrorists? With more than a billion Muslims in the world--many of whom supposedly hate the West and ardently desire martyrdom--why don't we see terrorist attacks every day? Where are the missing martyrs?
In this startlingly counterintuitive book, a leading authority on Islamic movements demonstrates that terrorist groups are thoroughly marginal in the Muslim world. Charles Kurzman draws on government sources, public opinion surveys, election results, and in-depth interviews with Muslims in the Middle East and around the world. He finds that young Muslims are indeed angry with what they see as imperialism--and especially at Western support for local dictatorships. But revolutionary Islamists have failed to reach them, as can be seen from the terrorists' own websites and publications, which constantly bemoan the dearth of willing recruits.
Kurzman notes that it takes only a small cadre of committed killers to wreak unspeakable havoc. But that very fact underscores his point. As easy as terrorism is to commit, few Muslims turn to violence. Out of 140,000 murders in the United States since 9/11, Islamist terrorists have killed at most three dozen people. Of the 150,000 people who die each day, worldwide, Islamist militants account for fewer than fifty fatalities--and only ten per day outside of the hotspots of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan. The real bulwark against Islamist violence, Kurzman finds, is Muslims themselves, who reject both the goals of the terrorists and their bloody means. With each bombing, the terrorists lose support among Muslims.
Incisive and authoritative, The Missing Martyrs provides much-needed corrective to deep-seated and destructive misconceptions about Muslims and the Islamic world. The threat of Islamist terrorism is real, Kurzman shows, but its dimensions are, so far, tightly confined.
In this startlingly counterintuitive book, a leading authority on Islamic movements demonstrates that terrorist groups are thoroughly marginal in the Muslim world. Charles Kurzman draws on government sources, public opinion surveys, election results, and in-depth interviews with Muslims in the Middle East and around the world. He finds that young Muslims are indeed angry with what they see as imperialism--and especially at Western support for local dictatorships. But revolutionary Islamists have failed to reach them, as can be seen from the terrorists' own websites and publications, which constantly bemoan the dearth of willing recruits.
Kurzman notes that it takes only a small cadre of committed killers to wreak unspeakable havoc. But that very fact underscores his point. As easy as terrorism is to commit, few Muslims turn to violence. Out of 140,000 murders in the United States since 9/11, Islamist terrorists have killed at most three dozen people. Of the 150,000 people who die each day, worldwide, Islamist militants account for fewer than fifty fatalities--and only ten per day outside of the hotspots of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan. The real bulwark against Islamist violence, Kurzman finds, is Muslims themselves, who reject both the goals of the terrorists and their bloody means. With each bombing, the terrorists lose support among Muslims.
Incisive and authoritative, The Missing Martyrs provides much-needed corrective to deep-seated and destructive misconceptions about Muslims and the Islamic world. The threat of Islamist terrorism is real, Kurzman shows, but its dimensions are, so far, tightly confined.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2011
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706 people want to read
About the author
Charles Kurzman
12 books27 followersCharles Kurzman is a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-director of the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 29, 2011
The author is a sociologist who has done research in Iran, but this book is accessible to anyone, regardless of one's knowledge of sociology, Islam, or the Middle East.
The book explores why there are not more Muslim terrorists. An assumption held by many non-Muslims, and actively advanced by some, is the idea that Islam is inherently violent and its doctrines compel its followers to wage war against non-Muslims. In advancing this notion, some people cherry pick Quranic verses and ahadith to advance the notion that terrorism is ideologically rooted in Islam. These "facts" can seem like plausible explanations to many, because they appear to offer an easy explanation for why many of the most horrific terror attacks of the last few decades have been perpetrated by Muslims. But, if those who argue that Islam is an ideological foundation for terror were even close to being correct, given that there are about a billion Muslims in this world, then it seems likely that we would have seen far more terror attacks in recent years. Kurzman inquires into why that has not happened.
Rather than engage in a discussion of theology or Islamic jurisprudence, Kurzman focuses on the religious views of individuals who have conducted terror attacks and the religious views of other Muslims of various backgrounds. What he finds is that many perpetrators of terror attacks do not hold views that the ideological leaders of various terror movements would approve of. He also finds that most Muslims disagree with the ideology that most terrorist leaders espouse.
But this book is more than an argument against the notion that Muslims are terrorists. Kurzman also explores how attitudes and ideology are impacted by US foreign policy. In short: not very much. He explains why Muslim attitudes toward the US are inelastic; largely unchanging regardless of our foreign policy.
