Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization - Hardcover

Ahmed, Akbar

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0815701322 ISBN 13: 9780815701323

Publisher: Brookings Institution Press, 2007

Synopsis

Globalization, the war on terror, and Islamic fundamentalism —followed closely by a rise in Islamophobia —have escalated tensions between Western nations and the Muslim world. Yet internationally renowned Islamic scholar Akbar Ahmed believes that through dialogue and understanding, these cultures can coexist peacefully and respectfully. That hope and belief result in an extraordinary journey. To learn what Muslims think and how they really view America, Ahmed traveled to the three major regions of the Muslim world the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia. Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization is the riveting story of his search for common ground. His absorbing narrative and personal photos bring the reader on a tour of Islam and its peoples. Ahmed sought to understand the experiences and perceptions of ordinary Muslims. Visiting mosques, madrassahs, and universities, he met with people ranging from Pakastan President Pervez Musharraf to prime ministers, princes, sheikhs, professors, and students. He observed, listened, and asked them questions. For example, who inspires them? What are they reading? How do the Internet and international media impact their lives? How do they view America, the West, and changes in society? Ahmed's anthropological expedition enjoyed extensive access to women and youths, revealing unique information on large yet often misunderstood populations. Lamentably, he found high levels of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism and a widespread perception that Islam is under attack from the West. But he also brought back reason for hope. He returned from his groundbreaking travels both impressed with the concerned, kind nature of the individuals he encountered and invigorated with the vitality and passion they displayed. Journey into Islam makes a powerful plea for forming friendships across religion, race, and tradition to create lasting peace between Islam and the West.

About this title

About the Author

Akbar Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. He is former high commissioner of Pakistan to Great Britain, and he has taught at Princeton, Harvard, and Cambridge Universities.

Review

"Akbar Ahmed's voice needs to be heard, and his courage strengthened." —Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Laureate

"In Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization [Ahmed] invites us to listen to the many voices of Muslims today as they face a confusing and often threatening world. It is essential reading, wise, literate, insightful, optimistic, honest and humane, the work of one of the great religious sages of our time." —Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of Britain and the Commonwealth

"A fascinating personal account of his travels last year into the heart of Islam, spanning the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia. Through in-depth discussions with high-level officials and religious figures as well as ordinary people, Ahmed offers a nuanced picture of a complex world that alternatively fears and misunderstands America." —Juliana Geran Pilon, World Politics Review, 5/31/2007

"Akbar Ahmed's Journey into Islam is, no doubt, a labour of love. Akbar has made a sterling contribution to the inescapable need for a rational, cool and un-phlegmatic dialogue between the denizens of the Islamic world and their western detractors. His is a voice of reason and rationality." —Karamatullah K. Ghori, DAWN Books & Authors, 5/13/2007

"A deeply moral work, informed by profound commitment to universal values of knowledge, justice, and compassion, all of which work to confirm Ahmed's position as preeminent Muslim public intellectual. Ultimately, a generous and empowering work which allows the kind of understanding that is transformative, Journey into Islam is as an extraordinary venture for its readers as it was for the students involved in its making." —Tamara Sonn, College of William & Mary, Emel Magazine

" Journey into Islam is not only a treasure chest of information for the specialist and non-specialist alike: it is also a how-to manual on fostering peace and mutual respect...a penetrating analysis of relations between America and the Islamic world." —Omar Sacirbey, Religion News Service, 6/19/2007

"A deep and penetrating look at the Islamic world through the prism of history, both current and remote." —S. Amjad Hussain, Toledo Blade, 7/8/2007

" Journey into Islam is not only a treasure chest of information for the specialist and non-specialist alike: it is also a how-to manual on fostering peace and mutual respect. The book stands in a category by itself. It is refreshingly devoid of specialist terminology, eloquently written, and should be essential reading for anyone interested in making the world a better place." —Khaleel Mohammed, The Star, 6/30/2007

"An insightful book." —Ziauddin Sardar, The Independent, 6/1/2007

"Washington policy-makers and journalists should read this book." —Tony Blankley, Washington Times, 6/20/2007

Edition details

• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0815701322
• ISBN 13: 9780815701323
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 323