In sixteen concise chapters on key topics; this book provides a rich; authoritative; and up-to-date introduction to Islamic political thought from the birth of Islam to today; presenting essential background and context for understanding contemporary politics in the Islamic world and beyond. Selected from the acclaimed Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought; and focusing on the origins; development; and contemporary importance of Islamic political ideas and related subjects; each chapter offers a sophisticated yet accessible introduction to its topic. Written by leading specialists and incorporating the latest scholarship; the alphabetically arranged chapters cover the topics of authority; the caliphate; fundamentalism; government; jihad; knowledge; minorities; modernity; Muhammad; pluralism and tolerance; the Qur'an; revival and reform; shariʿa (sacred law); traditional political thought; ‘ulama' (religious scholars); and women. Read separately or together; these chapters provide an indispensable resource for students; journalists; policymakers; and anyone else seeking an informed perspective on the complex intersection of Islam and politics.The contributors are Gerhard Bowering; Ayesha S. Chaudhry; Patricia Crone; Roxanne Euben; Yohanan Friedmann; Paul L. Heck; Roy Jackson; Wadad Kadi; John Kelsay; Gudrun Krämer; Ebrahim Moosa; Armando Salvatore; Aram A. Shahin; Emad El-Din Shahin; Devin J. Stewart; SherAli Tareen; and Muhammad Qasim Zaman.A new afterword discusses the essays in relation to contemporary political developments.
#113381 in Books 2013-02-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.86 x .66 x 5.82l; .82 #File Name: 0691158053280 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Church of Scientology is a scholary examination of the religion created by L. Ron Hubbard.By C. M MillsDr. Hugh B. Urban opens the lid on the Church of Scientology? Is Scientology a valid religion or is it the creation of a con man? To answer this question a reader should turn to this short (a little over 200 pages book) to make an informed personal decision. In the work we learn of the life of Lafayette Ron Hubbard (1911-1987) the Nebraskan with the flaming red hair and a controversial career who wrote Dianetics in the 1950s which inspired his establishment of Scientology in the Cold War America of the 1950s. Scientology contains Buddhism and other Easter Religious thought; time travel and space odyssey elements along with science fiction to form a potent new religious phenomenon. Hubbard and his followers were distinctly anti-Communist and enjoyed espionage and secrecy. The Church broke into the IRS offices many times seeking material on their movement. Thousands of court cases culminated in the US Government giving Scientology tax exempt approval as a legitimate Church in 1993.Hubbard died a Howard Hughes lookalike in the California desert where he had fled from Federal Prosecution for a variety of crimes against the government. Scientology demands that its gnostic secrets be paid for with lots of money and includes high profile celebrities most notably Tom Cruise among its celebrity adherents. The war against the Scientologist movement is in full force on the internet led by a group known as Anonymous. The book will open your eyes and you will learn about the e-meter! A good sober account of a religious./corporate movement more Americans need to be familiar with. There are about 25;000 professed Scientologist in our nation and the number of followers of Hubbard has declined.7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Critical but not JudgmentalBy Steve A. WigginsAn excellent introduction to Scientology. Urban does not judge the movement; but rather uses it to ask the question "what is religion?". Since that question has never been adequately answered; using a new religious movement as a test case is an effective method. The reader will learn much about the history and background of Scientology; but the conclusions s/he draws are left to the reader.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy alexander sorokaBook fine
