Islam in Transition: Muslim Perspectives

by John J. Donohue (Editor), John L. Esposito (Editor)

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.

Genres: Islam, Religion, Nonfiction, History, Middle East

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Marwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a very good book for Non-Muslims ... it gives them a wide variety of different opinions by totally different Muslims thinkers in one book. You will realize the degree of pluralism in Islamic thought.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely academic book but excellent. I was tired of understanding Islam and the Arab world through the media and took classes throughout college to learn more. This book is a collection of original writings by seminal thinkers of the modern muslim world from Sayyid Qutb, al-Afghani, to Hamas and the Khomeini. If you want to comprehend the present, you must first learn from the past.

[Alia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad there is something like this in print, definitely shows the diversity of Muslim intellectuals/reformers (both good/bad) on various topics. Every Western Muslim that doesn't have access to the original text should own this.