Synopses & Reviews
John L. Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. Now, in this brilliant portrait of Islam today--and tomorrow--he draws on a lifetime of thought and research to sweep away the negative stereotypes and provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world.
Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect global politics. Are Islam and the West locked in a deadly clash of civilizations? Is Islam compatible with democracy and human rights? Will religious fundamentalism block the development of modern societies in the Islamic world? Will Islam overwhelm the Western societies in which so many Muslim immigrants now reside? Will Europe become Eurabia or will the Muslims assimilate? Which Muslim thinkers will be most influential in the years to come? To answer this last question he introduces the reader to a new generation of Muslim thinkers--Tariq Ramadan, Timothy Winter, Mustafa Ceric, Amina Wadud, and others--a diverse collection of Muslim men and women, both the "Martin Luthers" and the "Billy Grahams" of Islam. We meet religious leaders who condemn suicide bombing and who see the killing of unarmed men, women, and children as "worse than murder," who preach toleration and pluralism, who advocate for women's rights. The book often underscores the unexpected similarities between the Islamic world and the West and at times turns the mirror on the US, revealing how we appear to Muslims, all to highlight the crucial point that there is nothing exceptional about the Muslim faith.
Recent decades have brought extraordinary changes in the Muslim world, and in addressing all of these issues, Esposito paints a complex picture of Islam in all its diversity--a picture of urgent importance as we face the challenges of the coming century.
Review
"A Georgetown University professor and well-known scholar of Islam, Esposito analyzes the current and future practice of Islam in this short but insightful volume... Esposito's enthusiasm for his topic makes his book an easy and enlightening read."--Publishers Weekly
"Esposito's book is a calculated appeal to the moderate middle ground upon whom the success of Obama's policies depends. Esposito is the right man for the job: he is a leading scholar of modern Islam, with more than 35 books on the subject to his credit, and heads a centre for Christian-Muslim understanding at Georgetown University. Through his scholarship and engaging writing, Esposito proposes the way forward for a better future for both Islam and the west."--The Financial Times
"Esposito's newest book is a well-researched, richly nuanced portrait of Islam. Though manageable at 234 pages, the book is both comprehensive and in-depth. His choices are fascinating and provide a road map for the myriad ways in which Islam is changing and adapting to new challenges. 'The Future of Islam' is a step in the right direction."--The Christian Science Monitor
"The Future of Islam will be welcomed by readers who want a solid overview of where Islam and Muslims are now...Esposito provides, in short, the kind of information that is all too often lacking in U.S. foreign policy approaches to Muslims and the Muslim world."--America Magazine
"Esposito, who has spent some three decades writing books that present Islam and Muslims to nonspecialists, is at his best here." ---Foreign Affairs
"A powerful call for mutual respect between Muslims and non-Muslims and for a paradigm change in US-foreign policy, though in a balanced and informed way, offside populist argumentation."--Der Islam
Synopsis
In this brilliant portrait, one of America's leading authorities on Islam draws on a lifetime of thought and research to sweep away the negative stereotypes and provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world.
Synopsis
John L. Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. Now, in this brilliant portrait of Islam today-- and tomorrow-- he draws on a lifetime of thought and research to provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world.
Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect global politics: Is Islam compatible with modern notions of democracy, rule of law, gender equality, and human rights? How representative and widespread is Islamic fundamentalism and the threat of global terrorism? Can Muslim minority communities be loyal citizens in America and Europe? In the midst of these questions Esposito places an important emphasis on the issue of Islamophobia, the threat it poses, and its vast impact on politics and society in the US and Europe. He also turns the mirror on the US and Europe and paints a revealing portrait of how we appear to Muslims.
Recent decades have brought extraordinary changes in the Muslim world, and in addressing these issues, Esposito paints a complex picture of Islam in all its diversity--a picture of urgent importance as we face the challenges of the coming century.
About the Author
John L. Esposito is University Professor of Religion and International Affairs at Georgetown University and Founding Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin-Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. He is the editor of
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Modern Islam and
The Oxford History of Islam, and author of
Unholy War, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, and many other acclaimed works.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Many Faces of Islam and Muslims
2. God in Politics
3:"Islam Needs a Reformation: Where is its Martin Luther?"
4: America and the Muslim World: Building a New Way Forward
Conclusion
Notes
Index