Islam Books

Book SynopsisAN INDEPENDENT BEST BOOKS ON RELIGION 2014 PICK Few things provoke controversy in the modern world like the religion brought by Prophet Muhammad. Modern media are replete with alarm over jihad, underage marriage and the threat of amputation or stoning under Shariah law. Sometimes rumor, sometimes based on fact and often misunderstood, the tenets of Islamic law and dogma were not set in the religion’s founding moments. They were developed, like in other world religions, over centuries by the clerical class of Muslim scholars. Misquoting Muhammad takes the reader back in time through Islamic civilization and traces how and why such controversies developed, offering an inside view into how key and controversial aspects of Islam took shape. From the protests of the Arab Spring to Istanbul at the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and from the ochre red walls of Delhi’s great mosques to the trade routes of the Indian Ocean world, Misquoting Muhammad lays out how Muslim intellectuals have sought to balance reason and revelation, weigh science and religion, and negotiate the eternal truths of scripture amid shifting values.Trade Review‘Lucid, learned and engaging’ * Karen Armstrong, Sunday Times *'Brown possesses formidable knowledge of premodern Muslim scholars who sought to preserve accounts of Muhammad’s teachings and practices … Misquoting Muhammad sheds light on the considerable dynamism and sophistication within the Sunni tradition.' -- Washington Post‘Exhilarating ... Brown is among the most talented and productive scholars in the field of Islamic Studies today ... He is also a practicing Muslim who has the rare ability to sit at the feet of traditional scholars from Egypt to Malaysia for hours on end and translate that knowledge into something beneficial for his American audiences.’ * Los Angeles Review of Books *'Identifies and contextualizes the larger interpretive issues at stake in the global competition between diverse traditional and Salafi Sunni voices, and is written in such an engaging manner that the reader may find it difficult to put it down.' * Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies *‘Superb… an essential read for anyone seeking to understand Islam and the Muslim world… fascinating’ * Tribune *‘Brown ably navigates the cutting edge of Hadith studies while offering his able insight, encyclopedic knowledge of Muslim textual traditions, and awareness of the political contentiousness of scholarship in Islamic studies… highly recommended’ * ALA CHOICE Magazine *‘Misquoting Muhammad is a book I wish I had the money to buy for all my friends and colleagues, because he presents readers with a guide to Islamic thought that portrays it not as a fixed entity but as a complex product of utterly human machinations... Ultimately, Brown teaches a simple, if vital, lesson: Authenticity is elusive in religion, and those who claim it tend not to be searching for the truth but grasping for power.’ * Pacific Standard magazine *'Misquoting Muhammad makes the important point that what many Muslims believe to be essential tenets of their faith are often nothing of the sort' * Independent, best books of the year *‘There aren't many books on Islam where the Prophet Muhammad and Martin Scorsese appear together… helpful for the lay reader’ * Independent *‘an inside view into how key controversial aspects of how Islam took shape’ * Asian Art Newspaper *‘Erudite and provocative… compelling’ * Literary Review *'Eminently qualified... Brown eloquently parses Islam's rich interpretive tradition.' -- Kirkus Reviews‘An accessible yet erudite intellectual history of how the sayings and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad have been preserved and interpreted in Islamic history… This book is one of the best places to start with when seeking to understand the Islamic intellectual tradition.’ -- Chicago Review of BooksTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Notes on dates, transliteration, abbreviations and citations 1 The Problem(s) with Islam A world full of God Taking Islamic scripture and its interpreters seriously 2 A Map of the Islamic Interpretive Tradition The word of God, the teachings of His Prophet and the mind of man Obey God and obey His Messenger The beginnings of the Islamic interpretive tradition Abu Hanifa and the Partisans of Reason Malik and the authority of custom The power of reason: the Greek legacy and Islamic theology Shafi‘i and the beginnings of Sunni Islam The collection and criticism of Hadiths Putting reason in its place in Sunni theology and law The great convergence of Sunni Islam Legal theory and its discontents Sufism and inspiration from God The iconoclasts and Islamic revival Twilight of an era 3 The Fragile Truth of Scripture A crisis of confidence Canons and reading scripture with charity The turning over of an era Reading scripture so it’s true The Islamic science of epistemology and interpretation (Usul al-Fiqh) The language of God and the rhetoric of His Prophet The Qur’an: valid for all times and places Hadiths and interpreting the life of the Prophet Changing times and the reasons behind scriptural law The interaction of the Qur’an and Hadiths in time Into the weeds: the case of raising one’s hands in prayer The summer of the liberal age 4 Clinging to the Canon in a Ruptured World Upstarts at the end of time The treason of interpretation Heresy acceptable: ruptures in canonical communities Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them: jihad and (re)interpreting scripture Women cannot lead: historicizing scripture versus God’s inscrutable law Sex with little girls: interpreting scripture amid changing norms The ulama, the state and Shariah authenticity without scripture The court must not be political – morality and truth in a ruptured world 5 Muslim Martin Luthers and the Paradox of Tradition The paradox of interpretive control The rule of interpretation in the conflict between Sunni and Shiite Islam Tradition as governor, scripture as subject Killing one’s children: tradition betraying scripture Reconsidering the penalty for apostasy: tradition redeeming scripture Women leading prayer: should scripture trump tradition? The ‘Qur’an Only’ movement No escaping tradition The price of reformation The guide of tradition: a necessary but thankless job 6 Lying about the Prophet of God The truth, what’s that? Noble Lies and profound truths The ulama as guardians Appealing to the flesh: using unreliable Hadiths in Sunni Islam A familiar habit: assisting truth in Western scripture and historiography Seventy-two virgins: pragmatic truth and the heavenly reward of martyrs The cost of Noble Lying Muslim objections to the Noble Lie Genre versus book: reviving an old approach to authenticating Hadiths The dangers of Noble Lying for Muslims today Pragmatic truth and the beauty of Noble Lying 7 When Scripture Can’t Be True The Qur’an and domestic violence Who decides what God means? Courts have the final word Saying ‘no’ to the text and the hermeneutics of suspicion Appendix I: Marracci and Ockley on Aisha’s Marriage to the Prophet Appendix II: Hadiths on a Parent Killing His Child Ratings of the Hadith by Muslim critics Examination of individual narrations My evaluation of the Hadith Citations for Hadith of a Father Killing His Child Appendix III: The Hadith of riba and Incest Ratings by Hadith critics My evaluation of the Hadith of Riba and Incest Citations for the Hadith Appendix IV: The Hadith of the Seventy-Two Virgins Overall rating Citations for the Hadith of the Seventy-Two Virgins Notes Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWith a cast of characters ranging from Malcolm X to 50 Cent, Knight’s compelling work is the first detailed account of the movement inextricably linked with black empowerment, Islam, New York, and hip-hop. Whether discussing the stars of Five Percenter rap or 1980s crack empires, this fast-paced investigation uncovers the community’s icons and heritage, and examines its growing influence in urban American youth culture.Trade Review"Knight does an excellent job of presenting the movement’s founders, belief system and its history as seen by the people who live it." * Monsters and Critics *

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Book Synopsis Revive Your Heart is a call for spiritual renewal and an invitation to have a conversation with one of the world’s most recognizable voices on Islam, Nouman Ali Khan. This collection of essays is disarmingly simple, yet it challenges us to change. To revise our actions, our assumptions and our beliefs so we can be transformed from within, as well as externally. It aims to help modern Muslims maintain a spiritual connection with Allah and to address the challenges facing believers today: the disunity in the Muslim community, terrorists acting in the name of Islam, and the disconnection with Allah. These challenges and more are tackled by Nouman Ali Khan, with his profound engagement with the Qur''an, in his trademark voice that is sought out by millions of Muslims on a daily basis. About the Author Nouman Ali Khan is a Muslim speaker and the CEO and founder of Bayyinah Institute, an Arabic studies educational instit

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Book SynopsisMarried Ever After is a guide through the marriage process based on 20 timeless Qur''anic principles, insightful Prophetic examples and contemporary research on maintaining successful relationships. We know all relationships involve struggle, and challenges are an inevitable part of a believer''s life. Married Ever After teaches us how to pick the struggles that are worthy, rewarding and lead to the greatest pleasure.  Whether you are preparing for marriage, already in a marriage or contemplating ending one, Married Ever After is your companion, reminder and compass back to Divine pleasure at every stage.  Rooted in Islamic principles, we learn how our spiritual health impacts the wellbeing of our human relationships. The goal of Married Ever After is more important than ever. Learn how to revive the contentment at home, because successful thriving families are at the heart of a successful thriving Ummah.  

