Between Jihad and Salaam: Profiles in Islam [Paperback]

Joyce M. Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1999

For this revealing collection of interviews that unveil the thoughts and personalities of Muslim thinkers and leaders, Joyce Davis adopted traditional dress to gain access to a range of Islamic leaders normally off limits to westerners. In over a dozen face to face encounters with the hidden elite of the Muslim world, Davis reveals extremes in opinion. We hear the words of individuals such as the Sudan’s Hassan al Turabi, often described as the new Ayatollah; Muntassir al Zayat, spokesman for Al Gamaa and al Jihad, responsible for much of the violence in Egypt; and Abida Hussain, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the U.S. who allows her daughter to date. These men and women possess religious principles and moral leadership that many western readers will find admirable, while they also express sentiments that are alarming. What becomes clear from these profiles is that some of the people who once provoked fear are worthy of trust, while others, undeniably, are not.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The relationship between the Christian West and the Muslim world always has been uneasy. Muslims' long-standing grievances against the West date back to the Crusades and have been reinforced in more recent times by European colonialism and Western neoimperialism. Many Westerners perceive Islam as synonymous with militancy and as a threat to their interests. After traveling to various parts of the Muslim world and interviewing scholars and political activists, Davis, deputy senior foreign editor for National Public Radio, has done a fine job of breaking down Muslim stereotypes in the West. Her interviews convincingly shatter the myth of a monolithic Islam, offering instead a nuanced and highly informative picture of contemporary Islamic polity. Her book would have been even stronger had Davis included interviews with Shia scholars. Recommended for both general readers and informed lay readers.?Nader Entessar, Spring Hill Coll., Mobile, Ala.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In America, our most prevalent exposure to Islamic world leaders has been limited to the brief TV sound bites of just a handful of individuals. In this work, Davis presents us with a compelling and considerably more in-depth perspective of 17 key figures from Islamic countries around the world. Her format is to offer a biographical sketch, focusing on the major issues the person has been involved in, and then a transcript of an interview, letting the subject speak for him-or herself. The result is both fascinating and informative. The reader receives a glimpse into the lives of intelligent, articulate, and dedicated leaders, who often disagree with each other on fundamental issues. From countries as diverse as Jordan, Pakistan, or Indonesia, Muslims candidly express opinions that are sometimes reassuring to the West and sometimes very challenging. Davis, a deputy senior foreign editor for National Public Radio, has traveled extensively through Islamic countries and is well versed in their cultures and histories. Highly recommended. Eric Robbins --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1st Griffin Pbk edition (March 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312217811
• ISBN-13: 978-0312217815
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,019,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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