The Future of Islam

Abstract

For John L. Esposito, writing on Islam and Muslim politics has been both a “profession and a vocation” for over three decades. Thus this book is a “culmination” of his work and experience, wherein one finds a sea change in just few decades, as “Islam and Muslim politics have moved from offstage to center stage” (p. 4). Thus one witnesses “an explosion of interest in and coverage of Islam” (p. 4) and Muslims because both are now political as well as religious matters of interest. In fact, Islam is considered “not only a faith … [but] also an ideology and worldview that informs Muslim politics and society” (p. 4). The Future of Islam is about “all of our future,” and through this book Esposito wants to tell the story of “how we got to where we are and what we need to understand and do to create … ‘a new way forward’” (p. 6). This new edition seeks to understand the struggle for reform in Islam and Muslim societies in order to “explore the religious, cultural, and political diversity of Muslims facing daunting challenges in Muslim countries in the west, to clarify the debate and dynamics of Islamic reform, to examine the attempt to combat religious extremism and terrorism, and to look into the future of Muslim-West relations” (p. 3). Divided into four main chapters, it is preceded by Karen Armstrong’s foreword, a preface, and an introduction. It ends with a precise but perceptive and discerning conclusion ...