Islam

In this book, Habib Boularès examines the variety of Islamic experience and militancy throughout the Muslim world. In doing so, he provides us with a keen understanding of why Islam has emerged as such a dynamic political force in the last quarter of the 20th century. More, he shows us the issues that Islam itself now faces, as a morality, a political system and as a religion.

Boularès gives a comparative picture of Islamic militancy in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Senegal and Iran, amongst others. He shows how these movements have evolved in constant interaction with the state in the countries concerned.

He examines the history of Islamic religious thinking, from the Prophet onwards and examines the development of the four 'schools' and of the Shi'i Islam. Throughout he brings out those innate and contingent features which have blocked the development of philosophical and modern thinking within Islam; but he does so as a Muslim, keen to show that new approaches are not incompatible with the religion.