Islam in the Middle East: A Living Tradition / Edition 1

by G. P. Makris

Overview

This concise book offers a nuanced introduction to Islam in the Middle East. It presentsIslam as both a unified tradition of theological dogma and practices that transcends cultural differences and as a dynamic tradition that is historically informed, locally shaped, and continually reinterpreted.

• Offers numerous ethnographic examples from the Middle East and North Africa
• Explores key concepts, including the doctrinal foundations of Islam; the role of religious scholars; the five pillars; and Islamic "orthodoxy"
• Includes discussion of spirit-possession cults as integral part of Islamic tradition
• Introduces politics and current affairs as key elements in understanding contemporary Islamic discourse

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781405116039
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	08/28/2006
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.85(w) x 9.75(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

G.P. Makris (PhD, London School of Economics and Political Science) is Assistant Professor of Social Anthropology at Panteion University, Athens.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Acknowledgments ix

Transliteration and Abbreviations x

Introduction 1

1 The Islamic Community through History 15

2 The Foundations of Islamic Doctrine and the Community of Believers 35

3 Authority and Knowledge 59

4 The Five Pillars 95

5 Islamic Mysticism 142

6 Islamic Reformism 174

7 Islamism: A General Overview 193

8 Islamism at the Local Level 224

Notes 255

References 301

Index 325

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A serious and valuable contribution to the anthropology of the Middle East. As a textbook, it is both highly interesting and accessible. It is self-contained and comprehensive—essential reading for introductory students and general readers."
—Dale F. Eickelman, author of The Middle East and Central Asia: An Anthropological Approach

Editorial Reviews

"Makris gives a sensitive account of women's status in Muslim societies, their traditional and modern situations and rights, and criticizes the limited ethnocentric judgements of simplistic Western commentators, especially in the context of 'development.'" (Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, September 2009)

"Books such as Islam in the Middle East remind us that academics can play a positive role in challenging the meanings that practitioners ascribe to the world's religions and regions. Let us hope the book not only appears on university reading lists but that it also finds a way into the briefcases of politicians in London and Washington." (Times Higher Educational Supplement)

"Islam in the Middle East provides a comprehensive introduction to a living religious tradition that is currently at the centre of much international attention." (Journal of Social Anthropology)

From the Publisher