Description
Book SynopsisThe word "jihad" is ubiquitous in the global media. It generally appears in the context of violence waged against the West by militants in or from Muslim-majority societies. This usage overwhelmingly colors popular discourse about Islam and Muslims and it has resulted in a highly reductive, distorted, and ahistorical understanding of the concept of jihad. Asma Afsaruddin looks at the key questions about jihad and provides concise yet thorough answers. Jihad: WhatEveryone Needs to Know provides a historically-grounded, scholarly yet accessible treatment of jihad that explores its various dimensions from the formative period of Islam until the contemporary period.
Trade ReviewAsma Afsaruddin's exciting, cogent and lucid exploration of the many spiritual meanings of 'jihad' for Muslim traditions should force a radical rethinking of this concept among journalists, officials, and thinking people in the North Atlantic world, where it has been misused and demonized in the service of a bigoted Islamophobia. * Juan Cole, author of Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires *
A valuable addition to the ongoing discussions on jihad-thoughtfully crafted to benefit a broader readership that may be less acquainted with Islamic doctrines and ideas... Whether one is new to the subject or seeking a deeper scholarly analysis of the topic, this book is an indispensable resource. * Mohammad Amin Mansouri, Reading Religion *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgment Introduction Chapter One: Jihad in the Quran and Commentary Literature Chapter Two: Jihad in the Hadith Literature Chapter Three: Jihad in the Legal Literature Chapter Four: Jihad in Morally Edifying, Ethical, and Mystical Literature Chapter Five: Jihad as Conceived by Modern Revolutionaries and Militants Chapter Six: Jihad in the Thought of Modern and Contemporary Mainstream Scholars Chapter Seven: Jihad as Non-Violent Struggle and Peacemaking Chapter Eight: Jihad and Its Perceptions in the West Bibliography Glossary Index
