Historical Dictionary of Islamic Fundamentalist Movements in the Arab World, Iran, and Turkey [Hardcover]

Ahmad Moussalli (Author), Jon Woronoff (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0810836092 | ISBN-13: 978-0810836099 | Publication Date: September 8, 1999

This reference work provides a needed ready reference to the essential information on and analytical discussion of basic ideas, notions, concepts, doctrines, ideologies, leaders, intellectuals, thinkers, ideologues, groups, and movements of Islamic fundamentalism or Islamism in the Arab world, Iran and Turkey. In one volume, Moussalli provides information about not only the origins and actions of Islamic fundamentalists, but the ideas and principles on which they are based. An invaluable source for both the broad pictures of Islamic fundamentalism and the specific details.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The bibliography, some 80 pages in length and organized geographically, is without doubt one of the best bibliographies currently available on the subject. This important work is highly recommended for all college and university libraries and to public libraries concerned to remain current in international affairs. (Choice )

For people wanting to get beyond the simplistic and feverish headlines, and yearn for sober analysis, the author provides an intelligent and informative guide...this is a pioneering work... (Reference Reviews )

This volume represents a potentially valuable addition to the available English-language sources on Islamic material that may help to inform in greater detail future comparative studies of fundamentalism. (Religious Studies News )

It provides clear, accessible, and succinct yet comprehensive references... (Journal Of Palestine Studies )

This book provides essential information-- basic ideas, doctrines, ideologies, leaders, thinkers, groups, and movements-- on Islamic fundamentalism in the Arab world, Iran, and Turkey. (The Middle East Journal )

From the Ayatollah Khomeini to Muhammad Khatami, from Hasan al-Banna to Sayyid Qutb, one can learn just who these people are or were and what ideas they have put forward. As important, the work explains most of the terms, key words and concepts that one needs to know to make accurate sense of Islamic fundamentalist rhetoric. (Middle East Policy )

This book fills a major lacuna in our knowledge about who is who in the contemporary world of Islamic revivalism. (The Muslim World )

About the Author

Ahmad S. Moussalli is Associate Professor of Political Science at the American University of Beirut.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 430 pages
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press (September 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810836092
• ISBN-13: 978-0810836099
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,966,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Dictionary of Islamic Groups, July 5, 2011

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This review is from: Historical Dictionary of Islamic Fundamentalist Movements in the Arab World, Iran, and Turkey (Hardcover)

"Historical Dictionary of Islamic Fundamentalist Movements in the Arab World, Iran and Turkey" by Ahmad S. Moussalli (1999). An A-Z listing of 1,300+ Islamic movements throughout the Arab world in 312 pages of text (with 89 pages of bibliography, all totaling 401 pages). Regarding Usama bin Laden, the author noted in part (pre 9/11): "He is one of the most internationally notorious fundamentalists" along with a full page of Usama's background. Besides posting the names of individuals and political/ religious groups, the author provides brief commentary regarding various Muslim concepts (with an Islamist emphasis), such as: apostasy/ridda; jihad/ struggle: [`radical fundamentalists cannot accept the argument that Islam launches jihad only for defensive purposes' (but the author does not explain the religious foundations of the fundamentalists, nor does he quote ayat from the Quran that the fundamentalists use to justify their extremism)]; or Jerusalem Day (something Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini started to support the Palestinian recapture of Jerusalem); Western civilization (al-Hadara al-Gharbiyya) versus Western colonization (al-Istimar al-Gharbi). This book is more of a short-worded dictionary rather than that of an expansively-worded encyclopedia. The typical subject is about 50-75 words long. [A fine companion book: "Guide to Islamist Movements" (2 vols.) by Barry Rubin (2009).]