Intellectual Origins of Islamic Resurgence in the Modern Arab World

This is a systematic treatment of the religious, intellectual, cultural, and social foundations of Islamic resurgence in the modern Arab world. Because of the complex origin and controversial nature of this movement, Abu-Rabi has grounded its thought in the larger context of Arab and Islamic intellectual history. Islamic resurgence has offered a multitude of solutions to the perceived problems of modern Arab and Muslim societies through the pens of its most sophisticated thinkers and philosophers. This study documents in detail the ideas of such leading Islamist thinkers as Hasan Banna, Sayyid Qutb, Muhammad Husayn Fadlallah, and Yusuf al-Qaradawi. It also discusses contemporary Arab views on resurgence and the relationship between religion and society.

Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi is Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations, Hartford Seminary.