Jihad in Islamic History

Michael Bonner is Professor of Medieval Islamic History at the University of Michigan. "Jihad in Islamic History" originally appeared in French as "Le Jihad: origines, interpretations, combats". Bonner is also the author of "Aristocratic Violence and Holy War: Studies in the Jihad and the Arab-Byzantine Frontier" and "Arab-Byzantine Relations in Early Islamic Times".

"...short, incisive, and highly readable book."--Ahmed Rashid, New York Review of Books "Viewing what has become an increasingly crowded field, [Bonner] points out that the word jihad has acquired different resonances for a wide variety of actors, from the Islamist radicals for whom it forms the heart of a militant ideology to mystical quietists who regard the 'greater jihad' as the struggle against the 'lower self' of baser human impulses."--Malise Ruthven, New York Review of Books "Bonner's Jihad in Islamic History is a first-class work that should be highly useful as an introduction to the basic issues and history of the subject, and despite its conciseness contains information interesting even for the more specialized scholar."--David Cook, Middle East Journal "Bonner ... provides a cogent yet detailed historical survey of the concept and practice of jihad in Muslim societies. His book is a much-needed counter to the poorly researched or downright biased and alarmist cluster of publications that were quickly written and released after September 11, 2001... The book is easily accessible to the nonspecialist, and is ideal for use in an upper-level undergraduate topics course in Middle Eastern and Islamic history or Islamic religious thought. Bonner's work is also a useful primer for specialists which does not sacrifice quality for brevity."--Christopher Anzalone, Religious Studies Review "Michael Bonner brings to the subject a sober, forensic approach grounded in sound historiography and a firm grasp of primary sources... The author is to be commended for having provided an accessible, broad historical survey of the mercurial term 'jihad' and its deployment over time. Both the specialist and the nonspecialist will benefit from this study. This slim book is not exhaustive in its approach, nor does it claim to be. But it asks all the right questions and broadly indicates the directions in which future scholarship on jihad as both an institution and a multivalent concept may fruitfully venture."--Asma Afsaruddin, Speculum "[T]his is a very interesting and useful little book both from the perspective of history and the emergence of Islamic thought and culture. It also includes a useful bibliography and index. The author should be congratulated for his thoughtful and stimulating contribution to the contemporary discourse on the Islamic concept of Jihad, warfare and peace."--Muhammad Khan, Muslim News "At a time in history when there is a crucial struggle for the soul of the Islamic world, Bonner has provided a road map for scholars and students alike attempting to make sense of the myriad of competing claims. This is a welcome addition to the literature on jihad indeed."--Lewis Brownstein, Ph.D., Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa "Bonner has been very successful in preparing an introduction to the doctrine and practises of jihad in early Islamic history that can initiate students to the first period Islamic history and early interpretations of jihad. Moreover, there is also a useful commented bibliography at the end of each chapter."--Michelangelo Guida, Turkish Journal of Islamic Studies

• List of Maps xi Symbols and Accent Marks xiii Preface xv CHAPTER ONE: Introduction 1 What Is Jihad? 1 Just War and Holy War 4 Warfare and Jihad 6 Fields of Debate 10 Historiography and Origins 14 Readings 18 CHAPTER TWO: The Quran and Arabia 20 Combat in the Quran 21 Gift and Reciprocity 27 Fighting and Recompense 30 "The Beggar and the Warrior" 32 Readings 34 CHAPTER THREE: Muhammad and His Community 36 Sira and Maghazi: Sacred History 37 Hadith: The Norm 45 Themes of Jihad in the Hadith 49 Fighting with One's Money 51 Readings 54 CHAPTER FOUR: The Great Conquests 56 The Course of Conquest 58 Explanations 60 Approaches to the Islamic Sources 64 Approaches to the Non-Islamic Sources 67 Readings 71 CHAPTER FIVE: Martyrdom 72 Martyrdom before Islam 73 Martyrdom in Quran and Tradition 74 Contexts of Martyrdom in Islam 76 Martyrs and Neomartyrs 79 Readings 82 CHAPTER SIX: Encounter with the Other 84 Conquest Society and Fiscal Regime 84 Treatment of Non-Muslims 87 Abode of Islam, Abode of War 92 Convivencia 93 Readings 95 CHAPTER SEVEN: Embattled Scholars 97 Syria and the Byzantine Frontier 98 Arabia 102 Iraq: The Synthesis of al-Shafi"i 106 North Africa 108 Spain 111 Central Asia 112 The Embattled Scholars: Conclusions 114 Readings 116 CHAPTER EIGHT: Empires, Armies, and Frontiers 118 The Umayyad Caliphate: Imperial Jihad 119 Revolution and Jihad 124 The "Abbasid Caliphate and Its Military Crisis 127 Frontier Societies: Against Byzantium 131 Frontier Societies: Spain and North Africa 134 Ribat 136 The Crusades 137 Ottoman Origins 144 Corsairs in the Mediterranean 149 The Western Sudan 151 Empires, Armies, and Frontiers: Conclusions 153 Readings 155 CHAPTER NINE: Colonial Empire, Modern State, New Jihad 157 Resistance and Reform 157 Fundamentalism and Islamism 161 Readings 165 CHAPTER TEN: Conclusions 167 Bibliography 175 Index 191