Social groups: religious groups and communities Books

Book SynopsisThe sacred and the revered, the divine and the musealised, relics have long been integral to Islamic practice. Wahhabisation has cast a modernist spectre over celebrated traditions such as the visiting of shrines and pilgrimages to the birthplaces of beloved religious figures, yet these rituals continue to thrive. In this issue of Critical Muslim, we look at footprints ascribed to the Prophet Muhammad, to Adam and to Jesus. We pay our respects to Sufi saints, who may or may not be Islamicised versions of the Buddha, and we ask whether tradition is nothing more than a relic of times gone by. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisThis issue of Critical Muslim explores the idea of a 'Muslim Atlantic' by looking at transatlantic connections between Muslim communities in the US and the UK. Based on and inspired by Paul Gilroy's work on the Black Atlantic, we hope to reframe his theory in terms of faith as well as race. Through essays and reportage, we will consider issues such as gender, race, leadership and popular culture, as we ask in what ways Muslim communities on both sides of the pond have shared experiences, and where their trajectories sharply contrast. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisWhat is the ultimate destination? Is it a place, a state of mind, or a vision of how we would like things to be? Slick airline adverts tell us it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters--but the selfie generation is all about capturing, filtering and digitally preserving the destination, in all its Instagrammable glory. How has ‘the destination’ evolved in our rapidly changing times? Whether it is a physical reality that we yearn for, a spiritual reckoning or an introspective quest to find one's self, this issue of Critical Muslim explores what it means to want to get there, and maybe even how our original goals--even the destination--may change, wherever or whenever they may be. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisThe coronavirus has upended the post-World War II narrative in global affairs, as the United States and the European Union struggle to contain what may well become the deadliest pandemic in a century. Countries with some of the world's most advanced biomedical research systems were slow to lock down, slow to set up testing and contact-tracing, slow to equip their health workers with personal protective equipment, and slow to mandate mask-wearing in their populations. This has been in contrast with other countries--especially in Asia--which are further on the road to eliminating the virus completely. In much of Africa, too, where HIV and Ebola have helped to prepare public health systems for epidemics, the policy response has been of a higher quality than that in much richer nations. In this issue of Critical Muslim, we explore the impact of the virus on the world, examining how different countries have responded to the pandemic; why the science and health policies of richer nations were found wanting; and the implications for a post-pandemic future. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisHassan Mahamdallie remembers the comedy and comedians of his youth, Hussein Abdulsater explores the Islamic approach to humour, Bruce B Lawrence is enthralled by Sufi satire, Gilbert Ramsey and Moutaz Alkheder dissect Jihadi jokes, Boyd Tonkin relishes the wordplay in Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq's Leg Over Leg, Robert Irwin enjoys old Arab gags, Eric Wagner explores Muslim comedy in America, Leyla Jagiella dissects the old theory of biological and psychological humours, Scott Jordan is astonished that comedy and news have merged into a single entity, Hussein Kesvani half-regrets his viral tweet, Shazia Mirza has a good laugh, Mevlut Ceylan retells Nasreddin Hodja tales, Shanon Shah is impressed by Arab political humour, Samia Rahman takes a sip from the famous drink of Abu Nawas, Ziauddin Sardar defends the integrity of put-upon pigeons, and Rachel Dwyer hands out Bollywood Comedy Awards. Also in this issue: Deena Mohamed's superhero Qahera, Giles Goddard on Christian-Muslim relations, Hoda Yusuf watches the first feature film from Djibouti, and a short story by Medina Tenour Whiteman. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisAs Critical Muslim celebrates ten years of insight and thought, the theme of biography fittingly challenges its readers: to reflect on our past, our memories and our stories, and to look ahead towards what we may leave behind for the stories yet to be told. Stories have always been an essential aspect of human society– from the cave paintings in Sulawesi, dating back over 43,000 years, and oral tales conveyed from bard to audience, to the written word, and now the projected image, on screens large and small. As memory and history become increasingly important for a deeper understanding of the present and our emerging futures, this issue explores how biography allows for something more personal–for the myths and fables of childhood to come to life–and offers snapshots of history to be opened up. We explore a rich historical tradition of biography in Islamic societies, and explore the ways biographies have influenced Muslim thought and culture. Through biography, we can learn much about ourselves, by stepping out of our own worlds and taking on the lives of others.

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Book SynopsisIn our turbulent times, all varieties of bodies face serious dangers. Bodies of water are disappearing before our eyes; bodies politic risk suppression, lying on the razor's edge of the democratic struggle; human bodies fear annihilation at the hands of hate and xenophobic fascism. The biological body is no longer a husk for the intellect, but itself a vital piece of identity. The black body and female body, tethered to historical narratives, have become a cause worth fighting for in the BLM and #MeToo movements. More broadly, posthumanism and changing sexuality and identity politics are challenging our conceptions and limitations with regards to bodies. And the monolithic human body, once seen as divine perfection--a gift from above--is today quickly cast aside for the next, more advanced model. In this issue, we explore the bodily familiar, the celestial bodies, the invisible bodies of metaphors, and those under the microscope--all with the power to start and stop our fragile little world on a whim. As we walk into the future, this issue challenges readers to prepare for a new type of body, fit for a world beyond our present predicaments. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centres on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisIs our existence in the world a set of separate moving parts to which we must continuously adapt? Or is life a series of transitions as we evolve our understanding of what goes on around and within ourselves in order to realise an authentic self? Transitions can be sought or imposed, external and internal; deemed either a threat to social cohesion or a sign of progress. All around us is continual change—in the climate, the seasons, our bodies as we age, and from era to era since time began. Are transitional phases important moments in themselves, merely marking the end of one set of conditions as another takes over? Much has been made of Islam and Muslims being in a state of transition, whether assessing Islam’s compatibility with modernity or with modernisation. This issue examines what it means to transition, what we can expect when we are in transition, and whether transitions are inevitable, for better or worse.

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Book SynopsisA formidable array of judicial talent considers all aspects of Islamic criminal procedure with the firm emphasis on its practical application today in modern states. Where do Islamic courts operate in the modern world? What training does an Islamic judge receive? How does an Islamic court deal with a criminal case? What proof and evidence does it accept? What law and practice do the Islamic judges apply to transgressions by Westerners in Saudi Arabia, whether they be accused of murder, adultery or drinking alcohol? This book attempts to answer all these and many more crucial questions of Islamic law as they affect the different nations of the Islamic World.Table of ContentsWhere do Islamic courts still operate in the modern world? What training does an Islamic judge receive? How does an Islamic court deal with a criminal case? What proof and evidence does it accept? What penalties may an Islamic judge impose in criminal matters? What law and practice do the Islamic judges apply to transgressions by Westerners in Saudi Arabia, whether they be accused of murder, adultery or drinking alcohol? This book attempts to answer all the above crucial, basic yet difficult questions of Islamic law. A formidable array of judicial talent considers all aspects of Islamic criminal procedure with the firm emphasis on its practical application in modem states today. Controversial cases are dealt with and explained from an Islamic point of view with the aim of informing a Western audience of the objectivity and fair process inherent in the Islamic system.

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Book SynopsisAs 2023 marks the 300th birthday of Adam Smith, ‘Father of Capitalism’, capital apparently makes the world go round—but, as this issue explores, it is not the only structure we can use to orchestrate interactions, transactions and the business of conducting our lives. As permacrisis engulfs the planet, capitalism seems unfit for purpose, moving between hero and villain in our increasingly complex world. This issue considers capital as acquisition, mentality, a place to live, and a severely unjust basis upon which we seem to exist. Can the system hold? What might lie beyond a capital state of mind?

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Book SynopsisMuslims have a very special relationship with water. In the desert-dwelling populations where Islam was born, it was a coveted asset. The great Muslim cities were built around rivers. Water still accompanies each of the daily prayers, through the performance ofwudu(ritual ablution); the Sharia provides rules for using and preserving it; and the Qur'an and hadith mention, numerous times, that water is essential for life. An ancient respect for this element, which covers 71 per cent of our planet's surface, runs through Islamic teachingsbut rivers are dying, ecosystems have been thrown into disarray, and pollution and plastics are making it undrinkable. While water is normally a metaphor for calm and purity, as climate change becomes climate catastrophe, we see some cities overstressed and running out of water, while others are sinking beneath the waves. This issue ofCritical Muslimconfronts the existential threats around water and seeks to restore the balance between the human and natural worlds. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisSince its beginnings--born out of the Enlightenment--liberalism has risen to become the global standard; an almost utopian ideal, against which political and moral philosophies have been judged. Yet, one quarter of the way through the twenty-first century, we wonder if the liberal idea is all but dead. The freedoms imbued by civil and human rights, individualism and private property have built the modern world, but not without growing pains and vestigial aches. More than a simple philosophy, liberalism has informed economics, secularism, language and culture. As the global hegemon, it has at times been cast as an enemy of the 'other'; but, in fact, the liberalism that dominated in the West is not without its non-Western seeds and influences. This issue of Critical Muslim gives liberalism a long overdue analysis, evaluating how well it has fared up to the present, and considering how the future will continue to be shaped by its legacy. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisOnly about a century old, fascismbogeyman of ideologieshas been both over- and under-attributed to various political phenomena. While the baseline cases of Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy are generally agreed upon, once these two forces were defeated, it was nigh impossible to believe that such a compulsion would ever return in a more enlightened futurelet alone be ushered in by the children of those who defeated the fascist regimes. Today, card-carrying fascist forces grab ever more political power across the US and Europe, even in the European Parliament itself, and around the globe. Yet, while there's a reason for Godwin's Lawthe longer an online conversation continues, the more likely someone is to invoke Hitler and the Naziswe must find ways to discern the fascist wheat from the garden-variety nationalist chaff. This issue looks at today's tidal wave, and asks how to ensure that such forces are not allowed to tear the world asunder once more. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisI.B. Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies How has the Ismaili branch of Shi‘i Islam interacted with other Islamic communities throughout history? The groups and movements that make up Islamic civilisation are diverse and varied yet, while scholarship has analysed many branches of Islam in isolation, the exchanges and mutual influences between them has not been sufficiently recognised. This book traces the interactions between Ismaili intellectual thought and the philosophies of other Islamic groups to shed light on the complex and interwoven nature of Islamic civilisation. Based on a broad range of primary sources from the early medieval to the late nineteenth century, the book brings together different disciplines within Islamic Studies to cover polemical and doctrinal literature, law, mysticism, rituals and philosophy. The main Ismaili groups, such as the Fatimids, Nizaris and Tayyibis, are represented, as well as lesser known traditions such as that associated with the mountain region of Badakhshan in Central Asia. Religious syncretism, particularly in the Indian subcontinent and in Yemen, is considered alongside cultural interactions as reflected in the circulation of books in Fatimid markets, and various literary and mythical traditions, some still little explored. The chapters include contributions from leading experts in the field shed new light on the close and complex relationships very different Islamic groups and movements have enjoyed throughout the centuries.Table of ContentsIntroduction Orkhan Mir-Kasimov, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK. PART I: In the Eyes of Others: Mutual Reflections in Polemical and Doctrinal Literature 1. Sunni Perceptions of the Ismailis: Medieval Perspectives Farhad Daftary, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK 2. Ismaili Polemics Against Opponents in the Early Fatimid Period Paul E. Walker, The University of Chicago, USA 3. On the Limited Representation of the Ismailis in al-Saduq’s (d. 381/991) Kamal al-din Roy Vilozny, The University of Haifa, Israel 4. ‘The Places where the Wrestler is Thrown Down’ (Masari' al-musari') and the Question of Tusi’s Rejection of his Prior Nizari Identity Toby Mayer, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK PART II: Authority and Law 5. Ismaili and Sunni Elaborations of the Sources of Law: The Kitab al-Majalis wa’l-musayarat by al-Qadi Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man and the Risala of al-Shafi'i: A Comparative Study Agostino Cilardo, University of Naples "L'Orientale", Italy 6. Sacrifice, Circumcision and the Ruler in the Medieval Islamic West: The Ismaili-Fatimid Legacy Maribel Fierro, Spanish National Research Council, Spain 7. Human Action, God's Will: Further Thoughts on the Divine Command (amr) in the Teachings of Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-'Arabi (560-638/1165-1240) Michael Ebstein, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel PART III: The Ikhwan al-Safa', Theosophical and philosophical trends 8. Onto-cosmology and Hierohistory in the Manuscript Tradition of the Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa' Carmela Baffioni, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK 9. Extra-Ismaili Sources and a Shift of Paradigm in Nizari Ismailism Daryoush Mohammad Poor, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK 10. Nature according to Hamid al-Din al-Kirmani (d. after 411/1020–21) and Mulla Sadra (d. 1050/1640): Ismaili Influence on a Twelver Thinker or Dependence on Common Sources Janis Esots, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK PART IV: Mystical Trends 11. Early Ismailis and Other Muslims: Polemics and Borrowing in Kitab al-Kashf Mushegh Asatryan, The University of Calgary, Canada 12. The Intellectual Interactions of Yemeni Tayyibism with the Early Shi'i Tradition Daniel De Smet, KU Leuven, Belgium 13. The Nizari Ismaili Theory of the Resurrection (Qiyama) and Post-Mongol Iranian Messianism Orkhan Mir-Kasimov, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK PART V: Ismaili-Sufi Relationships in Badakhshan 14. Ismaili-Sufi and Ismaili-Twelver Relations in Badakhshan in the Post-Alamut Period: The Chiragh-nama Nourmamadcho Nourmamadchoev, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK 15. The Concept of Wilaya in Mubarak-i Wakhani’s Chihil Dunya: A Traditional Ismaili-Sufi Perspective on the Origins of Divine Guidance Abdulmamad Iloliev, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK PART VI: The Interaction and Circulation of Knowledge across Religious and Geographical Boundaries 16. Beyond Space and Time: The Itinerant Life of Books in the Fatimid Market Place Delia Cortese, Middlesex University London, UK 17. On the Cusp of ‘Islamic’ and ‘Hindu’ Worldviews The Ginan Literature and the Dialectics of Self and Other Wafi A. Momin, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, UK 18. Spring’s Equinox: Nawruz in Ismaili Thought Shafique N. Virani, The University of Toronto, Canada 19. Yemeni Ismailism in Jewish Philosophy, 6th/12th to 11th/17th Centuries: A General Historical Sketch Mauro Zonta, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

