Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam

From Library Journal
Notwithstanding the recent avalanche of popular writing on Islam, most Americans still know very little about this misunderstood faith and its 1.2 billion adherents worldwide. In American popular culture today, terrorism and Islam have become synonymous. In this engaging, evenhanded, and highly readable book, one of America's foremost experts on contemporary Islam seeks to correct popular misconceptions about this faith. A professor of religion and international affairs and director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, Esposito (editor, The Oxford Illustrated History of Islam) does an admirable job of explaining sociopolitical and cultural developments in the Muslim world in a fashion that is easily accessible to nonspecialist readers. Issues such as the rise of militant Islam and its key personalities, including Sayyid Qutb and Osama bin Laden, are fully explained. This is essential reading for every concerned citizen and all those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary Islam and its internal struggles. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. Nader Entessar, Spring Hill Coll., Mobile, AL Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Esposito (professor of religion and international affairs and director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University) has condensed the wealth of knowledge of the Islamic world evinced in his Oxford Illustrated History of Islam (1999), producing a book that can admirably serve as an extremely valuable primer in this new world order in which communists have been replaced by terrorists as the planet's resident evil. Esposito methodically leads the reader through the complicated history of Islam. He explains the various conceptions of jihad, or holy war, ranging from internal movements for community reform to the modern explosive threat to all things external to Islam. One of the more useful elements of this account is the author's review of the seminal thinkers of the Islamic world whose writings have given rise to the real-world events we have come to know all too well. Though Esposito's conclusions are somewhat platitudinous, his strength lies in his vast knowledge and in his ability to render it in an understandable format for the rest of us. Allen Weakland
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Kirkus Reviews
"A leading American authority on Islam offers a well-reasoned plea for tolerance in a time of renewed Muslim-Western enmity."


Wall Street Journal
"One of America's foremost authorities and interpreters of Islam"


Ahmed Rashid
"There is no one better to explain the phenomena of the origins and explosion of global jihad than Esposito."


Peter Bergen, Washington Post
"[Will] save readers effort of reading a shelf of books that address the same issues in a less succinct manner."


Book Description
The devastating September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon left us stunned, angry, and uncomprehending. As it became clear that these horrifying acts had been committed in the name of Islam, we struggled to understand how religion could be used to justify the slaughter of innocents. The media, the government, and ordinary citizens alike sought answers to questions about Islam and its adherents. Who are the Muslim extremists who perpetrate such deeds? Why do they hate us? What do they hope to achieve? Does Islam really teach that such terrorists are holy warriors who will be rewarded with everlasting bliss? In this level-headed and authoritative book, John L. Esposito, one of the world's most respected scholars of political Islam, provides answers to these and many other questions that have arisen in the wake of the attacks. He clearly and carefully explains the teachings of Islam--the Quran, the example of the Prophet, Islamic law--about jihad or holy war, the use of violence, and terrorism. He chronicles the rise of extremist groups and examines their frightening worldview and tactics. Anti-Americanism (and anti-Europeanism), he shows, is a broad-based phenomenon that cuts across Arab and Muslim societies. It is not just driven by religious zealotry, but by frustration and anger at U.S. policy. Moreover, many Muslims are repelled by aspects of Western culture, and alarmed at its impact around the world. It is vital to understand, however, that the vast majority of Muslims are appalled by the acts of violence committed in the name of their faith. It is essential that we distinguish between the religion of Islam and the actions of extremists like Osama bin Laden who hijack Islamic discourse and belief to justify their acts of terrorism. How can we continue the fight against terrorism without precipitating a global clash of cultures? This is perhaps the most important question we face in this time of crisis. The terrorists behind the September 11 attacks must be brought to justice, their cells eradicated, and their bases destroyed. But this war against terror must not be used to justify erosion of important values at home, or become a green light to authoritarian regimes in the Muslim world to repress non-violent opposition. Only by understanding and addressing the issues that breed hatred and radicalism, argues Esposito, can we defuse the conflicts that will otherwise continue to confront future generations. This brief, clear-sighted and accessibly written book reflects twenty years of study, reflection, and experience on the part of a scholar who is equally respected in the West and in the Muslim world. It will prove to be the best single guide to these urgent questions that have suddenly forced themselves on the attention of the entire world.


Book Info
John L. Esposito, one of the world's most respected scholars of political Islam, provides answers t many questions that have arisen in the wake of the terrorist attacks. He clearly and carefully explains the teachings of Islam, Islamic law, holy war and the use of violence, and terrorism. Softcover.


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A leading American authority on Islam offers a primer on modern varieties of terrorism and a well-reasoned plea for tolerance in a time of renewed Muslim-Western enmity. Is suicide bombing of the sort so commonly wrought on Israeli civilians religiously justifiable? The grand mufti of Egypt says yes; the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia says no. Thus the most important lessons here: the Muslim world is made up of many parts, Islam is not monolithic, and the same scripture and ethical codes can be used to defend or condemn any given act. In short, it's rather like Christianity, or Buddhism, or Judaism, or just about any other faith that has more than a handful of followers. At the heart of Esposito's discussion is a critical term that in turn lies at the heart of modern Islamic terrorist movements of the al-Qaeda / Hamas / al-Fatah strain: jihad, or religious war. Where moderate Muslims see jihad as a metaphor for keeping one's faith more or less pure, others take it literally and thus take up arms against presumed infidels; even then, only the most radical "reject Islamic law's regulations regarding the goals and means of a valid jihad (that violence must be proportional and that only the necessary amount of force should be used to repel the enemy)," declaring war on civilians without the blessing of an Islamic head of state or religious leader. These are the people who are so much in the news today, Esposito (Religion/Georgetown Univ; The Islamic Threat, 1992) observes, and they represent only the tiniest of minorities. Even there, he adds, "militant jihad movements and terrorism are not just the products of warped individuals or religious doctrine, whether mainstream or extremistinterpretations, but of political and economic conditions" that deserve greater understanding. A useful guidebook that should find a wide readership. Author tour


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