Mohammed Arkoun was an Algerian scholar and thinker who significantly contributed to contemporary intellectual reform in Islam. He critically examined the tensions within his field, advocating for Islamic modernism, secularism, and humanism. His work, primarily in French, explored rethinking Islam in the modern world. Arkoun's ideas offered a counterpoint to prevailing interpretations, challenging dogmatic approaches and promoting a secular perspective on religious texts.
At a time when Islam is the focus of attention, vilified by some and a source of inspiration for others, this book seeks to go against the stream. Its radical review of mainstream historiography of Islam draws on interdisciplinary analysis - historical, social, psychological and anthropological.