This book is a badly needed counterpoint to the vicious slander that passes for public discourse today on religion in America. Rather than arguing what the Quran does or does not say, Kurzman chooses to inquire into what Muslims actually believe. Rather than assume that America is to blame for any ill will, he explores why others dislike us and finds it to be a far more complex issue that cannot be explained away by criticizing US foreign policy.
The book explores why there are not more Muslim terrorists. An assumption held by many non-Muslims, and actively advanced by some, is the idea that Islam is inherently violent and its doctrines compel its followers to wage war against non-Muslims. In advancing this notion, some people cherry pick Quranic verses and ahadith to advance the notion that terrorism is ideologically rooted in Islam. These "facts" can seem like plausible explanations to many, because they appear to offer an easy explanation for why many of the most horrific terror attacks of the last few decades have been perpetrated by Muslims. But, if those who argue that Islam is an ideological foundation for terror were even close to being correct, given that there are about a billion Muslims in this world, then it seems likely that we would have seen far more terror attacks in recent years. Kurzman inquires into why that has not happened.
Rather than engage in a discussion of theology or Islamic jurisprudence, Kurzman focuses on the religious views of individuals who have conducted terror attacks and the religious views of other Muslims of various backgrounds. What he finds is that many perpetrators of terror attacks do not hold views that the ideological leaders of various terror movements would approve of. He also finds that most Muslims disagree with the ideology that most terrorist leaders espouse.
But this book is more than an argument against the notion that Muslims are terrorists. Kurzman also explores how attitudes and ideology are impacted by US foreign policy. In short: not very much. He explains why Muslim attitudes toward the US are inelastic; largely unchanging regardless of our foreign policy.
This book is a badly needed counterpoint to the vicious slander that passes for public discourse today on religion in America. Rather than arguing what the Quran does or does not say, Kurzman chooses to inquire into what Muslims actually believe. Rather than assume that America is to blame for any ill will, he explores why others dislike us and finds it to be a far more complex issue that cannot be explained away by criticizing US foreign policy.
August 27, 2011
Kurzman's look at Islam and Islamist terrorism is a much needed book in today's climate of fear, paranoia, and misinformation. As the title would suggest, he begins with the common American assumption that violence and hatred of the West are somehow inherent in the DNA of Islam and then, looking at the actual statistics, asks, "Why are there so few Muslim terrorists?" If the commonly held ideas linking terrorism and violence with Islam are accurate one would expect that with a billion Muslims in the world terrorists and terrorism would be far more common.
The book delves into recently gathered data to examine attitudes, opinion, and voting patterns in Muslim majority nations to answer the question. Kurzman shows a disconnect between animosity toward the West or toward America and a willingness to commit radical acts. The book examines the many facets of radical Islam and its contrast with the growing prevalence of liberal Islamist views in the Muslim world. Kurzman also looks at the relationship between US foreign policy and attitudes toward the US and offers helpful ideas in regard to what the US can do to improve relations with Muslims and promote Liberalism in Muslim nations.
The book delves into recently gathered data to examine attitudes, opinion, and voting patterns in Muslim majority nations to answer the question. Kurzman shows a disconnect between animosity toward the West or toward America and a willingness to commit radical acts. The book examines the many facets of radical Islam and its contrast with the growing prevalence of liberal Islamist views in the Muslim world. Kurzman also looks at the relationship between US foreign policy and attitudes toward the US and offers helpful ideas in regard to what the US can do to improve relations with Muslims and promote Liberalism in Muslim nations.
September 11, 2011
Some useful (for me anyway) historical background on issues such as how Taliban and Bin Laden felt about each other, overlap and conflict in their priorities and methods, rivalries, etc.
Beyond that, I had some trouble getting into the motivating premise of the book, that it's a surprise (from the vantage point of what he takes to be typical American perspective) that there are so few terrorists relative to how many Muslims they are.
As I read, I kept involuntarily humming Anne Murray's "A Little Good News" ("....nobody got assassinated in the whole wide world today....."). I mean, yes, it's great that the majority of Muslims are not suicide bombers, but I never thought that in the first place. And it doesn't take a large number of terrorists to cause a large amount of concern.
so I guess I'd say I recommend this book as an eye-opener for anyone who thinks Muslim = terrorist fanatic and as in-depth education for anyone who doesn't think that and can ignore the author's point of departure while sifting through the book for stuff you didn't know before.
