A lively debate is currently being conducted in the social sciences around the concepts of "tribe", "segmentary societies" and "Islam in society". This wide-ranging collection by thirteen distinguished anthropologists contributes to the debate by examining various segmentary Islamic tribal societies from Morocco to Pakistan.

Can West and East ever understand each other? In this extraordinary book one of the world's leading Muslim scholars explores an area which has been almost entirely neglected by scholars in the field - the area of postmodernism and Islam. This landmark work is startling and constantly perceptive in its exploration of Western and Islamic culture. Emphasizing the role of the mass media in shaping our understanding of East-West relations, Akbar S. Ahmed analyses the ways in which the media turned events like the Salmon Rushdie affair and the Gulf war into a carnival of spectacle and entertainment. He makes use of the postmodern theme of the displaced, circulating image to show how images are used to tell stories - stories which are not always helpful or accurate. In this new, revised edition, Akbar S. Ahmed includes a remarkable and stimulating new preface, in which he reconsiders this topic in the light of the contemporary, post September 11th, world.

Can West and East ever understand each other? In this extraordinary book one of the world's leading Muslim scholars explores an area which has been almost entirely neglected by scholars in the field - the area of postmodernism and Islam. This landmark work is startling and constantly perceptive in its exploration of Western and Islamic culture. Emphasizing the role of the mass media in shaping our understanding of East-West relations, Akbar S. Ahmed analyses the ways in which the media turned events like the Salman Rushdie affair and the Gulf war into a carnival of spectacle and entertainment. He makes use of the postmodern theme of the displaced, circulating image to show how images are used to tell stories - stories which are not always helpful or accurate. In this new, revised edition, Akbar S. Ahmed includes a remarkable and stimulating new preface, in which he reconsiders this topic in the light of the contemporary, post September 11th, world.

Instructive, entertaining and even stimulating. - Middle East International

Through an exploration of his experiences as a Muslim and his personal search for understanding, (Akbar Ahmed) sets before us the kindlier face of Islam and the dynamics of its history. - History Today

This is a most readable book which will set Muslims and non-Muslims thinking. - Islam, Christian and Muslim Relations

An in-depth analysis of Islamic history and society... required reading for students and researchers. - Colonel Ghulam Sarwar, The Voice of Islam

Events in the last decade have transformed the Muslim world: the Iranian Revolution, the Rushdie affair, the Gulf War. Other influences on Muslim society have perhaps been more penetrating but less obvious. The outside world now reaches into even the most closeted Muslim home through the various channels of the mass media. Processes of globalization have hit traditional cultures so hard and in such a way that they have raised issues for Muslims which can no longer be ignored; Muslims are now forced to engage these issues and to formulate responses to them. Matters which in the past might have been considered by the well-informed few are now debated throughout society by people at every level of social organization. This book examines how Muslims across the globe have responded to these changes and contradictions. It tries to capture and explore some of the debate, uncertainty and conflict which they have generated as Islam moves towards the 21st century. The case studies presented - of Turkish, Trinidadian, Malaysian, Pakistani, Egyptian, North American, Middle Eastern and British Islam - describe both the general global processes now affecting Muslims everywhere.

A lively debate is currently being conducted in the social sciences around the concepts of "tribe", "segmentary societies" and "Islam in society". This wide-ranging collection by thirteen distinguished anthropologists contributes to the debate by examining various segmentary Islamic tribal societies from Morocco to Pakistan.

This book examines the cultural responses of Muslims to the transformations, contradictions and challenges confronting contemporary Islam as it moves towards the twentieth-first century. The diffusion of populations, the globalization of culture and teh forces of postmodernity have shaken the world like never before. These developments have generated a debate among Muslims which as, the contributors to this volume show, will have far-reaching consequences not just for the Muslim world, but for relations between Islam and the West more generally.

