Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl stands as a preeminent Islamic thinker of our time, known for his scholarly yet accessible approach to Islam. He explores universal themes of morality and humanity, emphasizing beauty as a moral value and advocating strongly for women's rights. His work critically engages with prevailing Islamic discourse, offering a powerful voice against extremist interpretations and championing tolerance.
In Reasoning with God renowned Islamic scholar Khaled Abou El Fadl explores the role of Shariah in today's world, for both Muslims and non-Muslims. After a Prologue that explains Shariah in depth, Abou El Fadl wrestles with the moral trajectory of contemporary Islam and highlights the way Shari`ah can revitalize and re-engage Islam today.
Argues that Islam is passing through a transformative moment no less dramatic than the movements that swept through Europe during the Reformation. From the role of women in Islam to the nature of jihad, from democracy and human rights to terrorism and warfare, the author builds a vital vision for a moderate Islam.
"After the Second World War, Turkey and Egypt were among the most dynamic actors in the Middle East. Their 1950s foreign policies presented a puzzle, however: Turkey's Democrat Party pursued NATO membership and sponsored the pro-Western Baghdad Pact regionally, while Egypt's Free Officers promoted neutralism and pan-Arab alliances. This book asks why: what explains this divergence in a shared historical space? Rethinking foreign policy as an important site for the realisation of nationalist commitments, Abou-El-Fadl finds the answer in the contrasting nation making projects pursued by the two leaderships, each politicised differently through experiences of war, imperialism and underdevelopment. Drawing on untapped Turkish and Arabic sources, and critically engaging with theories of postcolonial nationalism, she emphasises local actors' agency in striving to secure national belonging, sovereignty and progress in the international field. Her analysis sheds light on the contemporary legacies of the decade which cemented Turkey's position in the Western Bloc and Egypt's reputation as Arab leader"--Page i