Holy Wars (RLE Politics of Islam): The Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism (Routledge Library Editions: Politics of Islam) - Hardcover
Synopsis
To some, Islamic Fundamentalism means the restoration of a true religion. To others, it is a politics that stands apart from capitalism and socialism. To many Westerners, it has come to constitute a threat to the established economic order. There can be no disputing the phenomenal importance of Islamic Fundamentalism today.
In this book Dilip Hiro furnishes us with a non-partisan narrative that takes account of both the socio-cultural values expressed in Fundamentalism, and its political consequences. His starting point is that fundamentalist forces have been active in Islam since the death of the Prophet Muhammad. He presents the two major sects, Sunnis and Shias, in this light. Conservative Saudi Arabia and revolutionary Iran are currently rival versions of what Islam has always sought to achieve: a social totality governed by the Law of God.
Clearly and concisely, Hiro provides the background for an understanding of what is happening today not just in the Gulf region but also in Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, Syria, and other Middle Eastern countries. Holy Wars is ‘a short and highly readable book, that bridges the gap between academic works and daily newspaper reports.’
‘Hiro has written a book that is essential reading, for it is both a beginner’s guide and a highly intelligent wrap-up for the specialist.’ – Independent
First published in 1989.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
Journalist Hiro, an authority on Islamic affairs ( Iran Under the Ayatollahs ), effectively delineates the cycles and schisms within Islam and their considerable impact on contemporary events. "Revival and reform have been recurring phenomena in Islamic history," he argues, and his most compelling chapters show how these currents have manifested themselves in different cultures and regions. He carefully contrasts the distinctive development of religious and political values in Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan, maintaining an objective stance towards the diversity among Moslem nations. Historical background on the Ottoman Empire and the consequences of British colonialism is necessarily condensed so that the modern evolution of the Middle East can take center stage. As current as the daily newspaper (the epilogue covers Iran's death threat against Salman Rushdie), this book will be a welcome companion for those watching Islam's struggle for balance between authenticity and modernity, which now affects us all.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This clearly written work is an excellent introduction to Islamic political assertiveness. The first five chapters, which deal with the origins and rise of Islam as well as the turbulent histories of Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, are superb. It is therefore disappointing that the last two chapters, on Iran and Afghanistan, are not of similar caliber. Hiro, a freelance journalist and author of Iran Under the Ayatollahs (Routledge, 1985), is a master at description, but he provides a limited amount of analysis. For example, he correctly summarizes a Muslim belief that "Islam has nothing spiritual to learn from the West," but doesn't challenge this assertion. Despite such shortcomings, however, the study is a welcome addition to the limited popular literature on the modern Muslim world. See also Misagh Parsa's Social Origins of the Iranian Revolution , reviewed in this issue, below.
- Ed. -- Joseph A. Kechichian, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
