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Islam, Fundamentalism & the Betrayal of Tradition, Revised
This is the web page of the revised edition of "Islam, Fundamentalism & the Betrayal of Tradition: Essays by Western Muslim Scholars"
Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition, Revised: Essays by Western Muslim Scholars
Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition, Revised: Essays by Western Muslim Scholars
Click cover for larger image.
Author(s): 
Subjects(s): 
History
Islam
Modernism
Tradition

Price:  $21.95

ISBN:  978-1-933316-66-6
Book Size:  6 × 9
# of Pages:  384
Language:  English



Summary
Seven years after the horrific attacks of September 11th, misunderstanding and distrust between Islam and the West are still as rampant as ever. In this new and fully revised edition of his critically acclaimed book, Joseph Lumbard collects a series of essays that explain not only the veil of misconceptions which lie at the heart of Western attitudes towards Islam, but also the rise of “fundamentalism” within Islam itself, a phenomenon which most Muslims do not consider a true reflection of their religion. This new edition includes the addition of an essay on the role of women in Islam, an updated chapter containing insight into the concept of Jihad, and three fully revised chapters that bring the discussion up-to-date with the current global situation. A completely modified introduction is also featured. This book is an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to see beyond the headlines of hatred and anger which are so common today.

  Winner of Best Book 2010 Award for “Current Events: Political/Social” by USA Book News  

  Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award Finalist for “Political Science”  
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Details on "Islam, Fundamentalism & the Betrayal of Tradition"

Seven years after the horrific attacks of September 11th, misunderstanding and distrust between Islam and the West are still as rampant as ever. In this new and fully revised edition of his critically acclaimed book, Joseph Lumbard collects a series of essays that explain not only the veil of misconceptions which lie at the heart of Western attitudes towards Islam, but also the rise of “fundamentalism” within Islam itself, a phenomenon which most Muslims do not consider a true reflection of their religion. This new edition includes the addition of an essay on the role of women in Islam, an updated chapter containing insight into the concept of Jihad, and three fully revised chapters that bring the discussion up-to-date with the current global situation. A completely modified introduction is also featured. This book is an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to see beyond the headlines of hatred and anger which are so common today.

In his foreword to the book, noted Islamic scholar and author Seyyed Hossein Nasr states that "the present work is one of the most significant, timely, and fresh Muslim responses to [the events of September 11], and marks an important step in bringing the deeper resources of the Islamic tradition to bear upon the task at hand, the task to present the authentic teachings of Islam to the West at this difficult moment of history as far as the relations between Islam and the West are concerned." Nasr goes on to point out that "this groundbreaking volume…presents a new and timely voice of several well-trained and serious engaged scholars writing about major issues that have come to the forefront as a result of the events of the past couple of years, but which of course have their roots in older historical realities. Anyone, whether he or she be a Muslim, a follower of another religion, or more generally anyone who is seriously interested in the relation between Islam and the West and Islam in the West, cannot but be attracted to this volume, which is the fruit of the thought of some of the best minds of the younger generation of Muslim scholars, who are at the same time part of Western society, bearing upon some of the most momentous issues of the day."

  Winner of Best Book 2010 Award for “Current Events: Political/Social” by USA Book News  

  Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award Finalist for “Political Science”  


About the Editor, and the Contributor of the Foreword

Joseph E. B. Lumbard

Joseph Lumbard is the founder of The Islamic Research Institute and is currently Assistant Professor of Classical Islam at Brandeis University. He is a specialist in Sufism and Islamic Philosophy, and has had numerous articles published in journals of traditionalism, comparative religion, and philosophy. In the wake of September 11, 2001, Dr. Lumbard founded the Islamic Research Institute (IRI) to provide a forum in which Muslim scholars are able to contextualize issues pertaining to Islam and apply the traditional teachings of Islam to the exigencies of modern life.

Dr. Joseph Lumbard has edited the award-winning book Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition (revised edition) for World Wisdom.


