The Art of Jihad: Realism in Islamic Political ThoughtNow all but forgotten, there exists within medieval Islamic political thought a coherent "realist" tradition analogous to its Western counterpart. In The Art of Jihad, Malik Mufti begins by analyzing contemporary debates on jihad designed to highlight the lacuna occupied by realism in other cultures. He explicates the features of medieval Islamic realism; those it shares with realism everywhere—a focus on power, for example, or the ubiquity of human conflict—but also those features that are distinctive: its insistence on the political centrality of religion, its rejection of scientific certainty, its valorization of hierarchy, and its adherence to empire as the optimal ethico-political framework. These features are fleshed out through the writings of medieval political thinkers such as Ibn al-Muqaffa`, al-Jahiz, and the anonymous author of a seminal military manual, as well as political philosophers such as Ibn Rushd and Ibn Khaldun. Finally, Mufti explores the prospects for a revival of Islamic realism in the context of the political and intellectual upheavals currently besetting the Middle East. |
Contents
1 | |
Chapter 2 Imperial Foundations | 23 |
Chapter 3 The Political Turn in Islamic Philosophy | 57 |
Chapter 4 Ibn Khalduns Synthesis | 89 |
Chapter 5 Contemporary Echoes | 123 |
Notes | 141 |
185 | |
209 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Abu Muhammad Abu Zahra according Active Intellect AK Party al-Farabi al-Hasan Al-Jahiz Al-Kindi al-Maqdisi al-Maʾmun Anima Arab argues Aristotle’s ascetic Athar authority Averroes Avicenna Beirut Book Byzantine Cairo Caliph celestial central chapter civilization Commentary conception contemporary contrast critical critique culture describes Dimitri Gutas distinction doctrine emerging empire enemy Ethics example God’s Greek human Ibid Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ Ibn Khaldun Ibn Qutayba Ibn Rushd Ibn Sina Ibn Sina’s imperial Islamic Philosophy jihad jurists Katip Çelebi Kharijis Kitab leadership liberal Mahdi Mahmassani Maqdisi medieval Metaphysics militant military modernists moral Mukhtasar Siyasat al-Hurub Muqaddima Muslim Muʿawiya natural necessary Nizam al-Mulk non-Muslims norms one’s Ottoman peace Persian Prophet Qurʾan Rasa'il realism regime religion religious scholars Risala rule rulers seek Shaltut Shifaʾ solidarity statecraft Strategikon Tahafut al-Tahafut texts theologians tion tradition translated treatise Turkey’s Umayyad victory virtuous York Zuhayli ʿAbbasid ʿAbd al-Hamid ʿAlaqat ʿAli ʿaṣabiyya