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Book SynopsisIn light of the ongoing public debate that focuses on differences between Islam and the West, this book suggests a change of perspective. It departs from the observation that both western Orientalists and Islamist activists have defined Islam similarly as an all-encompassing religious, political and social system. In shifting from differences to similarities, it leaves behind the increasingly circular debate about the true nature of Islam in which the Muslim religion has been represented either as intrinsically hostile to or as principally compatible with modern culture. Instead, it associates the evolution of a particularly essentialist image of Islam with a complex process of cross-cutting (self)-interpretations of Muslim and Western societies within an emerging global public sphere. Putting its focus on the life and work of a number of paradigmatic individuals, the book investigates the intellectual encounters and discursive interdependencies among western and Muslim intellectuals. In a historical genealogy it deconstructs the essentialist image of Islam in uncovering its conceptual foundations in the modern transformation of European and Muslim societies from the nineteenth century onwards. Thereby, the changing infrastructure of the global public sphere has facilitated the gradual popularization, trivialization, and dissemination of a previously elitist discourse on Islam and modernity. In this way, the idea of Islam as an all-encompassing system has been turned into accepted knowledge in the Western and Muslim worlds alike.Trade Review'Through an analysis of classical Islamic studies and emergent social sciences, Dietrich Jung carefully unpicks and disposes of the whole legacy of the notion of a unified, coherent and integrated Islam, showing its manifest and profound differences across cultures and time. The book is equally critical of the New Orientalism in both the academy and the media which persists with the notion that Islam is the principal stumbling block for societies on the way to modernization and democracy. He uncovers the tragedy of our post- 9/11 world in which the New Orientalists in the West converge with the ideas of Political Islam in which the dominant quest is to discover the True Islam. Finally Dr Jung guides us through an interpretation of how Islamic movements have to be understood in a global public that is being created by many different forms of modernity. Orientalists Islamists and the Global Public Sphere is the definitive modern work on the history and pitfalls of Orientalism - both old and new.' Bryan S.Turner, Presidential Professor of Sociology, The Graduate Center, CUNY 'Modern Western scholars claim that there are many "Islams". But Western public opinion and many Islamist thinkers believe that there is only one all-encompassing Islam. This belief has had, and has, fateful consequences for both Muslims and the West. Jung's book traces the emergence of this understanding in the interactions between Islamic thinkers and Orientalists in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is a contribution to the intellectual history of the globalizing world of the first importance.' Prof Francis Robinson CBE, Sultan of Oman Fellow, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Professor of the History of South Asia, Royal Holloway University of London 'The character of Islamic studies has been in question ever since the publication of Edward Said's Orientalism in 1978. This astonishing book, brilliant, knowledgeable and elegant, goes beyond heated polemics by means of sophisticated use of social theory so as to present a complete, balanced and convincing account of the formation of contemporary understandings of the Islamic world. Jung is at his most brilliant in showing the cognitive interactions between Muslim scholars and occidental scholars of Muslim society, allowing him to cast light on a vast range of figures, from Goldziher, Robertson Smith, Durkheim and Renan to Abduh, Iqbal, Ziya Gokalp and Islamist thinkers like Mawdudi and Said Qutb.' John Hall, James McGill Professor of Comparative Historical Sociology, McGill University, Montreal 'Orientalists, Islamists and the Global Public Sphere is an insightful, compelling, and thorough new account of the history of Islamic studies, east and west, that is must reading for social theorists and intellectual historians interested in Islam.' Richard C. Martin, Professor of Islamic Studies and History of Religions, Emory University, Atlanta, GeorgiaTable of ContentsPreface I. The Problem: Islam as a Holistic System II. Edward Said's Orientalism and His Critics III. Globalization, World Society and the Global Public Sphere: Understanding Multiple Modernities IV. State, Science and Religion: Modern Europe Between Positivism and Christian Apology V. Islam as a Problem:A" The Formation of Islamic Studies VI. Orientalist Constructions, Islamic Reform and Islamist Revolution VII. Epilog

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Book SynopsisIberia is a special place of colliding myths over its Islamic past and the Christian reconquista, the Inquisition and massive expulsion of Muslims and Jews some five centuries ago. Long a land of emigrants and explorers, it has now become home to Europe's latest, rapidly growing Muslim communities. Al Andalus Rediscovered focuses on Iberia's new Muslims, including boatpeople, students, women and clerics, and how they are faring in a largely Roman Catholic region. Also featured are the Spanish and Portuguese officials, academics, NGOs and ordinary citizens who are trying to find better ways to integrate Muslims and other immigrants, despite domestic and European pressures for tougher counter-measures. Nor does Howe neglect the events of March 11, 2004, when Madrid was the site of the most devastating terrorist attack by Muslim extremists in Europe, or the stated ambition of Al Qaeda to recover Al Andalus for Islam. Her book seeks to answer the basic questions: whether an Iberian model of a humane immigration policy is possible in 'fortress' Europe and whether the partisans of the Andalusian spirit of tolerance and diversity can prevail at this time of economic hardship and heightened radicalism in both the Islamic World and the West.Trade ReviewA thorough and accessible primer on Islam and migration that will be of interest to a broad non-academic readership and of use to students and scholars new to topics such as Islam, migration, or Mediterranean Europe. -- H-Net Reviews in Humanities and Social SciencesA superb and remarkably comprehensive account of the recent transformation of Spain and Portugal into 'immigrant-receiving' countries - with a particular emphasis on Muslim immigrants. There is really nothing like it. ... This is the first book-length analysis of the contemporary resonance of Moorish Iberia in Spanish and Portuguese society, and the different responses of both countries to that historical legacy in the context of a new era of Muslim immigration. Howe is a skilled and remorseless reporter, who has clearly brought all her years of experience to bear in her research. The result is an authoritative, illuminating and indispensable guide to anyone concerned with Iberia, immigration in Europe and contemporary European-Muslim relations. -- Matthew Carr, author of Blood and Faith: The Purging of Muslim SpainAn important addition to contemporary studies of Portugal and Spain. The noted New York Times correspondent writes evocatively on an oddly neglected but increasingly vital, topic: roles of Muslims in Iberia in history and today, following recent migrations. The range of her sources is impressive: personal interviews with leaders, the media, diverse publications and the author's travels and observations of fifty years. This is the new 'culture history' at its best. -- Douglas L. Wheeler, Professor of History Emeritus, University of New Hampshire, and author of Republican Portugal and Historical Dictionary of PortugalMarvine Howe, within the context of her deep love for the land where Christians, Muslims and Jews once lived together in harmony, gives us a surprising look at today's Spain and Portugal, and their struggles to rebuild on historical foundations a multicultural society that fits the modern world. Her work is not nostalgia but 'rediscovery,' combining her own experiences with sound scholarship to address economic and social problems that are central to our age. -- Milton Viorst, author of Storm from the East: the Struggle Between the Arab World and the Christian WestUnlike most European countries, Spain and Portugal are enriched by architectural wonders built many centuries ago by an advanced Islamic civilisation, and an influx of Muslim immigrants has prompted a revival of interest, sometimes conflicted, in that distant past. Marvine Howe, a writer rooted in both Iberian and North African cultures, explores the connections, looking at Muslim integration and Islam's place in Europe from an entirely new perspective in this very timely book. -- Barbara Crossette, former New York Times foreign correspondent and author of So Close to Heaven: The Vanishing Buddhist Kingdoms of the HimalayasA quick and rewarding read about the presence of Islam in the Iberian Peninsula. The transformation of Spain as a home for immigrants from the other side of the Mediterranean is presented as a new episode in the common history of the two shores of the Mediterranean. Howe's work is an accomplished look at this story, from the time of Tariq bin Ziyad to the Alliance of Civilizations. An excellent guide to this long history of engagement. -- Miguel Hernando de Larramendi, Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha'Iberia' -- Spain and Portugal -- is reliving an important moment in its history with the arrival of a new immigrant population. Descendants of those who were once driven from the peninsula, their presence causes many questions and debates: How can they live as Muslims in Europe? What is their relationship with their country of origin? And are they a threat? Marvine Howe's book demonstrates her extensive knowledge of the phenomenon. Intelligent analysis and a huge variety of sources make this a must-read title. -- Ana I. Planet, expert on Islam in contemporary Spain, Workshop on Mediterranean International Studies, Universidad Autonoma de MadridThe author ... presents a complete and up-to-date frieze of the reality of Iberian Islam, with its internal contradictions, detractors and supporters. -- Afkar/IdeasAl-Andalus Rediscovered is a powerful and effective intervention in the increasingly strident debate over the role of Islam in Contemporary Europe. Howe's book provides a positive antidote to the increasingly gloomy prognostications about the future of interfaith relations on that continent. -- Amy Remensnyder, Brown University, Journal of Levantine Studies

