Islam and Jihad

Prejudice Versus Reality

A G Noorani

This short and accessible rebuts the misconceptions about Islam articulated by many European intellectuals down the centuries. For non-Muslims these still obstruct a clear understanding of both the nature of Islam and the history of Christian/Muslim interactions. Th eauthor demonstrates the very recent politically motivated abd theologically dubious nature of the assertions of so-called Islamic fundamentalist movements. He contrasts them with sociall y progressive Muslim thinkers who have sought to address the inescapable questions of the modern world.

” ... suggests a rationally satisfying way of being Muslim in the contemporary world. His analysis echoes the disquiet many muslims feel about fanatical fundamentalism.”—Professor Ziauddin Sardar, author of The Future of MuslimCivilisation and Introducing Islam

Contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• The Long March of Prejudice
• The Meanings of Jihad and Fatwa
• The Very Modern Roots of Islamic Fundamentalism
• Human Rights in the Islamic Tradition
• Ijtihad (Reason) and the Challenge of Modernity
• Epilogue
• Bibliography
• Index