It is only proper and hardly surprising, that political problems always emerge in various discussions on Islâm. In its relationship with political problems, Moslems usually say that Islam is different from many other religions. This statement, frequently little more than a stereotype, does contain substantial truth. So, denying it would be like denying a historical reality which has been going…
This book raises the themes of religion, culture and civilization, from the perspective of a Muslim who tries to provide a contemporary context for the religious teachings he believes in. According to the author, comparative studies based on exclusive knowledge are inadequate, and dialogues based on the religion, culture and civilization of each dialoguer are insufficient to achieve a level of …
This book unveils the history of discriminatory policies imposed in Indonesia upon people of Arab descent, and reveals the instrumental role of a Dutch scholar and orientalist, Prof. Snouck Hurgronje, in creating systematic policies to segregate and isolate these Indonesians from the local indigenous Moslem population
Is Islam compatible with democracy? Must fundamentalism win out in the Middle East, or will democracy ever be possible? In her groundbreaking new book, Moroccan sociologist Fatima Mernissi explores the ways in which people on dramatically opposing sides - feminists and defenders of democracy versus violent fundamentalists - must use the same sacred texts to prove different views. Islam and Demo…
After September 11, Americans agonized over why nineteen men hated the United States enough to kill three thousand civilians in an unprovoked assault. Analysts have offered a wide variety of explanations for the attack, but the one voice missing is that of the terrorists themselves. This penetrating book is the first to present the inner logic of al-Qa’ida and like-minded extremist groups by …
This volume explores the relation between Islam and the state in Buddhist-majority Myanmar from both an empirical and a comparative perspective. It provides an informed response to contemporary issues facing the Muslim communities of Myanmar, furthering knowledge of the interaction between state institutions, government policies, and society past and the present.
Political Islam" examines how Islamists, using both violent and peaceful means, are reshaping the region's authoritarian secular political order and redefining Islam's role in the public arena; "Cultural Islam" looks at Egyptian efforts to resist a ubiquitous Western culture by asserting an Islamic identity; "Thinking Islam" reveals how intellectuals are reexamining their theological heritage w…
The appearance of modern political movements proclaiming missions and legitimacy based on religious tradition and scripture has proved to be an enduring feature in many late twentieth-century societies. These phenom- ena are by no means exclusive to the Middle East, but there the issue has assumed great urgency and visibility because of the region's strategic cen- trality to Western political a…
Exploring the gamut of issues involved in this complex problem, this book constitutes a comprehensive and in-depth study of federalism and devolution in the Sri Lankan context. The author leads us on a journey of discovery spanning various phases of the evolution of the problem, from pre-independence Sri Lanka to the victory of the Kumaratunga government in 1994, and its subsequent failure to i…
As Israelis and Palestinians negotiate separation and division of their land, Meron Benvenisti, former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, maintains that any expectations for "peaceful partition" are doomed. In his brave and controversial new book, he raises the possibility of a confederation of Israel/Palestine, the only solution that he feels will bring lasting peace.