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Book Synopsis Allah''s are the names most beautiful. Whatever is in the heavens and earth extols His glory.—The Qur''an (Al-Hashr 59:24) Allah has 99 names. He who remembers these will certainly enter Paradise.—Prophet Muhammad (Bukharhi Hadith Kitab Ad-Dawat, 2,949) Remembering the Names of Allah is a sacred tradition in Islam. Both the Qur''an and sayings of the Prophet (Hadiths) state the importance of learning them and promise reward for reciting them in supplications and prayers. This beautiful presentation of Allah''s most revered nintety-nine names draws the reader nearer to the Divine through contemplation and reflection of Allah''s names, their meaning, and how each impacts our daily lives. They help to conceptualize Allah, Whose limitless greatness and glory is impossible to grasp. Each name is presented in the original Arabic and its translation into English. Accompanying each name is a commentary that is concise and easy to understand but rich

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Book SynopsisIbn al-''Arabi is still known as the Great Sheik among the surviving Sufi orders. Born in Muslim Spain, he has become famous in the West as the greatest mystical thinker of Islamic civilization. He was a great philosopher, theologian, and poet.William Chittick takes a major step toward exposing the breadth and depth of Ibn al-''Arabi''s vision. The book offers his view of spiritual perfection and explains his theology, ontology, epistemology, hermeneutics, and soteriology. The clear language, unencumbered by methodological jargon, makes it accessible to those familiar with other spiritual traditions, while its scholarly precision will appeal to specialists.Beginning with a survey of Ibn al-''Arabi''s major teachings, the book gradually introduces the most important facets of his thought, devoting attention to definitions of his basic terminology. His teachings are illustrated with many translated passages introducing readers to fascinating byways of spiritual life that would not ordinarily be encountered in an account of a thinker''s ideas. Ibn al-''Arabi is allowed to describe in detail the visionary world from which his knowledge derives and to express his teachings in his own words.More than 600 passages from his major work, al-Futuhat al-Makkivva, are translated here, practically for the first time. These alone provide twice the text of the Fusus al-hikam. The exhaustive indexes make the work an invaluable reference tool for research in Sufism and Islamic thought in general.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Ambitious and field-defining, Leila Ahmed’s Women and Gender in Islam laid the foundations for decades of scholarship on Muslim history and thought."—Kecia Ali, Boston University

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Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328) of Damascus was one of the most prominent and controversial religious scholars of medieval Islam. He called for jihad against the Mongol invaders of Syria, appealed to the foundational sources of Islam for reform, and battled against religious innovation. Today, he inspires such diverse movements as Global Salafism, Islamic revivalism and modernism, and violent jihadism. This volume synthesizes the latest research, discusses many little-known aspects of Ibn Taymiyya’s thought, and highlights the religious utilitarianism that pervades his activism, ethics, and theology.

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Book SynopsisUtilising a pioneering theological and hermeneutic framework adapted from both classical Muslim literature and contemporary academic studies of the Qur'an, Ramon Harvey explores the underlying principles of its system of social justice.

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Book SynopsisEarly Islam has emerged as a lively site of historical investigation, and scholars have challenged the traditional accounts of Islamic origins by drawing attention to the wealth of non-Islamic sources that describe the rise of Islam. A Prophet Has Appeared brings this approach to the classroom. This collection provides students and scholars with carefully selected, introduced, and annotated materials from non-Islamic sources dating to the early years of Islam. These can be read alone or alongside the Qur'an and later Islamic materials. Applying historical-critical analysis, the volume moves these invaluable sources to more equal footing with later Islamic narratives about Muhammad and the formation of his new religious movement. Included are new English translations of sources by twenty authors, originally written in not only Greek and Latin but also Syriac, Georgian, Armenian, Hebrew, and Arabic and spanning a geographic range from England to Egypt and Iran. Ideal for the classroom and personal library, this sourcebook provides readers with the tools to meaningfully approach a new, burgeoning area of Islamic studies.Trade Review"A marvel of concision and originality; best of all, it is readily accessible to the general reader. . . . A Prophet Has Appeared is one of the most readable and exciting books in Islamic history." * Middle East Quarterly *"Indeed, Shoemaker provides one of the most cohesive alternative visions to the emergence of Islam. A Prophet Has Appeared is a pivotal piece of this vision." * Reading Religion *"This sourcebook is a valuable contribution to reliable historical data concerning theologically based approaches to the rise of Islam." * CHOICE *"This is an excellent book and essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Islam during its formative period." * Journal of Near Eastern Studies *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1 The Teaching of Jacob the Newly Baptized 2 Synodical Letter, Homily on the Nativity, and Homily on Epiphany Sophronius of Jerusalem 3 A Syriac Fragment Concerning the Believers' Invasion of Syria 4 Letter 14 Maximus the Confessor 5 Chronicle Thomas the Presbyter 6 The Armenian Chronicle of 661 attributed to Sebeos 7 The Spiritual Meadow, Appendix to the Georgian Version John Moschus 8 Homily on the End-Times Ps.-Ephrem the Syrian 9 Letter 14C Ishoʿyahb III of Adiabene 10 Edifying Tales, Homily on the Lord’s Passion, The Hodegos, and Questions and Answers Anastasius of Sinai 11 The Khuzistan Chronicle 12 The Apocalypse of Rabbi Shimʿōn b. Yohai, The Secrets of Rabbi Shimʿōn b. Yohai 13 Pirqe de-Rabbi Eliezer 30 14 The Maronite Chronicle 15 On the Holy Places Adomnán / Arculf 16 The Apocalypse of Ps.-Shenoute 17 The Book of Main Points John Bar Penkaye 18 Fourth Letter to John the Stylite Jacob of Edessa 19 The Passion of Peter of Capitolias 20 Excerpts from a Lost Seventh-Century Greek Source, The Chronicle of Theophanes, The Chronicle of Agapius, The Chronicle of Michael the Syrian, and The Chronicle of 1234 Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFOURTEEN CENTURIES AGO, the final revelation descended upon Muhammad (PBUH). This message, Islam, spread rapidly across Arabia to nearby lands, and across the world. Today, over a billion people believe in and follow his message. But who was Muhammad (PBUH) and how can we develop certainty that he was the true messenger of God?In this book, Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy shares the multitude of proof surrounding Muhammad’s  prophethood. There are abundant comprehensive rational pathways that lead to this one certain conclusion: Muhammad (PBUH) was indeed the final messenger of God to this world.Table of ContentsCONTENTSForeword viiPreface ixQuenching a Parched World ixThe Proof Within Us xiThe Multiple Forms of Proof xiv1 Humanity’s Need for Prophethood 11. The Spiritual Necessity of Prophethood 12. The Moral Necessity of Prophethood 43. The Historical Necessity of Prophethood 64. The Biblical Necessity of Prophethood 8i. A Gentile Prophet Like Moses 8ii. John the Baptist and the Awaited Prophet 10iii. God’s Servant Where Kedar Lives 10iv. Jesus and the Comforter 12v. Zamzam and the Flourishing City 132 The Prophet’s Character 171. His Honesty and Integrity 202. His Simplicity and Humility 243. His Mercy and Compassion 284. His Clemency and Forgiveness 315. His Bravery and Valour 356. His Generosity 377. His Perseverance and Trust in God 39iv The Final Prophet3 The Prophet’s Accomplishments 471. A Love Larger than Life 512. History’s Greatest Success Story 563. Restoring the Unity of God 604. Revolutionizing Human Rights 625. Molding a Model Generation 674 The Prophet’s Message 751. Pure Monotheism 772. Faith in Destiny 803. The Ritual Prayer (Ṣalāh) 834. Devotional Fasting (Ṣiyām) 875. Prohibiting Extramarital Relations 896. Prohibiting Interest-Based Lending 917. Prohibiting Alcohol Consumption 938. Healthy Eating and Personal Hygiene 979. Science and Medicine 1025 The Prophet’s Prophecies 1071. The Byzantines will Rebound 1082. The Abode of Abū Lahab 1093. The Globalization of Islam 1094. Undeterred by Time or Distance 1115. Six in Sequence 1126. Counting the Conquests 1137. Security will Prevail 1158. The Last Emperors 1169. A Whisper in His Daughter’s Ear 11610. The Longest Arm 11711. The Martyrdom of ʿUmar and ʿUthmān 11812. Inevitable Infighting 11913. Tensions Among the Prophet’s Household 12014. The Fate of ʿAmmār 12115. ʿAlī Suppressing the Khārijites 12216. Repairing the Rift 12317. Cycling Back to Virtue is Promised 124Contents v18. Asmā’ Sends a Tyrant Home 12419. Umm Ḥarām’s Date with Destiny 12520. Preempting the Questioner 12621. An Unforgettable Sermon 12722. The Emergence of Selective Textualism 12723. A Horrific Wildfire 12724. Prosperity and Hedonism Before the End Times 12825. Competing in Materialism 12926. The Unavoidability of Interest (Ribā) 13027. An Increase in Brutality and Killing 13028. The Plunge into Immorality 13229. Muslims Becoming Easy Prey 13330. The Immortality of His Nation 13531. Never Thought You Would Speak 1366 The Prophet’s Physical Miracles 1391. The Possibility of Miracles 1412. The Demonstrability of Miracles 1453. Specific Miracles Performed by the Prophet 148i. Splitting the Moon 149ii. The Night Journey 152iii. The Weeping Tree 155iv. The Talking Stones 156v. Increasing the Water Supply 158vi. Increasing the Food Supply 159vii. Answered Prayers 1637 The Inimitable Qur’an 1691. A Literary Masterpiece 170i. Muhammad or Shakespeare? 1732. Knowledge of the Inaccessible Past 178i. Pharaoh’s Body Will Survive 179ii. The Heavens Did Not Grieve for Pharaoh 180iii. Joseph’s King Wasn’t a Pharaoh 180iv. Was Muhammad Spoon-Fed Biblical History? 1833. Preserved as Promised 184vi The Final Prophet4. An Extraordinary Potency 1875. Echoes of a Prophet 192A Parting Word on the Journey of Faith 199Bibliography 203English Sources 203Arabic Sources 209Index 215

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Book SynopsisIn this comprehensive open access book, written for readers from any or no religious background, Leena El-Ali does something remarkable. Never before has anyone taken on every last claim relating to Islam and women and countered it not just with Qur’anic evidence to the contrary, but with easy-to-use tools available to all. How can a woman’s testimony be worth half of a man’s? How can men divorce their wives unilaterally by uttering three words? And what’s with the obsession with virgins in Paradise? Find the chapter on any of the seventeen topics in this book, and you will quickly learn a) where the myth came from and b) how to bust it. The methodology pursued is simple. First, the Qur’an is given priority over all other literary or “scriptural” sources. Second, the meaning of its verses in the original Arabic is highlighted, in contrast to English translations and/or widespread misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Table of ContentsPart I First the Qur’an, then Islam1. A Spiritual Journey2. Hadith Corpus3. Hadith Content4. Women and the Development of hadith LiteratureAT A GLANCE: First the Qur’an, then IslamPart II The Nature of Women5. Women Were Not Created of Inferior Celestial Material6. Eve Is Not Blamed for the Fall from Eden, Nor Are Women Guilty by Association7. Women Are Not a Constant Source of Social Discord – Nor Naturally Conniving!8. Women Were Created with the Exact Same Spiritual and Intellectual Capacity as Men, So of Course They Can Lead9. When Men Deprive Women of Their Free Will, They Are Not Protecting Anyone: They Are Obstructing God’s Plan10. God Does Not Prefer Sons Over Daughters (!)AT A GLANCE: The Nature of WomenPart III The Rights of Women11. Women Were Not Meant to Be Subordinate to Men12. Inheritance: No, Women Did Not Get the Short End of the Stick13. Nuptials: Women Do Have the Right to Choose Their Own Spouse, and How the Qur’anic Nuptial Agreement Advocates for the Bride14. Marriage: A Sublime Institution, Not Mere Social Contract15. Divorce: Men Do Not Hold all the Cards – The Qur’an Actually Levels the Playing Field Through Mandated Process and EtiquetteAT A GLANCE: The Rights of WomenPart IV Some Inconvenient Truths16. Clothing: There Is No Dress Code for Women Beyond Covering their Private Parts, as with Men17. Segregation: There Is No Restriction on Men and Women Mingling18. Witnesses: A Woman’s Testimony Is Worth the Same as a Man’s, Except in Two Cases Where It May Count for More or LessAT A GLANCE: Some Inconvenient TruthsPart V Carnal Matters19. Sexual Misconduct: What the Qur’an Tells Us About Pre-Marital vs Extra-Marital Sex20. Domestic Violence: The Qur’an Does Not Instruct Husbands to Hit Their Wives for “Disobedience” or Anything Else21. Virgins: There Are No 72 Virgins Waiting for Anyone in Paradise AT A GLANCE: Carnal Matters

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Book SynopsisThis groundbreaking study examines Muslim female superheroes within a matrix of Islamic theology, feminism, and contemporary political discourse. Through a close reading of texts including Ms. Marvel, Qahera, and The 99, Sophia Rose Arjana argues that these powerful and iconic characters reflect independence and agency, reflecting the diverse lives of Muslim girls and women in the world today.Trade ReviewSophia Arjana’s book is my ideal balance of a popular-academic book. Academics are perpetually in search of that book which will be informative and scholarly as well as creative and fun: professor, that book has arrived. Using a refreshingly global, multi-stranded framework of religious studies, gender and women’s studies, cultural studies, and media studies, Dr. Arjana investigates the subversive up-ending of cultural power dynamics through the lens of visual media. Comic book superheroes are the perfect champions to interrogate outdated, wooden status quo of dominant majority cultures. And Muslim women superheroes are ideal protagonists to right wrongs and smash hegemonic stereotypes. Arjana shows how they battle for new paradigms like the heroes of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, fight-dancing atop towering yet teetering cultural tropes. -- Shabana Mir, associate professor of religion, American Islamic CollegeSophia Arjana’s meticulously researched book is a must read for anyone looking for a window into current realities of Muslim lived experiences and on-the-ground and symbolic practices of resistance against islamophobia and objectification. Self- and other-rescuing female Muslim superheroes reclaiming symbols, their bodies, and their faith are part of the real, complex, diverse lived experiences of struggle and grass roots Islamic social justice work of Muslimah around the world. Arjana makes accessible the public pedagogy of graphic novels, and presents us with the kind of anti-colonial, feminist, liberational partners of which we need legion in our times. -- Heike Peckruhn, assistant professor of religious studies, Daemen CollegeWorking at the intersection of religion, popular culture, and gender studies, Sophia Arjana explores comics’ complex and compelling representations of Muslim women, beyond sexualized stereotypes. Drawing on examples from the famous (Ms. Marvel) to the little known (Bloody Nasreen), Veiled Superheroes situates characters in their diverse national environments while analyzing globally relevant issues of agency, imperialism, and power. -- Kecia Ali, Boston University, professor of religion, Boston UniversityThis is an invigorating, lively, and original book which will have a broad appeal in a number of academic fields including Cultural, Gender, and Islamic Studies. Examining a diverse set of the representations of Muslims in contemporary comics and animation, Sophia Rose Arjana provides lucid analytical insights on the intricate relationships between popular culture, identity, sociality, and reigning political dynamics. Her project brings the subversive and innovative genre of Muslimah Superheroes into a creative and engaged conversation with Islamic feminism and Sufism, all the while proving that erudite academic work can also be exciting and fun to read! -- Sadiyya Shaikh, associate professor of religious studies, University of Cape TownTable of ContentsForeword- Wajahat Ali Introduction 1. Muslim Women in Western Popular Culture 2. The Muslim Body, Veiling, and Contestations of Islam 3. Ms. Marvel, Islam, and America 4. Burka Avenger and the Subversive Veil 5. Qahera, Raat, Bloody Nasreen, and the Vigilante Superhero Conclusion: Islamic Feminism and Muslim Chivalry

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Book SynopsisIslamic philosophy and Sufism evolved as distinct yet interweaving strands of Islamic thought and practice. Despite differences, they have shared a concern with the perfection of the soul through the development of character. In The Polished Mirror, Cyrus Ali Zargar studies the ways in which, through teaching and storytelling, pre-modern Muslims lived, negotiated, and cultivated virtues. Examining the writings of philosophers, ascetics, poets, and saints, he locates virtue ethics within a dynamic moral tradition. Innovative, engaging, and approachable, this work – the first in the English language to explore Islamic ethics in the fascinating context of narrative – will be a valuable resource for both students and scholars.Trade Review‘The Polished Mirror is the perfect title for Zargar’s erudite and eloquent book, for it reflects with superb analytical clarity the views of a wide range of thinkers on the subject of ethics. Justifiably going beyond writings that explicitly deal with the topic, he draws together various strands of Islamic tradition, clarifying both the links and similarities that join them and the distinctions that separate them. A major contribution to Islamic studies, from which both established scholars and those new to the field stand to gain significantly.’ -- Hamid Algar, Professor Emeritus of Persian and Islamic Studies, University of California, Berkeley‘Students of Islamic ethics have long felt the need for a more sustained and unified insight into the rich history of reflection on the virtues in the Islamic world. Ambitious in scope yet accessible throughout, this book explores the distinctive contributions of a number of key figures working across both sides of the permeable boundary between philosophy and Sufism. Anyone with an interest in how thinkers in the medieval Islamic world engaged with the “science of the states of the heart” – in its many permutations – will find a valuable companion in Cyrus Ali Zargar’s book.’ -- Sophia Vasalou, Fellow in Philosophical Theology, University of Birmingham‘Comprehensive in its scope, and drawing on intellectual luminaries ranging from Muḥāsibī to Avicenna, Zargar’s erudite study offers the first major analysis of virtue ethics in classical Islam. It will set the stage for future research in the field.’ -- Atif Khalil, Associate Professor, Dept. of Religious Studies, University of Lethbridge, and author of Repentance and the Return to God: Tawba in Early Sufism‘This fine study, supported by careful analysis of primary texts, illustrates the congruence of Islamic philosophy and Sufism on the issue of achieving self-perfection, to which human beings are called both by prophetic wisdom and by rational acumen.’ -- William C. Chittick, Distinguished Professor of Islamic Studies, Stony Brook University‘Far too much of previous scholarship on Muslim ethics has obsessed over the question of its indebtedness to Greek (and Persian) antecedents. Cyrus Zargar’s The Polished Mirror is a brilliant way of reframing the conversation about ethics in the spiritual and intellectual cosmos of Islamic thought. Zargar masterfully navigates the worlds of ethics, philosophy, mysticism, narrative, and poetry to offer us a rich tapestry. The result is far more than merely a groundbreaking way of rethinking ethics in Islam. It is a groundbreaking study of the interconnectedness of the Islamic spiritual, ethical, and intellectual universes through studying Ibn Sina, Rumi, Brethren of Purity, Ghazali, Suhrawardi, and others. Enthusiastically recommended for all students of Islamic studies, ethics, and mysticism.’ -- Omid Safi, Director, Duke Islamic Studies Center‘The Polished Mirror is an incredible, even paradigm-shifting work in Islamic Studies.’ -- Mohammed Rustom, associate professor of Islamic studies, Carleton University, and author of Inrushes of the Spirit: The Mystical Theology of ʿAyn al-QuḍātTable of ContentsIntroduction Part One Islamic Philosophy Chapter One: The Humors (al-akhlāṭ) and Character Traits (al-akhlāq) According to the Brethren of Purity Chapter Two: Virtue Ethics in Avicenna’s Philosophical Allegories Chapter Three: The Virtues, from Philosophy to Scripture: Refining Character Traits in Miskawayh and Ghazālī Chapter Four: Reason, Revelation, and Discovering the Virtuous in Ibn Ṭufayl’s Literary Thought Experiment Chapter Five: From Humors to Pure Light: Knowledge and Virtue in the Allegories of Suhrawardī Part Two Sufism Chapter Six: The Soul’s Constant Returning: Repentance (Tawba) in the Sufi Legacy of Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq Chapter Seven: Distancing Oneself from the Worldly: Renunciation (Zuhd) According to al-Muḥāsibī and al-Sarrāj Chapter Eight: Self-Awareness that Leads to Self-Loss: Futuwwa as a Compound Virtue in the Legacy of Anṣārī Chapter Nine: The Completion of Ethics: Self-Annihilation (Fanāʾ) Through the Lens of ʿAṭṭār Chapter Ten: Virtue in the Narrative Poetry of Rūmī Conclusion: A Brief Case for Relevance Acknowledgments Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn this book Mohammad Akram reviews the life and legacy of Abu Hanifa, and surveys the evolution of the Hanafi school in different regions of the Islamic world. His argument is based on the traditional sources and faithfully reports both history and legend about the man. However, the main focus of the book is the approach, and pattern of reasoning that distinguish Abu Hanifah's fiqh.Trade Review"The author has successfully delivered his promise to understand as to 'why' and 'how' Abu Hanifa came to deserve the title 'Al-Imam al-A'zam'; it now remains the duty of the scholars to imbibe Abu Hanifa's teachings in trying to understand the Qur'an and Sunna holistically in both letter and spirit." Dr M Mansur Ali - Cardiff UniversityTable of ContentsPreface1. Introduction: background to the first development of the law2. His life3. His fiqh4. His works and his students5. His achievement and legacy6. Sources and Further readingIndex

