Encyclopaedia Of Islamic Fundamentalism Pakistan And The Muslim World

By viewing Islamic fundamentalism as a reactive challenge to modern civilizations and political structure, Dr. Choueiri presents a striking analysis of how and why Islamic values have become such a potent contemporary political force, and sheds new light on a much-misunderstood situation.This book offers a rigorous definition of Islamic fundamentalism by linking its connotations to the historical background of Muslim traditions.

This report is the capstone to a series of reports analyzing Islamic fundamentalism, or "Islamism," in the Northern Tier countries--Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It identifies common patterns and characteristics that all those states have experienced with fundamentalism. The author reviews the obstacles to an Islamic takeover, outlines factors contributing to the growth of Islamism, describes Islamist influence in the Northern Tier states, and considers the Islamists in power. Finally, he discusses U.S. policy options in dealing with the Northern Tier countries. The studies in this series conclude that radical Islamic fundamentalists are unlikely to come to power in Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

"In 2012, the year 1433 of the Muslim calendar, the Islamic population throughout the world was estimated at approximately a billion and a half, representing about one-fifth of humanity. In geographical terms, Islam occupies the center of the world, stretching like a big belt across the globe from east to west."--P. vii.

Momentous events since September 11, 2001-Operation Enduring Freedom, the global war on terrorism, and the war in Iraq-have dramatically altered the political environment of the Muslim world. Many of the forces influencing this environment, however, are the products of trends that have been at work for many decades. This book examines the major dynamics that drive changes in the religio-political landscape of the Muslim world-a vast and diverse region that stretches from Western Africa through the Middle East to the Southern Philippines and includes Muslim communities and diasporas throughout the world-and draws the implications of these trends for global security and U.S. and Western interests. It presents a typology of ideological tendencies in the different regions of the Muslim world and identifies the factors that produce religious extremism and violence. It assesses key cleavages along sectarian, ethnic, regional, and national lines and examines how those cleavages generate challenges and opportunities for the United States. Finally, the authors identify possible strategies and political and military options for the United States to pursue in response to changing conditions in this critical and volatile part of the world.

A ground-breaking comparative study of contemporary Islamic consciousness, Inside Muslim Minds is an important insight into aspects of the Muslim faith, and its place in the twenty-first century. Using data gathered from more than six thousand Muslim respondents from Southeast, South and Central Asia and the Middle East, Raiz Hassan examines attitudes to issues such as religious commitment; the status of women; the concept of jihad and its alleged links to terrorism; Islamic philanthropy; attitudes towards blasphemy; and Muslim perceptions of the 'other'. Hassan offers a theory of Islamic consciousness by examining its evolution over several centuries. His findings demonstrate the diversity of the Muslim world: the many variations of social, political and religious views. Inside Muslim Minds argues for a new intellectual commitment that honours Islamic heritage yet simultaneously confronts Islamic reassertion and the sense of powerlessness felt by Muslims as they strive to reaffirm their faith in the twenty-first century.