The late 20th century saw the emergence of an unexpected and extraordinary phenomenon, culminating in a devastating onslaught on the West in 2001: Islamist political movements. Beginning in the early 1970s, militants revolted against the regimes in power across the Muslim world and exacerbated political conflicts internationally. Their jihad - or 'Holy Struggle' - aimed to establish a global Islamic state based solely on a strict interpretation of the Qur'an. Jihad is the first comprehensive attempt to follow the history and spread of this new political-religious phenomenon. Kepel has travelled throughout the Muslim world gathering documents, interviews and archival material inaccessible to most scholars.
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'This is a landmark book, a work of breadth and scope and scholarship... It should be the standard work on political Islam.' - Fouad Ajami, author of Dream Palace of the Arabs 'Kepel's book is a wonderfully panoramic account of political Islam that weaves the story of demographic, class and political change in different Muslim countries together with the story of the international struggle between Saudi Arabia and Iran for the future of Islam.' -The Guardian 'This work is deeply researched, deeply measured and deeply instructive-- the best such survey available and likely to remain so for a while.' -Justin Wintle, Sunday Times '...Halliday's contribution to the debate on September 11th is thoughtful, readable and informative, a combination which elevates it above Tariq Ali and most of the competition in this field.'-Irish Times 'The virtue of this excellent book is the broadness of its coverage of the Islamist movements.' -Malise Ruthven, Prospect 'Kepel has the knack of explaining how events in one part of the Islamic world have affected developments elsewhere, bringing coherence to the world that Westerners call "Islamic Fundamentalism."' -Daily Telegraph"No-one else has attempted so bold an overview of the Islamist phenomenon. Of all the books on this subject, this is the most challenging and the most illuminating." The Economist "deeply researched, deeply measured and deeply instructive - the best survey available and likely to remain so" Justin Wintle, Sunday Times "Kepel's work... spans the world of political Islam, from the assassination of Egypt's President Anwar Sadat, to the establishment of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network in Afghanistan. He has the knack of explaining how events in one part of the Islamic world have affected developments elsewhere." Anton La Guardia, The Daily Telegraph
About the Author
Gilles Kepel is one of the world's foremost experts on the current Middle East and is director of research at the CNRS in Paris, and Professor at the Institute for Political Studies in Paris.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a very clear book and I would recommend it.
The book would also have been more enjoyable if amazon paid taxes properly in the UK.
The book would also have been more enjoyable if amazon paid taxes properly in the UK.
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
An excellent book offering the reader a deep insight into the world of political islam. At points the book can be slightly heavy going but only due to the detailed wealth of knowledge it delivers. If you are looking for a book for studing the Middle East or just to gain a real understanding of the region and the religion then this book is definately for you. I enjoyed it very much and despite having read extensively on the subject I learnt something new on every page. Well researched and a very informative writer Kepel, professor of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques and a CNRS luminary, adds an optimistic veiw. Even despite the inclusion of Osama bin Laden and the recent attacks he presents this as a last ditch attempt of a dying phenomenon. He claims the movement peaked in the 1970's and 80's and that we are entering an inevitable post-islamic era. This upbeat angle will please many of its US readers. Definately recommended
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Gilles Kepel is excellent. In this work he manages to scrutinize the both broad and complicated problem of political Islam without ever wandering off track. His view of islam appears to be neutral. He communicates the central problems of political islam, and more importantly, the central differences between the broad political movements and the violent extremes in an absolutely sober tone. I strongly recommend this book for serious students of the subject, i.e. university students or the like. This is not to be read as an introduction to the subject - its closer to being a conclusion.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply excellent
A very thorough and informative account of the history of radical Islam. One of the best books I have ever read.
Published on 22 Aug 2010 by Lars Stenbaek
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword
In this interesting and detailed work, the renowned French expert on radical Islam, Gilles Kepel, attempts to document the brief history of "political Islam"; those within the... Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2010 by Caped Crusader
4.0 out of 5 stars
A serious historical non partisan view of Political Islams history
This book covers the evolution of numerous Islamist/Jihadist groups over the last century. Kepel writes from a historical sociopolitical perspective analysing many of the Islamic... Read more
Published on 21 Oct 2009 by Spilsbury
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thought provoking
I would recommend this thought provoking book for those looking for a greater understanding of political Islam
Published on 27 Jun 2009 by R. Packham
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