Radical Islam and the Revival of Medieval Theology

With a scope that bridges the gap between the study of classical Islam and the modern Middle East, this book uncovers a profound theological dimension in contemporary Islamic radicalism and explores the continued relevance of medieval theology to modern debates. Based on an examination of the thought of the medieval scholar Taqī al-Dīn Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328), the book demonstrates how long-standing fault lines within Sunni Islam have resurfaced in the past half-century to play a major role in such episodes as the Quṭbist controversy within the Muslim Brotherhood, the split between radical salafīs and politically quietist ones, the renunciation of militancy by Egyptian and Libyan jihadist groups, and the radicalization of the insurgency in the North Caucasus. This work combines classical Islamic scholarship with a deep familiarity with contemporary radicalism and offers compelling new insights into the structure of modern radical Islam.

Author: Daniel Lav
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 02/29/2012
Pages: 248
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9781107009646

About the Author
Lav, Daniel: - Daniel Lav is a PhD candidate in Islamic and Middle East Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel.