Crossroads to Islam

Crossroads to Islam PDF Author: Yehuda D. Nevo
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1615923292
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 470

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Book Description
In this controversial exploration of the early history of Islam, archaeologist Yehuda D. Nevo and researcher Judith Koren present a revolutionary theory of the origins and development of the Islamic state and religion. Whereas most works on this subject derive their view of the history of this period from the Muslim literature, Crossroads to Islam also examines important types of evidence hitherto neglected: the literature of the local (Christian) population, archaeological excavations, numismatics, and especially rock inscriptions. These analyses lay the foundation for a radical view of the development of Islam.According to Nevo and Koren, the evidence suggests that the Arabs were in fact pagan when they assumed power in the regions formerly ruled by the Byzantine Empire. They contend that the Arabs took control almost without a struggle, because Byzantium had effectively withdrawn from the area long before. After establishing control, the new Arab elite adopted a simple monotheism influenced by Judaeo-Christianity, which they encountered in their newly acquired territories, and gradually developed it into the Arab religion. Not until the mid-8th century was this process completed.This interpretation of the evidence corroborates the view of other scholars, who on different grounds propose that Islam and the canonized version of the Koran were preceded by a long period of development. This new view turns on its head the traditional history of the rise of Islam, which claims that Islam began with Muhammad in Mecca and Medina around 622; then spread throughout Arabia under his charismatic leadership; and finally, after Muhammad''s death (632), inspired his followers to conquer widespread territories both in the East and West. By contrast, Nevo and Koren suggest that the rise of the Arab state created a need for a state religion, eventually called Islam.This absorbing and controversial rethinking of Islam''s early history is must reading for students and scholars of Islamic history and anyone interested in the origins of the world''s second largest religion.

Crossroads to Islam

Crossroads to Islam PDF Author: Yehuda D. Nevo
Publisher: Prometheus Books
ISBN: 1615923292
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 470

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Book Description
In this controversial exploration of the early history of Islam, archaeologist Yehuda D. Nevo and researcher Judith Koren present a revolutionary theory of the origins and development of the Islamic state and religion. Whereas most works on this subject derive their view of the history of this period from the Muslim literature, Crossroads to Islam also examines important types of evidence hitherto neglected: the literature of the local (Christian) population, archaeological excavations, numismatics, and especially rock inscriptions. These analyses lay the foundation for a radical view of the development of Islam.According to Nevo and Koren, the evidence suggests that the Arabs were in fact pagan when they assumed power in the regions formerly ruled by the Byzantine Empire. They contend that the Arabs took control almost without a struggle, because Byzantium had effectively withdrawn from the area long before. After establishing control, the new Arab elite adopted a simple monotheism influenced by Judaeo-Christianity, which they encountered in their newly acquired territories, and gradually developed it into the Arab religion. Not until the mid-8th century was this process completed.This interpretation of the evidence corroborates the view of other scholars, who on different grounds propose that Islam and the canonized version of the Koran were preceded by a long period of development. This new view turns on its head the traditional history of the rise of Islam, which claims that Islam began with Muhammad in Mecca and Medina around 622; then spread throughout Arabia under his charismatic leadership; and finally, after Muhammad''s death (632), inspired his followers to conquer widespread territories both in the East and West. By contrast, Nevo and Koren suggest that the rise of the Arab state created a need for a state religion, eventually called Islam.This absorbing and controversial rethinking of Islam''s early history is must reading for students and scholars of Islamic history and anyone interested in the origins of the world''s second largest religion.

Arabs at the Crossroads

Arabs at the Crossroads PDF Author: Hilal Khashan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813017372
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 189

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Book Description
"This work is brave and important. Dr. Khashan takes the necessary scholarly risk of saying things that are unpopular in many Arab circles. Calling on the Arabs to reexamine their identity is not an easy task for a resident of Beirut."--Jamal R. Nassar, Illinois State University In this provocative study, Hilal Khashan assesses Arab political experience during the 20th century. He examines the rise and fall of Arab hopes for founding a territorial entity based on a unified identity, focusing on important issues that contribute to the existing impasse that prevails in the Arab world. These issues include the concept of Arab nationalism; the seeming inability of Arab ruling elites to liberalize their societies, propel economic growth, and enfranchise the masses; and the growth of Islamic revival movements. Khashan dissects the components of the Arabs' political quagmire by recognizing the nature of their identity crisis, as well as its ramifications. In a departure from typical academic writing, he prescribes an agenda to help the Arabs deal better with the challenges of the 21st century, dwelling on the need for them to respect authority, reconsider their nationalistic identity, define and pursue realistic objectives, and commit themselves to political representation. In addition, his explanation of Iraq's motives when it triggered the two Gulf conflicts differs sharply from most Western accounts. Khashan articulates issues that the majority of writers on Arab affairs prefer to avoid. Arab intellectuals and scholars of the Middle East as well as journalists and politicians will be fascinated by this controversial book. Hilal Khashan, associate professor of political science at the American University of Beirut, is the author of Inside the Lebanese Confessional Mind and Partner or Pariah? Attitudes Toward Israel in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan and has published in such journals as Orbis, Middle East Quarterly, and Arab Studies Quarterly.

Between Arab and White

Between Arab and White PDF Author: Sarah Gualtieri
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520255348
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
"Direct and accessible. A tour de force of research that demonstrates seemingly unlikely origins, evolutions, and contradictions of social identities."—George Lipsitz, author of Footsteps in the Dark and American Studies in a Moment of Danger

Islam at the Crossroads

Islam at the Crossroads PDF Author: Muhammad Asad
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789394770157
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
A Critical Assessment of Islam in the Modern World In his seminal work, "Islam at the Crossroads," Muhammad Asad offers a profound and insightful examination of the challenges and opportunities facing Islam in the modern world. Asad, a convert to Islam himself, provides a unique perspective on the religion, drawing from his deep understanding of both Western and Islamic thought. Asad argues that Islam is at a crossroads, facing a choice between embracing its core values of justice, equality, and compassion or succumbing to the allure of materialism and individualism. He contends that the future of Islam depends on its ability to adapt to the changing world without compromising its fundamental principles. Asad's critique of the modern Islamic world is both incisive and respectful. He identifies a number of shortcomings, including the rise of sectarianism, the stifling of intellectual inquiry, and the misinterpretation of Islamic teachings to justify violence and oppression. However, Asad also maintains a deep faith in the potential of Islam to provide a positive and transformative vision for the future. "Islam at the Crossroads" is a challenging and thought-provoking work that is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the future of Islam. Asad's insights are as relevant today as they were when the book was first published in 1934. Asad's work has been praised by scholars and laypeople alike for its honesty, insight, and profound understanding of Islam. "Islam at the Crossroads" is a landmark work that continues to inspire and challenge readers today.

Vision or Mirage

Vision or Mirage PDF Author: David Rundell
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1838605940
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
'Clear-eyed and illuminating.' Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor 'A rich, superbly researched, balanced history of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.' General David Petraeus, former Commander U.S. Central Command and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency 'Destined to be the best single volume on the Kingdom.' Ambassador Chas Freeman, former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Assistant Secretary of Defense 'Should be prescribed reading for a new generation of political leaders.' Sir Richard Dearlove, former Chief of H.M. Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Something extraordinary is happening in Saudi Arabia. A traditional, tribal society once known for its lack of tolerance is rapidly implementing significant economic and social reforms. An army of foreign consultants is rewriting the social contract, King Salman has cracked down hard on corruption, and his dynamic though inexperienced son, the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, is promoting a more tolerant Islam. But is all this a new vision for Saudi Arabia or merely a mirage likely to dissolve into Iranian-style revolution? David Rundell - one of America's foremost experts on Saudi Arabia - explains how the country has been stable for so long, why it is less so today, and what is most likely to happen in the future. The book is based on the author's close contacts and intimate knowledge of the country where he spent 15 years living and working as a diplomat. Vision or Mirage demystifies one of the most powerful, but least understood, states in the Middle East and is essential reading for anyone interested in the power dynamics and politics of the Arab World.

Islam at the Crossroads

Islam at the Crossroads PDF Author: Paul A. Marshall
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 138

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Book Description
Understand Islam with this accessible and compelling overview of its history, core beliefs, and polarizing divisions.

Islam at the Crossroads

Islam at the Crossroads PDF Author: Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi'
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780791457009
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 396

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Book Description
Sheds light on one of the most important religious thinkers in the modern Muslim world.

Cultural Crossroads in the Middle East

Cultural Crossroads in the Middle East PDF Author: Holger Molder
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789949035205
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 430

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Book Description
The region of the Middle East has been called the cradle of mankind. This volume studies historical, cultural, religious, social and political legacies, which play a central role in obstructing intercultural dialogue in the Middle East. The region became home to numerous cultures, religions and ethnicities with long experience of living together in a multicultural environment and has an immense impact on the entire human civilization as first human civilizations were born there. Today, more than 50% of world population follow Abrahamic religions (e.g. Christianity, Islam, Judaism), which have their roots in the Middle East. This book focuses on multiple topics related to the Middle East, including ancient history, the religion and mythology of the Ancient Near Eastern regions, Arabic, Persian and Islamic studies, Persian, Turkish and Arab literature, as well as modern Middle Eastern issues related to politics, security, society and the economy.

Genetic Crossroads

Genetic Crossroads PDF Author: Elise K. Burton
Publisher: Stanford University Press
ISBN: 1503614573
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 464

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Book Description
The Middle East plays a major role in the history of genetic science. Early in the twentieth century, technological breakthroughs in human genetics coincided with the birth of modern Middle Eastern nation-states, who proclaimed that the region's ancient history—as a cradle of civilizations and crossroads of humankind—was preserved in the bones and blood of their citizens. Using letters and publications from the 1920s to the present, Elise K. Burton follows the field expeditions and hospital surveys that scrutinized the bodies of tribal nomads and religious minorities. These studies, geneticists claim, not only detect the living descendants of biblical civilizations but also reveal the deeper past of human evolution. Genetic Crossroads is an unprecedented history of human genetics in the Middle East, from its roots in colonial anthropology and medicine to recent genome sequencing projects. It illuminates how scientists from Turkey to Yemen, Egypt to Iran, transformed genetic data into territorial claims and national origin myths. Burton shows why such nationalist appropriations of genetics are not local or temporary aberrations, but rather the enduring foundations of international scientific interest in Middle Eastern populations to this day.

Lebanese Women at the Crossroads

Lebanese Women at the Crossroads PDF Author: Nelia Hyndman-Rizk
Publisher:
ISBN: 1498522750
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 171

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Book Description
Thirty years after the end of the civil war, Lebanese women are still struggling for gender equality. This study builds on recent scholarship on women's activism in the Arab world, in the context of the Arab Spring. It examines how discourses of secularism and equal civil rights have informed the contemporary Lebanese women's movement in their campaigns for a domestic violence law, women's nationality rights, a women's quota in parliament, the reform of personal status law and the recognition of civil marriage. This book argues that women are caught between sect and nation, due to Lebanon's plural legal system, which makes a division between religious and civil law. While both jurisdictions allocate women relational rights, guided by the logic of patrilineal descent, women's inequality is central to the reproduction of sectarian difference and patriarchal control within the confessional political system, as a whole.