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Book SynopsisTradesmen look at buildings differently, depending on their trade: The carpenter casts an eye on the woodwork, the bricklayer on the brickwork and the painter on the walls and ceilings. Similarly, the greater a person's perception of Allāh’s names, the greater their alertness and understanding of life. Nothing passes them by, without thought and contemplation.When they see a display of mercy, they automatically and very naturally reflect on the names of Allah; Al-Rahīm” (The Most Merciful), Al-Ra’ūf (The Pitying), Al-Wadūd (The Affectionate). When they sense might and awe, they are overcome with the names “Al-Jabbār” (The Compeller), “Al-Muntaqim” (The Avenger) and “Al-Qahhār” (The Subduer). Eventually, they reach a station where every scene that unfolds, any sin which presents itself or any opportunity that drifts by, becomes a trigger for perusal and the remembrance of Allāh, the achievement of which is precisely the objective of this book.Table of Contents1. Tazkiyat al-nafs/purification of the soul and Allah’s Names 2. Principles that govern one’s understanding of Allah’s Names3. The Majestic Name Allah 4. The Majestic Name al-Hadi (The Ever -guiding) 5. The Majestic Name al-Hafiz (The Ever-Preserver) 6. The Majestic Name al-Fattah (The Oft-Opener) 7. The Majestic Name al-Shafi (The Healer)8. The Majestic Name al-Jabbar (The Ever-Restorer) 9. The Majestic Name al-Wakil (The Ultimate Trustee or The Ever-Disposer of Affairs) 10. The Majestic Name al-Ghafur (The Ever-Forgiving)11. The Majestic Name Al-Malik (The King)12. The Majestic Name Al-Dayyan (The Recompensor)13. The Majestic Name Al-Barr (The Ever Doer of Good)14. The Majestic Names Al-Sami[ (The All- Hearing) and Al-Baṣir (The All- Seeing)15. The Majestic Name Al-Khaliq (The Creator)16. The Majestic Name al-Halim/(the Forbearing, the Clement)17. The Majestic Name Al-Karim (the Generous)18. The Majestic Name al-Qarib (The Near)19. The Majestic Name al-Latif (the Ever Subtle) 20. The Majestic Name al-Nasir (The Granter of victory)21. The Majestic Names al-Rahman and al-Rahim (The Most Merciful) 22. The Majestic Name al-Samad (The Everlasting Refuge)23. The Majestic Name al-Ḥaqq (The Absolute Truth)24. The Majestic Name al-Ahad (The Only One)25. The Majestic Name al-[Aziz (The Mighty)

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Book SynopsisAt the turn of the millennium, Middle Eastern and Muslim Germans had rather unexpectedly become central to the country's Holocaust memory culture—not as welcome participants, but as targets for re-education and reform. Since then, Turkish- and Arab-Germans have been considered as the prime obstacles to German national reconciliation with its Nazi past, a status shared to a lesser degree by Germans from the formerly socialist East Germany. It is for this reason that the German government, German NGOs, and Muslim minority groups have begun to design Holocaust education and anti-Semitism prevention programs specifically tailored for Muslim immigrants and refugees, so that they, too, can learn the lessons of the Holocaust and embrace Germany's most important postwar democratic political values. Based on ethnographic research conducted over a decade, Subcontractors of Guilt explores when, how, and why Muslim Germans have moved to the center of Holocaust memory discussions. Esra Özyürek argues that German society "subcontracts" guilt of the Holocaust to new minority immigrant arrivals, with the false promise of this process leading to inclusion into the German social contract and equality with other members of postwar German society. By focusing on the recently formed but already sizable sector of Muslim-only anti-Semitism and Holocaust education programs, this book explores the paradoxes of postwar German national identity.Trade Review"Esra Özyürek has written a path-breaking and much needed book on the multifaceted, constitutive ways by which Turkish- and Arab-background migrants shaped German Holocaust memory and how it shaped their identity in return. Based on ethnographic research, this is a fundamental contribution that rewrites our understanding of the development of Holocaust memory in Germany"—Alon Confino, author of A World Without Jews"German Holocaust memory culture is often held up as a model for other nations to imitate. But, as Esra Özyürek shows in this provocative and ethnographically rich book, the story is much more complicated. Subcontractors of Guilt is a fascinating study of belonging and exclusion in post-Holocaust Germany and a must-read for all who are interested in contemporary Europe."—Michael Rothberg, author of Multidirectional Memory: Remembering the Holocaust in the Age of Decolonization"Subcontractors of Guilt is an essential intervention into contemporary German debates around migration, Muslim minorities, anti-Semitism, and Holocaust memory. By centering the perspectives of young German Muslims, Özyürek's insightful study offers an important corrective to narratives that too often fail to do so."—Fatima El-Tayeb, Yale University"This powerful, well-informed book would make a fine addition to any academic library. Recommended."—S. Anderson, CHOICETable of ContentsIntroduction: German Holocaust Memory and the Redemptive Path toward Democracy 1. Rebelling against the Father, Democratizing the Family 2. Export-Import Theory of Muslim Antisemitism in Germany 3. Wrong Emotions / Wrong Empathy for the Holocaust 4. Subcontracting Guilt, Policing Victimhood 5. Visiting Auschwitz as Pilgrimage and as Shock Therapy Conclusion: Can Muslims Flip the Script of the German Memory Theater?

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Book Synopsis Today, the issue of Muslim women is held hostage between two perceptions: a conservative Islamic approach and a liberal Western approach. At the heart of this debate Muslim women are seeking to reclaim their right to speak in order to re-appropriate their own destinies, calling for the equality and liberation that is at the heart of the Qur''an. However, with few female commentators on the meaning of the Qur''an and an overreliance on the readings of the Qur''an compiled centuries ago this message is often lost. In this book Asma Lamrabet demands a rereading of the Qur''an by women that focuses on its spiritual and humanistic messages in order to alter the lived reality on the ground. By acknowledging the oppression of women, to different degrees, in social systems organized in the name of religion and also rejecting a perspective that seeks to promote Western values as the only means of liberating them, the author is able to define a new way. One in which their refTable of ContentsTable of contents 1. Introducing the author Foreword A meeting with very different Muslim women… Thanks 2. Introduction Of which liberation do we speak? In the beginning… First part: when the Quran speaks about women A story of all women Bilq?s, Queen of Sheeba, a democratic queen Sarah and Hagar, monotheistic emblems Zulaykha or forbidden love Umm M?s? and Assia, free women The daughter of Shu’ayb and the meeting with M?s? Maryam the favourite Maryam, the link between Christians and Muslims The birth of Maryam Maryam’s spiritual retreat Revelation and annunciation The birth of ‘?s? and all the struggles Maryam and her son, a ‘sign’ for the worlds 3. Second part – When the Quran speaks to women The language of the Quran, a masculine language? When the Quran responds to female demands The mub?hala or when the Quran encourages women to social participation The muhajirat or the female political refugees The mub?yi’?t or women’s political engagement Al-Muj?dala, when God listens to women’s concerns And the other verses? Polygamy Testimony Inheritance Hit them…? 4. Conclusion Islam or the story of an aborted women’s revolution 6. Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of Foreign Affairs' Picks for Best of Books 2018"

