Comparative Book Review of Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam and The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror
Abstract
The horrific attacks of September 11, 2001 - ostensibly carried out in the name of Islam - focused American attention on militant Islam and raised important questions about the fundamental nature of the world's second-largest religion and the violence carried out in its name. Is Islam, as asserted by President Bush, a religion of peace? Is the violent jihad (a central concept of Islam, which can mean both to strive to lead a good Muslim life in the path of God and to rise up in arms against unbelievers) proclaimed by Osama bin Laden consistent with the tenets of this religion? In a March 2003 Discovery Spotlight television report, New York Times commentator Thomas L. Friedman remarked, "Until we understand the roots of 9/11, I don't think we'll ever be safe."1 In keeping with Sun Tzu's counsel to know one's enemy, contemporary American military strategy must be informed by an understanding of the beliefs and goals of our self-proclaimed Muslim enemies. In Unholy War and The Crisis of Islam, professors John Esposito and Bernard Lewis, respectively, introduce the non-Muslim reader to Islam's principles, customs, and history, with a particular focus on the defining element of jihad, in order to better understand the mindset and motivations of terrorists claiming to act in the name of Islam. They also explain the growing grassroots Islamic identity that appears increasingly hostile to the West generally and America in particular. Esposito and Lewis, both respected American scholars having written or edited between them some 40 books on Islam, present clear and dispassionate explanations of the teachings of Islam - from the Quran, the example of the Prophet Muhammad, and Islamic law developed over the past 13 centuries - on jihad and legitimate warfare, the use of violence, and the terrorist tactics employed today by al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other nominally-Islamic militant groups. Both authors distinguish between Islam as an expression of faith and political Islam,
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA441630
Entities
People
- William R. Marhoffer
Organizations
- National War College