This book goes beyond the headlines to explore the broad dimensions of Islam, looking at the vitality of the main elements of the faith across the centuries and finding the basis of today's Islamic resurgence in the continuing interaction of varying styles of Islam—fundamentalist, conservative, adaptationist, and individualist—and in the way each of these styles meets the challenges of the modern era. Dr. Voll's discussion encompasses the full range of Islamic experience and communities, including areas where Muslims are minorities. He carefully presents a balanced view that recognizes modem Islam as dynamic and complex, deeply rooted in the past, yet profoundly conditioned by recent events.
