War and Peace in Islam: A Critique of Islamic/ist Political Discourses (Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies)

Mirbagheri traces the revival of Islamic/ist movements, and embarks on a theoretical study of some of the fundamental concepts in Islam and International Relations such as the self, Jihad, peace and universalism. Contemporary cases of conflict in the Middle East are analysed to pose a challenge to the universalist discourse of Western liberalism. The question of conflict in Islam has now for sometime been interpreted in the Western diplomatic circles through the violent actions of fundamentalist groups and amongst many academics through a jurisprudential outlook. This work, however, views war and peace in Islam in a critical theoretical framework, in relation to systemic approaches to International Relations. In so doing it relies heavily on the teachings of Islamic mysticism. It suggests that empowering the individual to control him/herself within, as propounded in Sufism and as opposed to systemic approaches, is a prelude to establishing enduring global peace. Without internal tranquility, external harmony will be next to impossible "The question of conflict in Islam has now for sometime been interpreted in the Western diplomatic circles through the violent actions of fundamentalist groups and amongst many academics through a jurisprudential outlook. This work, however, views war and peace in Islam in a critical theoretical framework, in relation to systemic approaches to International Relations. In so doing it relies heavily on the teachings of Islamic mysticism. It suggests that empowering the individual to control him/herself within, as propounded in Sufism and as opposed to systemic approaches, is a prelude to establishing enduring global peace. Without internal tranquility, external harmony will be next to impossible."--Publisher's website Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction: Framework of Analysis and Setting the Questions....Pages 1-13 Islamic Discourses: Definitions and Background....Pages 14-39 Contextualising Islam or Islamicising Context: Debates on the Role of Islam in Politics....Pages 40-80 The Concepts of War and Peace and Their Comparative Positions in an Islamic Context....Pages 81-114 The Question of Jihad....Pages 115-138 Current Conflicts and Muslim and Islamist States: Two Contemporary Cases....Pages 139-170 Conclusion....Pages 171-176 Postscript: A Few Words on the Sweeping Changes in the Middle East....Pages 177-179 Back Matter....Pages 180-214