Beyond that, I had some trouble getting into the motivating premise of the book, that it's a surprise (from the vantage point of what he takes to be typical American perspective) that there are so few terrorists relative to how many Muslims they are.
As I read, I kept involuntarily humming Anne Murray's "A Little Good News" ("....nobody got assassinated in the whole wide world today....."). I mean, yes, it's great that the majority of Muslims are not suicide bombers, but I never thought that in the first place. And it doesn't take a large number of terrorists to cause a large amount of concern.
so I guess I'd say I recommend this book as an eye-opener for anyone who thinks Muslim = terrorist fanatic and as in-depth education for anyone who doesn't think that and can ignore the author's point of departure while sifting through the book for stuff you didn't know before.
October 28, 2012
I picked this book up out of idle curiosity, and was blown away. Anyone with the vaguest interest in the "War on Terror" or American foreign relations with Muslim states should read it.
The basic premise is an analysis of why, despite wide-spread anti-American feelings in the Middle East, there are statistically so very few Muslim terrorists. Kurzman is an expert on Iranian politics and culture, and he uses Iran quite often as a gauge on anti-American feeling.
But this book isn't just about that basic point. Kurzman also discuses American foreign policy towards Muslim states in general, as well as the ramifications of internal and external American misunderstandings of motives and attitudes not only of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, but the Muslim world in general. He's also a fan of a unilateral American recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, with or without Israeli support (which I agree with). Also presented is the novel idea that we should actually listen to what people need, instead of deciding what they need from afar. Kurzman relates a story of an American unit in Afghanistan (I believe) which was under constant rocket attacks. The commander went to the local village, who probably at least knew where the rockets were coming from, and instead of razing it, actually talked to the elders. Apparently they were angry because of an American raid in the village which had destroyed some important buildings. They happened to mention that they really needed a school. A few days later, American troops brought them a bunch of school supplies, and lo and behold, the attacks stopped. A tiny bit of positive effort, and LISTENING, can lead to a cessation of hostilities better than kicking in doors and tossing flashbangs.
This isn't a liberal or conservative book, really, though if you had to choose it would probably lean slightly left. Kurzman is pro-academic, I suppose, and certainly pro-sociology. He feels that understanding the Muslim world is vital for forming proper, effective foreign policy both in terms of fighting terrorism, and simply in having positive relations with the Middle East. It has a great deal of direct quotes from surveys of people in various Muslim nations, and is a unique frame of reference for anyone interested in the overarching discussion of Muslim/Western relations.
The basic premise is an analysis of why, despite wide-spread anti-American feelings in the Middle East, there are statistically so very few Muslim terrorists. Kurzman is an expert on Iranian politics and culture, and he uses Iran quite often as a gauge on anti-American feeling.
But this book isn't just about that basic point. Kurzman also discuses American foreign policy towards Muslim states in general, as well as the ramifications of internal and external American misunderstandings of motives and attitudes not only of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, but the Muslim world in general. He's also a fan of a unilateral American recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state, with or without Israeli support (which I agree with). Also presented is the novel idea that we should actually listen to what people need, instead of deciding what they need from afar. Kurzman relates a story of an American unit in Afghanistan (I believe) which was under constant rocket attacks. The commander went to the local village, who probably at least knew where the rockets were coming from, and instead of razing it, actually talked to the elders. Apparently they were angry because of an American raid in the village which had destroyed some important buildings. They happened to mention that they really needed a school. A few days later, American troops brought them a bunch of school supplies, and lo and behold, the attacks stopped. A tiny bit of positive effort, and LISTENING, can lead to a cessation of hostilities better than kicking in doors and tossing flashbangs.
This isn't a liberal or conservative book, really, though if you had to choose it would probably lean slightly left. Kurzman is pro-academic, I suppose, and certainly pro-sociology. He feels that understanding the Muslim world is vital for forming proper, effective foreign policy both in terms of fighting terrorism, and simply in having positive relations with the Middle East. It has a great deal of direct quotes from surveys of people in various Muslim nations, and is a unique frame of reference for anyone interested in the overarching discussion of Muslim/Western relations.
February 24, 2019
I always felt like the US mass media was too eager to exaggerate the loss and horror of 9/11. Too eager to name who "our enemies" were, to instill fear on all who watched. Everyone liked to point to Fox News as the worst offender, but I felt that undercurrent from every news network I tried to watch. While I thought the deaths were terrible, I was more scared by the paranoia expressed than the idea of another attack. I mean, who was the US declaring war against again?
