Jihad, with its many terrifying associations, is a term widely used today, though its meaning is poorly grasped. Few people understand the circumstances requiring a jihad, or “holy” war, or how Islamic militants justify their violent actions within the framework of the religious tradition of Islam. How Islam, with more than one billion followers, interprets jihad and establishes its precepts has become a critical issue for both the Muslim and the non-Muslim world…. More >>
John Kelsay has provided the best introduction I’ve found to the self-understanding and the social constructions of Islam and the way its consequent mindset has been used by both historical and contemporary extremists to justify jihad against its perceived enemies. He lays out with crystalline clarity the historical events and and resultant thought processes that have brought Islam to its place in today’s world.
Professor Kelsay does not write entirely without bias but he keeps it well under control. One senses from time to time that he is trying quite hard to “stick to the facts” when there is much more that he could say were he willing to indulge his personal opinions.
The well-informed reader may not agree with all of Kelsay’s conclusions about just war mentality in the contemporary Muslim world but one has to be impressed with the depth of his scholarship and the lucidity of his writing. Very highly recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5