Book: Islam Under Siege

Author: Akbar S Ahmed
Publisher:

Akbar S. Ahmad’s work in the field of Pakistan and Islam and his personal knowledge has made him something of an authority on Islam, speaking in Islams defence in the Western World, after the events of September 11th. In a way Islam under siege can be considered a reply to many of the Islamophobic comments of other writers and an introspective look at what has caused the rage against the West and created people like Usama Bin laden.

The opening chapters make a depressing read, with the writer highlighting the massive wave of Islam-bashing comments made across the media in the early months after the attack on the World Trade Centre, and he then proceeds to respond and explain most of them. That’s followed by his own perspective, at why Muslim countries have failed to modernise and overcome internal problems, the true eaning of Jihad, and the rise of extremism in Muslim societies.

The book makes itself readable by balancing academic writing with personal comments and observation, but it does require some understanding of Islam and the complicated politics of the Muslim World and history.