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Book SynopsisIn the inaugural issue of Critical Muslim: Ziauddin Sardar tries to understand the significance of what just happened in the Middle East, Robin Yassin-Kassab spends some quality time in Tahrir Square, Ashur Shamis dodges the bullets of Gaddafi's henchmen, Abdelwahab El-Affendi traces the roots of the uprisings, Anne Alexander tunes into the digital revolution, Fadia Faqir joins women protestors, Shadia Safwan asks how long could Assad last, Jamal Mahjoub contemplates futures of the Sudan, Jasmin Ramsey joins the activists in Tehran, and Jerry Ravetz ponders the significance of Ibn Khaldun to the Arab Spring. Also in this issue: Rachel Holmes visits the Palestinian Festival of Literature, S. Parvez Manzoor asks if Turkey is a good model for the Muslim world, Muhammad Idrees Ahmad is overwhelmed by leaks, Taus Makhacheva takes 'Affirmative Action', Aasia Nasir accuses Pakistan and Merryl Wyn Davies's 'last word' on Saudi women drivers. Plus a new short story from Bilal Tanweer and revolutionary poetry from Nizar Qabbani, Tawfiq Zayyad, Abul-Qasim al-Shabi, Ayat al-Qormezi and Naomi Foyle.

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Book SynopsisIn this timely book, completed before the current outbreak of unrest in Bahrain that has formed part of the Arab Spring, Laurence Louer explains, the background of the Bahraini conflict in the context of the wider issue of Shiism as a political force in the Arab Middle East, amongst other issues relating to the role of Shiite Islamist movements in regional politics. Her study shows how Bahrain's troubles are a phenomenon based on local perceptions of injustice rather than on the foreign policy of Shiite Iran. More generally, the book shows that, though Iran's Islamic Revolution had an electrifying effect on Shiite movements in Lebanon, Iraq, the Gulf and Saudi Arabia, local political imperatives have in the end been the crucial factor in the direction they have taken. In addition, the overwhelming influence of the Shiite clerical institution has been diminished by the rise to prominence of lay activists within the Shiite movements across the Middle East and the emergence of Shiite anti-clericalism. This book contributes to dispelling the myth of the determining power of Iran in the politics of Iraq, Bahrain and other Arab states with significant Shiite populations.Trade Review'Laurence Louer is among the foremost authorities on contemporary Shiite Islamic politics in the Middle East. Her intrepid field work and mastery of difficult Arabic texts give her hands-on knowledge, and she is a keen reader of political developments. An indispensable contribution.' * Juan Cole, Professor of History and Director, Center for Middle East and North African Studies, University of Michigan *'This short and elegantly written book manages the extraordinarily difficult feat of presenting the reader with a lucid introduction to Shiism in the Middle East that is at the same time full of penetrating insights. - Dealing with Shiism in the Middle East as a whole, Louer's book looks at the sect's political transformation after the Islamic Revolution and the fall of Baathist Iraq, paying particular attention to the changing role of the clergy, the rise of lay authorities, and transnational patterns of religious thought and practice that cannot be divided by neatly marked national categories.' * Faisal Devji, author of The Terrorist in Search of Humanity *'An impressive historical sociological overview, - Shiism and Politics in the Middle East is a welcome addition to academic research on Shia movements beyond Iran that offers valuable insight and incredible detail, accessible to scholars, policymakers, and general audiences interested in the topic. [The book] provides a strong springboard and opening new avenues for future research into a timely and important issue.' * Ioana Emy Matesan, Syracuse University, H-Net Reviews in the Humanities & Social Sciences *

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Book SynopsisFountainhead of Jihad is the first in-depth study of the history, links, and organisational logic of the Haqqani network. Drawing upon a wealth of previously unresearched primary sources in many languages, the authors shed much new light on a group frequently described as the most lethal actor in the current Afghan insurgency, and shown here to have been for decades at the centre of a nexus of transnational Islamist militancy, fostering the development of jihadi organisations from Southeast Asia to East Africa. Addressing the abundant new evidence documenting the Haqqani network's pivotal role in the birth and evolution of the global jihadi movement, the book also represents a significant advance in our knowledge of the history of al-Qaeda, fundamentally altering the picture painted by the existing literature on the subject.Trade Review'A fascinatingly detailed new book ... Brown and Rassler bring out the deep rootedness of the Haqqanis in the history and culture of this region, on both sides of a Durand Line which as far as the locals are concerned has always been largely theoretical.' -- Anatol Lieven, New York Review of Books'...an extraordinary book, not only because it clearly defines a grave threat to regional and international security, but also because it serves as an example of how analysis of unclassified sources can impart understanding of complex threats, enemies and adversaries ... a must-read for anyone interested in developing a deeper understanding of the grave security threats emanating from the Afghanistan - Pakistan frontier.' -- Survival, The International Institute for Strategic Studies'Fountainhead of Jihad is the definitive account of the rise of the most effective of the insurgent groups now waging war along the Afghan-Pakistan border, which should come as no surprise to those familiar with the work of its authors.' -- Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for bin Laden, from 9/11 to Abbottabad'Compelling - Fountainhead of Jihad suggests we will have to rethink our understanding of the Haqqani network, its motivation and its worldview at a crucial time, just as international forces withdraw and pressure for peace talks intensifies. - In placing the Haqqani network not so much at the centre of the extremist nexus but at its origin, this book makes an important contribution to our understanding of Afghan and Pakistani militant groups. And it has obvious implications for the terms of any eventual peace settlement, which could well see the Haqqanis taking control of its south-eastern heartland.' -- Rob Crilly, The Daily Telegraph'Considered by many to be the most lethal insurgent force in Afghanistan, the Haqqani network is the bete noire of the United States and a favored proxy of America's erstwhile ally Pakistan. - Brown and Rassler paint the most complete portrait of the network to date. - While acknowledging [it] is primarily a local actor with local concerns in Afghanistan and teasing out its complex relationship with Pakistan, Fountainhead of Jihad devotes significant attention to the strategic effect of the group's support for al-Qaeda's global jihad. - The conventional wisdom is that the Haqqanis simply host al-Qaeda, but the authors paint a much more intimate picture to illustrate that the group has served, and continues to serve, as a platform from which al-Qaeda wages its global jihad. - This book should be required reading for anyone working on security issues in South Asia or the evolution of the jihadist movement globally.' -- Stephen Tankel, Foreign Policy'The Haqqani tribal network is based in North Waziristan, a region that straddles the border highlands between Afghanistan and Pakistan ... Above all they want to preserve control of their homeland, which has served as a safe haven for al Qaeda and as a supply route through which Pakistan's intelligence service ships materiel to the Taliban and others in Afghanistan. Brown and Rassler argue that the Haqqanis have played a greater role in the region's anti-American jihad than has al Qaeda -- despite the fact that Washington assisted the Haqqanis' resistance to the soviet occupation of Afghanistan during the 1980s. [They] have assembled unique and impressive evidence for their arguments, shining a light into some hitherto dark corners.' -- John Waterbury, Foreign Affairs'Fountainhead of Jihad brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of new information on the history of the wars in Afghanistan, and that of al-Qaeda. Through meticulous research on hard-to-get primary sources, it traces the history of one of the fiercest foes of the Western forces in Afghanistan today. I would call it the definitive study of the Haqqani network, were it not for the fact that the Haqqanis will continue to play a crucial role in the region for years to come.' -- Thomas Hegghammer, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment; author of The Meccan Rebellion and Jihad in Saudi Arabia'...provides substantive indications of the group's future evolution, its ideological orientation, and importantly, its proclivity for peace.' -- Contemporary South Asia'Rassler and Brown allow us to dive deep into sources never analysed before on Jalaluddin Haqqani, Afghanistan's pioneer of militant Islamism, and his (in)famous network. They have dug out an impressive amount of information that will be invaluable for Afghanistan and Taliban watchers. All in all, a highly useful contribution to explaining the ambiguities of the south-eastern wing of the Afghan insurgent movement.' -- Thomas Ruttig, co-director and senior analyst with the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network and author of 'Loya Paktia's Insurgency: The Haqqani Network as an Autonomous Entity', in A. Giustozzi (ed.), Decoding the New Taliban'Fountainhead of Jihad is a groundbreaking research work by two recognized specialists of the region who have accessed extremely valuable primary sources never studied before. It deconstructs the commonly held view that the Haqqani network is a local actor preoccupied with local concerns and shows very convincingly how Al Qaeda and the Haqqani network evolved together and have remained intertwined throughout their history. It also shows how the Haqqanis keep sheltering and supporting groups engaged in global jihad.' -- Mariam Abou Zabab, coauthor of Islamist Networks: The Afghan-Pakistan Connection'Brown and Rassler have undertaken an extraordinary level of research into a huge range of sources ... should be required reading for anyone involved in the development of security policy for the area -- particularly those on both sides of the Atlantic. ... the conclusion paints a chilling picture of the Haqqani Network as an increasing source of support and training for terrorists planning operations in the rest of the world, and urges that considerably more attention be paid to measures to deal with the threat.' -- Asian Affairs

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Book SynopsisIn the issue of Critical Muslim: Ziauddin Sardar argues why Islamic reform is necessary, Bruce Lawrence sees Muslim cosmopolitanism as the future, Parvez Manzoor declares jihad on the idea of 'the political', Samia Rahman gets to the root of Muslim misogyny, Michael Muhammad Knight explains his taqwacore beliefs, Soha al-Jurf has problems with orthodoxy, Carool Kersten suggests that critical thinkers and reformers are often seen as heretics, and Ben Gidley on what keeps Muslims and Jews apart and what can bring them together. Also in this issue: Stuart Sim takes a sledgehammer to the 'profit motive', Andy Simons argues that Jazz is just as Muslim as it is American, Robin Yassin-Kabbab meets the new crop of Iraqi writers in Erbil, Said Adrus visits a Muslim cemetery in Woking, Ehsan Masood confesses he spent his youth reading the extremist writer Maryam Jameelah, Iftikar Malik dismisses pessimism about Pakistan, Hassan Mahamdallie explores what it means to be an American, Jerry Ravetz discovers the Arabic Maimonides, Vinay Lal assesses the legacy of Edward Said, and Merryl Wyn Davies takes a train to 9/11. Plus a brilliant new story from Aamer Hussein and four poems by the celebrated Mimi Khalvati.

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Book SynopsisIn the third issue of Critical Muslim: AbdelWahab El-Affendi on Islamophobia and Orientalism in the age of liberal paranoia, Arun Kundnani on English Defense League and the rise of the far right in Europe, Vinay Lal on Hindus who love Hitler, Gordon Steffey on Christian fundamentalism, Fanar Haddad on the sectarian schisms in the Arab world, Gary McFarlane on Tottenham Riots, Farouk Peru on self loathing Muslims, Claire Chambers on 'Four Lions', Peter Clark on Bernard Lewis and Peter Moray on Irshad Manji. Plus a short story by Suhel Ahmed, six poems by Stephane Chaumet, Anita Sethi's dangerous bus ride through Iran, Ten Top Techs for Muslim and Ziauddin Sardar on his pet hate: the beards of Islam.

