Islams and Modernities

Frequently portrayed as intolerant, medieval and barbaric, Islam has replaced Communism as the main perceived threat to Western civilization and values. For Aziz al- Azmeh, this Orientalist and racist view of Islam is nothing but a mirror image of the myth propagated by Islamic fundamentalists, with both resting on an ahistorical conception of an unchanging religion. In this expanded new edition, al-Azmeh rethinks the relationship between Muslim and Western societies through to the post-9/11 period, uncovering a rich history of interaction and exchange.

“An invaluable addition to the growing literature available.” — Times Higher Education Supplement

“Aziz Al-Azmeh is perhaps the most original thinker on these themes in Britain today.” — New Statesman and Society

“The importance of this work is difficult to exaggerate.” — Middle East Studies Association Bulletin

“Deserves to be widely read.” — Times Literary Supplement

“Islams and Modernities raises urgent questions that are central to the concerns of the contemporary world ... and offers perspectives that deserve to be seen outside specialist circles.” — Guardian

Aziz Al-Azmeh is Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Humanities Center, Central European University, Budapest and Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study, Budapest. His other works include Ibn Khaldûn: An Essay in Reinterpretation and The Times of History: Universal Topics in Islamic Historiography.