Islam beyond Borders
The Umma in World Politics
James Piscatori author Amin Saikal author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
Published:19th Sep '19
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£80.99(9781108481250)
Revealing how the one community of the faith in the Qur'an, the umma, affects competing politics of identity in the Muslim world.
Assuming a central place in Muslim life, the Qur'an speaks of one community of the faith, the umma. Despite this, there is little agreement on its meaning, and political self-interest and sectarian differences continue to undermine pan-Islamic aspirations. This study explores the search for a unified Muslim world that is rarely, if ever, achieved.Assuming a central place in Muslim life, the Qur'an speaks of one community of the faith, the umma. This unity of the faithful is recognised as the default aspiration of the believer, and in the modern era, intellectuals and political leaders have often vied both to define, and to lead it. Based on case studies of actors such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and ISIS, James Piscatori and Amin Saikal consider how some appeals to pan-Islam prove useful, yet other attempts at cross-border institutionalisation including the Sunni Caliphate or the modern Shi'i-inspired Islamic Revolution, founder on political self-interest and sectarian affiliations. Accompanied by a range of scriptural references to examine different interpretations of the umma, Piscatori and Saikal explore why, despite it meaning such widely different things, and its failure to be realised as a concrete project, neither the umma's popular symbolic appeal nor its influence on a politics of identity has diminished.
'… this is a very timely, informative, and insightful book.' A. T. Kuru, Choice
'Piscatori and Saikal fill a lacuna among existing publications in their book's blending of political theory with a novel analysis of political practices among contemporary Muslims … This book should be the default text for fellow practitioners and anyone who wishes to understand the rapidly changing pace of events in Islam and politics today.' Ravza Altuntaş-Çakır, Insight Turkey
ISBN: 9781108740555
Dimensions: 228mm x 153mm x 13mm
Weight: 340g
224 pages