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Book SynopsisChristopher de Bellaigue is the award-winning author of The Lion House: The Rise of Suleyman the Magnificent, which was chosen as a book of the year by The Times, Sunday Times, Spectator and New Yorker among others, as well as five previous books, including The Islamic Enlightenment, which was shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction and the Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2017. As a reporter he has covered war, politics, society and the environment in five continents for the Economist, the New York Review of Books, the Guardian and the BBC. He is the founder of the Lake District Book Festival in Cartmel, Cumbria, an Honorary Fellow of the University of St Andrews and in 2026 he will take up a Visiting Fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford. www.christopherdebellaigue.comTrade ReviewAn eye-opening, well-written and very timely book, which can help us understand better the complex relationship between the Muslim world and modernity. While both Islamic extremists and Western bigots find it convenient to stress the incompatibility of Islam and modernity, Christopher de Bellaigue shows that Islam is whatever Muslims make of it, and that at least some Muslims have made of it something very modern. -- YUVAL NOAH HARARI author of SAPIENS and HOMO DEUSThis book is an enlightenment in itself, and a salient one in this age when everyone seems to feel entitled to a firm opinion about Islam and Muslims. -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *A highly original and informative survey of the clashes between Islam and modernity in Istanbul, Cairo and Tehran in the last two hundred years. Brilliant. -- Orhan PamukChristopher de Bellaigue has long been one of our most resourceful and stimulating interpreters of realities veiled by fear and prejudice. In The Islamic Enlightenment, he cuts through the complacent opposition of Islam-versus-modernity to reveal a fascinating world: one in which complex human beings constantly change, improvise and adjust under the pressures of history. It is the best sort of book for our disordered days: timely, urgent and illuminating. -- Pankaj MishraThis is a nuanced and empathetic view of the Islamic world at one of its most challenging and enthralling moments: its history-changing encounter with western modernity… At a time of profound suspicion and mistrust between the West and the Muslim world, this is an important, beautifully written book that offers a powerful corrective to the notion that Islam contains an inbuilt prejudice against modernity. It strikes a blow, as the most readable writers do, for common humanity. -- Justin Marozzi * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE HISTORICAL WRITERS ASSOCIATION NON-FICTION CROWNAS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4''Fabulous, timely, a marvellous achievement'' Spectator''A richly resonant work which recasts our understanding of the Elizabethan era'' Daily TelegraphIn 1570, after plots and assassination attempts against her, Elizabeth I was excommunicated by the Pope. It was the beginning of cultural, economic and political exchanges with the Islamic world of a depth not again experienced until the modern age. England signed treaties with the Ottoman Porte, received ambassadors from Morocco and shipped munitions to Marrakech in the hope of establishing an accord which would keep the common enemy of Catholic Spain at bay. This awareness of the Islamic world found its way into many of the great English cultural productions of the day - especially, of course, Shakespeare''s Othello and The Merchant of Venice. This Orient Isle Trade ReviewI adored this book, it resonated deeply with me. -- Elif Shafak * Radio 3 (Free Thinking) *A little-known story that Brotton chronicles with scholarship, assurance, and not a little charm. -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent *Jerry Brotton's sparkling new book sets out just how extensive and complex England's relationship with the Arab and Muslim world once was, and tentatively connects the threads of that engagement to our own times. -- David Shariatmadari * Guardian *A vivid, significant work of scholarship. -- Kate Maltby * The Times *There is much in these pages to delight and provoke... This Orient Isle is a richly resonant work which not only recasts our understanding of the Elizabethan era but also reveals Islam, crucially, as "part of the national story of England". -- Jeremy Seal * Telegraph *Jerry Brotton's fabulous new book [reveals] just how deep and entangled the roots of the Islamic and Christian faiths were in the early modern period. ... a timely intervention and a marvellous achievement. -- Marcus Nevitt * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisWhat are angels? Where were they first encountered? Can we distinguish angels from gods, fairies, ghosts, and aliens? And why do they remain so popular? This Very Short Introduction outlines some of the more prominent stories and speculations about angels in Judaism, Islam, Christianity and post-Christian spiritualities. It reflects on the way that angels have been portrayed in art, whether as young men in the Hebrew Scriptures, androgynous winged creatures of the pre-Raphaelites or the masculine statue of the Angel of the North. It will also consider angels in films such as Wim Wenders'' Wings of Desire, and Frank Capra''s It''s a Wonderful Life, as well as angels in literature.From the idea of the angel as a messenger, through to the image of angels sent to protect and help those in need, this is an examination of the implications of angels. It will ask why people find the idea of angels attractive, helpful or consoling, and why they remain so powerful in modern culture. It advances the view that reflecting on angels can teach us something about human existence and whether or not we believe that they exist in their own right, the angels can still illuminate our thoughts.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Small but perfectly formed volume...everyone should have this book. * Peter Brookesmith, Fortean Times *If anybody should know about angels, it's this guy... a very intelligent but very accessibly history. * Kate Saunders, BBC Radio 2 *A colourful and comprehensive overview of our fascination with angels. * Peter Stamford, The Independent *As a guide to the celestial realms, I would put my faith in him any day. * Peter Stamford, The Independent *This is a good book. * Stephen Cave, Financial Times *The first stop for anyone seriously interested in angels. * Christopher Howse, The Telegraph *Table of Contents1. Preface ; 2. A brief history of angels ; 3. Picturing angels ; 4. What is an angel? ; 5. Divine messengers ; 6. Ministering spirits ; 7. Heavenly hosts ; 8. Fallen angels ; 9. Wrestling with angels ; 1. Preface ; 2. A brief history of angels ; 3. Picturing angels ; 4. What is an angel? ; 5. Divine messangers ; 6. Ministering spirits ; 7. Heavenly hosts ; 8. Fallen angels ; 9. Wrestling with angels ; Further reading

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Book SynopsisA recent Pew survey of American Muslims found that the majority (56 percent) believed that many religions can lead to Paradise; only one-third held that Islam is the one, true faith leading to eternal life. Ours is a world of ever-increasing interconnectedness. More and more Muslims today work with, befriend, and marry non-Muslims. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that a significant number of American Muslims would choose to believe that God will save their Christian parents, Jewish spouses, Buddhist neighbors, Hindu friends, or even atheist coworkers. The essays in this volume look at the views of Muslim theologians on this matter. Most maintain that while faith in the fundamental doctrines of Islam is theoretically required for salvation, God will excuse non-Muslims who never encountered the divine message conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad. (Whether such unreached non-Muslims still exist is the subject of much debate.) Some go a step further, and hold that God may redeem non-MuslimTrade ReviewKhalil s volumes encourage us to perceive inter-religious dialogue on a deeper level than that of superficial do-gooders unable to understand the real difficulties of religious confrontation. * Marginalia *This is a collection of essays-as rich as it is unique-that tackles the weighty topic of salvation within the Islamic tradition. Rather than offering pat and monochromatic responses, the various authors demonstrate that a broad spectrum of perspectives is possible on this subject through a faithful and critical reading of foundational texts within Islam. Mohammad Hassan Khalil is to be commended for bringing this multifaceted intra- and interfaith conversation to the attention of a broad reading public. * Asma Afsaruddin, Chair & Professor of the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures, Indiana University *Table of ContentsForeword: Salvation: The Known and the Unknown - Tariq Ramadan ; Acknowledgments ; A Note on Conventions ; Contributors ; Introduction: Grappling with the Salvation Question - Mohammad Hassan Khalil ; Part I: Historical Dimensions ; Chapter 1: Failures of Practice or Failures of Faith: re Non-Muslims Subject to the Sharia? - A. Kevin Reinhart ; Chapter 2: "No Salvation Outside Islam": Muslim Modernists, Democratic Politics, and Islamic Theological Exclusivism - Mohammad Fadel ; Part II: Diversity and Mercy ; Chapter 3: The Ambiguity of the Qur'anic Command - William C. Chittick ; Chapter 4: Beyond Polemics and Pluralism: The Universal Message of the Qur'an - Reza Shah-Kazemi ; Part III: Supersessionism and Mercy ; Chapter 5: The Path of Allah or the Paths of Allah? Revisiting Classical and Medieval Sunni Approaches to the Salvation of Others - Yasir Qadhi ; Chapter 6: Realism and the Real: Islamic Theology and the Problem of Alternative Expressions of God - Tim Winter ; Part IV: Reconceptualizing Pluralism ; Chapter 7: Non-reductive Pluralism and Religious Dialogue - Muhammad Legenhausen ; Chapter 8: Oneself as the Saved Other? The Ethics and Soteriology of Difference in Two Muslim Thinkers - Sajjad Rizvi ; Part V: Otherness and the Qur'an ; Chapter 9: The Portrayal of Jews and the Possibilities for Their Salvation in the Qur'an - Farid Esack ; Chapter 10: Embracing Relationality and Theological Tensions: Muslima Theology, Religious Diversity, and Fate - Jerusha Lamptey ; Part VI: Otherness and Inclusion ; Chapter 11: The Food of the Damned - David M. Freidenreich ; Chapter 12: Acts of Salvation: Agency, Others, and Prayer beyond the Grave in Islam - Marcia Hermansen ; Chapter 13: Citizen Ahmad among the Believers: Salvation Contextualized in Indonesia and Egypt - Bruce B. Lawrence ; Glossary of Select Terms ; Index ; Index of Qur'anic Verses

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Sanderien Verstappen’s wonderful new book New Lives in Anand tells us that the story of Gujarati Muslims does not end with violence and displacement...[T]he book shows us how new lives and connections are made by communities who have deep ties to a region and a way of life that cannot be reduced to the word 'Muslim.'" -- Moyukh Chatterjee * The Wire *"Verstappen...holds herself accountable to the often-contradictory stories that her interlocutors tell about their relationship to communal violence. The threat of violence is still present as a binding force, but processes of social change are made livable by a new aesthetics of mobility and connectedness." -- Nikita Simpson * Focaal: Journal of Global and Historical Anthropology *"The book is instrumental in charting a new paradigm to theorize segregated Muslim spaces and Muslim middle-class formations." * South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies *

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Book SynopsisA timely examination, through the dual lenses of culture and climate change, of the profound ecological awareness that has characterized Islamic visual traditions

