Perhaps no other Western writer has more deeply probed the bitter struggle in the Muslim world between the forces of religion and law and those of violence and lawlessness as Noah Feldman. His scholarship has defined the stakes in the Middle East today. Now; in this incisive book; Feldman tells the story behind the increasingly popular call for the establishment of the shari'a--the law of the traditional Islamic state--in the modern Muslim world. Western powers call it a threat to democracy. Islamist movements are winning elections on it. Terrorists use it to justify their crimes. What; then; is the shari'a? Given the severity of some of its provisions; why is it popular among Muslims? Can the Islamic state succeed--should it? Feldman reveals how the classical Islamic constitution governed through and was legitimated by law. He shows how executive power was balanced by the scholars who interpreted and administered the shari'a; and how this balance of power was finally destroyed by the tragically incomplete reforms of the modern era. The result has been the unchecked executive dominance that now distorts politics in so many Muslim states. Feldman argues that a modern Islamic state could provide political and legal justice to today's Muslims; but only if new institutions emerge that restore this constitutional balance of power. The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State gives us the sweeping history of the traditional Islamic constitution--its noble beginnings; its downfall; and the renewed promise it could hold for Muslims and Westerners alike. In a new introduction; Feldman discusses developments in Egypt; Tunisia; Libya; and other Muslim-majority countries since the Arab Spring and describes how Islamists must meet the challenge of balance if the new Islamic states are to succeed.
#1072732 in Books 2012-05-27 2012-05-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .52 x 5.40l; .58 #File Name: 0691148546208 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Brain Teasing ConceptsBy Robert S NoakesBeing a retired systems engineer I found many of the concepts intriguing .I was out of touch with some of the mathematics and needed to refer to my texts.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. EnjoyableBy ubpdqnThis was an enjoyable read. The diagrams are helpful in explaining solutions and enhancing the physical intuition that the author aims to encourage. I enjoyed the humorous writing style; The appendix was useful. I like the derivation of Coriolis effect by complex representation of the inertial and rotating reference frames.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Great Aha! Moments and Some DisappointmentsBy George PoirierI love books like this. As soon as I saw this one; I had to buy it. Having eagerly read it; I offer the following comments.The author presents some 76 physical problems and their solutions; some of which I found to be rather unexpected. He uses mostly words in his solutions; often backed up with some more formal mathematics. In my opinion; many of these problems/solutions are very enlightening; intriguing and a great pleasure to go through. Unfortunately; I also found that some of the more wordy solutions were rather unclear (to me) and some were even a bit awkward - perhaps the result of not enough mathematics (?) This is unfortunate; especially if the results may hold surprises or may be counterintuitive; in such cases; I believe that one should strive for the utmost clarity; even if it means using a little bit more mathematics.The author writes in a very friendly and lively style with the occasional bit of well-placed humor. Overall; I did enjoy this book and recommend it. It should appeal mainly to science/math enthusiasts.