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Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Seyyed Hossein Nasr (b. 1933) is University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University. The author of over thirty books and three hundred articles, he is one of the world’s most respected writers and speakers on Islam, its arts and sciences, and its traditional mystical path, Sufism.
Prof. Seyyed Hossein Nasr's work is found in the following selected World Wisdom books:
         

See additional World Wisdom listings (More).


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Reviews of "Islam, Fundamentalism & the Betrayal of Tradition"

Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition provides the context necessary for a deeper understanding of important issues pertaining to Islam and the modern Middle East. It accomplishes this by explaining the traditional Islamic perspective in a contemporary language. Some essays analyze the historical background of Islamic militancy, demonstrating how the scriptures and teachings of Islam condemn religious fanaticism and gratuitous aggression. Some examine the conditions that allowed for the rise of such an aberration, while others address the divide between East and West, bringing into relief the pressures of modernization and globalization which have produced an internal confusion which fans the flames of religious extremism.

Offering an analysis by Western Muslim scholars of the key reasons behind the dangerous breakdown in understanding between Islam and the West, and clearly outlining the causes for the rise of the modern phenomenon termed “fundamentalism”—and revealing its sharp contrast with traditional Islam—these essays penetrate the veils of misconception which obscure genuine knowledge of one of the great world religions. The book provides a foundation for mutual understanding based upon the traditional intellectual teachings of Islam.”

Banyen Books and Sound



"This book capably argues for a return to the true spirit of classical Islamic intellectualism, disregarding the distractions and obstacles created by the West.…This book is a good resource for progressive Muslims, graduate students and readers already well versed on the politics of Islamic theology."

Publishers Weekly



"9/11 brought into sharp relief the struggle for the soul of Islam which has gripped Muslim communities across the world. In its wake many have asked, 'Where are the moderate Muslims?'  Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition: Essays by Western Muslim Scholars provides access to insightful and, at times, provocative Muslim voices."

John L. Esposito, University Professor, Georgetown University, and author of Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam



"This book is of critical importance in clearing away the confusion and media-induced misconception that fundamentalists—be they contemporary wahabis or violent extremists who have hijacked the word 'jihad'—represent Traditional or Orthodox Islam. They do not now and never have, any more than that rebel and regicide Oliver Cromwell represented Traditional Christianity."

Prof. S. Abdallah Schleifer, American University of Cairo



"Anyone, whether he or she be a Muslim, a follower of another religion, or more generally anyone who is seriously interested in the relation between Islam and the West and Islam in the West, cannot but be attracted to this volume, which is the fruit of the thought of some of the best minds of the younger generation of Muslim scholars, who are at the same time part of Western society, bearing upon some of the most momentous issues of the day. These are issues which affect the lives of everyone, young and old, issues which everyone in the Islamic world and the West who has the necessary capability and vision must seek to address and solve for the sake of all of God's creatures wherever they might be, for as the Quran asserts, to God belong both the East and the West."

Seyyed Hossein Nasr, the George Washington University, and author of The Heart of Islam : Enduring Values for Humanity



"With America's 'war on terrorism' being seen increasingly by many people as a 'war on Islam' there is nothing more important than informed scholarly analysis around the nature of contemporary Islam. This volume helps us in that understanding and provides us a desperately needed perspective in the discussion which threatens to spin out of control in a miasma of prejudice and ignorance."

Akbar S. Ahmed, American University, and author of Discovering Islam: Making Sense of Muslim History and Society



"This book is indispensable for any specialist on the Islamic world and at the same time is accessible to the educated general reader. The chapters by different authors achieve the rare distinction of being of uniformly high quality. Several of the essays in this volume are important contributions to the field. In this troubled time when so much misinformation circulates about Islam and Muslims, this book is a badly needed corrective."

Antony T. Sullivan, Director of Faculty at International Institute for Political and Economic Studies



"Joseph Lumbard's collection of forthright yet balanced and reflective essays contributes to a much-needed corrective of the perception that too few Muslim scholars have spoken out against distortions and misrepresentations of their own tradition. Together the essays place in high relief the damaging effects of radicalist Muslim rejections of history and culture as the essential contexts of religious communities."