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Book SynopsisThis illustrated introduction offers a fresh approach to the history of the Islamic world from its origins to the present day. Told in six chapters, arranged both chronologically and thematically, and richly enhanced with outstanding images, it provides an illuminating insight into the material culture produced from West Africa to Southeast Asia through art and artifacts, people and places.From pre-Islamic works that provided a foundation for the arts of Islam to masterpieces produced under the great empires and objects that continue to be made today, this expansive survey traces the development of civilizations at the forefront of philosophical and scientific ideas, artistic and literary developments, and technological innovations, exploring a wealth of cultural treasures along the way.Texts are accompanied by a wide variety of objects, including architectural decoration, ceramics, jewellery, metalwork, calligraphy, textiles, musical instruments, coins, illustrated manuscripts, and modern and contemporary art, all of which shed new light on the Islamic world both past and present. This book will inspire and inform anyone interested in one of the most influential and diverse cultures of the world.Table of ContentsIntroduction ? 1. A history of histories ? 2. Belief and practice ? 3. Interconnected worlds (750?1500) ? 4. The age of empires (1500?1900) ? 5. Literary and musical traditions ? 6. The modern world ? 7. Glossary ? 8. Selected bibliography ? 9. Acknowledgements ? 10. Credits ? 11. IndexTrade Review'Handsomely illustrated … offers a fresh approach by looking at the finest arts alongside rarely seen archaeological material from daily life … Anyone interested in the Islamic world should have this book' - Timeless Travels'Beautifully conceived, designed and produced … absorbing, inspiring, at times surprising, and consistently illuminating' - Art QuarterlyTable of ContentsIntroduction • 1. A history of histories • 2. Belief and practice • 3. Interconnected worlds (750–1500) • 4. The age of empires (1500–1900) • 5. Literary and musical traditions • 6. The modern world • 7. Glossary • 8. Selected bibliography • 9. Acknowledgements • 10. Credits • 11. Index

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Book SynopsisThe roots of Islamophobia run deep and affect us all. We must resist it togetherTrade Review'Lyrical and uncompromising - Suhaiymah writes to disrupt' -- 'gal-dem''Courageously makes explicit the implicit unfreedoms of our society' -- Lowkey, rapper and activist'I am profoundly grateful to Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan for writing this book. It is brave. It is necessary. It is true. It is what we Muslims have been waiting for. A brilliant, powerful and moving account of Islamophobia, not as an individual moral deficiency, but as rooted in colonial histories of white supremacy and global capitalism. For me, Tangled in Terror triggered long-felt pain, anger, grief at the abuse, torture and genocidal violence Muslims are made to suffer the world over. Violence which not only evades accountability, but seems at times not even to register as harm. Manzoor-Khan carefully traces the origins and shape of the historical and ongoing terrorisation of Muslims, revealing untold injustices, and showing us how to untangle ourselves from terror and instead find threads of resistance' -- Nadine El-Enany, author of '(B)ordering Britain' and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Race and Law'A fearless writer who cuts through nonsense. Suhaiymah's voice is one of the most exciting of her generation' -- Fatima Manji, award-winning broadcaster and journalist for Channel 4 News'This is the first time the breadth and depth of the Islamophobia we face has been collated in one place and analysed with such precision. It really feels like 'our' book' -- Moazzam Begg, a former prisoner at Guantánamo Bay, author of 'Enemy Combatant' and outreach director for CAGE'A surgical, unflinching account of the forces that have converged to cast Muslims as a permanent threat while profiting off our marginalisation' -- Aamer Rahman, writer and comedian'Suhaiymah's writing is fierce and clarifying. She understands that the task is to resist oversimplified definitions of Islamophobia and instead turn the reader's attention toward its political function - how it increases proximity to violence and impoverishes us all' -- Lola Olufemi, author of ‘Feminism, Interrupted’'Hugely important, unflinching and rigorous' -- Preti Taneja, author of the Desmond Elliot Prize-winning book 'We That Are Young''One of Britain’s most promising young voices’ -- Priyamvada Gopal, author of ‘Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance & British Dissent’'Unapologetically abolitionist, 'Tangled in Terror' resonates as a powerful act of refusal and resistance. It lays the foundations for a resistance that unequivocally demands an end to ALL forms of violence and ALL forms of racism, together' -- Helen Brewer, migrant justice activist, and a member of the Stansted 15'Offers a rich account of the ways Islamophobia upholds systems of extraction, exploitation and domination, propelled by the urgency of our collective political predicament' -- Sita Balani, co-author of 'Empire's Endgame''A deeply insightful intervention on the ongoing entrenchment of white supremacy and islamophobia. 'Tangled in Terror' is a motivator, to understand, reflect, and take action in deliberate, radical and life-affirming ways' -- Cradle Community, an abolitionist collective'This eloquent book dissects the structures of power which create, uphold and perpetuate Islamophobia and tells us what it is like to be a Muslim woman in this intensely hostile climate' -- Amrit Wilson, writer, journalist and activist'Conveys the trauma that is so often unspoken of in discussions of state enabled bigotry against Muslims, written with deep clarity' -- Omar Suleiman, scholar, civil rights leader, writer and public speaker'Tangled in Terror' brought tears to my eyes and fire to my heart. The gift of this book is feeling the world changing around you with each word. An astounding, ground-shaking piece of work.' -- Sabrina Mahfouz, playwright, poet, writer and editor of 'The Things I Would Tell You''A bold, brave and brilliant account of Islamophobia as a global system of domination and as a continuation of a colonial project, written with clarity and compassion' -- Sara Ahmed, independent scholar and author of 'Complaint!''Suhaiymah has produced crystal clarity out of the darkest fog. ‘Tangled In Terror’ is a visceral dissection of the industry of Islamophobia' -- Inua Ellams, award-winning playwright and poet‘A fresh perspective … looks beyond entrenched narratives of Islamophobia to offer a new thesis’ -- Mariyah Zaman, ‘gal-dem’‘Illuminating and incisive’ -- ‘Huck’‘Written with such clarity. It’s really validating, as a Muslim woman, to have someone say exactly what you’re thinking’ -- Nadia Saeed, ‘PEN Transmissions’‘An essential book, not only for Muslims but for anyone wanting to learn and understand more about the roots and current reality of Islamophobia. It’s an enriching and insightful read into what discussions around Islamophobia should be focusing on and where our energies should be prioritised. In the face of so much division and hate, it’s also a book of hope’ -- Shahed Ezaydi, ‘Amaliah’Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: Not what it is but what it does 1. A history of race-making: Inventing ‘the Muslim threat’ 2. Never-ending pillaging in the name of international security 3. Who is safer when the nation is secure? 4. Racist prediction as public duty: Prevent 5. Whose parallel lives? Which British values? 6. The revolution must be counter-extremist: Co-opting resistance 7. Compromising Islam for patriotism: A secular state? A Western Islam? 8. Destroying life and hoarding wealth in the name of border security 9. The feminist and queer-friendly West? The patriarchal rest? 10. Islamophobia’s beneficiaries Conclusion: A safe world on our own terms

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Book SynopsisEducation has always been an important pursuit in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad enjoined his followers to 'seek knowledge, even unto China.' Within the religion, educational theory and practice were founded on the work of itinerant teachers who taught the fundamental tenets of the faith in exchange for lodging and other services.Trade Review"The Islamic Translation Series... has established itself as one of the most valuable resources available to scholars of Islamic theology and Arab philosophy." (Bulletin of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies)"

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Book SynopsisThe first volume in a new translation of of Sahih Muslim, the second most authentic collection of Prophetic traditions, with Imam Nawawi's commentary.Table of ContentsPreface Translator's Introduction Introduction by Imam al-Nawawi: Hadith Methodology INTRODUCTION BY IMAM MUSLIM Chapter 1: Reporting Must be from Reliable Transmitters; Warnings Against False Attribution to God's Messenger peace be upon him) Chapter 2: The Seriousness of Attributing a False Statements to God's Messenger (peace be upon him) Chapter 3: The Prohibition of Relating Everything One Hears Chapter 4: The Prohibition of Reporting from People who are Suspect and the Need to be Cautious when Learning such Reports Chapter 5: True Transmission is a Part of Religion; Reporting is Acceptable only from Reliable People; Fair Criticism of Reporters is Permissible and a Duty in Defence of the Divine Law Chapter 6: Exposing the Flaws of Hadith Reporters Chapter 7: The Validity of Reporters' Views of other Reporters Chapter 8: The Validity of an Unspecified hadith as Evidence THE BOOK OF FAITH Chapter 1: Explanation of Iman, Islam and Ihsan; The Requirement of Believing in God's Decree; Evidence of Dissociation from those Who do not Believe in the Divine Decree and Confronting them Squarely Chapter 2: What is iman? An Outline of its Characteristics Chapter 3: Prayer: A Pillar of Islam Chapter 4: Enquiring about the Pillars of Islam Chapter 5: Explanation of iman that Ensures Admittance into Heaven and that Whoever Fulfils what they are Commanded will be in Heaven Chapter 6: Defining the Pillars of Islam and its Great Essentials Chapter 7: The Command to Believe in God and His Messenger and Islamic Fundamentals; Advocacy of Religion; Enquiring about it; Maintaining it and Delivering its Message to Whoever is Unaware of it Chapter 8: Calling on People to Say the Declaration and to Implement Islamic Teachings Chapter 9: The Command to Fight People unless they Say `There is No Deity other than God, Muhammad is God's Messenger', Attend Regularly to Prayer, Pay Zakat and Believe in all that is Stated by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Chapter 10: Evidence of the Validity of the Acceptance of Islam by One Who is about to Die, as Long as He is Not in the Throes of Death; The Abrogation of the Permissibility to Pray for Forgiveness for Idolaters; Evidence that those Who Die Idolaters will be in Hell, and Nothing can Save Them Chapter 11: Evidence Confirming that Whoever Dies Believing in God's Oneness will Certainly Enter Heaven Chapter 12: Whoever Accepts that God is his Lord, Islam is his Faith and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is God's Messenger is a Believer, Even Though he may Commit Major Sins Chapter 13: The Number of the Branches of Faith; the Best of these and the Lowest in Rank. The Virtue of Modesty and that it is Part of Faith Chapter 14: The Full Description of Islam Chapter 15: Grades of Islam and Which of its Teachings are Best Chapter 16: Certain Qualities Ensure Experiencing the Sweetness of Faith Chapter 17: The Duty of Loving the Prophet More than One's Family, Children, Parents and all Mankind; Whoever does not Love him so is Not a Believer Chapter 18: A Characteristic of Faith is to Love for One's Muslim Brother all the Good one Loves for Oneself Chapter 19: The Prohibition of Causing Harm to Neighbours Chapter 20: Urging Kindness to Neighbours and Guests; Saying Only What is Good as all this is Part of Faith

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Book SynopsisThis box set is a selection of six books each covering forty beautiful and most authentic Hadith from six different scholars. The Hadith are accompanied by an easy-to-follow explanation which makes it accessible to readership of all levels and all age ranges. Each volume covers themes regarding manners and etiquettes, the character of a Muslim, exhortations and admonitions, remembrance of Allah, knowledge, and action, and beliefs.  The aim of this book is to give the reader a flavor of Hadith literature with the hope it opens the doors for readers to enquire more about Hadith. 