How can people in the West make sense of contemporary unrest in the Muslim world? Is Islamic fundamentalism to be understood purely in religious terms? In Resistance and Control in Pakistan, one of the world's leading authorities on Islam, Akbar S. Ahmed, illuminates what is happening in the Muslim world today and assesses the underlying causes. He does this by telling the dramatic story of the revolt of the Mullah of Waziristan in northwest Pakistan and by placing it within the context of other movements occurring elsewhere in the Islamic world. He also examines the social structure and operative principles in Muslim society and scrutinizes the influence of religion in a society that is undergoing modernization. Till now, there has been little available literature on this topic. This book, written by an eminent scholar with an international reputation fills this gap, giving students of politics, sociology and Asian studies a revealing examination of the Muslim world today.

This analysis of Muslim unrest is based on an extended case study of northwestern Pakistan. Professor Ahmed examines power, authority, and religious status as the critical intermediary level of society: that of the district or Agency, which was the key unit of administration in British India. Amhed has joined his insights as anthropologist with his experience as a political agent in Waziristan to produce an innovative and detailed work. The book focuses on the emergence of a mullah in Waziristan who challenges the state. A religious leader's challenge of the state is not new; but contemporary Muslim society's widespread concern over these conflicts reveals that the influence of religion in a traditional society undergoing modernization is greater than many scholars have assumed. The author identifies three types of leaders: traditional leaders, usually elders; representatives of the established state authority; and religious functionaries. From this analysis he constructs an 'Islamic district paradigm, ' which he uses not only in making sense of contemporary Muslim society, but also in understanding some aspects of the legacy of the colonial encounter.

... a welcome addition to the already available introductory works on Islam. The chapters of the book combine depth of analysis and erudition on a wide range of subjects. Thus in a single volume one finds several superbly written papers not only on the foundations of Islam and the manifestations of Islamic culture but also on issues which are at the centre of contemporary debates among Muslims such as multiculturalism, social justice, democracy and diversity. As a sourcebook this work is equally useful for students, academicians and general readers' - Zafar Ishaq Ansari, Director, Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University Islamic Studies is at a critical moment in its history. It seeks both to maintain its rich history and to engage with other - sometimes dominant - cultural and political studies. This tension is producing complex changes in both the theory and the practice of Islamic Studies. This timely and stimulating Handbook, edited by world-class experts in the field, provides a comprehensive guide to Islamic Studies today. It examines the main issues in the field and explores the key debates. It provides readers with an indispensable, balanced guide to the roots of Islam and the challenges it faces in the twenty-first century. The Handbook includes discussions of: - Islam as a community of discourse and a global system - Islam, diaspora and multiculturalism - The Qu'ran today - Islam as a moral and judicial system - Islam and politics - Islam and culture - Diversities and Islam Concise, level-headed and penetrating, this collection will be of interest to anyone who studies contemporary Islam. It brings together an unparalleled collection of international scholars who illuminate some of the most urgent and complex issues in the world today.

Instructive, entertaining and even stimulating. - Middle East International

Through an exploration of his experiences as a Muslim and his personal search for understanding, (Akbar Ahmed) sets before us the kindlier face of Islam and the dynamics of its history. - History Today

This is a most readable book which will set Muslims and non-Muslims thinking. - Islam, Christian and Muslim Relations

An in-depth analysis of Islamic history and society... required reading for students and researchers. - Colonel Ghulam Sarwar, The Voice of Islam

Although there are over one billion Muslims in the world, and over 10 million in the West, most discussion of Islam is based on cliches or outright prejudice. This lively and compelling book sets out to bridge the gulfs of misunderstanding. Islam, argues Akbar Ahmed, does not mean the subordination of women, contempt for other religions, opposition to the modern world or 'barbaric punishments' for petty crime. But outsiders can understand the realities of Islamic tradition only by explaining its sources. "Islam Today" starts with the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the Qur'an's five pillars which govern the beliefs and behaviour of Muslims everywhere. In both historical and political terms, the great Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires have deeply marked the successor states in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India. Ahmed's highly accessible text is an ideal introduction for non-Muslims and Muslims alike interested in the issues facing and raised by the Muslim world.