Martyrdom in Islam
$29.99 (G)
Part of Themes in Islamic History
- Author: David Cook, Rice University, Houston
- Date Published: January 2007
- availability: Available
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9780521615518
Paperback
Other available formats:
Hardback, eBook
Looking for an examination copy?
This title is not currently available for examination. However, if you are interested in the title for your course we can consider offering an examination copy. To register your interest please contact collegesales@cambridge.org providing details of the course you are teaching.
-
In recent times Islamic martyrdom has become associated with suicide missions conducted by extremists. However, as David Cook demonstrates, this type of martyrdom is very different from the classical definition which condemned suicide and stipulated that anyone who died a believer could be considered a martyr. Ideas about martyrdom have evolved to suit prevailing circumstances, and it is the evolution of these interpretations that Cook charts in this fascinating history. The book covers the earliest sources on martyrdom including those from the Jewish and Christian traditions, discussions about what constituted martyrdom, and differences in attitudes between Sunnis and Shi'ites. A concluding section discusses martyrdom in today's radical environment. There is no other book which considers the topic so systematically, and which draws so widely on the literary sources. This will be essential reading for students of Islamic history, and for those looking for an informed account of this controversial topic.
Read more- A rigorous but accessible study of Muslim martyrdom
- Discusses suicide missions and martyrdom operations within their classical and contemporary contexts
- Combines a historical perspective with legal, doctrinal and literary approaches
Reviews & endorsements
"...highly recommended for both non-specialists as well as specialists in Islam. It reflects existing scholarship on this issue and complements it. It should, therefore, prove very useful for those interested in understanding the rich authentic legacy of classical Islam with its contemporary implications for the contemporary Muslim as well as non-Muslim world." - Canadian Journal of History
See more reviews"Cook ambitiously seeks to provide a broad vision of martyrdom and its meaning and the practice in the Islamic tradition, combining historical analysis, global coverage ranging from Africa to Southeast Asia, and a thematic approach ot the definition of the martyr in the Sunni, Shia, and Sufi traditions in order to locate martyrdom both within Islam and in comparison to other religious traditions, notably Judaism and Christianity.... The writing is engaging, and Cook cleverly chooses his excerpted tidbits for their dramatic impact.... The major contributions of this book are many." - The Historian
Customer reviews
Not yet reviewed
Be the first to review
Review was not posted due to profanity
×Product details
- Date Published: January 2007
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9780521615518
- length: 224 pages
- dimensions: 228 x 154 x 12 mm
- weight: 0.301kg
- availability: Available
Table of Contents
Preface
1. Martyrs in religion
2. Martyrdom in the genesis of Islam
3. Legal definitions, boundaries and rewards of the martyr
4. Sectarian Islam: Sunni, Shi`ite and Sufi martyrdom
5. Martyrs: warriors and missionaries in Medieval Islam
6. Martyrs of love and epic heroes
7. Patterns of prognostication, narrative and expiation
8. Martyrdom in contemporary radical Islam
9. Conclusions
Glossary
Chronology
Appendices
Bibliography.
Sorry, this resource is locked
Please register or sign in to request access. If you are having problems accessing these resources please email lecturers@cambridge.org
Register Sign in» Proceed
You are now leaving the Cambridge University Press website. Your eBook purchase and download will be completed by our partner www.ebooks.com. Please see the permission section of the www.ebooks.com catalogue page for details of the print & copy limits on our eBooks.
Continue ×Are you sure you want to delete your account?
This cannot be undone.
Thank you for your feedback which will help us improve our service.
If you requested a response, we will make sure to get back to you shortly.
×