The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror - Softcover

Lewis, Bernard

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0753817527 ISBN 13: 9780753817520

Publisher: W&N, 2004

Synopsis

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.

About this title

Product Description

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.

Review

" Terrorism requires only a few. Obviously the West must defend itself by whatever means will be effective. But in devising means to fight the terrorists, it would surely be useful to understand the forces that drive them."
-- from the Introduction
" Remarkably succinct . . . It offers a long view in the midst of so much short-termism and confusing punditry. Lewis has done us all-- Muslim and non-Muslim alike-- a remarkable service."
-- "The New York Times Book Review"
" Inestimable . . . replete with the exceptional historical insight that one has come to expect from the world' s foremost Islamic scholar."
-- "The Wall Street Journal"
" A timely and provocative contribution to the current raging debate about the tensions between the West and the Islamic world." -- "BusinessWeek"
" No scholar of Islam in the Western world has more thoroughly earned the respect of generalists and academics alike than Bernard Lewis. . . . An excitingly knowledgeable antidote to today' s natural sense of befuddlement. . . . History with electric immediacy."
-- Baltimore "Sun"

Terrorism requires only a few. Obviously the West must defend itself by whatever means will be effective. But in devising means to fight the terrorists, it would surely be useful to understand the forces that drive them.
from the Introduction
Remarkably succinct . . . It offers a long view in the midst of so much short-termism and confusing punditry. Lewis has done us all Muslim and non-Muslim alike a remarkable service.
The New York Times Book Review
Inestimable . . . replete with the exceptional historical insight that one has come to expect from the world s foremost Islamic scholar.
The Wall Street Journal
A timely and provocative contribution to the current raging debate about the tensions between the West and the Islamic world. BusinessWeek
No scholar of Islam in the Western world has more thoroughly earned the respect of generalists and academics alike than Bernard Lewis. . . . An excitingly knowledgeable antidote to today s natural sense of befuddlement. . . . History with electric immediacy.
Baltimore Sun"

"Terrorism requires only a few. Obviously the West must defend itself by whatever means will be effective. But in devising means to fight the terrorists, it would surely be useful to understand the forces that drive them."
--from the Introduction

"Remarkably succinct . . . It offers a long view in the midst of so much short-termism and confusing punditry. Lewis has done us all--Muslim and non-Muslim alike--a remarkable service."
--The New York Times Book Review

"Inestimable . . . replete with the exceptional historical insight that one has come to expect from the world's foremost Islamic scholar."
--The Wall Street Journal

"A timely and provocative contribution to the current raging debate about the tensions between the West and the Islamic world." --BusinessWeek

"No scholar of Islam in the Western world has more thoroughly earned the respect of generalists and academics alike than Bernard Lewis. . . . An excitingly knowledgeable antidote to today's natural sense of befuddlement. . . . History with electric immediacy."
--Baltimore Sun

About this edition

• Publisher: W&N
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0753817527
• ISBN 13: 9780753817520
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192