John Renard, Saint Louis University



"This anthology illuminates a subject all too often obscured by misunderstanding, prejudice, political opportunism and downright ignorance—namely, the problematic relations between traditional Islam, various strains of politico-religious 'fundamentalism' and the modern West. These thoughtful essays will prove invaluable to those
seeking to understand the deep-seated forces at work, the true nature of Islam and the malignant role of the secular ideologies of modernity. It is a work of the most timely urgency, addressed to people of good will, whatever their political and religious affiliations and wherever they may found."

Harry Oldmeadow, La Trobe University Bendigo, and author of Traditionalism: Religion in the Light of the Perennial Philosophy



"Islam must be conciliated in the West if we are to move on to better days. Knowledge is the only means we have to do so and this book is a step in the right direction."

Hamza Yusuf, Director of the Zaytuna Institute



"Significant numbers of Muslims, especially among the young, the inexperienced, and the disenfranchised see modernity, globalization, and the preponderance of the West as gravely threatening to their culture and Tradition, and in this respect their perceptions are correct. Some of them believe they are defenders of God's works but, like their western confreres, they lack profound understanding not only of human nature but also of their own Tradition. Both sides operate from false premises and are driven by ignorance and a "zeal not according to knowledge" Truth, Justice, and Peace are found on the side of the Eternal, not with erroneous and concupiscent interests, whether Eastern or Western. The essays in this collection will help the serious reader understand the real underlying issues."

Alvin Moore, Jr., co-editor of Selected Letters of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy



"The eight essays collected here were written by Western-trained scholars committed to traditional Muslim faith and practice. As such, they firmly reject the extremism of puritanical reformist movements in the Muslim world. These movements “have abandoned the guidance of their own intellectual heritage” for rigid, literal readings of the Qur’an and the prophetic traditions. Yet they also reject secular modernism, which fosters oppressive globalization and economic colonialism, denigrates traditional Muslim cultural values, and undermines morality by relegating God’s revelations to the purely private sphere. Two essays address the “myth of a militant Islam” and contrast it with the true spirit of jihad. Additional essays examine the rise of inauthentic, ideological forms of Islam, the economies of terrorism, traditionalist responses to modernity, globalization’s role in fostering Western-Muslim conflict, and Euro-American misconceptions of Islam pre- and post- 9/11. Despite some tension between the post colonial methodology and the traditionalist agenda of the text, this volume is essential for anyone concerned about the role Islam plays in contemporary culture. Recommended for all academic and public libraries."

Library Journal ( Steve Young, McHentry City. Calf., Crystal Lake, IL)



"Even more than three years after 9/11, Americans barely understand what is happening in the Muslim world — that enormous, complex and conflict-ridden swath of geography stretching across the globe. With 1.2 billion followers, Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion—but it also the most misunderstood. Joseph Lumbard attempts to correct some of these misunderstandings in his book, “Islam, Fundamentalism and the Betrayal of Tradition.” One of the key arguments of the book: that because ignorance feeds extremists, any sustained attack on terrorism must include Western efforts to cultivate a more accurate appreciation of Islamic tradition. Most importantly, it lays to rest the notion that Islam is a backward, insular and a violent religion.

Written by a group of young Muslim scholars with a deep understanding of Western and Islamic civilization, this volume questions much of the prevailing “wisdom” regarding Islam, its history and tradition. The young authors cover a vast array of topics both historical and thematic. With a foot in both Western and Islamic tradition, each chapter provides remarkably clear insight into both worlds.

Sadly, the events of Sept. 11 have confirmed for many people a vision of Islam that is unjust and violent. The authors of this volume hope to show a different picture. In their view, the tradition of Islam does not preach violence, it does not preach vicious holy war, it certainly does not condone terror, suicide bombing or anything of that sort. Like all of the great world religions, it preaches compassion and justice, and that is why it has been a success.

When people hold traditional religious education responsible for spreading a culture of hatred, they fail to see it's not the traditional religious values that lead people to violence, but the loss of it. The real debate is not going to be between belief and secularism. The authors suggest the real conflict now is between cynicism and hope. The principal vocation of religious communities in the public sphere is not to bring their dogma, but to bring the one thing you must have if you're going to change your neighborhood, your community, or your world — a dynamic of tolerance based on justice and hope.

