The New Voices Of Islam: Reforming Politics And Modernity - A Reader (library Of Modern Middle East Studies)

"Over the last decade, at a time when the forces of 'Islamic fundamentalism' appear to be the dominant face of Islam in the West, a vibrant and equally significant discourse has emerged from a number of prominent Muslim thinkers who wish to reformulate some of the main premises of Islamic theology and jurisprudence. The central goal of these 'New Islamists' is to reinterpret popular notions of Islam that are consistent with the tenets of modern life. Their work touches on three broad themes: Islamic hermeneutics; Islam's relationship with modernity; and the relationship of Islam with democracy and civil rights. The thinkers whose work is showcased in this book represent some of the most notable Muslim intellectuals of our time. They include Tariq Ramadan, Abdul Rahman Abbad, Fethullah Gulen, Chandra Muzzafar, Yusuf al Qaradawy, Nasr Abu Zaid and Mohammed Arkoun. Despite their importance in their own countries, seldom before have their voices been heard by western audiences. This timely volume, which places the life, career and arguments of each thinker in their proper national and historical contexts, remedies that neglect."--Bloomsbury Publishing Over the last decade, at a time when the forces of'Islamic fundamentalism'appear to be the dominant face of Islam in the West, a vibrant and equally consequential discourse has emerged from a number of prominent Muslim thinkers who wish to reform and reformulate some of the main premises of Islamic theology and jurisprudence. The central goal of these'New Islamists'- who are based throughout the Islamic world, from Indonesia and Malaysia in Southeast Asia to Algeria and Morocco in north Africa - is to reinterpret popular notions of Islam that are consistent with and supportive of the tenets of modern life. Their corpus of work touches on three broad themes: Islamic hermeneutics; Islam's relationship with modernity; and the relationship of Islam with democracy and civil rights. The thinkers whose work is reproduced in this book represent some of the most notable Muslim intellectuals of our time, and include Tariq Ramadan (Switerland), Abdul Rahman Abbad (Palestine), Fethullah Gulen (Turkey), Chandra Muzzafar (Tunisia), Yusuf al Qaradawy (Qatar), Nasr Abu Zaid (Egypt) and Mohammed Arkoun (Algeria). Despite their importance in their own countries, seldom before have their voices been heard by western audiences. Yet both on their own, and collectively, the arguments that these thinkers advance point to very significant changes in the direction and evolution of Islamic doctrine as a whole. This timely volume, which places the life, career and arguments of each thinker in their proper national and historical contexts, at last gives the reformist tradition within Islam the attention it deserves. Contents 5 Credits 7 Acknowledgements 9 1. Introduction: Reformist Islam in Comparative Perspective 13 2. Present-Day Islam Between Its Tradition and Globalization 41 3. The Way (Al-Sharia) of Islam 77 of Islam 77 4. A Comparative Approach to Islam and Democracy 111 5. Religious Liberty: A Muslim Perspective 117 6. Freedom of Religion and Belief in Islam 131 7. The Divine Text and Pluralism in Muslim Societies 155 8. The Nexus of Theory and Practice 165 9. Women and the Rise of Islam 189 10. Aishah’s Legacy: The Struggle for Women’s Rights within Islam 213 11. Muslim Women and Fundamentalism 217 12. Islam, Justice, and Politics 225 13. Facts and Values: An Islamic Approach 243 14. Reason, Freedom, and Democracy in Islam 255 Notes 275 Index 295 The,New,Voices,of,ISLAM Over the years, a significant discourse has emerged from a number of prominent Muslim thinkers who wish to reformulate Islamic theology and jurisprudence. This book talks about their work, on the themes of Islamic hermeneutics; Islam's relationship with modernity; and the relationship of Islam with democracy and civil rights. Mehran Kamrava, Editor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 263-282) And Index.