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Book SynopsisZiauddin Sardar questions the question mark that is always placed in front of Pakistan, Robin Yassin-Kassab asks why Pakistan has not imploded, Taimur Khan breaks bread with the gangsters and bookies of Karachi, Muhammad Idrees Ahmad revisits Peshawar, Mahvish Ahmad tracks down the separatist in Quetta, Ehsan Masood watches Pakistani television, Merryl Wyn Davies deconstructs 'imaginariums' of Pakistan, Aamer Hussein discusses Pakistani modern classic fiction, Bina Shah asks if there is boom in Pakistani literature, Bilal Tanweer listens to 'Coke Studio', Muneeza Shamsie discovers the literary secrets of her family, Taymiya R. Zaman overcomes her fear of talking about Pakistan, Ali Maraj assesses Imran Khan, Shazia Mirza tells rude jokes in Lahore, and a fake novel by Ibn-e-Safi is spotted in Bahwalnagar. Plus a new translation of an old short story by A R Khatoon, a new story by Yasir Shah, poems by Ghalib, John Siddique and Zehra Nigah, Atia Jilani's Quranic art, photographs by Ayesha Malik, and 'Ten Things We Love About Pakistan'. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisWhile in the West 'the Caliphate' evokes overwhelmingly negative images, throughout Islamic history it has been regarded as the ideal Islamic polity. In the wake of the 'Arab Spring' and the removal of long-standing dictators in the Middle East, in which the dominant discourse appears to be one of the compatibility of Islam and democracy, reviving the Caliphate has continued to exercise the minds of its opponents and advocates. Reza Pankhurst's book contributes to our understanding of Islam in politics, the path of Islamic revival across the last century and how the popularity of the Caliphate in Muslim discourse waned and later re-emerged. Beginning with the abolition of the Caliphate, the ideas and discourse of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb ut-Tahrir, al-Qaeda and other smaller groups are then examined. A comparative analysis highlights the core com- monalities as well as differences between the various movements and individuals, and suggests that as movements struggle to re-establish a polity which expresses the unity of the ummah (or global Islamic community), the Caliphate has alternatively been ignored, had its significance minimised or denied, reclaimed and promoted as a theory and symbol in different ways, yet still serves as a political ideal for many.Trade ReviewAnyone trying to understand the current happenings in the Middle East could do worse than refer to the work. What they will find is a narrative that does not use western liberal democracy as the yardstick. * Huffington Post *Reza Pankhurst describes . . . a long tradition in Islamic thought that views the Islamic State as an ideal, final fusion of religion and politics that will restore Muslim prestige. . . . As Pankhurst argues, the Western concept of liberal democracy seems to have limited appeal in Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa -- as the widespread support for Islamist parties in the elections held after the Arab Spring demonstrated. * London Review of Books *A timely consideration of how the idea of the Caliphate has animated and inspired Muslim intellectuals and activists over the past century, and how it is used by various groups today. . . . A worthwhile read. * Hurriyet Daily News *This is a learned and forcefully argued book, a must-read for those seeking to understand mobilisation for the Caliphate over the last century. -- John Chalcraft, Reader in the History and Politics of Empire, London School of Economics and Political ScienceAn authoritative blend of historical fact married with current Islamic political thought, this book offers an excellent insight on the institution of the caliphate in Islam. Gripping, extremely learned, but accessible, this book is a must-read. -- Shahrul Hussain, Lecturer in Islamic Studies, Markfield Institute of Higher Education, LeicestershireReza Pankhurst provides a unique and probing examination of modern thinking on the caliphate. ... This detailed analysis of the ways in which the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb ut-Tahrir, and al-Qaeda as well as smaller groups reformulate and use the concept today is both judicious and informed. It provides the most reliable guide avail- able to an idea and political symbol that holds attraction for many Sunni Muslims while inciting anxiety, even fear, among others, including many non-Muslims and Shi'a. -- Professor James Piscatori, Durham UniversityOver the course of the past decade, interest in the institution of the Caliphate has been revived among Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to an extent not seen since the tumultuous 1920s. But until now, no scholar has tried to examine systematically how the Caliphate has actually animated and inspired Islamic intellectuals and activists, or how alternative conceptions of the Caliphate have been formulated and fought over. Against this backdrop, Reza Pankhurst's new book provides a carefully crafted and well documented treatment of the diverse ways in which the Caliphate has figured in the global politics of Islam over the past ninety years. Scholars and other readers interested in the possibilities for a truly transnational Islamic ummah should make sure to read this very illuminating and instructive book. -- John T. Sidel, Sir Patrick Gillam Professor of International and Comparative Politics, London School of Economics and Political ScienceReza Pankhurst's deftly argued, thought-provoking book addresses the significant yet neglected topic of the Islamic Caliphate, focusing on the attempts of Muslim thinkers and activists to resuscitate the institution following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the 1920s. What stands out is the author's ability to situate the contributions of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb ut-Tahrir, Al-Qaeda, and other advocates of the Caliphate within the context of normative Islam, rather than weigh them against the yardstick of liberal democracy. This important book, which examines the Caliphate on its own terms, will challenge the way scholars and other observers of political Islam conceive their subject. -- John Calvert, Associate Professor of History, Creighton University and author of 'Sayyid Qutb and the Origins of Radical Islamism'In the wake of the Arab Awakening and the sustained re-imagination of political possibilities in the Middle East, 'The Inevitable Caliphate?' is especially relevant reading. From Rabat to Riyadh Arabs have re-asserted the right to think about political alternatives, demonstrating the grassroots popularity of Islamic frameworks of legitimacy and laying the groundwork for a renewed and far-reaching conversation about Islamic governance paradigms. Ideas about the caliphate - as precedent, as social contract, as imagined community - are bound to shape and be shaped by these debates. -- Alia Brahimi, Research Officer at the University of Oxford, and Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science'The Inevitable Caliphate?' is a much-needed contribution to our understanding of the modern Caliphate as a political concept and goal. Reza Pankhurst has written a timely and useful book. It is a must-read for scholars, students and anyone who is interested in the post-1924 debate over the restoration of the Caliphate. -- Emmanuel Karagiannis, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia, Greecea refreshingly original contribution to this misunderstood subject . . . [providing] a detailed and clear-sighted description and analysis of the origins of the three major Islamic movements, their ideological development and political posturing. -- Mahan Abedin, Visiting Fellow at the New Delhi-based Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, religion.info

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Book SynopsisWhen the convulsions of the Arab Spring first became manifest in Syria in March 2011, the Ba'athist regime was quick to blame the pro- tests on the 'Syrian Muslim Brotherhood' and its 'al-Qaeda affiliates.' But who are these Islamists so determined to rule a post-Assad Syria? Little has been published on militant Islam in Syria since Hafez Assad's regime destroyed the Islamist movement in its stronghold of Hama in February 1982. This book bridges that gap by providing readers with the first comprehensive account of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's history to date. In this ground-breaking account of Syria's most prominent, yet highly secretive, Islamist organisation, the author draws on previously untapped sources: the memoirs of former Syrian jihadists; British and American archives; and also a series of wide-ranging interviews with the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's historical leaders as well as those who battled against them - many speaking on the record for the first time. Ashes of Hama uncovers the major aspects of the Islamist struggle: from the Brotherhood's radicalisation and its 'jihad' against the Ba'athist regime and subsequent exile, to a spectacular comeback at the forefront of the Syrian revolution in 2011 - a remarkable turnaround for an Islamist movement which all analysts had pronounced dead amid the ruins of Hama in 1982.Trade ReviewIn this timely book Lefevre rightly observes that the ashes of Hama have become the ashes of Syria … highly recommended. * Choice *Lefevre has produced a richly detailed, well-written, and sober analytical account of the history of Syria's Muslim Brotherhood. He does an outstanding job of bringing together a wide range of English, French, and Arabic sources to convincingly place the Syrian Brotherhood within its local political context. Ashes of Hama is without question the best available comprehensive English-language work on Syrian Islamist politics. -- Marc Lynch * Foreign Policy Middle East Channel Best of 2013 *An impressive and unprecedented compendium of research. * New York Journal of Books *No book could be more timely than Lefevre's on the Muslim Brotherhood. Anyone wishing to understand Syria must understand the long and bitter history of the Muslim Brotherhood's struggle with the Assad regime. Islamic groups are poised to take power in Syria - and the Brotherhood is foremost among them. Westerners and Syrians alike who fail to appreciate the importance and centrality of the Brotherhood to Syria's modern history are foolish. -- Joshua M. Landis, Director, Center for Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma, and author Syria CommentAn important contribution on the massacre's impact on the Syrian political landscape and on an organization set to play a crucial role in post-Assad Syria. -- Tam Hussein * The Huffington Post *In a compact and compelling account, [Ashes of Hama] describes in detail the build-up to an Islamist uprising in the city of Hama in February 1982. … [A]n important addition to Syria scholarship because the author debunks more thoroughly than others have done the myth perpetuated by the regime and accepted as received wisdom by the world ever since that the Muslim Brotherhood was responsible for the anti-government violence in the 1970s. * Times Literary Supplement *A timely and essential history - [Ashes of Hama]'s great strength is the way in which it sets the Syrian story of the Brotherhood in the context of the place, firmly rooted in the country's tumultuous, often violent post-colonial history. -- Frederick Deknatel * The National *When the Assad regime has fallen and the bloodletting finally ends, the Muslim Brotherhood - the Ikhwan al-Muslimeen - will likely command centre stage in the new Syria. Yet the movement is little understood and much misrepresented. This highly readable and impressively researched account could not be more welcome - or more timely. -- Alan George, Senior Associate Member, St Antony's College, Oxford University, and author of Syria: Neither Bread Nor FreedomThis is a truly excellent book, not only because it provides the first detailed account of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood from its inception to 2012, but also becaue it situates the movement within the twentieth-century history of Syria, particularly in the context of the movement's arch-adversary, the Alawite-dominated Ba'athist regime. It deserves a place on the bookshelves of every scholar of the contemporary Middle East. -- George JoffeRaphael Lefevre's book sheds valuable light on the Islamist movements that seem poised to take power in a post-Ba'th Syria. It draws on new primary sources, such as interviews with and memoirs of Brotherhood leaders and Western government archives. The definitive study of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, it also throws new light on its jihadi offshoots. * Middle East Journal *Raphael Lefevre's book is the definitive study of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. Besides providing a comprehensive overview of the movement's development, Lefevre also uses interviews Brotherhood leaders to throw new light on pivotal episodes of conflict with the Ba'th regime, from the Hama Revolt to the current uprising, in which the regime's violent reaction unwittingly empowered the Brothers as the main alternative to its rule. -- Raymond Hinnebusch, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Centre for Syrian Studies, University of St AndrewsA fascinating study that unravels the complexity of dynamics between radical and more moderate currents within the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, and its most radical offshoots that were primarily responsible for prematurely provoking the Ba'th regime into the tragic bloodbath of Hama in 1982. Lefevre explains how today's Syrian Revolution provided the Brotherhood with a golden opportunity to make a historical comeback to the forefront of Syrian politics, after decennia of relentless repression by the Syrian Ba'th regime. -- Nikolaos van Dam, author of The Struggle for Power in Syria: Politics and Society Under Asad and the Ba'th Party, and former Ambassador of the Netherlands to Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Germany and IndonesiaTo understand the blood-letting in Syria there is no better guide than Raphael Lefevre's brilliant, wonderfully-sourced and timely book. He demonstrates that the current vicious civil war is but the latest phase of a fifty-year struggle between the Muslim Brothers and the secular Ba'th Party, which seized power in Damascus in 1963, overturning Syria's centuries-old socioeconomic and political order. The Muslim Brothers tended on the whole to be relatively moderate but, time and again, their grave error was to allow themselves to be out-distanced and then co-opted by radical jihadists, whose violence gave the regime the pretext for even greater violence. This was the pattern of the 1964 uprisings in Hama; of the massacre of Alawi cadets at the Aleppo Artillery School in 1979; of the slaughter of dozens of Ba'thist officials in Hama in February 1982, which triggered the regime's massacre of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of citizens as it retook the town. Revenge for that catastrophe still drives much of today's jihadi violence. Lefevre explains how military experience gained by exiled Syrian militants fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan and the Americans in Iraq has lent muscle to the current rebellion against President Bashar al-Asad's regime. Once again, however, as so often in the past, the Muslim Brothers have lost the initiative to more violent Islamist groups - the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front among them - thus seriously damaging the prospects of an early negotiated settlement of the savage civil war. -- Patrick Seale, author of The Struggle for Syria and Asad: The Struggle for the Middle East

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Book SynopsisAamer Hussein takes love to its logical conclusion, Robert Irwin traces the origins of the ghazal (love lyric ), Christopher Shackle recites epic Panjabi poems of sacred love and lyrical death, Imranali Panjwani mourns the massacre of Karbala, Martin Rose is taken hostage by Saddam Hussain, Jalees Rahman reflects on Nazi doctors who took delight in deathly experiments, Ramin Jehanbegloo is incarcerated in the notorious Evin prison, Hamza Elahi visits England's Muslim graveyards, Shanon Shah receives valuable guidance on love and sex from the 'Obedient Wives Club', Samia Rahman sets out in search of love, Khola Hasan has mixed feelings about her hijab, Sabita Manian promotes love between India and Pakistan, Boyd Tonkin discovers that dead outrank the living in Jerusalem , Alev Adil takes 'a night journey through a veiled self' and Irna Qureshi's mother finally makes a decision on her final resting place. Also in this issue: Parvez Manzoor throws scorn on a nihilistic, revisionist history of Islam, Naomi Foyle reads the first novel of a British Palestinian, Ahmad Khan explores the colonial history of The Aborigines' Protection Society, a short story by the famous Fahmida Riaz, Syrian scenarios by Manhal al-Sarraj, poems by Sabrina Mahfouz and Michael Wolf, Rachel Dwyer's list of Top Ten Muslim Characters in Bollywood and Merryl Wyn Davies's 'last word' on love and death at the movies.

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Book SynopsisZiauddin Sardar sides with the philosophers of al-Andalus in their struggle with orthodox theologians, Robin Yassin-Kassab goes on a poetic journey, Nazry Bahrawi reveals how the Andalusi philosophers tamed the secular, Gema Martin Munoz is dismayed by the works of the Spanish Orientalists, Emilio Gonzalez-Ferrin argues that al-Andalus is not just a time past also a time present, Matthew Carr explores the plight of Muslims who were forced to convert to Christianity, David Shasha describes the achievements of Sephardic Jews, Cherif Abderrahman Jah tunes into the musical legacy of al-Andalus, Brad Bullock seeks to empower women, Marvine Howe meets the new Muslims of Iberia, Jordi Sarra del Pino wows to resist Spain's new Reconquista, Alev Adil and Aamer Hussein receive nine postcards from Andalusia, Boyd Tonkin is captivated by a book festival in Granada, Zara Amjad and Gulzar Haider reimagine the Cordoba Mosque as a sacred space for all religions, and Merryl Wyn Davies gets the shivers while listening to the Spanish tenor Jose Carreras belting out 'Granada'. Also in this issue: Vinay Lal explores Gandhi's attitude to Palestine, Barnaby Rogerson reprimands the Muslim aversion to dogs, four poems by the enchanting Rowyda Amin, a short story by John Liechty, and a dozen luminaries of al-Andalus we should all admire.

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Book SynopsisThis issue covers the politics, history, literature, and culture of The Maghreb. Robin Yassin-Kassab has an enlightening sojourn in Morocco; Hicham Yezza examines the role of the Berbers in the Arab Spring; Marcia Lynx Qualey is dazzled by the transformative power of Maghrebi poetry; Louis Proyect spends some time with the Jews of the Maghreb; Cecile Oumhani provides a daily account of the Tunisian revolution; Paul Mutter tangles with al-Qaeda in Mali; Robert Irwin wonders if Ibn Khaldun had a mystical vision of history; Julia Melcher explores the absurd world of exiled western writers in Tangiers; John Liechty attempts to get a US visa for his Moroccan wife; Jamal Bahmad watches some revolutionary films; Arie Amaya-Akkermans admires Algerian art; and Anissa Helou tastes some Moroccan street food. Also in this issue: Extracts from a new novel by Amal Hanano and poems by George Szirtes.Table of ContentsArticles include: A Moroccan Journey - Robin Yassin-Kassab Hicham Yezza - the Berbers and the Arab Spring Poetry, identity, and power by Marcia Lynx Qualey The Jews of the Maghreb by Louis Proyect Diary of the Tunisian Revolution by Cecile Oumhani Al-Qa'ida in Mali by Paul Mutter Moroccan Street Food by Anissa Helou Ibn Khaldun and History by Robert Irwin Western Writers in Tangier by Julia Melcher (William S. Burroughs, Paul Bowles, Tenessee Williams and others) An American Abroad - John Liechty's attempts to get a US visa for his Moroccan wife Revolution in Maghrebi Cinema - Jamal Bahmad Algerian Art - Arie Amaya-Akkermans Skirting on the Surface - by Amal Hanano (Extract of a novel set in the Maghreb) Two Poems by George Szirtes

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Book SynopsisThe 1998 attacks against US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam attest to al-Qaeda’s durable presence in Africa, yet Islamist-inspired radical organisations in the continent have gained much attention of late, the result of their campaigns of insurgent and terrorist violence directed against the state in Algeria, Somalia, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti and Kenya. These groups include Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Harakat Al Shabaab, Boko Haram, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, and Ansar Dine. This book explains why the Idea of Jihad is alive and well in sub-Saharan Africa, even after more than thirty years of Western and global efforts to curtail it, and how most important organisations are formed by the interaction between the often under-estimated local and global dynamics. Stig Jarle Hansen has been researching African radical violent Islamism for more than fifteen years and is well placed to explain how and why such groups emerged, whether they manifest any specific traits compared with other violent Islamists, and what is likely to be their impact beyond the African continent. He also discusses the response of African and Western governments to this phenomenon.Trade Review‘This book is a ground-breaking study which deserves a wide audience. Academics, diplomats and politicians concerned with jihadism will find much to ponder here. Informative and accessible, it is also recommended for general readers seeking to better understand the world around them.’ -- International Affairs‘[Horn, Sahel and Rift] thoughtfully [documents] the persistence of radical Islamist militancy in Africa … Much has already been written of [the main groups operating in Africa] but Hansen’s account has the significant virtue of demonstrating the many individual, organisational and ideological links among them’. -- Foreign Affairs'Extensively detailed ... [a] noteworthy book.' -- The Washington Times‘[Horn, Sahel and Rift] is a superb contribution to the conflict and extremism scholarship.’ -- African Studies Quarterly‘Horn, Sahel and Rift contributes significantly to the empirical study of African militant Islamist groups and proposes a useful new typology and argument for how to better understand the relationship between these non-state actors and territory and territorial control and governance. It will be of interest to policymakers, academics and students as well as interested general readers.’ -- The Muslim World Book Review‘The book persuasively sheds light on key aspects on the modus operandi of violent Jihad organisations in Africa. This is a decisive contribution to the historiography on contemporary Islam in Africa, particularly for those who are interested in the most recent activities of these groups.’ -- International Journal of African Historical Studies'A must-read for anyone seeking to understand modern terrorist movements and their ability to adapt and survive. Hansen's detailed and sophisticated accounts of African jihadist groups show how global and local conditions interact in complex ways. Exemplary scholarship with an important message.' -- Stephen Walt, Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School'This superb book bridges IR theory with detailed African case-studies to explore the global dimensions of jihad. How did the Islamic State, Al Shabaab and Boko Haram control territory and survive its loss? Hansen challenges the concept of ungoverned spaces, providing a dynamic comparative framework to understand violent jihadist networks in Sub-Saharan Africa.' -- Mia Bloom, Professor of Communication, Georgia State University Middle East Studies Center, and author of 'Bombshell: Women and Terror''A masterful analysis of Africa's violent jihadist movements. Hansen combines historical depth with a compelling account of recent changes, integrating local interests with global dynamics. This meticulously researched study makes sense of the groups' remarkable resilience. It will be read with great interest by security experts, policymakers and academic alike.' -- Jacob Wiebel, Assistant Professor in African History, University of Durham'Without discounting the influence of international jihadist networks, Hansen offers a measured and nuanced analysis of African groups, rooted in a deep understanding of local dynamics. A must-read for anyone interested in jihadism, groups' formation and evolution, and African security.' -- Virginia Comolli, Senior Fellow for Conflict, Security and Development, IISS, and author of 'Boko Haram: Nigeria’s Islamist Insurgency'

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Book SynopsisIn the wake of 9/11 and the 'War on Terror', transnational Muslim NGOs have too often been perceived as illegitimate fronts for global militant networks such as al-Qaeda or as backers of national political parties and resistance groups in Palestine, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Yet clearly there is more to transnational Muslim NGOs. Most are legitimate providers of aid to the world's poor, although their assistance may sometimes differ substantially from that of secular NGOs in the West. Seeking to broaden our understanding of these organisations, Marie Juul Petersen explores how Muslim NGOs conceptualise their provision of aid and the role Islam plays in this. Her book not only offers insights into a new kind of NGO in the global field of aid provision; it also contributes more broadly to understanding 'public Islam' as something more and other than political Islam. The book is based on empirical case studies of four of the biggest transnational Muslim NGOs, and draws on extensive research in Britain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Bangladesh, and more than 100 interviews with those involved in such organisations.Trade Review'For Humanity or for the Umma? is a path-breaking study of Muslim NGOs. Avoiding the hype and following the theory and the evidence, Peterson produces a richly textured and nuanced appreciation of how these religious NGOs navigate the worlds in which they are embedded. At once careful and creative, hers is a study that not only shines a light on the complexity of Muslim NGOs, but also points a way toward understanding religious NGOs in an age of emergency and the relief-development nexus.' -- Michael Barnett, University Professor of International Affairs and Political Science, George Washington University, and author of Empire of Humanity: A History of Humanitarianism'This book will consolidate Marie Juul Petersen's already secure reputation as an important researcher. With the help of unique field material, from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as well from countries that are easier to study, she shows that contemporary Islamic charities are mixtures of professionalism and piety as heterogeneous as their Christian counterparts, with a cultural dimension too often overshadowed by political controversy.' -- Jonathan Benthall, Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Anthropology, University College London'This empirically detailed and theoretically astute study demonstrates Marie Juul Petersen's standing as one of the leading scholars of Islamic NGOs in the world today.' -- Cecelia M. Lynch, Professor of Political Science, University of California, Irvine

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Book SynopsisZiauddin Sardar argues that free thinkers are essential for any culture to survive and thrive; Aziz al-Azmeh outlines how Abbasid Culture established freethinking humanism; Oliver Leaman highlights the significance of the twelfth century Andalusian philosopher ibn Rushd; Ebrahim Moosa seeks meaning in the ethics of the tenth century blind poet and atheist, Al-Maarri; Robert Irwin examines the thought of the controversial Sufi Al-Hallaj; Abdelwahab El-Effendi explores the 'Second Islam' of the executed Sudanese thinker, Mohamed Taha; Aamer Hussein suggests that we need to embrace the ideas of the poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal; Eva Hoffman looks at the notion of free thought in the work of the Noble Laureate Czeslaw Milosz; Nazry Bahrawi is impressed by the 'heretical' interpretations of the Egyptian scholar Nasir Hamid Abu Zaid; Alev Adil vexes lyrical about Aisha, the youngest wife of the Prophet; and Johan Siebers is convinced that we need to free ourselves from all ideologies.

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Book SynopsisIn early 2011 an elderly Alawite shaykh lamented the long history of 'oppression and aggression' against his people. Against such collective memories the Syrian uprising was viewed by many Alawites, and observers, as a revanchist Sunni Muslim movement and the gravest threat yet to the unorthodox Shi'a sub-sect. This explained why the Alawites largely remained loyal to the Ba'athist regime of Bashar al-Asad. But was Alawite history really a constant tale of oppression and was the Syrian uprising of 2011 really an existential threat to the Alawites? This book surveys Alawite history from the sect's inception in Abbasid Iraq up to the start of the uprising in 2011. The book shows how Alawite identity and political behaviour have been shaped by a cycle of insecurity that has prevented the group from achieving either genuine social integration or long term security. Rather than being the gravest threat yet to the sect, the Syrian uprising, in the context of the Arab Spring, was quite possibly a historic opportunity for the Alawites to finally break free from their cycle of fear.Trade Review'Goldsmith does not see [the Alawites'] loyalty as given. He sets out to explain it by examining their history. ... Goldsmith shows that years of persecution since the sect's founding have taught its adherents to stick together, and, as things have grown worse, to the regime. ... a welcome addition to scholarship on Syria.'; 'Cycle of Fear is based on an impressive amount of field research as well as interviews with hard-to-reach leading Alawite figures inside Syria and elsewhere. Goldsmith does a good job of unmasking much of the mystery surrounding this sect and places within its historical context the twentieth century rise of the Alawites and the decision by most Alawites in the current conflict to stick with the Assad regime. I highly recommend it.' * David W. Lesch, Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of Middle East History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and author of Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad *'Cycle of Fear is based on an impressive amount of field research as well as interviews with hard-to-reach leading Alawite figures inside Syria and elsewhere. Goldsmith does a good job of unmasking much of the mystery surrounding this sect and places within its historical context the twentieth century rise of the Alawites and the decision by most Alawites in the current conflict to stick with the Assad regime. I highly recommend it.' * David W. Lesch, Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor of Middle East History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and author of Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad *'Leon Goldsmith makes a timely argument about the Alawite community that has provided the main pillar of support for Assad's rule in Syria. He explains how the minority complex of this small but powerful sect has been shaped by centuries of persecution. Their internal solidarity and fear of the Sunni majority, Goldsmith argues, has convinced them that their present struggle is a matter of life and death. This brief and engaging interpretive essay helps us to understand the cycle of fear that grips all religious communities in Syria today and makes the civil war so intractable.' * Joshua Landis, Director, Center for Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma, and author of SyriaComment.com *'This valuable study usefully combines Ibn Khaldun's theory of cycles of rule, dependent on the changing assabiyeh of the ruling group, with the impact of the security dilemma to explain the causes and consequences of the Alawite community's association with the Assad regime. It benefits from the author's exceptional access to the Alawite heartland to provide a convincing and sympathetic portrait of this community.' * Raymond Hinnebusch, Professor of International Relations and Director of the Centre for Syrian Studies, University of St. Andrews *

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Book SynopsisOne of the most interesting consequences of the Arab awakening has been the central role of Salafists in a number of countries. In particular, there seems to have been a move away from traditional quietism towards an increasing degree of politicisation. The arrival on the political scene of Salafist parties in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen, as well as the seemingly growing desire of Salafists in other Arab countries to enter institutional politics through the creation of political parties, high- lights quite clearly the debates and divisions on how to react to the awakening within Salafist circles. This book examines in detail how Salafism, both theologically and politically, is contending with the Arab uprisings across a number of countries. The focus is primarily on what kind of politicisation, if any, has taken place and what forms it has adopted. As some of the contributions make clear, politicisation does not necessarily diminish the role of jihad or the influence of quietism, revealing tensions and struggles within the complex world of Salafism.Trade Review‘This book, a first-rate appraisal of Salafism during and after the Arab Awakening, challenges stereotypical ideas, and, in so doing, stimulates much-needed debate in the study of Islam and politics . . . essential reading for policy-makers and academics.’ 'Salafism After the Arab Awakening fills a major gap by offering a comparison of Salafi politics after the Arab Spring and should certainly be read widely. Great, detailed articles from renowned scholars in the field.' * Will McCants, director of the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at the Brookings Institution and author of 'The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy, and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State' *'Edited volumes rarely become must-reads, but this is an exception. Packed with original research by top scholars in the field, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of political Islam after the 2011 revolutions.' * Thomas Hegghammer, Director of terrorism research at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment in Oslo and author of 'Jihad in Saudi Arabia' *'This hugely important study of Salafism, which considers how the tradition has reacted and responded to the tumultuous events of recent years, could hardly be more timely. By surveying the different constructions of contemporary Salafism, readers are left with a rich overview of how this unique and opaque religious tradition continues to evolve. Cavatorta and Merone have also assembled a formidable stable of contributors, making this work an essential reference for anyone interested in modern Salafism.' * Shiraz Maher, author of 'Salafi-Jihadism: The History of an Idea' *'This volume brings together the leading international scholars on Salafism and its intersection with Jihadi ideology and political movements. It will certainly be an indispensable reference for anyone interested in these issues, book-ending Roel Meijer's pre-Arab Spring Global Salafism volume.' * Jonathan AC Brown, Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown University and author of 'Misquoting Muhammad' *

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Book SynopsisHassan Mahamdallie argues that racism is twenty-first century's main problem, Shannon Shah detects racial overtones within Islam, Robert Irwin examines race and racism in the Arabian Nights, Hugh Kennedy uncovers the ninth century Zanj slave uprisings, Sejad Mekic looks for signs of hope in Bosnia, Sadiyya Shaikh explores religious imaginaries of ibn Arabi, Avaes Mohammad evokes parallel lives in Blackburn, Gary MacFarlane revisits the Christian fundamentalism of abolitionist John Brown, Ziauddin Sardar has unsavoury encounters in Saudi Arabia, and Naima Khan accuses South Asian Muslims of looking down on Africans. Also in this issue: Ruth Waterman's photographs of Bosnia, an epic poem on Bhopal, poetry by Dorothea Smartt, a short story by Aiysha Jahan, race relations in Trinidad and our list of ten political organisations that promote Islamophobia.

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Book SynopsisZiauddin Sardar explores the limits of power, Barnaby Rogerson is enchanted with the notion of governance in the life of Prophet Muhammad, Bruce Lawrence deconstructs the idea of AoIslamic State', Kecia Ali surveys sexual politics of Muslim groups, Abdelwahab El-Efendi travels to AoLondonistan', Ehsan Masood is awe struck with the power of military/business complex, Mohamed Bakari get involved with the struggle for power in Turkey, and Boyd Tonkin highlights the power of words. Also in this issue: Nader Hashemi on the geo-politics of the 'Arab Spring', Aamer Hussain reads the fiction of the Turkish Sufi novelist Samiha Ayverdi, poems, short story, and our list of ten most powerful women in Islam.

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Book SynopsisJeremy Henzel-Thomas argues that educational reform is the biggest challenge facing Muslim societies, Richard Pringle highlights the purpose of education, Abdelwahab El-Affendi suggests how Muslim education should be reconfigured, Abdulkader Tayob argues that issues of identity are intrinsically linked with Islamic education reform, Farid Panjwani is convinced that conventional approaches to education in Islam are deeply flawed, Ebrahim Moosa rethinks the whole idea of the madrassas, Ali Asani experiments with new methods of teaching Islam, Keri Facer explores the future of public knowledge building, Moneef R. Zou'bi suggests how science education can be improved in the Muslim World, Sindre Bangstad highlights the problems in researching Islamophobia, Paul Ashwin wants to improve student engagement, Nejatullah Siddiqi thinks Islamic economics is passed its 'sell by' date, and Ziauddin Sardar takes us from 'Islamisation of Knowledge' to 'Integration of Knowledge'.Also in this issue: the art of Ahmed Moustafa, a short story by Sadaf Halai, poems by Ilona Yusuf, and the 'Last Word' on university rankings

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Book SynopsisTahir Abbas explores the enigma of modern Islamist Turkey, Ahmet Kuru discovers Turkey's political history, Nagihan Halilolu gets tangled in Turkish heritage wars, Zeynep Okten has reservations about the country's Islamic finance industry, Gokhan Bacik wonders why Turkey fails to have a social contract, Iftikhar H Malik is enchaned by the whirling darvishes, John Crofoot revisits the Seljuk era, Charles Allen Scarboro listens to local stories, Onur Suzan Nobrega fights for the oppressed Zaza Alawis, Semiha Topal is appalled by violence against women, Rebecca Soble spends a day in Dogubayazit, and Mohammed Bakari remembers Istanbul. Also in this issue: Suzanne Mordue on Turkish coffee, street beggars in Istanbul, and our usual short stories, poems, list and the 'Last Word'"

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Book SynopsisSamia Rahman argues there is more to the Muslim world than extremism, Anne Alexander wonders at the rise and rise of ISIS, John Sweeney suggests we are living in an age of extremes, Raza Ali struggles with reactionary love for the Prophet, Andrew Brown takes a sledge hammer to the New Atheists, Elma Bahira learns to talk to idolatrous statues, Deena Dajani examines the ironies of a rational defence of satire, Sunny Hundal exposes the fanatics hijacking Sikhism, Benedikt Koehler thinks early Islam gave birth to capitalism that spawned wealth inequality, Farouk Peru asks Muslims to confront the enemy within, Samir Younes is appalled at the ubiquity of mean thought in the arts, Rahul Jayaram relates the story of the man who hid in an aeroplane bathroom, and Naufal Mukumi recounts his journey from unaccompanied refugee to renowned pianist.