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Book SynopsisMany contemporary Muslim family laws rest on patriarchal concepts. The time for change is now.The model of marriage constructed in classical Islamic jurisprudence rests on patriarchal ethics that privilege men. This worldview persists in gender norms and family laws in many Muslim contexts, despite reforms introduced over the past few decades. In this volume, a diverse group of scholars explore how egalitarian marital relations can be supported from within Islamic tradition. Brought together by the Musawah movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family, they examine ethics and laws related to marriage and gender relations from the perspective of the Qur’an, Sunna, Muslim legal tradition, historical practices and contemporary law reform processes. Collectively they conceptualize how Muslim marriages can be grounded in equality, mutual well-being and the core Qur’anic principles of ‘adl (justice) and ihsan (goodness anTrade Review‘This exciting collection of essays by an impressive array of experts takes Musawah’s mission from the critique of injustice and patriarchy in Muslim marriages and family laws to the building of a vision that yearns and works for divinely inspired justice and beauty in Muslim families and communities. The book is bold, radical, and groundbreaking. It will be an indispensable tool for Muslim activists the world over.’ -- Juliane Hammer, Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill‘Justice and Beauty in Muslim Marriage addresses the ethical emptiness and lack of poetic sensibility in the patriarchal discourse on women’s rights… The findings of the book, that Muslim marriage laws and normativity are not in line with contemporary understandings of justice, promise a hermeneutic shift towards egalitarian legislation and pluralist normativity.’ -- Muhammad Khalid Masud, former Chairman, Council of Islamic Ideology, Pakistan, and former Academic Director, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World, Leiden University‘Teeming with provocative and restorative ideas, this book reframes the practice of marriage as it is lived in all its complexities. Drawing on tradition and experience, marriage now becomes a wholesome way of self-fulfillment as expressed by these courageous authors. It is a very timely intervention and much needed. A must-read.’ -- Ebrahim Moosa, Mirza Family Chair of Islamic Thought and Muslim Societies, University of Notre Dame

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThis first Element in the series Islam and the Sciences is introductory and aims to give readers a general overview of the wide and rich scope of interactions of Islam with the sciences, including past disputes, current challenges, and future outlooks.Table of ContentsForeword; 1. Science, Religion/Islam, and how they relate; 2. The Islam & Science debates so far; 3. A field(s)/topic(al) map of the debates; 4. The new and future Islam & Science debates; 5. The Islam and Science topics in society/culture; 6. General Conclusions: Lessons and Prospects

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Book SynopsisThrough analysis of the Covenants of the Prophet Mu?ammad, which pledge protection to diverse faith communities, this book makes a profoundly important contribution to research on early Islam by determining the Covenants' historicity and textual accuracy.The authors focus on the Prophet Mu?ammad's relationship with other faith communities by conducting detailed textual and linguistic analysis of documents which have received little scholarly consideration before. This not only includes decrees of the Prophet Mu?ammad, Umar ibn al-Kha??ab, Ali ibn Abi ?alib, and Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, but also of important Muslim rulers. They present their findings in relation to contemporaneous historical writings, historic testimonies, official recognition, archaeological evidence, historic scribal conventions, date-matching calculations, textual parallelisms, and references in Muslim and non-Muslim sources. They also provide new and revised translations of various Covenants issued bTrade ReviewAn official endorsement was granted to the authors on 24 March 2022, in Doha, on the day that the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates St. Sophronius of Jerusalem by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Qatar:"This book has confirmed the stance of the Orthodox Church throughout the centuries as it concerns the authenticity of covenants of Muslim rulers issued mainly to Christian clergy, which had the purpose to protect monasteries, churches, or communities.The Patriarch of Jerusalem Sophronius received the covenant from Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, respected also by Ottoman rulers, which explains why a number of copies have been preserved in the official archive of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, including even micro-sized scrolls that were used by the bearers for traveling. This historical memory and experience of co-existence is maintained until today.Belonging to the Church of Jerusalem, I have the privilege to be consecrated as the first Archbishop of Qatar by the successor of Patriarch Sophronius, our current Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, witnessing the historical connection between the Church of Jerusalem and Qatar, and at the same time renewing and extending this shared historical memory to peaceful co-existence.It is a well-documented and useful book, thanks to the authors’ academic efforts, offering fruitful conclusions and a significant contribution that sheds light on a very important field for understanding the common history of co-existence between Christians and Muslims in the East."Archbishop Makarios of Qatar, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese"Professor Ibrahim Zein and Ahmed El-Wakil’s book, The Covenants of the Prophet Muḥammad: From Shared Historical Memory to Peaceful Co-existence, is particularly important for many reasons. It is a work that delves into the historical sources, with a detailed examination of Islamic historical works concerned with co-existence between Christians and Muslims. These are key to understanding the historical events which took place many centuries later, for there is no Caliph or Sulṭān who did not issue fermāns recognizing the historical and religious value of the Monastery of St. Catherine in Mount Sinai, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and Mount Athos. This study sheds light on the reasons behind this protection and why it was extended over the centuries. Living on Mount Athos, a place exclusively dedicated to God with its 20 monasteries and theocratic status, we find the tradition of Muḥammad and the ahdnāme to be very much alive. All monasteries which have copies of the ahdnāme have preserved them with great esteem. In our time, where people can easily succumb to extremism, this book is an important reminder to return to the sources, history, and to tradition. Though there may have been conflicts, these do not define the essence of the relationship between Christians and Muslims, for there was also peace, co-existence, and mutual respect. As the pages of this study show, these are the values that reflect the Will of God. I thank the authors for this wonderful and useful work. May God bless you."Father Theophilos Pantokratorinos, Monastery of Pantokratoros, Mount Athos"This book is an important and extremely interesting contribution for the study of Islam, its traditional characteristics, its life in its earliest historical context, its relations with people of other religious traditions, especially Christians and Jews, as well as its encounter with various other people. What makes this study particularly distinct is the kind of "sources" it examines and on which it is based; something which makes the discussion about these sources, their very survival, their origin, authenticity, tradition, geography and any kind of information unveiled through them, topics of very important scholarly interest. The material is impressive; so is its treatment."Daniel J. Sahas, Professor Emeritus University of Waterloo, Canada"For its scholarship and its thoroughness of analysis, this book can open a new era in Muslim/Christian collegiality as Abrahamic Religions. This study of the covenants of the Prophet Muḥammad with Christians and other communities puts into practice and brings into our consciousness the ideals of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together issued by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University, Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, the words spoken by the Grand Ayatollah Sistani when the Pope visited him in Najaf – "You are part of us. We are part of you", and the encyclical Fratelli Tutti of Pope Francis.The research of Ibrahim Zein and Ahmed El-Wakil confounds intolerant hearsay regarding the beliefs and practices of the Prophet Muḥammad, founder of Islamic faith in the God of Abraham, traditions, both Christian and Muslim, which have not accurately conveyed the deeds of the Prophet with respect to Christians. These mistaken traditions have, over centuries, contributed to unnecessary hostility of some Muslims towards Christians and of some Christians towards Muslims. Now, with the publication of this book, there is no need for such intense suspicion and animosity between the faiths to continue.Both Muslims and Christians should read this book and reframe their appreciation of each other.Zein and El-Wakil have rigorously brought forward historic references to the covenants of the Prophet, carefully considered and authenticated the texts of such covenants convincingly, and so have given us confidence that the texts we have received of those covenants can be accepted as the testimony and the aspirations of the Prophet himself."Dr. Steve Young, Global Executive Director of the Caux Round Table for Moral Capitalism (CRT), USA"The publication of The Covenants of the Prophet Muḥammad: From Shared Historical Memory to Peaceful Co-existence marks a watershed moment in the history of Islam, one that may help provoke a paradigm shift in Muslim-Christian relations on a planetary scale. This monumental scholarly undertaking, rooted in rigorous archival research and groundwork, recenters our understanding of the religious and socio-political philosophy of the Prophet Muḥammad and contributes to realigning relations between Islam and Christianity. God and His Messenger will most certainly be pleased. Blessed be this book, blessed be its authors, and blessed be the peacemakers for they will be called children of God."Dr. John Andrew Morrow, author of The Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of the World, The Messenger of Mercy, The Islamic Interfaith Initiative, and Islam and the People of the Book"This book merits careful consideration. Full of new research and fresh arguments about the Covenants, Zein and El-Wakil’s work could substantially revise many scholars’ understanding not just of Muḥammad’s relationships to Christians, but of early Islam and other religions. Thought-provoking!"Dr. Jason Welle, O.F.M. The Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Rome"I am particularly happy with the high-level and outstanding results that accompany The Covenants of the Prophet Muḥammad: From Shared Historical Memory to Peaceful Co-existence, a study conducted by Professor of Islamic Studies and Comparative Religion, Dr. Ibrahim Zein, and Ahmed El-Wakil, a distinguished scholar on Islamic texts of early Islam, both of whom are active researchers at the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad bin Khalifa University in Qatar. Anyone who has followed the publications of these two authors will find that this book is a culmination of their previous studies concerning what happened during the first century of Islam. By respectfully treating the sources at their disposal, their new approach contests what has been almost universally established from the post-Crusade period up to our own times by mainstream academia. The authors’ methodology is based on etymology and the semantic study of terms used in early Islamic texts to reveal important historical information not so obvious at first sight. Having studied an extensive number of copies of the ahdnāme, they uncover that Muḥammad, according to the Will of God, established a huge legislative framework during the last ten years of his life orientated at the co-existence of the nations of the Holy Bible and which aimed at restricting all manner of possible conflict between them."Dimitrios E. Kalomirakis, Emeritus Director of Christian Antiquities of the Greek Ministry of Culture"The Covenants of the Prophet Muḥammad: From Shared Historical Memory to Peaceful Co-Existence sheds new light on documents of protection which the early Muslims granted to the various communities of the Near-East, among which were the Armenian people. The book demonstrates how the Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb extended his protection to the Armenian Apostolic Church when he entered Jerusalem, making a convincing case that this was based on a precedent set by the Prophet Muḥammad. Ever since, the Armenian Apostolic Church’s uninterrupted presence in the Holy Land has been universally acknowledged by Muslim rulers, including Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn al-Ayyūbī in his memorable fermān.We thank the authors for their work which we believe will help strengthen the bonds of cooperation and brotherhood between Muslims and the adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church."Father Koryoun Baghdasaryan, Chancellor of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Armenian Apostolic ChurchTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Covenants as a Shared Historical Memory 2. The Prophet's Convenant with the Monks of Mount Sinai 3. The Prophet’s Covenant with the Christians of Najrān 4. The Prophet’s Covenants with Other Christian Communities 5. Covenants with the Samaritans, the Jews, and the Magi 6. The Covenants of the Prophet during the Caliphate of ‘Umar 7. Epilogue: Developing a New Criteria for Assessing the Veracity of the Covenants

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Book SynopsisAddressing the rupture between religious and social sciences in Arab universities, this book provides a critical assessment of the curricula of Shariah and Islamic Studies departments across the Arab World, arguing for increased interdisciplinary dialogue.Based on over 250 interviews with university students and teachers, this study is the sum of five years of field research observing the curricula and teaching styles of colleges in the Shariah sciences. The author provides critical insight into these curricula by focusing on case studies in Lebanon and Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait and Qatar, and in Malaysia. In doing so, the book aims to answer the following questions: What is the aim of religious education? Does it aim to create people who specialize solely in religious affairs, or does it aim to form the student according to a comprehensive human framework? What is the nature of the relationship between the social sciences and the Shariah sciences?Trade Review"Typical of Dr. Hanafi’s earlier works, this project is designed around original empirical data, fortified by solid command of religious sciences. In this volume, we find detailed studies of the curricula, theses, sermons, and approaches to religious education across several Muslim-majority countries in different parts of the world. That alone would have been a pioneering accomplishment, but Dr. Hanafi enhances the originality of his contribution by exploring the fruitfulness of a dialogue between the religious sciences he observes and the secular social sciences of which he is a world-renowned expert. There is little in the available literature that rises to the level of this significant book in terms of global scope, depth of knowledge, and cross-breeding of genres of knowledge—all carried out over many years by a key player in global social sciences." Mohammed Bamyeh, University of Pittsburgh, United States "In this book Sari Hanafi explores the state of the art of Islamic studies in different countries, comparing curricula and different learning goals and outcomes. Coming from a sociology background, he realizes the need to reform both social sciences and Islamic studies, and in this book addresses the rupture and its causes. Without necessarily using the notions of post-colonialism, this book is definitely about revisiting the map of sciences as we know it, with all its divisions and complexities. A must read for social scientists and Islamic scholars alike." Heba R. Ezzat, Assistant Professor of Civilization Studies, Ibn Haldun University, Turkey "Sari Hanafi shows how a seasoned social scientist with a personal history of acquaintance with Islamic traditional knowledge can interrogate this traditional knowledge’s current conditions, as represented by three of its globally recognized institutions of learning. Among scholars of Islam, the humanities, and the social sciences, there are instances of overlap, turf-protection, cooperation and competition. This text is an opportunity for all participants in these areas of scholarship to think through, question, and enrich their positions about their academic fields’ palpable and not-so-palpable affinities." Ahmad Atif Ahmad, Professor of Religious Studies, The University of California, United States "Sari Hanafi’s book calls us convincingly to reconsider the existing false binary between Sharia sciences and social sciences. He demonstrates why it is urgently needed and how it can happen. It is a timely call to leave behind the existing pseudo-dichotomies and move forward for a rooted revival through an inclusive multiplex epistemology and methodology which brings together ethical and empirical levels of knowledge." Recep Senturk, Dean of College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and President of Usūl Academy Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Theoretical Approaches and Contexts 1. Shariah Education: Its History, Crisis and Approaches 2. The Arab Religious Field 3. The Islamization of Knowledge: Appraisal and Alternative Part II: Curricula of Shariah Programs in the Arab World 4. Curricula of Shariah Programs in Lebanon: Dominance of the Traditionalist Tendency 5. Shariah Education in Jordan: Traditionalism in a Complicated Religious Field 6. University Shariah Education in Kuwait: Dominance of the Salafi Approach 7. Curricula of Shariah Programs and Islamic Studies in Morocco: Maqasid al-Shariah Approach Part III: Alternative Models 8. Reviving the Ethical in the Shariah Sciences: The Case of the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University 9. From Streamlining to Mainstreaming "Islamization of Knowledge": The Case of the International Islamic University of Malaysia Part IV: Reality, Rupture and Alternative 10. Problems Shared by Shariah Colleges 11. Conclusion: Towards Methodological Alternatives in Connecting the Shariah Sciences to the Social Sciences

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Book SynopsisIslam and Citizenship in Indonesia examines the conditions facilitating democracy, women's rights, and inclusive citizenship in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority country and the third largest democracy in the world. The book shows that Muslim understandings of Islamic traditions and ethics have coevolved with the understanding and practice of democracy and citizen belonging. Following thirty-two years of authoritarian rule, in 1998 this sprawling Southeast Asian country returned to electoral democracy. The achievement brought with it, however, an upsurge in both the numbers and assertiveness of Islamist militias, as well as a sharp increase in violence against religious minorities. The resulting mobilizations have pitted the Muslim supporters of an Indonesian variety of inclusive citizenship against populist proponents of Islamist majoritarianism. Seen from this historical example, the book demonstrates that Muslim actors come to know and practice Islam inTrade Review"This book will be a standard reference for any future work on Islam and democracy in Indonesia or comparatively across the Muslim world. It is a culmination of more than two decades of work and experience addressing Islam, democratic politics, and society in Indonesia."– Vedi Hadiz, University of Melbourne, Australia"Robert W. Hefner is the leading scholar of Islam and democracy in Indonesia – the demographically largest and intellectually most vibrant Muslim-majority country. This book will be considered as Hefner’s magnum opus – a culmination of his half-a-century-long examination of diverse religious views and practices as well as their political implications in Indonesia’s rural and urban settings. Islam and Citizenship analyzes the complex relations between Muslim politics, democracy, and public ethics with a nuanced attention to the Indonesian context while also providing insights for the rest of the Muslim world. It masterfully covers contested issues such as sharia, gender relations, and education. This groundbreaking book will shape the field of religion and politics for many years to come."– Ahmet T. Kuru, San Diego State University, USA. Author of Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global and Historical Comparison "Hefner’s book puts Muslims at the center of the study of Islam in Indonesia, which he describes as having a ‘complex and agonistic plurality’. This is a welcome intervention in contemporary commentary on Islam and politics, taking readers on a multisited and multidimensional journey. Deploying an erudite lens that combines his ethnographic vision with comparative politics and sociology, he finds a concern with shared ideas of public ethics at the heart of contemporary contestations in the Muslim public sphere. Care of the social emerges as a key element accounting for the tenaciousness of Indonesian democracy, in the face of the conservative turn."– Kathryn Robinson, The Australian National University“This book manuscript – a magnum opus by arguably the most esteemed scholar of Islam in Indonesia and among the keenest thinkers on Islam, democracy, and comparative political philosophy more generally – is destined to be a classic. The depth of socio-historical knowledge of Indonesia, matched with an impressive engagement with an incredible range of social science theorists in anthropology, political science, and elsewhere, results in a complex portrait of religious politics a quarter century after the downfall of Suharto’s authoritarian regime.”– James B. Hoesterey, Emory University, USATable of Contents1. Introduction: Islam and Citizenship in Democratic Indonesia; 2. Citizenship Amidst Resurgence; 3. Religionization and the Politics of Recognition; 4. Exclusivist Islamism and the "Conservative Turn"; 5. Islamic Education and Ethical Prioritization; 6. Women and Gender Contention; 7. Whose Shariah? Religious Politics and Citizen Ethics; 8. Conclusion: The Quest for an Inclusive Public Ethics; References Cited; Index

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