The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror
£8.80£9.50 (-7%)
The great scholar of Islam directly confronts the events of September 11th and the reasons behind Islamic terrorism in the modern world – a Sunday Times bestseller.
President Bush has made it clear that we are engaged in a war against terrorism. But for Osama bin Laden and his followers this is religious war, a war for Islam against infidels, especially the United States, the greatest power in the world of the infidels. In this book Bernard Lewis shows us where the anger and frustration have come from, and the extent to which almost the entire Muslim world is affected by poverty and tyranny.
He looks at the influence of extreme Wahhabist doctrines in the Saudi kingdom, where custodianship of Islam’s holy places and the revenues of oil have given worldwide impact to what would otherwise have been an extremist fringe in a marginal country. He looks at American double standards, which have long caused Muslim anger, and tells us the real meaning of `Islamic fundamentalism’, `jihad’ and `fatwa’, and why the peoples of the Middle East are conscious of history in a way most Americans find difficult to understand.
Read more
Additional information
| Publisher | W&N (8 Jan. 2004) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 192 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 9780753817520 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0753817520 |
| Dimensions | 12.8 x 1.8 x 19.6 cm |
by Jennifer
The author, like many others, makes the mistake of thinking that Jihad is ‘radical, extremist Islam’ and to blame people of other religions for Jihad. Allah’s holy Law of War is in fact the most important religious duty in Islam, obligatory for all Muslims. Jihad is Allah’s Holy War, to subjugate and destroy all other religions until Allah and Islam reign supreme. This is the real meaning of peace in Islam.
This is absolutely clear in the Qur’an, the Hadith-traditional stories, the histories by Ibn Ishaq and Tabari, and Islamic law.
Allah’s holy Law of War is in fact the most important religious duty in Islam, obligatory for all Muslims. This is absolutely clear in the Qur’an, the Hadith-traditional stories, the very first valid histories by Ibn Ishaq and Tabari, and Islamic law. Islam must reign supreme over all other religions and laws. Jihad is the pinnacle of Islam.
Qur’an 9:29 Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
The phrase la ilaha illa allah in the Qur’an: in Mecca 37:35, 38:4-10 and Medina 47:19.
In these it means religious war for supremacy against all disbelievers.
Qur’an 47:19 Muhammad So know that La ilaha illallah, there is no god except Allah.
Maududi says: This was at the time of the battle of Badr. It is also entitled al-Qital, the Fighting, because it gives the firm command for Jihad, and its theme is to prepare the Muslims for war against disbelievers and to give them instructions about those who kill and those who are killed: Qur’an 9:111
Qur’an 9: 111 Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties for (the price) that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah’s cause, so they kill and are killed.
by stanretoma
Islamic Jihad & Extreme Terrorism – part of my reading on the subject.
by HEIDI
Interesting
by Mr. P. G. Mccarthy
The focus of this book is the question, `Why is so much of Islam seemingly antagonistic with the West?’ Lewis attempts to answer this question by tracing the struggles between the Muslim world and the European powers, and later, America, the main object of hatred according to the argument of the book. Lewis argues that the reasons for this hatred are multi-factorial. Factors include the sense of loss and embarrassment because of increasing Western progress; a loathing of Western materialism, and ultimately, America’s meddling in Middle Eastern affairs. Key also are certain individuals such as Sayyid Qutb, who, shocked at the level of American morality (even in churches) wrote powerfully against what he perceived as the `new age of ignorance’ (clearly a powerful issue as Islam was to replace an age of ignorance).
Lewis’s book is very well researched and balanced, and the historical material receives full treatment, dispelling many myths along the way. As with other writers, he locates much of today’s problems with the cult of Wahabbism. This book is a clear and excellent introduction towards an understanding of the motivations and aspirations of political Islam, and a thoroughly engaging read.
by Sujan Chowdhury
An excellent analysis and informative, but very little bit deviation to the favour of America, Such favour is acceptable and the book is easy to understand and scholarly written as Lewis is particularly a scholar on middle east issue.
by Alan Robert Alexander
Very valuable background to how the West finds itself at war today with radical Islam
by DMJ MIAH
This is another fantastic book written by an author who has contributed in the understanding and the failures of Muslims. If people from the Muslim world actually looked in the mirror a little critically then maybe they would be celebrating the potential of what they can achieve. Instead of looking at the “glorious” past the need to consider the future for the sake of peace is now essential.
The book tackles some of the short coming of the many thinkers from the last 400 years.
by sproggit
perfect