Social groups: religious groups and communities Books

Book SynopsisA historical tour de force, The Invention of the Jewish People offers a groundbreaking account of Jewish and Israeli history. Exploding the myth that there was a forced Jewish exile in the first century at the hands of the Romans, Israeli historian Shlomo Sand argues that most modern Jews descend from converts, whose native lands were scattered across the Middle East and Eastern Europe.In this iconoclastic work, which spent nineteen weeks on the Israeli bestseller list and won the coveted Aujourd'hui Award in France, Sand provides the intellectual foundations for a new vision of Israel's future.Trade ReviewExtravagantly denounced and praised. * New York Times *Perhaps books combining passion and erudition don't change political situations, but if they did, this one would count as a landmark. -- Eric Hobsbawm * Observer *[Sand's] quiet earthquake of a book is shaking historical faith in the link between Judaism and Israel. -- Rafael Behr * Observer *Anyone interested in understanding the contemporary Middle East should read this book. -- Tony JudtNo discussion of the region any longer seems complete without acknowledgement of this book. * Independent on Sunday *A radical dismantling of a national myth. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisFakhr al-Din Razi''s Tafsir, The Great Exegesis, also known as Mafatih al-Ghayb, is one of the great classics of Arabic and Islamic scholarship. Written in the twelfth century, this commentary on the Qur''an has remained until today an indispensable reference work. The Great Exegesis is a compendium not only of Qur''anic sciences and meanings, but also Arabic linguistics, comparative jurisprudence, Aristotelian and Islamic philosophy, dialectic theology and the spirituality of Sufism.The present volume is the first ever translation into English from The Great Exegesis and focuses on the first chapter of the Qur''an, the Fatiha. This scholarly yet accessible translation gives readers a thorough understanding of the most commonly recited chapter of the Qur''an; it also opens up for readers a window into the thought and practice of one of Islam''s greatest theologians. This volume includes a foreword by Professor M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, King Fahd Professor of Islamic Studies, University of London.

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Book SynopsisIn our age of globalisation, how should we react to the new Islamophobic movements now spreading in the West? Everywhere the far right is on the march, with nationalist and populist parties thriving on the back of popular anxieties about Islam and the Muslim presence. Hijab and minaret bans, mosque shootings, hostility to migrants and increasingly scornful media stereotypes seem to endanger the prospects for friendly coexistence and the calm uplifting of Muslim populations. In this series of essays Abdal Hakim Murad dissects the rise of Islamophobia on the basis of Muslim theological tradition. Although the proper response to the current impasse is clearly indicated in Qur'an and Hadith, some have lost the principle of trust in divine wisdom and are responding with hatred, fearfulness or despair. Murad shows that a compassion-based approach, rooted in an authentic theology of divine power, could transform the current quagmire into a bright landscape of great promise for Muslims and their neighbours.Trade Review'Probably the most important book ever published by a European Muslim scholar. Traditionally enlightened, mercifully uncompromising with the truth, intellectually and spiritually challenging, these eleven essays show the way forward in a dark and dangerous age.' (Professor Yahya Michot, Hartford Seminary); 'Travelling Home is an essential and exhilarating read.' (Michael Sugich, author of Hearts Turn); 'A must-read for all the Europeans who struggle to make sense of the reality and legitimacy of Muslims in their midst'. (Professor Jocelyne Cesari, University of Birmingham).

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Book SynopsisIt's Not About the Burqa is an anthology of frank and insightful essays by Muslim women about the contemporary Muslim female experience.'Passionate, angry, self-effacing, nuanced and utterly compelling in every single way' - Nikesh Shukla, editor of The Good ImmigrantWhen was the last time you heard a Muslim woman speak for herself without a filter?In 2016, Mariam Khan read that David Cameron had linked the radicalization of Muslim men to the ‘traditional submissiveness’ of Muslim women. Mariam felt pretty sure she didn’t know a single Muslim woman who would describe herself that way. Why was she hearing about Muslim women from people who were neither Muslim, nor female?Years later the state of the national discourse has deteriorated even further, and Muslim women’s voices are still pushed to the fringes – the figures leading the discussion are white and male.Taking one of the most politicized and misused words associated with Muslim women and Islamophobia, It’s Not About the Burqa is poised to change all that. Here are voices you won’t see represented in the national news headlines: seventeen Muslim women speaking frankly about the hijab and wavering faith, about love and divorce, about feminism, queer identity, sex, and the twin threats of a disapproving community and a racist country.With a mix of British and international women writers, from activist Mona Eltahawy's definition of a revolution to journalist and broadcaster Saima Mir telling the story of her experience of arranged marriage, from author Sufiya Ahmed on her Islamic feminist icon to playwright Afshan D'souza-Lodhi's moving piece about her relationship with her hijab, these essays are funny, warm, sometimes sad, and often angry, and each of them is a passionate declaration calling time on the oppression, the lazy stereotyping, the misogyny and the Islamophobia.What does it mean, exactly, to be a Muslim woman in the West today? According to the media, it’s all about the burqa.Here’s what it’s really about.Shortlisted for Foyles Non-Fiction Book of the Year'Engrossing . . . fascinating . . . courageous' – ObserverTrade ReviewAn incredibly important collection of essays that explores the pressures of being a Muslim woman today. These essays are passionate, angry, self-effacing, nuanced and utterly compelling in every single way -- Nikesh Shukla, editor of The Good ImmigrantWide-ranging . . . engrossing . . . fascinating . . . these essays take a courageous and panoramic view of Muslims * Observer *A landmark anthology . . . frank and engaging essays on sex and religion, mental health in the Muslim community and queer identity from an impressive selection of writers and activists * Cosmopolitan *Essential reading for our times. These essays are funny, angry, hopeful, sorrowful and inspired - and will leave you feeling much the same -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and StarsAn intelligent and much needed book * Red Magazine *It’s about pushing past the stereotype placed on Muslim women and hearing the individuals themselves; it’s required reading * Stylist *Refreshing, insightful and occasionally raw, It’s Not About the Burqa is a phenomenal collection of essays by a very diverse range of Muslim women. An absolute must read for anyone wanting to better understand the lives and experiences of Muslim Women in the West. -- Akeela AhmedThe result is It’s Not About the Burqa, 17 brilliantly wide-ranging essays covering everything from the rise of the sexualised Islamic influencer, to the Quran’s take on bisexuality – and of course insidious, ugly Islamophobia * i News *Forget the ravings of politicians and pundits, hear from voices who have real, lived experiences across religion, feminism, sex, love and identity, and turn to this nuanced and wide-ranging collection * Emerald Street *Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction by Mariam Khan Chapter - 1: 'Too Loud, Swears Too Much and Goes Too Far' by Mona Eltahawy Chapter - 2: 'Immodesty is the Best Policy' by Coco Khan Chapter - 3: 'The First Feminist' by Sufiya Ahmed Chapter - 4: 'On the Representation of Muslims: Terms and Conditions Apply' by Nafisa Bakkar Chapter - 5: 'The Clothes of My Faith' by Afia Ahmed Chaudhry Chapter - 6: 'Life was Easier Before I was Woke' by Yassmin Midhat Abdel-Magied Chapter - 7: 'There’s No Such Thing as a Depressed Muslim: Discussing Mental Health in the Muslim Community' by Jamilla Hekmoun Chapter - 8: 'Feminism Needs to Die' by Mariam Khan Chapter - 9: 'Hijabi (R)evolution' by Afshan D’souza-Lodhi Chapter - 10: 'Eight Notifications' by Salma Haidrani Chapter - 11: 'Shame, Shame, It Knows Your Name' by Amna Saleem Chapter - 12: 'A Woman of Substance' by Saima Mir Chapter - 13: 'A Gender Denied: Islam, Sex and the Struggle to Get Some' by Salma El-Wardany Chapter - 14: 'How Not to Get Married (or why an unregistered nikah is no protection for a woman)' by Aina Khan OBE Chapter - 15: 'Not Just a Black Muslim Woman' by Raifa Rafiq Chapter - 16: 'Between Submission and Threat: The British State’s Contradictory Relationship with Muslim Women' by Malia Bouattia Chapter - 17: 'Daughter of Stories' by Nadine Aisha Jassat

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Book SynopsisNot – as often imagined – of a culture apart, but of a Jewish world immersed in and imprinted by the peoples among whom they have dwelled, from the Egyptians to the Greeks, from the Arabs to the Christians.Which makes the story of the Jews everyone’s story, too.Trade ReviewSchama at his best, a labour of love, as full of memorable incident as a Bellow novel and wittier than a Woody Allen movie * The Times *Schama has written a proud and personal story of his people, one that will make a good starting point for those interested in one of history’s most fascinating and tragic tales -- Josh Glancy * Sunday Times *Inspiring… Schama tells it with panache, weaving facts and anecdotes into a vivid history * Observer *Unforgettable…a delicious cacophony of conversations and clamorous arguments echoing across history * Daily Telegraph *A spirited, immensely enjoyable and wide-ranging account… [expresses] both the triumphs and the tragedies with irrepressible enthusiasm and his customary eloquence * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive guide to Hindu history and philosophy, its traditions and practices, magnificently illustrated with more than 500 photographs (updated 2024)

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Book SynopsisA fashion journalist unzips the revolution, influence, and controversy of the modest fashion movement - as seen in Vogue Arabia, Harper's Bazaar, Stylist, Glamour, Publishers Weekly, Foreword Reviews, Booklist, and more. Muslim-American fashion journalist Hafsa Lodi has witnessed first-hand how the modest fashion industry has evolved from a niche segment to a powerful force that boasts a multibillion-dollar market value on the world stage. Whether they''re influenced by the feminist nuances of modesty, abide by religious dress norms, or keep up with the latest social media trends, modest fashion is profoundly popular. Lodi unpacks how designer brands like Gucci have popularized conservative attire and layering as the pinnacle of chic, and high-street brands like H&M and Mango have followed. She strips back the modest fashion movement to expose its true disruptors: the faith-centric fashion labels. Bolstered by a burgeoning community of Muslim, Jewish and Christian fashion influencers, they''re at the forefront of this global surge. Speaking to both the fashion industry and its consumers, Lodi explores the nuances and narratives of this fascinating movement and asks the burning question: In a world where fashion becomes a spectacle and seeks constant attention, can it ever be truly modest?

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Book SynopsisIn the middle of the First World War, the British War Cabinet approved and issued a statement in the form of a letter that encouraged the settlement of the Jewish people in Palestine. Signed by the Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour, the Balfour Declaration remains one of the most important documents of the last hundred years. Jonathan Schneer explores the story behind the declaration and its unforeseen consequences that have shaped the modern world, placing it in context paying attention to the fascinating characters who conceived, opposed and plotted around it - among them Lloyd George, Lord Rothschild, T.E. Lawrence, Prince Faisal and Aubrey Herbert (the man who was Greenmantle''). The Balfour Declaration brings vividly to life the origins of one of the world''s longest lasting and most damaging conflicts.Trade Review'Splendid ... A marvellously well-researched, balanced, and clear-sighted guide to this hideously controversial territory' * Dominic Sandbrook, Evening Standard *'Jonathan Schneer's lively new account is very much a tale for our times ... his book is interspersed with delightful vignettes' * David Cesarini, Literary Review *‘Why did Britain offer the Jews a home in Palestine? Had they not already offered Palestine to the Arabs, two years earlier? This extraordinarily well-documented and revealing book gives the answers' * Martin Gilbert, Mail on Sunday *‘An excellent and compelling portrait of the intrigues, characters and diplomacy that created the modern Middle East' * Simon Sebag Montefiore *

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Book Synopsis‘Ridiculously enjoyable’ Tom Holland A Book of the Year for The Times, Mail on Sunday and BBC History Magazine The ‘Mermaid of Morwenstow’ excommunicated a cat for mousing on a Sunday. When he was late for a service, Bishop Lancelot Fleming commandeered a Navy helicopter. ‘Mad Jack’ swapped his surplice for leopard skin and insisted on being carried around in a coffin. And then there was the man who, like Noah’s evil twin, tried to eat one of each of God’s creatures… In spite of all this they saw the church as their true calling. These portraits reveal the Anglican church in all its colourful madness.Trade Review‘One of the best Christmas books of the past few years... both hilarious and unusually elegant in conception and execution.’ * Marcus Berkmann, Spectator *‘Eye-popping tales of lunacy, debauchery and depravity…Butler-Gallie has done a splendid job presenting a smorgasbord of most peculiar parsons.’ * Sebastian Shakespeare, Daily Mail *‘We have…always kept a special haven for oddballs in the Church of England, as Fergus Butler-Gallie demonstrates in this entertaining compendium…Their foibles cover all bases from absentmindedness to epic drunkenness…I’m glad I read this one. It’s a lot of fun.’ * The Times *‘Entertainingly erudite…But it is also a surprisingly profound work…For all its mischief, Butler-Gallie’s work of lightly worn erudition is a paean to a great English institution, finely tuned to the temper of its representatives, good, bad and indifferent. We should treasure it more.’ * Literary Review *‘A humorous compendium of some of the oddball clergy who have served the Church over the centuries...These thumbnail portraits reveal a very broad church indeed.’ * New Statesman *‘The Church of England has produced some real oddballs in its time, and this is an entertaining gallop through several centuries’ worth of them…Butler-Gallie has done his homework, digging out some rare gems…This is the story not just of eccentrics, but also of a leisured age that is no more.’ * Harry Mount, Spectator *‘Wonderfully entertaining…A hilarious yet thoughtful reminder that the Christian faith wasn’t always thought incompatible with a sense of humour or a healthy bolshiness.’ * Sunday Times *‘It may have the makings of a modern classic…Butler-Gallie chronicles not just Anglican follies, but also human weaknesses which we all share and with which we can perhaps sympathise.’ * The Catholic Herald *‘This is a ridiculously enjoyable book: funny, compassionate, and wonderfully well-written.’ -- Tom Holland‘A delightful, sympathetic, humorous and earthed cocktail of quirky English clergy.’ -- The Rt Revd David Wilbourne‘Fabulously enjoyable compendium of the Anglican Church’s most eccentric ministers – who prove to be very eccentric indeed.’ -- Reader’s Digest‘Some of the most riotous misbehaviour in Church of England history is chronicled in this sprightly book.’ * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisA celebrated novelist and an acclaimed historian of ideas, father and daughter, unravel the chain of words at the core of Jewish life, history, and cultureTrade ReviewPraise for Amos Oz’s A Tale of Love and Darkness: "Both in his fiction and his essays, Oz has proven himself one of our essential writers, laying out for our observation, in ever-increasing breadth and profundity, the mad landscape of our time and his place—always enlarging the scope of his questions while avoiding the temptation of dogmatic answers."—Alberto Manguel, Washington Post Book World"A charmingly funny book—not just humorous but sometimes downright hilarious. The essence of it is that the natural condition of the Jewish people—and the source of their resilience—is being in argument with the world, with one another and, to be sure, with God himself. But you cannot get the taste of this book, let alone its essence, without reading it."—Martin Peretz, Wall Street Journal"A thought-provoking essay on language, literature and the eternal question of Jewish identity. . . . Jews and Words is filled with fascinating anecdotes and details. . . . A stimulating meditation on what it means to be a Jew and what it means to be a reader."—Wall Street Journal"Playfully instructive. . . . Will appeal to lay readers interested in a nonreligious Judaism based on contemporary readings of traditional and more modern Jewish texts."—Publishers Weekly "In [Jews and Words] . . . boisterous excitement over words and ideas generates a little paradise beyond politics. It opens up a garden of play and joy, of dispute without hate and passions without victims."—Independent"[A] provocative, playful, speculative journey through the rich, centuries-old heritage of Jewish literature."—Natasha Lahrer, Jewish Chronicle"Jews and words is a thought-provoking essay on language, literature and the eternal question of Jewish identity. . . . Filled with fascinating anecdotes and details, not least the etymologies of various words dating back to ancient Hebrew. . . . A stimulating meditation on what it means to be a Jew and what it means to be a reader."—Toby Lichtig, The Wall Street Journal Europe"[An] exhilarating essay." —Michael Kerrigan, The Scotsman"In this provocative, playful, speculative journey through the rich, centuries-old heritage of Jewish literature, father and daughter Amos Oz and Fania Oz-Salzberger propose a 'textline' rather than a bloodline — a notion of Jewish lineage that is etched not in blood but in words."—Jewish Chronicle"Jews and Words is a conversation between two people who love each other, informed by a wonderful sense of humor and a passionate yet measured analysis of language, people, and literature. Honesty shines through every paragraph of this terrific work."—Yehuda BauerPraise for Fania Oz-Salzberger’s Israelis in Berlin: "An exciting, deeply moving, masterly book. It combines a wealth of knowledge with great emotional power."—Zeruya Shalev"Ingenious and thrilling, Jews and Words manages to cram more than 5,000 years of prayers, songs, stories, arguments, praises, curses and jokes into the suitcase of a thin, page-turning work of . . . what? History? Anthropology? Literary criticism? Theology? All of these and more. It's a wonderful book."—Jonathan Safran Foer"Jews and Words is thrilling and entertaining, challenging clichés and stereotypes at every page. Its tone is half serious and half humorous, mixing a mastery of its subject with an informal touch. It promises to be very controversial and widely read."—Mario Vargas Llosa"Absolument passionnant."—Bernard-Henri Lévy

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Book SynopsisThe Muqaddimah, often translated as "Introduction" or "Prolegomenon," is the most important Islamic history of the premodern world. Written by the great fourteenth-century Arab scholar Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406), this monumental work established the foundations of several fields of knowledge, including the philosophy of history, sociology, ethnography,Trade Review"Ibn Khaldun, the great 14th-century Arab scholar, is the most authoritative and most beguiling of Arabic polymaths... His learning and ideas have an astonishingly modern relevance. His encyclopaedic work is a wonderfully readable mixture of history, sociology, ethnography, economics, science, art, literature, cookery, and medicine."--Iain Finlayson, Times "[The] most remarkable book written during the entire Middle Ages, one of the great intellectual achievements of all time."--Virginia Quarterly Review From review of Princeton's original edition: "[N. J. Dawood] has, by skillful abridgement and deft but unobtrusive editing, produced an attractive and manageable volume, which should make the essential ideas of Ibn Khaldun accessible to a wide circle of readers."--Times Literary Supplement From review of Princeton's original edition: "Undoubtedly the greatest work of its kind that has ever been created by any mind in any time or place ... the most comprehensive and illuminating analysis of how human affairs work that has been made anywhere."--Arnold J. Toynbee, Observer

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Book SynopsisText in English & Arabic. This is the first English translation of Ibn 'Arabi's Hilyat al-abdal, a short work which he wrote in the space of an hour during his Meccan period as something that would be "of assistance for those on the Path to true happiness". Beginning with an anecdote concerning one of his Andalusian companions, Ibn 'Arabi proceeds to explain the exterior qualities of the spiritually transformed (abdal). He particularly focuses on the four essential prerequisites of spiritual discipline: silence, seclusion, hunger and vigilance, describing how these appear among both aspirants and the spiritually realised. One of the most popular of his short works, the Hilyat al-abdal was much copied, and this book includes the first critical edition of the text based on the best manuscripts, including one written in Malatya during the author's lifetime. In addition, it provides a substantial introduction on the abdal saints, and a translation of Chapter 53 from the Futuhat al-makkiyya, which deals with the same subject-matter. Published in association with the Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society.

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Book SynopsisIn this Very Short Introduction, Steven Beller explores the historical and political intricacies of Antisemitism, an issue which has been a worryingly persistent presence in the last millennium, and one that continues to provoke debate and discussion.Table of Contents1. What is antisemitism? ; 2. The burden of the past ; 3. The Chosen People ; 4. The culture of irrationalism ; 5. The perils of modernity ; 6. Concatenations ; 7. Consequences ; 8. After Auschwitz ; References ; Further Reading

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Book SynopsisA passionate history of Judaism; a world unfolding across many continents and five centuries by one of our greatest and internationally bestselling historians.Belonging is a magnificent cultural history abundantly alive with energy, character and colour. From the Jews' expulsion from Spain in 1492 it tells the stories not just of rabbis and philosophers but of a poetess in the ghetto of Venice; a boxer in Georgian England; a general in Ming China; an opera composer in nineteenth-century Germany. The story unfolds in Kerala and Mantua, the starlit hills of Galilee, the rivers of Colombia, the kitchens of Istanbul, the taverns of Ukraine and the mining camps of California. It sails in caravels, rides the stage coaches and the railways; trudges the dawn streets of London, hobbles along with the remnant of Napoleon's ruined army. The Jewish story is a history that is about, and for, all of us. And in our own time of anxious arrivals and enforced departures, the Jews' search for a home is more startlingly resonant than ever. A magnificent achievement' Jonathan Freedland, Guardian An extraordinary cultural journey, filled with astonishingly colourful and outrageous characters Schama delivers a superb and thrilling ride, both inspirational and tragic' Simon Sebag Montefiore, Mail on SundayTrade ReviewA magnificent achievement… [a] parade of bustlingly vital characters from across the globe ... all painted in luminous colour… By offering such a throbbing cavalcade of characters, Schama is defying several key assumptions, even stereotypes, about Jewish history and Jews themselves… Above all, while much Jewish history can read like a sorrowful trudge through disaster, plague and pogrom, Schama’s book teems with life rather than death -- Jonathan Freedland * Guardian *Magisterial ... the product of a world-class historian at the peak of his creative powers … rich, ornate, intensely evocative and sensory. With astonishing range and extraordinary synthesising powers, Schama captures the drama of Jewish history. * Financial Times *A rich melody that soars above the ground bass of prejudice and persecution … Schama has made himself the leading virtuoso of our time. This second volume of this trilogy is an affirmation of faith in the grand narrative … Its familiar and familial tone proclaims the author’s unapologetic mission to play his part in the story of the Jews by bringing their history alive… [A] glittering gemstone of a book -- Daniel Johnson * The Times *So beautifully written it regularly takes your breath away, it is a book far greater than the sum of its parts. Daunted by its colossal size, I started reading with some trepidation; I finished filled with wonder and delight. -- Abigail Green * Times Literary Supplement *An extraordinary cultural journey, filled with astonishingly colourful and outrageous characters … Schama delivers a superb and thrilling ride, both inspirational and tragic. -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisThe Koran has constituted a remarkably strong core of identity and continuity for a religious tradition that is now in its fifteenth century. This Very Short Introduction explores the significance of the Koran both in the modern world and in traditional Muslim culture. Michael Cook provides a lucid and direct account of the Koran as codex, as scripture, as liturgy, and as the embodiment of truth, and examines its means of formation and dissemination. He also discusses issues of interpretation for certain key verses, demonstrating that fecundity of the text for readers throughout the world.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.

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Book SynopsisIslam has been one of the most powerful religious, social, and political forces in history. Over the last 1400 years, from origins in Arabia, a succession of Muslim polities and later empires expanded to control territories and peoples that ultimately stretched from southern France, to East Africa and South East Asia. Yet many of the contributions of Muslim thinkers, scientists, and theologians, not to mention rulers, statesmen and soldiers, have been occluded. This book rescues from oblivion and neglect some of these personalities and institutions while offering the reader a new narrative of this lost Islamic history. The Umayyads, Abbasids, and Ottomans feature in the story, as do Muslim Spain, the savannah kingdoms of West Africa and the Mughal Empire, along with the later European colonisation of Muslim lands and the development of modern nation-states in the Muslim world. Throughout, the impact of Islamic belief on scientific advancement, social structures, and cultural development is given due prominence, and the text is complemented by portraits of key personalities, inventions and little known historical nuggets. The history of Islam and of the world's Muslims brings together diverse peoples, geographies, and states, all interwoven into one narrative that begins with Muhammad and continues to this day.Trade Review'A great read . . . An excellent brief history of the driving force that made Islamic civilisation the greatest of its time and then the factors behind its decline.'--Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan'Presenting 1,400 years of Islamic civilisation in a comprehensive, easy to follow manner is no small feat . . . the book is valuable not only for its insights into lesser-known aspects of Islamic history, but also a general introduction to the subject.'

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Book SynopsisKhadija was the first believer, to whom the Prophet Muhammad often turned for advice. At a time when strongmen quickly seized power from any female Muslim ruler, Arwa of Yemen reigned alone for five decades. In nineteenth-century Russia, Mukhlisa Bubi championed the rights of women and girls, and became the first Muslim woman judge in modern history. After the Gestapo took down a Resistance network in Paris, British spy Noor Inayat Khan found herself the only undercover radio operator left in that city. In this unique history, Hossein Kamaly celebrates the lives and achievements of twenty-one extraordinary women in the story of Islam, from the formative days of the religion to the present.Trade Review‘Here in all their gutsy glory are women whose voices have not received the prominence that is their due within the story of Islam… A History of Islam in 21 Women is an act of reclamation on several fronts. For Muslim women, it provides an empowering and exhilarating genealogy of strong forebears whom they can connect to their contemporary journeys of empowerment. For Western readers, it exposes the untruths that have characterized Muslim women as deferential beings in need of rescue.’ * New York Times *‘Resurrecting a history that has been repeatedly bludgeoned, exploited and buried.’ * Middle East Eye *‘Kamaly skilfully and sensitively negotiates the matrix of history, gender and language through the lived realities of 21 remarkable Muslim women. The result is a rich, vibrant and meticulously researched exposition that instinctively unpacks the intersectional context Muslim women have occupied from the sixth century to the present day.’ * Critical Muslim *‘[A] solid starting reference for those interested in women and Islamic studies, accessible and well-suited for both high school and college-level readers.’ * Library Journal *‘In the same format as author Jenni Murray’s similarly titled books on women in British and world history, Islamic studies scholar Kamaly presents capsule biographies of his choices of 21 women significant in the world of Islam…a straightforward history-in-portraits.’ * Booklist *‘With grace and erudition, Kamaly vividly captures key moments in the long and varied history of the Muslim world, bringing to life some of the extraordinary women…who made that history and transformed our world.’ -- Lila Abu-Lughod, Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor, Columbia University, and author of Do Muslim Women Need Saving?‘In a highly readable and engaging book, Hossein Kamaly invites us to rethink the history of Islam by narrating the lives and achievements of twenty-one remarkable women, from the birth of the religion to the present. This is a much-needed corrective to conventional masculinist Muslim history.’ -- Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Professorial Research Associate, SOAS, University of London‘This book takes readers on a thrilling journey into the lives of twenty-one women in Islamic history. In tightly written, lucid, and highly readable chapters, Kamaly offers an informative and rich survey of some of the key women who crafted and shaped the history of Islam from its very foundations to our modern age. This book is a rich source for any reader interested in the history of Islam, and it should be required reading in any introductory course on Muslims and their religion or culture.’ -- Khaled Abou El Fadl, Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Distinguished Professor in Islamic Law, UCLA School of LawTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Khadija (ca. 560–619): The First Believer 2 Fatima (ca. 612–633): Prophet Muhammad’s Flesh and Blood 3 Aisha (ca. 615–678): “Get Half of Your Religion From Her” 4 Rabia al-Adawiyya (ca. 717–801): The Embarrassment of Riches, and its Discontents 5 Fatima of Nishapur (ca. 1000–1088): Keeper of the Faith 6 Arwa of Yemen (ca. 1050–1138): The Queen of Sheba Redux 7 Terken Khatun (ca. 1205–1281): Doing Well and Doing Good 8 Shajara’-al-Durr (d. 1257): Perils of Power, Between Caliphs and Mamluks 9 Sayyida al-Hurra of Tétouan (ca. 1492 –ca. 1560): The Free Queen 10 Pari Khanum (1548–1578): A Golden Link in the Safavid Chain of Command 11 Nur Jahan (1577–1645): Light of the World 12 Safiye Sultan (ca. 1550–ca. 1619): A Mother of Many Kings 13 Tajul-Alam Safiatuddin Syah (1612–1675): Diamonds Are Not Forever 14 Tahereh (ca. 1814–1852): Heroine or Heretic? 15 Nana Asmau (1793–1864): Jihad and Sisterhood 16 Mukhlisa Bubi (1869–1937): Educator and Jurist 17 Halidé Edip (ca. 1884–1964): Author of the New Turkey 18 Noor Inayat Khan (1914–1944): The Anxiety of Belonging 19 Umm Kulthum (ca. 1904–1975): Lodestar of Union 20 Zaha Hadid (1950–2016): Curves in Glass and Concrete 21 Maryam Mirzakhani (1977–2017): The Princess of Mathematics Afterword Notes Further Reading Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisThe inaugural title in a collaboration between the Wiener Library and Granta Books. These two pamphlets, 'Prelude to Pogroms? Facts for the Thoughtful' and 'German Judaism in Political, Economic and Cultural Terms' mark the first time that Alfred Wiener, the founder of the Wiener Holocaust Library, has been published in English. Together they offer a vital insight into the antisemitic onslaught Germany's Jews were subjected to as the Nazi Party rose to power, and introduce a sharp and sympathetic thinker and speaker to a contemporary audience. Tackling issues such as the planned rise of antisemitism and the scapegoating of minorities, these pamphlets speak as urgently to the contemporary moment as they provide a window on to the past.

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Book SynopsisNo other religion is subject to as much debate and controversy as Islam. But who was Muhammad, and what did he teach? Does the Qur'an really preach holy war? What is the role of women within Islam? And what does the rise of Isil and militant Islam mean for Muslims and for the world? Explaining Islam's history, core beliefs and rituals, as well as current issues of political and social importance, this book covers everything you need to understand the world's fastest-growing religion. Written by renowned scholar and Professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies, Mona Siddiqui, it addresses such varied concepts as the five pillars of Islam; the divisions between Sunni and Shi'a; the importance of Shari`a law; the significance of Mecca and the Ka'ba; the role of Ramadan, the veil, the mosque and the madrasa; and much more - all in 50 concise and expert essays.

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Book SynopsisJewish radicals manned the barricades on the avenues of Petrograd and the alleys of the Warsaw ghetto; they were in the vanguard of those resisting Franco and the Nazis. They originated in Yiddishland, a vast expanse of Eastern Europe that, before the Holocaust, ran from the Baltic Sea to the western edge of Russia and incorporated hundreds of Jewish communities with a combined population of some 11 million people. Within this territory, revolutionaries arose from the Jewish misery of Eastern and Central Europe; they were raised in the fear of God and taught to respect religious tradition, but were caught up in the great current of revolutionary utopian thinking. Socialists, Communists, Bundists, Zionists, Trotskyists, manual workers and intellectuals, they embodied the multifarious activity and radicalism of a Jewish working class that glimpsed the Messiah in the folds of the red flag.Today, the world from which they came has disappeared, dismantled and destroyed by the Nazi genocide. After this irremediable break, there remain only survivors, and the work of memory for red Yiddishland. This book traces the struggles of these militants, their singular trajectories, their oscillation between great hope and doubt, their lost illusions-a red and Jewish gaze on the history of the twentieth century.Trade ReviewIts impact on me was immense. I devoured it; my political horizons radically expanded. Not only, I came to realise, was there no contradiction between Judaism, socialism and internationalism, but, until the Nazi genocide, they existed in a profoundly interrelated way. -- Sai Englert * Salvage *An eye-opening oral history. -- Gabriel Levy, author of Judaic Technologies of the WorldA haunting, inspiring and often tragic book, Revolutionary Yiddishland uses first-hand interviews, deep archival research and sharp analysis to bring to life a complex landscape of factory workers, partisans, poets, party leaders, refugees, ghetto fighters and movement intellectuals. -- Ben Lorber * In These Times *This rich and poignant and often enthralling record traces the Yiddishland revolutionaries from their East European roots through the years of hope and struggle and hideous crimes to the heroic anti-Nazi resistance and beyond, with fascinating asides on Spain and Palestine. There are many lessons for today, not least the significance ofthe lively interaction of revolutionary intellectuals and workers and the efforts to integrate the commitment to radical social and economic change with the formation of a Jewish identity that would break sharply from the stultifying tradition and open the way to the aspirations of the Jewish workers' movement that was at the forefront of revolutionary struggle from its earliest days. -- Noam ChomskyCould there have been a future for pre-war Jewry in which Israel did not exist and Jews were gathered in a nation state within a federated Soviet Union? This is one of the questions brought up in Alain Brossat and Sylvia Klingberg's book. There is hope for the spirit and aims behind the stories this book tells. Jewish radicalism did not die out in 1942 with the Final Solution. It now expresses itself without Yiddish. -- Clive Bloom * Times Higher Educational Supplement *A fascinating window onto a lost world. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complex relationship between the Jewish left, the general left, and Zionism. The gripping testimonies collected in these pages give the lie to the idea that Jews in the Shoah went like sheep to the slaughter. Brossat and Klingberg do not try to iron out the wrinkles of the past. Their insightful commentary illuminates the passions, paradoxes, triumphs and defeats of the witnesses who populate their book. -- Brian Klug, author of Being Jewish and Doing JusticeNowadays we know more and more about the Nazi Genocide. Unfortunately, we have much less knowledge about the everyday life which preceded the horror and was so brutally terminated. For opening up this world we must praise Alain Brossat and Sylvia Klinberg for their vital new book, Revolutionary Yiddishland. Here, life is given priority over death, and the struggles of so many in the Yiddishland allow us to see past the catastrophes. -- Shlomo Sand, author of The Invention of the Jewish PeoplePraiseworthy * Jewish Currents *Brossat and Klingberg's book is a memorial to a missing world. As an aesthetic composition, it is beautiful. -- Max Ajl * Mondoweiss *Altogether, Revolutionary Yiddishland is a thoroughly engaging read. It's an important historical document preserving the memory of this radical period of Jewish and European history. -- JP O'Malley * Haaretz *

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Book SynopsisThis book is a tour de force of the history and present reality of antisemitism.

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Book SynopsisRejecting the conventional Western interpretation of Middle Eastern history as an offshoot of global power politics, the author contends that the region's experience is the culmination of long-existing indigenous trends, passions and patterns of behaviour, and that foremost among these is Islam's millenarian imperial tradition.Trade Review"In Islamic Imperialism Efraim Karsh argues for the existence of an Islamic imperial drive and traces it from Muhammad's time to current Islamist aggressions. One can hardly imagine a thesis with larger implications for prosecuting the war on terror."—Daniel Pipes -- Daniel Pipes“Only a shrewd and talented revisionist, a professor with curiosity and nerve, could take on the clichés of Middle East scholarship and insist that they be reconsidered. That describes Efraim Karsh, a much-published and much-admired professor at the University of London. His new book, Islamic Imperialism deserves serious consideration by anyone who cares about this debate. He challenges not only our favourite ideas about the Middle East but even our notions of imperialism. . . . Karsh’s view of rising Islamic imperialism chills the blood. Multiculturalism looks different through the lens of his scholarship, and so does the future for global politics.”—Robert Fulford, Canada National Post -- Robert Fulford * Canada National Post *"Karsh's lively, clearly written and well-researched account should have an appeal beyond an academic audience. The crisp manner with which he disposes of accepted wisdom will delight the reader. And in laying to rest the victim theory, he restores a measure of dignity to the Middle East."—Ralph Amelan, Jerusalem Post -- Ralph Amelan * Jerusalem Post *

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Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author of the Shatter Me series and the National Book Award-nominated A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Tahereh Mafi, comes a stunning novel about love and loneliness, navigating dual-identity as a Muslim teenager in America, and reclaiming your right to joy.It's 2003. It's been several months since the US officially declared war on Iraq, and the political world has evolved. Shadi, who wears hijab (a visible allegiance to Islam) keeps her head down. Hate crimes are spiking. Undercover FBI agents are infiltrating mosques and interrogating members of the congregation, and the local Muslim community is beginning to fracture. Shadi hears the fights after services, the arguments between families about what it means to be Muslim, about what they should be doing and saying as a community but she does not engage.She's too busy drowning in her own troubles to find the time to deal with bigots.Shadi is named for joy, but she's haunted by sorrow. Her brother is dead, her father is dyiTrade ReviewPraise for An Emotion of Great Delight: ‘Lyrical [and] contemporary. This is an aching, emotional story that touches on various internal struggles of being a child of immigrants.’ – Buzzfeed "Gorgeous and poetic, Mafi is unflinching in her rendering of pain and brutal truths, but also succeeds in weaving a tale that is brimming with heart and honest hope. This is a book I wish I'd had when I was fourteen. I'm so glad young readers will have it now. A truly special story." – Jasmine Warga, New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor-winning author of Other Words for Home "Tahereh Mafi has written a timely, compelling novel about love and family and the remarkably complex nature of religion and faith. An Emotion of Great Delight is as profound as it is beautiful." – Matt de la Peña, New York Times and Newbery Medal winning author of The Last Stop on Market Street "Mafi follows her National Book Award–longlisted A Very Large Expanse of Sea (2018) with another contemporary young adult novel of striking emotional intensity. Complex and introspective Shadi details her experiences with the specific challenges of Islamaphobia and with more general issues. With masterfully compelling prose, this surprises and ensnares, leading readers to an inevitable but gripping climax. Though there's a feverous feeling throughout the book, there's also formidable nuance in Shadi’s paradoxical and contradictory thought patterns. Emotional implications of great magnitude and stakes that could not feel higher. A bluntly powerful read that shouldn't be missed." – Booklist (starred review) "Mafi confronts issues of mental health, suicidality, racism, and self-love in ways that will leave readers reacting viscerally and powerfully. Reading this novel is like being dropped straight into the everyday lives of a Muslim family in post–9/11 America. A simply real story, devoid of clichés, that will leave an indelible mark." – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

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Book Synopsis‘Ridiculously enjoyable’ Tom Holland A Book of the Year for The Times, Mail on Sunday and BBC History Magazine The ‘Mermaid of Morwenstow’ excommunicated a cat for mousing on a Sunday. When he was late for a service, Bishop Lancelot Fleming commandeered a Navy helicopter. ‘Mad Jack’ swapped his surplice for leopard skin and insisted on being carried around in a coffin. And then there was the man who, like Noah’s evil twin, tried to eat one of each of God’s creatures… In spite of all this they saw the church as their true calling. These portraits reveal the Anglican church in all its colourful madness.Trade Review‘One of the best Christmas books of the past few years... both hilarious and unusually elegant in conception and execution.’ * Marcus Berkmann, Spectator *‘Eye-popping tales of lunacy, debauchery and depravity…Butler-Gallie has done a splendid job presenting a smorgasbord of most peculiar parsons.’ * Sebastian Shakespeare, Daily Mail *‘We have…always kept a special haven for oddballs in the Church of England, as Fergus Butler-Gallie demonstrates in this entertaining compendium…Their foibles cover all bases from absentmindedness to epic drunkenness…I’m glad I read this one. It’s a lot of fun.’ * The Times *‘Entertainingly erudite…But it is also a surprisingly profound work…For all its mischief, Butler-Gallie’s work of lightly worn erudition is a paean to a great English institution, finely tuned to the temper of its representatives, good, bad and indifferent. We should treasure it more.’ * Literary Review *‘A humorous compendium of some of the oddball clergy who have served the Church over the centuries...These thumbnail portraits reveal a very broad church indeed.’ * New Statesman *‘The Church of England has produced some real oddballs in its time, and this is an entertaining gallop through several centuries’ worth of them…Butler-Gallie has done his homework, digging out some rare gems…This is the story not just of eccentrics, but also of a leisured age that is no more.’ * Harry Mount, Spectator *‘Wonderfully entertaining…A hilarious yet thoughtful reminder that the Christian faith wasn’t always thought incompatible with a sense of humour or a healthy bolshiness.’ * Sunday Times *‘It may have the makings of a modern classic…Butler-Gallie chronicles not just Anglican follies, but also human weaknesses which we all share and with which we can perhaps sympathise.’ * The Catholic Herald *‘This is a ridiculously enjoyable book: funny, compassionate, and wonderfully well-written.’ -- Tom Holland‘A delightful, sympathetic, humorous and earthed cocktail of quirky English clergy.’ -- The Rt Revd David Wilbourne‘Fabulously enjoyable compendium of the Anglican Church’s most eccentric ministers – who prove to be very eccentric indeed.’ -- Reader’s Digest‘Some of the most riotous misbehaviour in Church of England history is chronicled in this sprightly book.’ * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisSangharakshita was a Buddhist monk, a writer, a poet, and the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community - a pioneering worldwide Buddhist movement. He was also an audacious reformer, and for some a deeply controversial figure. In an absorbing narrative, Nagabodhi takes us on a journey through the twists and turns of Sangharakshita's life; the experiences, insights, and reflections that nurtured his approach as a teacher; what it was like to live among his committed followers; and the controversies he left behind.Trade Review"Nagabodhi's vivid portrait of his teacher and friend reveals a remarkable life - brilliant, visionary, and controversial." - Hozan Alan Senauke, Abbot, Berkeley Zen Center, Berkeley, California; "The controversial figure of Sangharakshita becomes multi-dimensional as we meet a complex and nuanced person who took advantage of a unique historical moment to realize his vision of a new Buddhist movement." - Nigel Wellings, author of 'Present with Suffering, Being with the Things that Hurt'; "...a perceptive account of Sangharakshita's growing understanding of what it means to live an authentic Buddhist life...." - Vishvapani Blomfield, author of 'Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One'Table of ContentsAbout the Author ix Author's Acknowledgements xi Publisher's Acknowledgements xiv Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Early Days 10 Chapter 3 Something Happened 23 Chapter 4 The Signalman and the Swamis 35 Chapter 5 In Search of the Buddhist East 46 Chapter 6 The 'Going Forth' 58 Chapter 7 The Two Wanderers 67 Chapter 8 Two Saints, a Bell, a Cave, and a Vision 79 Chapter 9 Monks at Last 90 Chapter 10 Study and Self-Knowledge 96 Chapter 11 Living in the Presence 106 Chapter 12 Between Two Worlds 128 Chapter 13 A Visit to England 144 Chapter 14 Of Monks and Men 155 Chapter 15 Terry Delamere 161 Chapter 16 A Fresh Start and a New Kind of Order 175 Chapter 17 A Walk on the Wild Side 186 Chapter 18 Talking Dharma in the West 197 Chapter 19 Time to Get Serious 211 Chapter 20 For the Sake of All Beings 220 Chapter 21 Building a Buddhist World 239 Chapter 22 Where Angels Fear to Tread 255 Chapter 23 Taking the Platform 285 Chapter 24 Guru, Teacher... 301 Chapter 25 ... Lover, Friend 317 Chapter 26 Jara-marana Endnotes 349 Photograph Credits 361 Index 362

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Book SynopsisThe instant Sunday Times and Amazon charts bestseller"I found myself in the Auschwitz stables, and I felt an ember of hope. If I could make myself useful, helping these horses, maybe I could stay alive."In the darkest moment of history, one child found the courage and strength to survive the unimaginable. This is Henry's true story.One hot, humid day in July, 1944, the Gestapo abducted fifteen-year-old Henry and his mother, forcing them onto cramped cattle cars in the Lódz Polish Ghetto. Like so many Jews before them, they had been selected to disappear - they were being sent to Auschwitz. Exhausted after hours of traveling, they finally emerged from the stifling, filth-ridden cattle car. Already devastated at having lost his father to starvation, Henry clutched his mother's frail hand, knowing she was all he had left in the world, and that he was the only one left to protect her. In a flash, he felt them being brutally torn apart. Crying out for her, his heart shuddered as he watched her disappear into a sea of other women. Henry knew that was the last time he would ever see her, and he felt like he had failed her. He was now completely alone in the world.Starving, and close to giving up all hope, Henry volunteered to work in the stables, responsible for breeding horses for the war effort. As he watched other prisoners leave and never return, Henry quickly realised these horses were his only lifeline - because every morning he was sent to the stables, was one more morning he escaped the gas chambers. Before long, caring for the horses became a passion, and their comfort and strength gave Henry a glimmer of life and hope in an ocean of death. Although with every second that passed, Henry knew if he became too weak or made one mistake, he would be mercilessly replaced...This is the heart-wrenching and inspirational true account of a courageous little German boy who, against all odds, after losing almost everything a human being can lose, survived to tell his story.This book was originally published as The Kindness of the Hangman.'Heartbreaking. Eye opening. Tear jerking... kept having to tell myself that this was a real account of the Holocaust.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'Phenomenal... I learned more about the Holocaust than anything I have read in the past... I can't express how much this book affected me.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'Inspiring book - a Must Read!!' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'Spellbinding... I could not put this book down. The events are recorded in a human voice, not the history book version. I learned so much that was left out of my history books.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'A truly amazing story.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'A moving and powerful story of survival.'Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'Brought me to tears.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'An incredible story. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this down.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'Amazing story. One that needs to be told over and over to the next generations.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'Riveting, couldn't put it down. An amazing and heart wrenching recollection of unimaginable events. What an inspiring story of bravery, perseverance and finding the will to go on.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'I could not put the book down... will make you appreciate everything that you have in this world.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★'I have never written an amazon review BEFORE finishing a book, but I'm doing it today... it is direct, evocative, and emotionally impossible to deal with all at once. IMO if you want to read about the Holocaust from a survivor, you owe it to yourself to read this book.' Amazon Reviewer, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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Book SynopsisThe Pity of It All is a passionate and poignant history of German Jews, tracing the journey of a people and their culture from the mid eighteenth century to the eve of the Third Reich.As it is usually told, the story of the Jews in Germany starts at the end, overshadowed by their tragic demise in Hitler''s Reich. Now, in this important work of historical restoration, the acclaimed historian and social critic Amos Elon takes us back to the beginning, chronicling a 150-year period of achievement and integration that at its peak produced a golden age second only to the Renaissance.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents the first comprehensive survey of the multiple versions of Islam propagated across geographical, political, and cultural boundaries during the era of modern globalization. Showing how Islam was transformed through these globalizing transfers, it traces the origins, expansion and increasing diversification of Global Islam - from individual activists to organizations and then states - over the past 150 years. Historian Nile Green surveys not only the familiar venues of Islam in the Middle East and the West, but also Asia and Africa, explaining the doctrines of a wide variety of political and non-political versions of Islam across the spectrum from Salafism to Sufism. This Very Short Introduction will help readers to recognize and compare the various organizations competing to claim the authenticity and authority of representing the one true Islam.Trade ReviewThis is a mustread for those interested in the processes of globalization and the resulting Islams. * MONICA M. RINGER, Amherst College, Technology and Culture, Volume 63, Number 1 *The book is impeccably written and edited. * Philipp Reisner, Reading Religion *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: What Is 'Global Islam'? Chapter 1: Islam in the Age of Empire, Steam and Print Chapter 2: Muslim Transnationalism between Socialism and Nationalism Chapter 3: From Islamic Revolutions to the Internet Conclusions Glossary Further reading

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Book SynopsisThis volume analyzes changing relationships between religion and national identity in the course of European integration. Examining elite discourse, media debates and public opinions across Europe over a decade, it explores how accelerated European integration and Eastern enlargement have affected religious markers of collective identity. Trade Review“This is a book that traces, conceptually, theoretically and empirically, the impact of EU institutions on identity – and more specifically, religious identity. Much of the strength of the book derives from a research design that combines rich analysis of individual case studies with the identification of broad patterns and common themes. … editors have contributed to our understanding of the ways in which EU integration has shaped the development of national – and mainly religious – identity in different member states.” (Daphne Halikiopoulou, Religion and Society in Central and Eastern Europe, Vol. 9 (1), 2017)“This book sets out to redress the neglect of religion as an element of collective identities in the study of European integration from 1990–2010. … it makes a valuable contribution to the study of the entanglement of religion with national identities as they are effected by the processes of European integration. Hopefully this will provide a solid foundation for further research in this area, incorporating other cases, engaging with greater varieties of religion and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and debate.” (Liam Sutherland, Nations and Nationalism, Vol. 22 (4), October, 2016)Table of Contents1. Religion, Nationalism and European Integration Introduction; Matthias Koenig and Wolfgang Knöbl 2. The (Fragile) Normalization of German Identity within Europe; Willfried Spohn 3. Changing Frameworks of National Identity in Post-communist Poland; Miko?aj Lewicki and S?awomir Mandes 4. Greek Identity and Europe Entanglements and Tensions; Effie Fokas and Evangelos Karagiannis 5. Turkey in Europe, Europe in Turkey History, Elites, and the Media; Levent Soysal, Saime Özçürümez and Ça?la Diner 6. Religious Dimensions of National and European Identities: Evidence from Cross-national Survey Research; Sabine Trittler, Slawomir Mandes and Matthias Koenig 7. Varieties of Religious Nationalism; Matthias Koenig and Wolfgang Knöbl

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Book SynopsisA history of modern Jewish literature that explores our enduring attachment to the book as an objectTrade ReviewFinalist for the 2023 Jordan Schnitzer Book Award, sponsored by AJS“A bold, often surprising, and luminous study that enhances our perception.”—Ranen Omer-Sherman, University of Louisville“Original and finely instructive, this work leads us to see something new and illuminating about the very modality of literature.”—Robert Alter, author of The Art of Biblical Narrative“Whether reading the poignant details of memory books and graphic novels or analyzing small magazines and visual images in modern Jewish literature, Barbara Mann offers insight into the ways publications work as cultural objects in this vivid contribution to the material history of literature.”—Johanna Drucker, author of Iliazd: A Meta-Biography of a Modernist“At once erudite, evocative, and intellectually exciting, this extraordinary book incites us to think in new ways about materiality and literature. This beautifully written and infinitely rewarding book resists a quick reading, demanding careful attentiveness from the first word to the last.”—Leora Auslander, University of Chicago

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Book SynopsisThis is the first reader to gather primary sources from influential theorists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in one place, presenting the wide-ranging and nuanced theoretical debates occurring in the field of religious studies. Each chapter focuses on a major theorist and contains: an introduction contextualizing their key ideas one or two selections representative of the theorist's innovative methodological approach(es) discussion questions to extend and deepen reader engagement Divided in three sections, the first part includes foundational comparative debates: Mary Douglas's articulation of purity and impurity Phyllis Trible's methods of reading sacred texts Wendy Doniger's comparative mythology Catherine Bell's reimagining of religious and secular ritualThe second part focuses on methodological particularity: Alice Walker''s use of narrative Charles Long's critique of Eurocentricism CaroliTrade Review[An] important resource for any religious studies course that includes a theoretical dimension. * Nova Religio *Serving as brief intellectual-biographical histories, these essays illumine the preoccupations and priorities that have motivated influential scholars’s work. While the text is not a required counterpart for the Reader, the editors note that its contributions profitably locate the span of its contents within personal and historiographical worlds, opening an aperture for students to further reflect on their own locations and the disciplinary contexts in which these texts are situated. It is also worth noting that these essays deserve careers of their own as documents of intellectual history and could be usefully assigned together or apart in graduate as well as undergraduate seminars. * Reading Religion *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Permissions Introduction PART ONE: Comparative Approaches 1. The Bounds of Hierarchy: Mary Douglas 2. Feminist Textual Critique: Phyllis Trible 3. Myth and the Religious Imaginary: Wendy Doniger 4. Ritual and Belief: Catherine Bell PART TWO: Examining Particularities 5. Womanist Religious Interpretation: Alice Walker 6. Signifying Religion in the Modern World: Charles H. Long 7. Gender and Materiality: Caroline Walker Bynum PART THREE: Expanding Boundaries 8. Mestiza Language of Religion: Gloria Anzaldúa 9. Performative, Queer Theories for Religion: Judith Butler 10. Disrupting Secular Power and the Study of Religion: Index

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Book Synopsis"Music transcends war trauma in this extraordinary novel that opens in 1938 Vienna when 19-year-old Jewish cellist Otto Shalmik is arrested with his father and interred at Dachau concentration camp. To remain sane, Otto approaches every task — from shoveling sand to cleaning the latrine — as rhythmic in his imagination. One day the Nazi Adjutant, Dieter Birchendorf, takes Otto to his home where he instructs him to play a coveted Stradivarius cello stolen from a Jewish family. Birchendorf’s pregnant wife Katja is a musician who is suffering idiopathic deafness, but he believes she will feel the vibrations as Otto plays. By 1943, Otto learns that his mother, sister and five-year-old niece have been imprisoned at Terezín and later transferred to Auschwitz. Post-war, Otto travels to Toronto where he studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music and builds a career as a composer. In the 1994 present, he embraces a reclusive life in Big Sur, California where he agrees to be interviewed by Australian musicologist Rosa Little, who is hoping to secure his permission to become his biographer. Secrets connect the two strangers, ones that will change their lives. An important, aching, artful Holocaust novel." - The Toronto StarTrade Review"An important, aching, artful Holocaust novel." - The Toronto Star"Most moving and impressive. Martin Goodman manages an original stance on what has become all too familiar – the ‘Holocaust’ novel – and has created something really worthwhile as a result. It is beautifully structured and has a distinctive and haunting tone. Altogether a very clever and memorable piece of work."– Simon Mawer, author of The Glass Room"There is much to explore, from the orchestras established in the camps to the special treatment sometimes accorded to to talented musicians and the impact the Nazis had on Europe’s rich musical culture. The parts of the novel set in Dachau, Buchenwald, Terezín and Auschwitz ring with a visceral truth, and real figures such as Herbert Zimmer, who established a secret orchestra at Dachau, and Hans Krása – composer of the children’s opera Brundibár get respectful supporting roles." - The Financial Times "Looks squarely at the horrors of the 20th century, and old divisions that still fester…This is one powerful story that dares to hope, and shows the way to love."– Bonnie Greer "A subtle novel that treads delicately around identity, values and life purpose."– The Hackney Citizen "A Masterful novel." - Morning Star, UK"A wonderful story. A beautiful book about the unimaginable and what can grow from it." - Marina Mahler, granddaughter of the composer and founder and president of the Mahler Foundation.

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Book SynopsisA timely analysis of the new antisemitism, by the historian who defeated Holocaust denier David Irving in court. What is antisemitism? Does it come from the right or the left? Is anti-Zionism the same as antisemitism? Are there different kinds of antisemites? And what can be done to combat this extremely damaging racist ideology?Antisemitism has been on the rise worldwide for the last ten years. From violent white-nationalist protests in Charlottesville, USA, to attacks on synagogues across Europe and the US, and from the targeting of Jewish students at American universities to the antisemitism row raging in the British Labour Party, does this resurgence of anti-Jewish rhetoric and violence mark a return to the brutality of the 1930s?In this penetrating and provocative analysis, Deborah Lipstadt connects distinct currents in contemporary culture, such as the resurgence of racist right-wing nationalisms, left-liberal tolerance of hostility to Jews, the plight of the Palestinians, and the rise of Islamic extremism, to explore how contradictory forces have found common scapegoats. Lucid and convincing, Antisemitism will calm the fearful, rouse the complacent, and demand a response from readers.

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Book SynopsisShlomo Sand was born in 1946, in a displaced person's camp in Austria, to Jewish parents; the family later migrated to Palestine. As a young man, Sand came to question his Jewish identity, even that of a "secular Jew." With this meditative and thoughtful mixture of essay and personal recollection, he articulates the problems at the center of modern Jewish identity. How I Stopped Being a Jew discusses the negative effects of the Israeli exploitation of the "chosen people" myth and its "holocaust industry." Sand criticizes the fact that, in the current context, what "Jewish" means is, above all, not being Arab and reflects on the possibility of a secular, non-exclusive Israeli identity, beyond the legends of Zionism.Trade ReviewPerhaps books combining passion and erudition don't change political situations, but if they did, this one would count as a landmark. (In praise of The Invention of the Jewish People) -- Eric Hobsbawm * Observer *Sand's quiet earthquake of a book is shaking historical faith in the link between Judaism and Israel. (In praise of The Invention of the Jewish People) -- Rafael Behr * Observer *No discussion of the region any longer seems complete without acknowledgement of this book. (In praise of The Invention of the Jewish People) * Independent on Sunday *A radical dismantling of a national myth. (In praise of The Invention of the Jewish People) * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA sumptuously illustrated volume detailing the history of the Jewish peoples and their religious beliefs and practices.

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Book SynopsisEd Husain''s The Islamist is the shocking inside story of British Islamic fundamentalism, told by a former radical. ''When I was sixteen I became an Islamic fundamentalist. Five years later, after much emotional turmoil, I rejected fundamentalist teachings and returned to normal life and my family. As I recovered my faith and mind, I tried to put my experiences behind me, but as the events of 7/7 unfolded it became clear to me that Islamist groups pose a threat to this country that we - Muslims and non-Muslims alike - do not yet understand.'' ''Why are young British Muslims becoming extremists? What are the risks of another home-grown terrorist attack on British soil? By describing my experiences inside these groups and the reasons I joined them, I hope to explain the appeal of extremist thought, how fanatics penetrate Muslim communities and the truth behind their agenda of subverting the West and moderate Islam. Writing candidly about life after extremism, I illustrate the depth of the problem that now grips Muslim hearts and minds and lay bare what politicians and Muslim ''community leaders'' do not want you to know.'' ''A complete eye-opener''  The Times ''Captivating, and terrifyingly honest''  Observer ''Persuasive and stimulating''  Martin Amis ''Read this articulate and impassioned book''  Simon Jenkins, Sunday Times Ed Husain was an Islamist radical for five years in his late teens and early twenties. Having rejected extremism he travelled widely in the Middle East and worked for the British Council in Syria and Saudi Arabia. Husain received wide and various acclaim for The Islamist, which was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for political writing and the PEN/Ackerley Prize for literary autobiography, amongst others.

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Book SynopsisNow with a new paperback introduction''Vital reading'' Daily Telegraph''It turns conventional wisdom on its head'' Peter Oborne''Uniquely insightful'' Sunday Times''Eloquent, calm and clever'' Andrew MarrBritain has often found groups within its borders whom it does not trust, whom it feels have a belief, culture, practice or agenda which runs contrary to those of the majority. From Catholics to Jews, miners to trade unionists , Marxists to liberals and even homosexuals, all have at times been viewed, described and treated as ''the enemy within''. Muslims are the latest in a long line of ''others'' to be given this label. How did this state of affairs come to pass? What are the lessons and challenges for the future - and how will the tale of Muslim Britain develop? Sayeeda Warsi draws on her own unique position in British life, as the child of Pakistani immigrants, an outsider, who became an insider, the UK''s first Trade ReviewIslamophobia is the Ku Klux Klan hatred of our time. This book is an antidote to the hypocrisy around Islam that has become such a poison in our public life. Warsi holds everyone - the state, the press, our Muslim communities - to the same standards of integrity and self-reflection. It throws down a gauntlet for all of us: to read it, understand it, and argue with it, with as much good faith as the author's -- Clive Stafford Smith, Director of Reprieve and author of 'Bad Men' and 'Injustice'Forthright and intelligent ... By tackling the "Muslim problem" head on, Lady Warsi has added to her accomplishments the feat of speaking truth to power ... It is as enjoyable to read about her devout, enlightened mother as about the pivotal points in her political career ... Thrilling and satisfying -- Leila Aboulela * Guardian *The Enemy Within is such a comprehensive analysis it should be on the school syllabus as seminal ... It is only through the likes of Sayeeda Warsi that the UK stands any chance of establishing the social cohesion it needs with its Muslim population -- Sir Alan DuncanEloquent ... Calm and clever reflection -- Andrew MarrUniquely insightful -- Tim Shipman * Sunday Times *A unique perspective on British multiculturalism -- Afua Hirsch * Guardian *The Enemy Within is vital reading for decision-makers in Whitehall and Fleet Street. It shows that we need more of the quality that terrorists signally lack: empathy with those different from ourselves -- Sameer Rahim * Telegraph *A hard headed, well-informed and intellectually coherent analysis of policy towards British Islam. Much of what Baroness Warsi reveals is deeply shocking. Again and again it turns conventional wisdom on its head. It deserves to promote a public debate on this subject which has been needed for more than 20 years -- Peter OborneTimely and thoughtful -- Jenni Russell * Sunday Times *[Warsi is] a trailblazer ... [She] writes with conviction * Spectator *Sayeeda Warsi's integrity, intelligence and deep understanding of the challenges confronting the Muslim communities, the government and wider society make this a politically charged and invigorating read. A vital book at a critical time -- Helena Kennedy QCSayeeda Warsi traces the recent travails of British Islam through her own remarkable journey from a working-class childhood in Yorkshire to a seat at the Cabinet table. She is an unsparing critic, whether of Muslims who practise intolerance or media-driven politicians who find virtue in "non-engagement". But the conclusion of this thoughtful and passionate book offers hope amid the gloom: with fresh policies and a dash of courage, the beast of division can be starved, and Britain strengthened to make its way in the world -- David Anderson QC, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism LegislationThe book is a masterpiece of fine writing and wisdom. It is timely and much needed in rebutting the myths and fears that spread Islamophobia. It reaffirms the values of equal citizenship, free speech and the rule of law in our multicultural society. It is a wake-up call and a manifesto for politicians and media in combatting religious and racial discrimination -- Lord Lester of Herne Hill QCCompelling brave and honest -- Shazia Awan (Broadcaster and Activist)The Enemy Within has a refreshingly balanced approach - constructive critique of Muslim communities and government - and workable recommendations -- Salma YaqoobEngaging , thought provoking and a must read book by a trailblazer -- Qari Asim (Leading UK Imaam and Member of HM Government's Sharia Review)

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Book SynopsisThere is widespread concern today about the “radicalization” of young muslim men, and the deprived areas of Western cities are believed to have become breeding grounds of home-grown extremism. But how do young Muslims growing up in the cities of the West really live? This book takes us beyond the rhetoric and into the housing estates on the outskirts of Paris to meet Adama, Radouane, Hassan, Tarik, Marley, and a shadowy figure whose name suddenly and brutally became known to the world at the time of the Charlie Hebdo shootings: Amédy Coulibaly. Seeing Amédy through the eyes of close friends and other young Muslim men in the neighbourhoods where they grew up, Fabien Truong uncovers a network of competing loyalties and maps the road these youths take to resolve the conflicts they face: becoming Muslim. For these young men, Islam stands, often alone, as a resource, a gateway – as if it were the last route to “escape” without betrayal and to “fight” in a meaningful and noble way. Becoming Muslim does not necessarily lead to the radicalized “other”. It is more like a long-distance race, a powerful reconversion of the self that allows for introspection and change. But it can also lead to a belligerent presentation of the self that transforms a dead-end into a call to arms.Trade Review"Truong vividly describes the lives of young men from immigrant backgrounds in the Paris banlieue, charting their trajectories from dropping out of school towards crime and then prison. This is an extremely valuable book, rich in ethnographic detail and very well written: I was irresistibly drawn in to this world of kickbacks, payoffs and unsettlingly deep resentment against the whole of French society."—David Lehmann, University of Cambridge, UK "Truong take us deep inside the personal world of six immigrant young men from France's disreputable urban periphery. He shows how they navigate the promises and demands of the school, the street economy, the prison and the police, and why they are attracted (or not) by Islam as a 'floating political imaginary.' An insightful and urgent contribution to the analysis of the social fabrication of terrorists that punctures the sonorous but empty notion of 'radicalization.'"—Loïc Wacquant, University of California, Berkeley "It is not a clash of civilizations that Fabien Truong vividly describes but a collapse of communities, as young men in transitional stages of their life search for significance in the West's Muslim diaspora. If you want to understand how most overcome feelings of rootlessness and despair and how a few become jihadis, read this book."—Scott Atran, CNRS, Paris, and University of Oxford "... an excellent ethnography of Muslim masculinity."—Times Higher Education "... a thoughtful, well-crafted ethnography that humanizes the faceless, amorphous 'Muslim youth' of the French banlieues."—Los Angeles Review of Books "Radicalized Loyalties is an outstanding study of the social worlds of immigrant young men living in the urban periphery of Paris.... The book will be of great interest to scholars within the cross-disciplinary field of (counter)terrorism studies as well as to social scientists and anthropologists interested in state-margin relationships, Islam, the secular state, and the administration of the urban periphery in the West."EthnosTable of ContentsNote to the Reader Acknowledgements Introduction: The call of the ground Friday the 13th Behind absurdity, the social world The magic of "radicalization" A bad religion for "bad seeds"? Finding Allah at street-level Chapter 1: Common histories Making a home in public housing: a French history "Boys will be boys" Conflicting loyalties, recognition of debts "A white fence-post in a dark forest" Rebels without a cause, or a cause without rebels? Chapter 2: On the margins of the city Imprints of school The incompleteness of le business Common criminals Masculine machines Police, death, and hatred: a political trinity Chapter 3: Reconversions Being or becoming Muslim? The "community" illusion The Koran: reading and sharing In the here and now: getting better Beyond the here and now: being the best The value of reconversion and the reconversion of values Chapter 4: War and Peace Turning thirty: the verdict Toward a sociology of inner peace Kif-kif Desires for Syria: going off to war, over there "I am Amédy": at war, over here Epilogue Notes Index

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Book SynopsisYou might feel that this fight is too big for you. How on earth can you dismantle so many complex, long-standing systems of oppression? My answer: piece by piece.Brown Girl Like Me is an inspiring memoir and empowering manifesto that equips women with the confidence and tools they need to navigate the difficulties that come with an intersectional identity. Jaspreet Kaur unpacks key issues such as the media, the workplace, the home, education, mental health, culture, confidence and the body, to help South Asian women understand and tackle the issues that affect them, and help them be in the driving seat of their own lives.Jaspreet pulls no punches, tackling difficult topics from mental health and menstruation stigma to education and beauty standards, from feminism to cultural appropriation and microaggressions. She also addresses complex issues, such as how to manage being a brown feminist without rejecting your own culture, and why Asian girls – the second highest performing group of students in the country – aren't seen in larger numbers in universities and head offices.Interviews with brilliant South Asian Women of all walks of life as well as academic insight show what life is really like for brown women in the diaspora. Part toolkit, part call-to-arms, Brown Girl Like Me is essential reading for South Asian women as well as people with an interest in feminism and cultural issues, and will educate, inspire and spark urgent conversations for change.Trade ReviewJaspreet voices all the taboos of a brown girl's existence with truth, honesty and blatancy -- Shazia Mirza, comedian and writerStunning . . . this is not just an insightful declaration of empowerment. The book is a toolkit designed to equip women with the confidence they need to navigate an intersectional identity. -- DESIblitzJaspreet’s writing provides vital access to a beautifully captured experience of growing up in a diverse Britain: this results in a beautifully informative, entertaining and affirming book. -- Preet Gill, MPA rousing manifesto, borne from Kaur's wide-ranging personal experiences and those of other strong brown women, for taking our identities and power back from society and fully owning our voices and places in the world. Beyond "essential reading", this book should be "canonical reading." -- Jenny Bhatt, author of the award-winning Each of Us KillersThis is an authentic, bold and and inspiring read. It talks about some of the most crucial topics in society which I can strongly identify with. As an Indian woman who was brought up in Scotland, I felt her book amazingly reflected most of my own personal experiences at the same time... I believe all brown girls and beyond will find a piece of themselves between these pages. The book is informative and important. I would highly recommend it! -- Dr Pushpinder Chowdhry, MBE, founder and CEO of The UK Asian Film Festival and Tongues on Fire

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Book SynopsisEPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. Examining countries where religious pluralism is in decline, including Iraq, India, Pakistan and Nigeria, this book brings together reflections, knowledge and learning about the daily experiences of religiously marginalized groups, generated using participatory research methods. It also showcases the participatory methodologies implemented by its international team of contributors and highlights the importance of using non-extractive methods for engaging with participants. Including a careful consideration of the ethics and limitations of participatory research with marginalized groups, the book reflects on the implications for people’s agency when research creates space for them to reflect on their realities in a group setting and uses methods which put their own experience and analysis at the centre of the process.Table of Contents1. Religious Inequalities: The Blind Spot in Participatory Methodologies and Understandings of Freedom of Religion or Belief ~ Jo Howard and Mariz Tadros Part 1: India 2. Participatory Methods and the Freedom of Religion or Belief ~ Rebecca Shah and Timothy Shah 3. The Personal, the Relational and the Community: Researching With Dalit Christian Women in India During COVID-19 ~ Rebecca Shah With Lata John 4. Faith and Researcher Positionality: Researching With Dalit Muslim Women in India During COVID-19 ~ Rebecca Shah With Laila Khan Part 2: Nigeria 5. Using Participatory Methodologies in the Context of Fragility ~ Plangsat Bitrus Dayil 6. Applying Participatory Methodologies in Understanding the Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic on Religious Communities in Nigeria ~ Henry Gyang Mang 7. Working With Survivors of Trauma: Using Participatory Ranking To Explore the Experiences of Izala Women in Northern Nigeria ~ Fatima Suleiman Part 3: Iraq 8. Facilitating Peer Research for Freedom of Religion or Belief in Iraq ~ Sofya Shahab 9. Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) and Reflective Practices: Training Teachers To Become Effective Promoters of Freedom of Religion or Belief Principles in Education ~ Yusra Mahdi 10. Embracing Emotion and Building Confidence: Using Participatory Methods With Yazidi Women in Iraq ~ Zeri Khairi Gadi Part 4: Pakistan 11. Lessons Learned Using Participatory Methodologies in Exploring Intersectional Marginalization of Religious and Sectarian Minorities in Pakistan ~ Asad Shoaib and Jaffer Abbas Mirza 12. Using Participatory Research Methodology to Understand Daily Experiences of Religiously Marginalized Communities: A Case Study of Christians in Joseph Colony (Lahore) and Rimsha Colony (Islamabad) and Shi’as in Balti Basti (Karachi) ~ Maryam Kanwer and Jaffer Abbas Mirza 13. Using Participatory Methods With Ahmadis in Exile ~ M.K. 14. Addressing the Intersection of Religious and Other Inequalities Through Participatory Methodologies ~ Mariz Tadros and Jo Howard

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when authorities you venerate condone something you know is wrong? Every major religion and philosophy once condoned or approved of slavery, but in modern times nothing is seen as more evil. Americans confront this crisis of authority when they erect statues of Founding Fathers who slept with their slaves. And Muslims faced it when ISIS revived sex slavery, justifying it with verses from the Quran and the practice of Muhammad. Exploring the moral and ultimately theological problem of slavery, Jonathan A.C. Brown traces how the Christian, Jewish and Islamic traditions have tried to reconcile modern moral certainties with the infallibility of God’s message. He lays out how Islam viewed slavery in theory, and the reality of how it was practiced across Islamic civilization. Finally, Brown carefully examines arguments put forward by Muslims for the abolition of slavery.Trade Review‘Slavery & Islam hints at some of the great questions that are still outstanding in this field.’ * Literary Review *‘For any system of belief that vests ultimate authority in the past, slavery is a big moral problem… For several reasons, this dilemma is an acute one for Muslims, as emerges in [this] scholarly but digestible new book.’ * The Economist *‘A must-read for students and scholars of slavery in historical and contemporary Islam, as well as for anyone interested in slavery and its relationship to religion… Slavery & Islam is a thoughtful, well-researched, and well-written elucidation of a very difficult problem.’ * Journal of Islamic Ethics *‘This insightful, courageous and comprehensively argued book is bound to constitute a new beginning. It is certain to be as widely debated as it is widely read. And we will all be all the better for it.’ -- Sherman A. Jackson, King Faisal Chair of Islamic Thought and Culture, University of Southern California‘A prodigiously researched, provocatively argued, learned and multi-faceted treatment of a difficult and complex problem. One might not agree with all of Brown’s conclusions, but the book will be a must-read for students and scholars of historical and contemporary Islam, as well as for anyone interested in slavery and its relationship to religion.’ -- Bernard K. Freamon, Professor of Law Emeritus, Seton Hall University School of LawTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Notes on transliteration, dates and citation Introduction: Can We Talk About Slavery? What I Argue in this Book Apology for Slavery? Power and the Study of Slavery Blackness, Whiteness and Slavery 1 Does ‘Slavery’ Exist? The Problem of Definition The Main Argument Definition: A Creative Process Definition to Discourse: A Political Process Defining \ˈslā-v(ə-)rē\: We Know It When We See It Defining Slavery as Status or a Condition Slavery as Unfreedom Slavery as Human Property Patterson & Natal Alienation Slavery as Distinction: The Lowest Rung & Marginality Slavery as Coercion & Exploitation under the Threat of Violence The Problem with Modern-Day Slavery Slavery & Islam – A Very Political Question Conclusion: Of Course, Slavery Exists The Proper Terms for Speaking about ‘Slavery’ 2 Slavery in the Shariah What Islam Says about Slavery – Ideals and Reality Slavery in the Quran & Sunna Inheriting the Near East – Roman, Jewish and Near Eastern Laws versus Islam Islam’s Reform of Slavery Basic Principles of Riqq in the Shariah The Ambiguities of Slavery in the Shariah Riqq & Rights in the Shariah Religious Practice Freedom of Movement Social and Political Roles Marriage and Family Life Right to Property Rights to Life and Physical Protection Summary: Law and Ethics 3 Slavery in Islamic Civilization What is Islamic Civilization? Is there ‘Islamic Slavery’? The Shariah & Islamic Slavery Muslims Enslaving Muslims The Classic Slavery Zone Consuming People & ‘Ascending Miscegenation’ Slave Populations Routes of the Muslim Slave Trade Blackness and Slavery in Islamic Civilization The Roles and Experiences of Slaves in Islamic Civilization The Slave as Uprooted Person and Commodity The Slave as Domestic Labor . . . Even Trusted Member of a Household Slave as Sexual Partner Slave as Saint, Scholar or Poet Slave as Elite Administrator & Courtesan Slave as Soldier – When Soldiers often Ruled Slave as Rebel 4 The Slavery Conundrum No Squaring the Circle: The American/Islamic Slavery Conundrum Slavery is Evil The Intrinsic Wrongs of Slavery Religions and Slavery Minimizing the Unminimizable or Historicizing the Unhistoricizable Slavery is Slavery: The Problem of Labeling ‘Slavery’ with One Moral Judgment The Moral Wrongness of Slavery as Unfreedom The Moral Wrongness of Slavery as Owning Human Property The Moral Wrongness of Slavery as Inequality The Moral Wrongness of Slavery as the Threat of Violence The Bald Man Fallacy and the Wrongness of Slavery When Slavery is ‘Not that Bad’: The Problem with Conditions vs. Formal Categories Do Some People Deserve to be Enslaved? Or, Is Freedom a Human Right? The Past as Moral Authority: Can We Part with the Past? The Natural Law Tradition and Slavery Critics of Slavery and the Call for Abolition The Consequences of Moral Progress Muslim Efforts to Salvage the Past 5 Abolishing Slavery in Islam Is Abolition Indigenous to Islam or Not? Islam as Emancipatory Force – An Alternative History Abolishing Slavery . . . For Whom? Concentric Circles of Abolition ‘The Lawgiver Looks Expectantly Towards Freedom’ – Abolition as an Aim of the Shariah Doubling Down – Progressive Islam & the Axiomatic Evil of Slavery Prohibited by the Ruler but Not by God: The Crucial Matter of Taqyid al-Mubah If You Can’t Do it Right, You Can’t Do it at All – Prohibiting Riqq Poorly Done Same Shariah, Diff erent Conditions – The Obsolescence or Unfavorability of Slavery Slavery: A Moot Point & Bad PR Defending Slavery in Islam 6 The Prophet & ISIS: Evaluating Muslim Abolition Do Muslim Approaches to Abolition Pass Moral Muster? A Consensus on Abolition Could Slavery in Islam ever be Unabolished? Abolition vs. ISIS This Author’s Opinion 7 Concubines and Consent: Can We Solve the Moral Problem of Slavery? Species of Moral Change Moral Disgust at Slavery Today Conclusion & Crisis: Concubinage and Consent Consent and Concubines Disbelief is Unproductive Appendix 1 – A Slave Saint of Basra Appendix 2 – Enlightenment Thinkers on Slavery Appendix 3 – Did the 1926 Muslim World Congress Condemn Slavery? Appendix 4 – Was Māriya the Wife or Concubine of the Prophet? Appendix 5 – Was Freedom a Human Right in the Shariah? Appendix 6 – Enslavement of Apostate Muslims or Muslims Declared to be Unbelievers Select Bibliography Notes Index

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