The authors try to reach out beyond their own community for the common good of all. Their attempt to set the traditional record straight is not meant to suggest that “there will be no peace among nations unless there is peace among religions,” or that “wars in the name of religion are wars against religions.” The challenge before us is to confront the issues and challenges of our times together.

The authors have committed themselves to dialogue and a new beginning based on a reciprocal willingness to listen and understand “the other”. In the process the book accomplishes its mission. What is important is that both sides should be willing to question one's own self-understanding – yet at the same time they must also be open to understanding “the other” on their own terms."

Farid Senzai, Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding



"…for those who are looking seriously for the taproot to terrorism and the only adequate answers to it will find it in Islam, Fundamentalism and the Betrayal of Tradition."

The Muslim World Book Review (reviewed by Robert Dickson Crane)



"The contributions to the volume display wide-ranging scholarship, and a measured tone which lends additional conviction to the arguments which they present. There are critiques of globalization and of the secular ethos which it seeks to propagate, and also of the extremist movements which have arisen within Islam largely in reaction to the destabilizing invasiveness of modernity. Most instructive is the perception, shared by all of the authors, that these antagonistic ideologies are two sides of a single coin. Far from it being the case that the current crisis represents a confrontation between modernity and 'tradition', it is only through a recognition and reaffirmation of the cardinal traditions of Islam that that crisis can be transcended."

Temenos Review



"[This is] a work I deem to be of great importance. I would be happy to see this book translated into many languages, both Western and Islamic…and distributed as widely as possible: the world today has need of the insight and wisdom contained in these essays!"

Wolfgang Smith, author of Cosmos and Transcendence : Breaking Through the Barrier of Scientistic Belief and The Wisdom of Ancient Cosmology





“A very timely collection of essays. Western Muslim scholars add a voice that cannot but temper the heated rhetoric about Islam and America after Set. 11, 2001.… A very eye opening look at the truth behind the Islamic tradition. Excellent essays—very thought provoking.”
Midwest Book Award Judging Panel


Table of Contents for Islam, Fundamentalism & the Betrayal of Tradition, Revised

Foreword   (by Seyyed Hossein Nasr)

Introduction  (by Joseph E. B. Lumbard

Part I:  Religious Foundations

1.  The Myth of a Militant Islam (by David Dakake)

2.  The Decline of Knowledge and the Rise of Ideology in the Modern Islamic World (by Joseph E. B. Lumbard)

3.  A Traditional Islamic Response to the Rise of Modernism (by Fuad S. Naeem)

Part II:  Historical Dimensions

4.  Recollecting the Spirit of Jihad  (by Reza Shah-Kazemi)

5.  Roots of Misconception: Euro-American Perceptions of Islam  Before and After September 11 (by  

Ibrahim Kalin)

Part III:  Political Dimensions

6.  The Economics of Terrorism: How bin Laden Has Changed  the Rules of the Game  (by Waleed El-Ansary)

7.  The Muslim World and Globalization: Modernity and the Roots of Conflict (by Ejaz Akram)

8.  Beyond the Veil: The Sufi View of Women and Femininity  (by Zailan Moris)

Epilogue:

9.  The Poverty of Fanaticism (by T. J. Winter)

Select Glossary of Foreign and Technical Terms

Notes on Contributors

Index



Read selections from "Islam, Fundamentalism & Betrayal of Tradition"
 TitleSourceAuthor 1Author 2Subject WW HTMLWW PDFExternal Link
The Decline of Knowledge and the Rise of Ideology in the Modern Islamic WorldIslam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition, Revised: Essays by Western Muslim ScholarsLumbard, Joseph E. B. Islam, Modernism
Roots Of Misconception: Euro-American Perceptions Of Islam Before And After September 11Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition, Revised: Essays by Western Muslim ScholarsKalin, Ibrahim History, Inter-faith dialogue, Islam
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