Martyrdom and Sacrifice in Islam: Theological, Political and Social Contexts Contributor(s): Hatina, Meir (Author) |
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ISBN: 1784535087 ISBN-13: 9781784535087 Publisher: I. B. Tauris & Company OUR PRICE: $173.25 Product Type: Hardcover Published: December 2016 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - History | Middle East - General - Social Science | Death & Dying - History | Revolutionary |
Series: Library of Modern Religion |
Physical Information: 1.3" H x 5.5" W x 8.6" (1.30 lbs) 384 pages |
Themes: - Cultural Region - Middle East - Topical - Death/Dying |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Over the years, the belief system around self sacrifice has become key to understanding the Middle East and its political relationships with the West although much of the literature and conversation has been restricted to modern concepts of jihadism. The recent spate of scholarship relating to suicide bombers and jihadists studies these concepts without a broader understanding of the principle of martyrdom. This book expands on the chronology of self-sacrifice within Islam and contextualises the use of suicide bombings using details of the rise of martyrdom in places such as Iraq, Lebanon, Chechnya and Pakistan. It historicises the background in which 'jihad' has been glorified while also exploring contemporary methods of recruitment, like the use of the internet. The authors pay close attention to the different sects and factions of Islam and the differing interpretations of jihad that accompany these ideologies. In the current political climate, a book that explores martyrdom within the framework of historical perspectives, geographical regions and the influence of outside cultures is essential. |