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Book SynopsisHassan Mahamdallie walks the streets of Detroit - the city America allowed to die, Ziauddin Sardar visits the 'first city' at the crossroads of Asia, Boyd Tonkin is shocked at the new gleaming cultural capitals of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Robert Irwin unearths Basra during the Abbasid period, Kevin Ovenden looks at modern-day Athens in turmoil, Judy Cox sees London through the visions of William Blake and Nazry Bahrawi takes in the nostalgia and popular culture of Singapore. Also in this issue past and present explorations of Lahore, Melbourne, Istanbul, a photo essay on the dreams of the migrant workers of the Gulf and the last word column by Myriam Francois-Cerrah.

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Book SynopsisFaithonomics uses economic theory to provide a new and unorthodox view of religion in today's world. Drawing on state-of-the-art research and on case studies from around the globe, this book shows that religion should be analysed as a market similar to markets for other goods and services, like bottled water or haircuts. Faithonomics is about today's religious markets, but in sweeping detours through the histories of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, Brekke shows us the religious markets of the past, although these were sometimes heavily regulated by states. He argues that government 'control' over religious markets is often the cause of unforeseen and negative consequences. Many of today's problems related to religion, like religious terrorism or rent-seeking by religious political parties, are easier to understand if we think like economists. Religious markets work best when they are relatively free. Religious organisations should be free to sell their products without unnecessary restrictions, but we have no good reason to grant them privileges in the form of subsidies or tax-breaks.Trade Review'At a time when debate about religion is often dominated by talk of clashing ideologies, Faithonomics offers a refreshing set of tools for liberals to defend religious freedom.' -- The Financial Times'[Brekke] has enthusiastically and provocatively adopted an economic perspective on religion.' -- Times Higher Education'Religion and economics are usually regarded as separate domains, except for religious injunctions that prescribe or proscribe certain forms of economic behavior. In this unusual book, Brekke applies economic concepts--supply and demand, public versus private goods, oligopoly versus free markets, and so on--to the provision of the religious services offered by several faiths.' -- Foreign Affairs'Vibrant examples and the absence of unnecessary jargon make the book accessible to a wide audience of scholars, students, and policy wonks. Both supporters and critics will find Faithonomics to be rich in ideas and deserving of thoughtful consideration.' -- Sociology of Religion'The magic and brilliance of Brekke's Faithonomics is that little by little, the author breaks down the reader's reflex resistance to his argument (who, after all, intuitively thinks about their religious faith in economic terms?). By the end of this elegantly written book, he actually manages to sell it!' -- Aakash Singh, Professor of Political Science and Philosophy, JNU University (New Delhi) and LUISS University (Rome)'This book challenges the notion that communities of faith are static and insular ... Using economic models to describe the competition of ideas in the multicultural marketplace, it presents a thesis that readers will find both startling and controversial, but difficult to ignore. This may become one of the most discussed books in religion in our time.' -- Mark Juergensmeyer, Professor, Global and International Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, and co-author of God in the Tumult of the Global Square'A provocative and compelling book, not only about religion in the US but about religion universally. Brekke makes a good case for looking at religion as a commodity best left to the free market, the better to pacify violence associated with religion and to ensure quality in the provision of spiritual guidance to adherents/consumers. Clearly and concisely written, this is an important contribution to our understanding of how government and religion intersect.' -- David True, Chair, Philosophy and Religion Department Assistant Professor of Religion, Wilson College, PA and co-editor of Political Theology'Provocative and unconventional, this engaging book challenges dominant assumptions about religion as a public good in modern life, asserting that government involvement in religious markets produces negative consequences for society. Critical, yet accessible, Faithonomics offers an economic prescription for the proper role of religion in public life to redefine the jurisdictional limits of religion and state, in order to cultivate a more peaceful understanding of moral citizenship.' -- Chad E. Seales, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, The University of Texas at Austin

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Book SynopsisJihadist narratives have evolved dramatically over the past five years, driven by momentous events in the Middle East and beyond; the death of bin Laden; the rise and ultimate failure of the Arab Spring; and most notably, the rise of the so-called Islamic State.For many years, al-Qaeda pointed to an aspirational future Caliphate as their utopian end goal - one which allowed them to justify their violent excesses in the here and now. Islamic State turned that aspiration into a dystopic reality, and in the process hijacked the jihadist narrative, breathing new life into the global Salafi-Jihadi movement. Despite air-strikes from above, and local disillusionment from below, the new caliphate has stubbornly persisted and has been at the heart of ISIS's growing global appeal.This timely collection of essays examines how jihadist narratives have changed globally, adapting to these turbulent circumstances. Area and thematic specialists consider transitions inside the Middle East and North Africa as well as in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. As these analyses demonstrate, the success of the ISIS narrative has been as much about resonance with local contexts, as it has been about the appeal of the global idea of a tangible and realised caliphate.Trade Review'This collection of essays covers almost all areas of the world where al Qaeda and/or ISIS are present. It provides fascinating insights on the nature of the terrorist narrative and offers much food for thought on what lies behind and sustains these movements. As well as being of general interest, it will certainly help in constructing an effective counter narrative.' * Richard Barrett CMG OBE, former Director of Global Counter Terrorism Operations for the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) *'Simon Staffell and Akil N. Awan have gathered a group of top class scholars who each analyse the implications in selected locales of the global competition between Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Timely, fact-based and scholarly, it provides the blueprint to understanding the complex infra-terrorist conflict that is leaving bloody footprints worldwide.' * Lorenzo Vidino, Director of the Program on Extremism at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security, George Washington University, and author of The Muslim Brotherhood in the West *'This book is an important and much needed effort to try to understand ISIS from the perspective of its regional affiliates. Awan and Staffell have done an excellent job of bringing together some of the world's top terrorism experts to analyse the group from the perspective of the parts of the world where the group's ideology appears to have taken root. This is an important contribution to the body of literature available to experts, officials and anyone trying to understand how we should worry about ISIS in the long-term.' * Raffaello Pantucci, Director, International Security Studies, Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), and author of 'We Love Death as You Love Life': Britain's Suburban Terrorists *'This important volume brings together an impressive array of contributors to explore some of the most important ideas driving global jihadism today. The breadth of its approach means that both scholars and general readers will gain important insights into the various trends shaping our world today.' * Shiraz Maher, Senior Research Fellow at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization (ICSR) at Kings College, University of London, and author of Salafi-Jihadism: The History of an Idea *Table of ContentsIntroduction - Simon Staffell & Akil N. Awan1. The "Islamic State" and al-Qa'ida - Nelly Lahoud2. Ayman al-Zawahiri and the rise of ISIL - Donald Holbrook3. From 25 January to Islamic State: Transitions in Egyptian Jihadist Narratives - Simon Staffell3. Beyond Narrative: How and Why Islamically Inspired Narratives of Political Violence Resonate in Contemporary Tunisia - Jonathan Githens-Mazer4. AL-Qa'ida And Islamic State In Yemen: A Battle For Local Audiences - Elisabeth Kendall5. Inside the Propaganda Machine of Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb and its Evolution Following the Rise of Islamic State - Valentina Bartolucci6. Boko Haram and Islamic State - Virginia Comolli7. Local and Global Jihadist Narratives in Afghanistan: Impact of the Decline of Al-Qa'ida and the Rise of Islamic State - Martha Turnbull8. In the Shadow of the Islamic State: Shi'i Responses to Sunni Jihadi Narratives in a Turbulent Middle East - Christopher Anzalone9. The Impact of Evolving Jihadist Narratives on Radicalisation in the West - Akil N. Awan

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Book SynopsisShanon Shah investigates the connections between geography and identity; Jasper M. Trautsch explains the invention of the West; Nazry Bahrawi asks if the collapse of Western civilisation is imminent; Gordon Blaine Steffey explores what a post- Western world might look like; Natasha Ezrow analyses US imperialism in Latin America; Elma Berisha compares Europe with Southeast Asia; Jalal Afhim explores the emergence of China; Shiv Visvanathan problematises the rise of India; Julia Sveshnikova critiques Russia's supposed comeback; Michael Perez is proud to be American, Muslim, male and feminist; Sughra Ahmed argues that young British Muslims carve their identities out of Britain's tradition of dissent; Amir Hussain suggests that Islam is a Western religion after all; Julian Bond and Fatimah Ashrif celebrate Christian-Muslim friendship; and Samia Rahman relates the remarkable story of an Uzbek pianist in London. About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisAfter formally announcing his conversion to Islam in the late 1880s, the Liverpool lawyer William Henry Abdullah Quilliam publicly propagated his new faith and established the first community of Muslim converts in Victorian Britain. Despite decades of relative obscurity following his death, with the resurgence of interest in Muslim heritage in the West since 9/11 Quilliam has achieved iconic status in Britain and beyond as a pivotal figure in the history of Western Islam and Muslim-Christian relations. In this timely book, leading experts of the religion, history and politics of Islam offer new perspectives and shed fresh light on Quilliam's life and work. Through a series of original essays, the authors critically examine Quilliam's influences, philosophy and outlook, the significance of his work for Islam, his position in the Muslim world and his legacy. Collectively, the authors ask pertinent questions about how conversion to Islam was viewed and received historically, and how a zealous convert like Quilliam negotiated his religious and national identities and sought to indigenise Islam in a non- Muslim country. Jamie Gilham is Honorary Research Associate in the Department of History at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is the author of Loyal Enemies: British Converts to Islam, 1850-1950.Trade Review'Victorian Muslim is an admirable work of collective scholarship, for its multiplicity of voices is entirely suitable to the slow exploration of Quilliam, a man for our times.'‘"Victorian Muslim" [asks] questions such as: how did Britons receive Quilliam, did Quilliam subvert or follow Victorian norms, and what effect did British imperialism have on his Islamic mission? These are engaging and fruitful questions that have produced excellent works. This collection of essays is among the best.' -- ReOrient‘This book reflects the rich and rewarding outcomes that arise when two established scholars – building on their earlier research – go on to assemble a group of eminent and authoritative scholars who write about a subject – or rather a person – of both historic and contemporary significance. This accomplished project has resulted in an illuminating and masterful volume that makes an important contribution to the study of Muslims in Britain, past and present.’ -- Sophie Gilliat-Ray, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Islam-UK Centre, Cardiff University‘This is a timely collection of essays exploring the life and legacy of the Victorian British Muslim, Abdullah (William) Quilliam. In these essays, historical analyses and contemporary concerns coalesce to inform discussion about the compatibility of Islam and British values and traditions. The volume resists offering easy answers or minimizing the complexities involved in the current debate on pluralism, belonging and identity.’ -- Clinton Bennett, State University of New York at New Paltz, and author of 'Victorian Images of Islam'