So having a retrospective look of groupthink on both sides of the fence was appreciated by me. It was a welcome change with realistic explanations. To my joy, it includes the people who can sympathize but not support as well—the layman, the artists, the moderates, the religious leaders. Obviously, not everyone will resort to violence to express their beliefs, but I appreciate that there was an extensive effort to illustrate that reality through multiple resources. People are people, no matter where they live.
Kurzman's criticism and dissection of uniformed pundits always amused me. And I did learn something about the differences between militant Islamist organizations that grabbed the headlines. It was like Kurzman was calmly answering all of my biggest questions that I wanted answered from my confused youth. Hell, he helped clarify some things I was puzzled about nowadays too! I was surprised to get a dry laugh out of it.
The Missing Martyrs is a scholar's report, so I can't imagine it will be easy to read without concentration. Don't expect a Mary Roach experience; Kurzman shares stories, but they are aimed to be informative and not entertainment. If you follow along with him, however, passages can be quite fascinating. Kurzman also assumes that you have a vague idea of which militant Islamist organizations are active or what 9/11 did to the global public conscious, which may alienate people who either don't pay attention to the news or were too young to experience the public news rush.
It's unfortunate that the closest I've found to even approaching the same subject matter in a bookstore nearest to me is rather dated, radical, and filled with all of the dangers Kurzman warns against ( Why We Want to Kill You: The Jihadist Mindset & How to Defeat it ). There should be more books like The Missing Martyrs in every library and bookstore. Especially now that it has been updated to include what has changed since the Bush administration.
Thank you, Kurzman, for updating this book. I am grateful for the work that went into it. With any luck, there won't be a need to update it again another decade from now.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
So having a retrospective look of groupthink on both sides of the fence was appreciated by me. It was a welcome change with realistic explanations. To my joy, it includes the people who can sympathize but not support as well—the layman, the artists, the moderates, the religious leaders. Obviously, not everyone will resort to violence to express their beliefs, but I appreciate that there was an extensive effort to illustrate that reality through multiple resources. People are people, no matter where they live.
Kurzman's criticism and dissection of uniformed pundits always amused me. And I did learn something about the differences between militant Islamist organizations that grabbed the headlines. It was like Kurzman was calmly answering all of my biggest questions that I wanted answered from my confused youth. Hell, he helped clarify some things I was puzzled about nowadays too! I was surprised to get a dry laugh out of it.
The Missing Martyrs is a scholar's report, so I can't imagine it will be easy to read without concentration. Don't expect a Mary Roach experience; Kurzman shares stories, but they are aimed to be informative and not entertainment. If you follow along with him, however, passages can be quite fascinating. Kurzman also assumes that you have a vague idea of which militant Islamist organizations are active or what 9/11 did to the global public conscious, which may alienate people who either don't pay attention to the news or were too young to experience the public news rush.
It's unfortunate that the closest I've found to even approaching the same subject matter in a bookstore nearest to me is rather dated, radical, and filled with all of the dangers Kurzman warns against ( Why We Want to Kill You: The Jihadist Mindset & How to Defeat it ). There should be more books like The Missing Martyrs in every library and bookstore. Especially now that it has been updated to include what has changed since the Bush administration.
Thank you, Kurzman, for updating this book. I am grateful for the work that went into it. With any luck, there won't be a need to update it again another decade from now.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
July 5, 2019
3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4. If Muslims hate America so much, why haven’t we seen more terrorism? How do you explain the gap? The author is a sociology professor at the University of Chapel Hill. His explanation, as I understand it, is that not all Muslims hate America, and for those that do, it’s either not worth getting themselves killed or they just can’t get their act together. There simply aren’t that many passionate, activist American-hating Muslims out there, although their number isn’t zero. Although I appreciated the book, I think I’d get much more out of attending a semester-long course on the topic, with discussion and feedback. Sadly, I suspect that there’s a very large portion of the American population that will never change their minds about the perceived threat of Muslim terrorists no matter what anyone says.
January 19, 2016
Rather than the typical question of 'why re there so many Muslim terrorists?" Kurzman seeks to ask the opposite; why aren't there more Muslim terrorists? He argues that an understanding of the Middle East shows that people simply don't support violent political Islam - and never really did.
December 13, 2016
Written pre-Isis, so some of its accuracy has decreased. Poses some interesting questions and raises some interesting points.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews