The conflict between fundamentalist Islam and the West, highlighted by the fatwah on Salmon Rushdie, appears impossible to resolve. This book examines how much of this antipathy between the two cultures is based on shared romantic notions of unchanging cultural identity. Al-Azmeh shows that, in fact, Islamic fundamentalism represents a break with important aspects of the Muslim tradition and should be seen as a general characteristic of populist nationalism. Utilizing his knowledge of history and the intellectual life of Islamic societies, Al-Azmeh calls for a deeper understanding of the way Islam is used in politics, society and history.
- ISBN10 086091626X
- ISBN13 9780860916260
- Publish Date 22 October 1993
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 11 July 1996
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Verso Books
- Format Paperback
- Pages 160
- Language English