Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam

Abstract

Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam contains nine chapters, the first of which is a well constructed introduction that refers to various aspects and functions of jihad within the Islamic system of thought. This chapter introduces the reader to pertinent vocabulary of the jihad doctrine, setting the stage for the material throughout the book. Through the vocabulary, the author adroitly strings together a variety of texts in subsequent chapters which all utilize terms and concepts such as dar al-Islam, believers vs. unbelievers, takfir (declaring someone an unbeliever), expansionist jihad, defensive jihad, jihad as international law, greater and lesser jihad, and more. The chapters that follow the introduction present six Islamic texts translated from Arabic and Turkish, and the book concludes with two of the author's previously published articles on jihad. The aim of the book is to provide basic reading material on the doctrine and to highlight the various aspects of jihad and its development through the ages ...