Postmodernism and Islam: Predicament and Promise [Paperback]

Akbar S. Ahmed (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 1992 | ISBN-10: 0415062934 | ISBN-13: 978-0415062930 | Edition: 1

In this remarkable and accomplished book Professor Akbar Ahmed is a friendly and knowledgeable companion through the thickets of Western culture and Islamic culture. As one of the world's leading Islamic scholars and an incisive Muslim commentator on the West, he is in a unique position to offer an indispensible guide to these complicated and vexed questions. He writes with a clear moral purpose: to reduce misunderstandings between East and West and to make what seems alien and strange to each culture intelligible. Why do Muslims want to kill Salman Rushdie? How can the study of the Greek gods help to make sense of the current perceptions and misperceptions in East-West relations? Will Islam replace Communism as the new enemy of the West? What is the relevance of postmodernism to Islam? Can West and East ever understand each other? In exploring these questions Professor Ahmed goes back into history and looks into the future. Emphasizing the role of the mass media in shaping our mental map of East-West relations, he analyses the ways the media turned the Rushdie affair and the Gulf war into a carnival of spectacle and entertainment. He makes use of the postmodern theme of the displaced, circulating image to show how images are used to tell stories - stories which are not always helpful or accurate. Written with panache and an unswerving fidelity to truth Postmodernism and Islam will help us to understand our times. Above all, it will be seen as a major enquiry in the study of Islamic and Christian relations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (June 21, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415062934
• ISBN-13: 978-0415062930
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,536,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing book... no other like it, July 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Postmodernism and Islam: Predicament and Promise (Paperback)

Ahmed is a refreshing voice in the world of contemporary Islam. With deep sophistication and grace he is able to weave a tapestry of the best of the Postmodern and the truth of Islam in a way no other has done to this point in time.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for readers who dont like to be shocked, April 28, 2002

By 

peter noble (Prague,Czech republic) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Postmodernism and Islam: Predicament and Promise (Paperback)

It is a clearly and thought provokingly written book by a former Professor from Cambridge university in England.He presents very clear arguments which he endeavours the reader to follow, the conclusion is mind blowing and is difficult to counter.He presents most of the important jigsaw pieces to give an accurate picture.The way he starts with the ancient greek culture and learning, is enlightening in his commentary.If you want to know why the monotheistic religions with a lot of common ground fail to see eye to eye then look no further than this.There is an extensive citation index as well.

6 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Manipulative and misleading, December 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Postmodernism and Islam: Predicament and Promise (Paperback)

I felt ahmed had some good points about some issues but I feel he used speculation and conjecture to manipulate his evidence. The arguement that Saddam Hussein had support of his fellow arabs was plain and simply erroneous. I feel examples such as this are irresponsible and unethical for use in a text of this nature. Also, I realize the book was meant to be a little antagonistic but I think he went to far in pushing his opinions and spent too much time criticizing a few western indiviuals.