This is a substantially expanded edition of the author's seminal work "The Authoritative and Authoritarian in Islamic Discourses: A Contemporary Case Study". Beginning with the case study of a Muslim basketball player who refused to stand up while the American national anthem was playing, the author documents the disintegration of the Islamic juristic tradition, and the prevalence of authoritarianism in contemporary Muslim discourses. The author analyzes the rise of what he describes as puritan and despotic trends in modern Islam, and asserts that such trends nullify the richness and diversity of the Islamic tradition. By declaring themselves the true soldiers of God and the defenders of religion, Muslim puritan movements are able to degrade women, eradicate critical thinking, and empty Islam of its moral content. In effect, the author argues, the selfdeclared protectors of Islam become its despots and oppressors who suppress the dynamism and vigor of the Islamic message. Anchoring himself in the rich Islamic jurisprudential tradition, the author argues for upholding the authoritativeness of the religious text without succumbing to authoritarian methodologies of interpretation. Ultimately, the author asserts that in order to respect the integrity of the Divine laws it is necessary to adopt rigorous analytical methodologies of interpretation, and to reinvestigate the place of morality in modern Islam.
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This short, brilliant, and timely book distinguishes between the authoritative and authoritarian in Islamic discourses... a brilliant use of the traditions of Islamic jurisprudence in arguing for an anti-authoritarian and anti-elitist position in Islamic hermeneutics... Extensive footnotes and bibliography; HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for upper-division undergraduates and above. -- L.H. Mamiya, Vassar College CHOICE Over all, the book is informative, educational, and interesting. -- Muhammad Tahir Mansoori Islamic Studies ?provocative, brave, and compelling?The book highly recommended for all interested in Islamic law and contemporary Muslim progressive thought?> -- Andrew Rippin, University of Victoria, Canada Religious Studies Review Scholars of all legal, religious, and historical persuasions are urged to read this text, for it offers a multi-layered, painless introduction to the crux of a contemporary legal power struggle. -- D.A. Spellberg, University of Texas at Austin CHOICE Scholars of all legal, religious, and historical persuasions are urged to read this text, for it offers a multi-layered, painless introduction to the crux of a contemporary legal power struggle. -- D.A. Spellberg, University of Texas at Austin CHOICE Over all, the book is informative, educational, and interesting. -- Muhammad Tahir Mansoori Islamic Studies ...provocative, brave, and compelling...The book highly recommended for all interested in Islamic law and contemporary Muslim progressive thought... -- Andrew Rippin, University of Victoria, Canada Religious Studies Review
About the Author
Khaled M. Abou El Fadl is Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law where he teaches Islamic Law, Immigration, Human Rights, Terrorism, and National Security Law.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alhamdulillah! Every thinking Muslim must read this!
6 Feb 2005
By Fatima J
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Dr. Khaled Abu El Fadl is brilliant, Mashallah. I read everything of his that I can get my hands on. He possesses an amazing clarity of thought and the ability to explain his ideas to readers in a straight forward and logical way. He supports his arguments with conscise explanations, and gives copious citations and footnotes which show that he really knows where he is coming from and what he is talking about.
"And God Knows the Soldiers" is a much needed look at how the modern puritanical movement in Islam (Wahhabism and it's offshoots)has usurped authority and has blatantly ignored much of the rich discourse from the history of Islamic thought, especially in terms of jurisprudence. Dr. Abu El Fadl intelligently and respectfully attacks the methods used by the contemporary self-appointed authorities, and shows how they are used deviously to homogenize Islam and Muslims, mostly to the detriment of women, but also at the expense of basic moral values.
After reading Dr. Abu El Fadl's works, especially this one, I feel that I have a revived love for the Islamic tradition and a deeper understanding of the message of the Quran and of the actions and behavior of our Beloved Prophet (saw).
If you care about the state of Islam and Muslims in the world today, you must read this book.
"And God Knows the Soldiers" is a much needed look at how the modern puritanical movement in Islam (Wahhabism and it's offshoots)has usurped authority and has blatantly ignored much of the rich discourse from the history of Islamic thought, especially in terms of jurisprudence. Dr. Abu El Fadl intelligently and respectfully attacks the methods used by the contemporary self-appointed authorities, and shows how they are used deviously to homogenize Islam and Muslims, mostly to the detriment of women, but also at the expense of basic moral values.
After reading Dr. Abu El Fadl's works, especially this one, I feel that I have a revived love for the Islamic tradition and a deeper understanding of the message of the Quran and of the actions and behavior of our Beloved Prophet (saw).
If you care about the state of Islam and Muslims in the world today, you must read this book.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Scholar!
28 Feb 2006
By Moderate1
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Dr. Abou El Fadl's books are all great. This one is a bit like " The Great Theft". He talks about moderate Islam as being true Islam, and takes on the extremists with much knowledge. Alhamdulillah!!!!
4 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
15 July 2003
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
A brilliant analysis of contemporary muslim discourses on islamic law and morality.
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