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Book SynopsisSince 2002 Sunni jihadi groups like Jaysh al-'Adl have been active in Iranian Baluchistan, yet the region remains relatively stable. Dudoignon's book shows that the key reason for this is Tehran's cultivation of good relations with Sunni ulama in the Sarbaz area in Baluchistan, a policy that began after World War Two. Educated in the socially conservative south- Asian Deobandi school of Islam, the Sarbaz ulama have conspicuous transnational connections and yet have been valuable to Iran's governments. They were recruited by the Pahlavi Shahs as a bulwark against Soviet influence, and they rallied to Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 before playing a small part in the anti-Soviet Afghan jihad. This book shows how this confessional network, through their hegemony in eastern Iran and their alliance with the Kurdish-born Muslim Brothers, has prevented the rise of Sunni radicalism in Iran since 1997 through the promotion of a 'Sunni vote'. It highlights, too, the capacity of the Islamic Republic to transform a nascent 'Sunni community of Iran' into an asset, through Ayatollah Khamenei's policy of 'national union and confessional concord'.Trade ReviewThis brilliant book offers a bold and penetrating reinterpretation of the modern history of Iran and of Muslim politics more broadly. Dudoignon's revelatory and exhaustive study masterfully recasts our understanding of Sunni-Shia relations by illuminating the intricate ties linking Sunnis to the state, to global religious networks, and to regional geopolitics. -- Robert Crews, Associate Professor of History and former director of the Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, Stanford UniversityThis landmark publication expands our understanding of the modern Middle East by focusing on the unique feature that historians neglect: tribes. Dudoignon uses his ethnographic research among the Baluch to show how, even in the largest and most urban countries, like Iran, tribes are integral to the larger political process. -- Brian Spooner, Professor of AnthropologyThis book is the product of stellar scholarship. Dudoignon traces the roots of ethnic and religious grievances in Baluchistan, Iran’s most unstable region, and skillfully places the Baluch question in the present power rivalries of the Middle East. -- Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute and author of Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy and American InfluenceThis lively book, based on extensive field, archive and literary research, skilfully unravels the complex religious, politico-economic and tribal history of the Baluch. Dudoignon exposes their important links with other Sunnis of the region, exploring how these networks and movements have engaged with the Iranian state, its internal politics and international powers. -- Richard Tapper, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology

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Book SynopsisThe militant Islam represented by Al-Qaeda is often described as a global movement. Apart from the geographical range of its operations and support, little else is held to define it as 'global'.Landscapes of the Jihad explores the features that Al-Qaeda and other strands of militant Islam share in common with global movements. These include a decentralised organisation and an emphasis on ethical rather than properly political action.Devji brings these and other characteristics of Al-Qaeda together in an analysis of the jihad that locates it squarely within the transformationof political thought after the Cold War. The jihad emerges from the breakdown of traditional as well as modern forms of authority in the Muslim world. It is neither dogmatic in an old-fashioned way nor ideological in the modern sense, and concernedneither with correct doctrinal practice in the present nor with some revolutionary utopia of the future. Instead it is fragmented, dispersed and highly individualistic.Trade Review'One of the most intelligent analyses of the world-view of the militant Islamist.' * The New Statesman *'A brilliant long essay on the ethical underpinnings of modern jihad … Martyrdom, observes Devji rightly, 'only achieves meaning by being witnessed by the media.' It is, short, a horrendous form of advertising.' * New York Review of Books *'An oasis in the wearisome desert of al-Qaeda studies. It is, in the best possible sense, subversive.' * The Economist *

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Book SynopsisAcross the Muslim world, from Iraq and Yemen, to Egypt and the Sahel, new alliances have been forged between the latest wave of violent Islamist groups ---- including Islamic State and Boko Haram ---- and local tribes. But can one now speak of a direct link between tribalism and jihadism, and how analytically useful might it be? Tribes are traditionally thought to resist all encroachments upon their sovereignty, whether by the state or other local actors, from below; yet by joining global organisations such as Islamic State, are they not rejecting the idea of the state from above? This triangular relationship is key to understanding instances of mass 'radicalisation', when entire communities forge alliances with jihadi groups, for reasons of self-interest, self-preservation or religious fervour. if Algeria's FIS or Turkey's AKP once represented the 'Islamisation of nationalism', have we now entered a new era, the 'tribalisation of globalisation'?Trade Review‘A welcome contribution to the comparative study of tribes and tribalism in the Arab Muslim world . . . Tribes and Global Jihadism is a rewarding example of a carefully edited book. The individual contributions cover complicated and controversial subjects in a clear, concise and readable fashion.’‘Tribes and Global Jihadism adds colour and complexity to the usual binary ‘answers’ that have come to define the relationship between tribes and jihadist groups’ -- Middle East Monitor'Virginie Collombier and Olivier Roy have gathered some of the best specialists to study the complexity of the relationship between the tribal world and global jihadism. The result is a fascinating work combining comparative approach, field studies and innovative analysis, from Cameroon to Afghanistan.' -- Jean-Pierre Filiu, Professor of Middle East Studies at Sciences Po; author of 'From Deep State to Islamic State' and 'Gaza: A History''An exceptional volume, shedding light on a contemporary puzzle: the intersection of tribes, transnational Salafism, and jihadism. The contributors authoritatively argue that these connections are defining but not pre-ordained or uniform, and offer the captivating point that while jihadists can manipulate tribalism, they cannot eliminate it.' -- James Piscatori, Deputy Director at the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University; co-author of 'Muslim Politics''Tribes and Global Jihadism offers a fine-grained yet wide-ranging analysis of the complex relationships between tribes and the various facets of global jihadism. Absorbing case studies by country experts offer fascinating insights into what shapes these interactions, making this book a must-read for those interested in the local and global dynamics of jihad.' -- Sarah Marsden, Lecturer in Radicalisation and Protest in a Digital Age at Lancaster University; author of 'Reintegrating Extremists: 'Deradicalisation' and Desistance'

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Book SynopsisSouth Asia is today the region inhabited by the largest number of Muslims--roughly 500 million. In the course of the Islamisation process begun in the eighth century, it developed a distinct Indo-Islamic civilisation that culminated in the Mughal Empire. While paying lip service to the power centres of Islam in the Gulf, including Mecca and Medina, this civilisation has cultivated its own variety of Islam, based on Sufism. Over the last fifty years, pan-Islamic ties have intensified between these two regions. Gathering together some of the best specialists on the subject, this volume explores these ideological, educational and spiritual networks, which have gained momentum due to political strategies, migration flows and increased communications. At stake are both the resilience of the civilisation that imbued South Asia with a specific identity, and the relations between Sunnis and Shias in a region where Saudi Arabia and Iran are fighting a cultural proxy war, as evident in the foreign ramifications of sectarianism in Pakistan. Islamic Connections investigates the nature and implications of the cultural, spiritual and socio-economic rapprochement between these two Islams.Trade Review'The Indian Ocean, linking Arabia to South Asia, looms as the testcase for Muslim networks, yet the profile of Indo-Islamic civilization remains contested between Saudi Salafis, Pakistani Sufis and also Iranian Shi'ites. This pioneering volume provides a welcome transregional, comparative analysis of multiple case studies, at once historical and contemporary.' -- Bruce Bennett Lawrence'Connections of trade, family, learning and faith have existed between South Asia and the Gulf for hundreds of years. This book focuses on their workings in the modern period with especial emphasis on Islam. It demonstrates the significant and complex interactions which take place across the region, some of which are of strategic potential.' -- Francis Robinson

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Book SynopsisHassan Mahamdallie gets spiritual in a commune; Marco Lauri visits Ibn Tufayl's twelfth-century island utopia Hayy Ibn Yaqdan; Malise Ruthven interrogates modernity and Islamic utopias, Nazry Bahrawi is sceptical about secular utopias; and Sadek Hamid traces the rise and fall of the utopian vision of Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Also in this issue: orientalist utopias in Andalusia, feminist futures, and was the Prophet's Medina a utopia? Not forgetting poems, short stories, the Last Word and the List.About Critical Muslim: A quarterly publication of ideas and issues showcasing groundbreaking thinking on Islam and what it means to be a Muslim in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. Each edition centers on a discrete theme, and contributions include reportage, academic analysis, cultural commentary, photography, poetry, and book reviews.

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Book SynopsisWhy has the Taliban been so much more effective in presenting messages that resonate with the Afghan population than the United States, the Afghan Government and their allies? This book, based on years of field research and the assessment of hundreds of original source materials, examines the information operations and related narratives of Afghan insurgents, especially the Afghan Taliban, and investigates how the Taliban has won the information war. Taliban messaging, wrapped in the narrative of jihad, is both to the point and in tune with the target audiences it wishes to influence. On the other hand, the United States and its Kabul allies committed a basic messaging blunder, failing to present narratives that spoke to or, often, were even understood by their target audiences. Thomas Johnson systematically explains why the United States lost this "battle of the story" in Afghanistan, and argues that this defeat may have lost the U.S. the entire war, despite its conventional and technological superiority.Trade Review'Taliban Narratives is a much needed and detailed look at how the Taliban has consistently outperformed the US and NATO in getting across its message. We and our Afghan partners could do much better if we use this guidance. Valuable lessons for the future as well.' -- Ronald Neumann, US Ambassador to Afghanistan, 2005-07‘Important . . . this book has true utility . . . it has no rival in the body of research on the conflict.’ 'A very timely investigation.' 'A powerful corrective to casual Western assumptions of military superiority . . . Johnson’s research is exhaustive.'‘Thomas H. Johnson’s book is important and significantly advances academic understanding on the Taliban. The painstaking translation of a range of Taliban communique including poems, stories, diktats, in a sense, becomes a treasure trove for researchers . . . a refreshing effort.’'Explains how and why the Taliban’s clever use of propaganda has enabled the insurgency to flourish.' 'Fascinating.''Deeply original and utterly authoritative: a captivating study of a vital subject.' -- Richard English, author of 'Does Terrorism Work? A History''Thomas Johnson has spent much of the past two decades thinking about how narratives and messaging are used in the Afghan conflict. Taliban Narratives examines both the insurgency's development of a “strong story” as well as the weakness of international efforts to do the same. This empathetic reading of Afghan voices should be mandatory reading for international military forces working in Afghanistan.' -- Alex Strick van Linschoten, co-editor of 'The Taliban Reader''Thomas Johnson smelled trouble in Afghanistan years before scepticism became fashionable among lesser experts. He raised the alarm from the inception of the war, warning that the world’s most powerful military forces were blundering into the country with little understanding of the local context. This excellent book chronicles his painstaking efforts to understand the war from an Afghan perspective, making a rigorous inquiry into the motivation of the insurgents. His book will find a well-deserved place on the bookshelves of any soldier, diplomat, or other student of South Asia.' -- Graeme Smith, author of 'The Dogs Are Eating Them Now: Our War In Afghanistan''This is a very useful contribution to the analysis and studying of the Taliban and also Hizb-i Islami, in particular propaganda and how the Taliban have been portraying themselves. This rich analysis is based on material gathered in the field over the years.' -- Antonio Giustozzi, author of 'The Army of Afghanistan: A Political History of a Fragile Institution''Taliban Narratives provides a fascinating look into the propaganda war between the Taliban and the United States in Afghanistan. Packed with primary sources in translation, it deepens our understanding of the Taliban, of information operations, and ultimately of why the war has lasted so long.' -- Thomas Hegghammer. editor of 'Jihadi Culture: The Art and Social Practices of Militant Islamists''In this meticulous assessment of primary sources, gathered over numerous years of research in Afghanistan, Thomas H. Johnson eludicates how the Taliban outflanked America and her Afghan allies in Kabul to win the war of ideas. This book deserves wide and considered attention.' -- C. Christine Fair, Provost’s Distinguished Associate Professor, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and author of 'Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army’s Way of War''Johnson cuts through the mythology and misinformation about the enemy in America’s longest war. A superb book by one of our foremost experts on Afghanistan.' -- Michael Weiss, CNN National Security Analyst, and co-author of 'ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror'‘This book is not only extremely informative about an important topic, but its thesis is challenging and… substantially correct.’

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