Progressive Muslims:
On Justice, Gender, and Pluralism
Praise for the Progressive Muslims volume:
"This book is a brilliant demonstration of intellectual courage. The authors face with unflinching honesty the critical issues that confront Muslims today. Islam today is a hotly disputed term, denounced by Christian extremists, rejected by Eurocentric neocolonialists, and abused by Islamic ideologues. Where will its future lie? Read this volume to find out."
Professor Carl W. Ernst, University of North Carolina
"These are among the more lucid essays in any field of scholarship. Here is a world of Ithought that is able to be self-critical not only at the same time as critical of Western triumphalism, but to make a self-critical stance into perhaps the most effective form of liberation theology, bringing forth an long-standing but often underestimated expression of Islamic thought. This world has always been there, but it has been obscured both by what has been called by one contributor a "take me to your leader" propensity among Western media that defines Muslim leadership as, by definition, fundamentalist as well as a reflexive and self-destructive anti-Western ideology within Islam that attacks any Islamic criticism of Islamic leaders acting in the name of Islam, however justified, as collaborative with colonialism and lacking in cultural authenticity. These essays, superbly edited by Omid Safi, are essential reading for anyone concerned with the most vital global issue of our time. This book is immensely readable, for specialists and non-specialists alike, crystalline in its scholarly integrity, and explosive in its implications."
Professor Michael A. Sells, Haverford College
"Opposite to the headlines of Muslim terrorists or suicide bombers, both invoking jihad or Holy War as their slogan, is jihad as progress, or better, progressive ijtihad. Progressive ijtihad is the leitmotif of this extraordinary volume. Progressive ijtihad means critical thinking that marshals Islamic resources, but also relies on non-Muslims together with Muslims, to face global problems in the 21st century. If Bob Dylan becomes the band leader for universal jihad, and progressive ijtihad, then the contributors to this book accompany him to enunciate a single, core project: jihad must be invoked, and ijtihad must be applied, to achieve gender equality, social justice, and a compassionate humaneness etched by a pluralist chorus of Muslim, Christian and Jewish voices, with background echoes of Taoist, Buddhist and Hindu heroes. While Bob Dylan may have marked the times as a changin' in 1964, this diverse yet coherent volume from progressive Muslim scholars gives his tune a visionary immediacy if our own time is worth savin'."
Professor Bruce B. Lawrence, Duke University
Table of Contents
Introduction:
The Times They are A-changin’: A Muslim Quest For Justice, Gender Equality and Pluralism, by Omid Safi
Chapter 1: “The Ugly Modern and the Modern Ugly: Reclaiming the Beautiful in Islam”, by Khaled Abou El Fadl
Chapter 2: “In Search of Progressive Islam Beyond 9/11”, by Farid Esack
Chapter 3: “Islam: A Civilizational Project in Progress”, by Ahmet Karamustafa.
Chapter 4: “The Debts and Burdens of Critical Islam”, by Ebrahim Moosa
Chapter 5: “On Being a Scholar of Islam: Risks and Responsibilities”, by Tazim R. Kassam
Chapter 6: “Gender Justice: Muslim Women’s Approaches to Feminist Activism”, by Sa'diyya Shaikh
Chapter 7: “Progressive Muslims and Islamic Jurisprudence: The Necessity for Critical Engagement with Marriage and Divorce Laws”, by Kecia Ali
Chapter 8: “Sexuality, Diversity and Ethics in the Agenda of Progressive Muslims”, by Scott Siraj Haqq Kugle
Chapter 9: “Are We Up To The Challenge? The Need for a Radical Re-ordering of the Islamic Discourse on Women”, by Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons
Progressive Muslims and Pluralism
Chapter 10: “Muslims, Pluralism, and Interfaith Dialogue”, by Amir Hussain
Chapter 11: “American Muslim Identity: Race and Ethnicity in Progressive Islam”, by Amina Wadud
Chapter 12: “Islam, Democracy, and Pluralism”, by Ahmad S. Moussalli
Chapter 13: “How to put the Genie back in the Bottle? ‘Identity’ Islam and Muslim Youth Cultures in America”, by Marcia Hermansen
Chapter 14: “What is the victory of Islam? Towards a different understanding of the Ummah and Political Success in the Contemporary World”, by Farish A. Noor
ISBN: 1-85168-316-X * 384 pp * $25.95 * Publication: March 2003
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