This book provides a conceptual analysis of Islamist extremism and examines radical Islamist rhetoric and various extremist groups. Engaging in a conceptual analysis of Islamist extremism that focuses on the ‘what is’ and not the ‘why’ of Islamist extremism, the book extends the traditional parameters of analysis, from context-specific and temporally confined causal analyses to a broader conceptual analysis relevant to the many different temporal and geo-political contexts of Islamist extremist groups.

This brief analyzes the social, historical and societal circumstances influencing the emergence of Islamist extremism in Kosovo and countries of the region. It discusses the creation of propagandist infrastructure by foreign organizations to spread radical ideology and instigate inter-religious conflicts in order to establish an Islamist extremist movement, and highlights the camouflaged activities of humanitarian organizations funding terrorism. This brief focuses particularly on examining the development and concrete manifestation of Islamism and the latent risks posed by Islamist extremism not just for the national security of Kosovo but also for the peace and safety of the entire region. Examining the development, effects and latent risks posed by Islamist extremism in the Balkans, Islamist Extremism in Kosovo and the Countries of the Region will be useful to scholars, policy-makers, and law enforcement practitioners working in counter-terrorism, as well as those interested in the unique sociopolitical climate of the Balkans.

This book provides a critical and a conceptual analysis of radical Islamist rhetoric drawn from temporally and contextually varied Islamist extremist groups, challenging the popular understanding of Islamist extremism as a product of a ‘clash-of-civilizations’. Arguing that the essence of Islamist extremism can only be accurately understood by drawing a distinction between the radical Islamist explanations and justifications of violence, the author posits that despite the radical Islamist contextualization of violence within Islamic religious tenets, there is nothing conceptually or distinctly Islamic about Islamist extremism. She engages in a critical analysis of the nature of reason in radical Islamist rhetoric, asserting that the radical Islamist explanations of violence are conceptually reasoned in terms of existential Hegelian struggles for recognition (as fundamentally struggles against oppression), and the radical Islamist justifications of violence are conceptually reasoned in terms of moral consequentialism. With a detailed analysis of Islamist extremist discourse spanning a wide range of contexts, this book has a broad relevance for scholars and students working in the field of Islamic studies, religious violence, philosophy and political theory.

Drawing from a variety of sources, this anthology encourages readers to explore the multiple dimensions of Islamic terrorism and seeks to promote a better understanding of one of the most complicated and urgent problems facing the world today. Divided into six parts, the book deals with the theological and ideological background of the concept of jihad, the policies and organization of Al Qaeda, various policy recommendations for combating terrorism, the motivations of suicide bombers, the dilemma jihadists pose in Western countries, and the adoption of classical European and anti-Semitic myths for political and religious gain in segments of the Muslim world. With excerpts ranging from works by Sayyid Qutb to Osama bin Laden to Nonie Darwish, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in or studying Islamic terrorism.

Preface. The Roots of Islamist Movements -- Introduction. Journey to the Ends of Islam -- 1. From One Ordeal to Another: 1954-66. In the Beginning Were the Camps. The 1965 'Plot' -- 2. 'Signposts'. Sayyid Qutb, Author and Martyr. Islamicism or Barbarism. What Is to Be Done? The Ulema Intervene -- Appendix: Works of Sayyid Qutb -- 3. The Society of Muslims. And God Came to Shukri. The New Hegira. Living Together in the Prophet's Way. Death of One of the Ulema -- 4. 'Al-Dawa': Legalists Despite Themselves. The Purse-Strings. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Making Good Use of Parliament -- 5. The Vanguard of the 'Umma'. The Student Revolt. The 'University of Large Numbers'. In the Shadow of the Regime. Changer la Vie. How to Be a Good Muslim. For the Good of the Copts. June 1981: Checkmate -- 6. The Sermons of Sheikh Kishk. A Sheikh's Childhood. The Friday Sermon -- 7. To Assassinate Pharaoh. The Modern Tartars. Holy War Against the Infidels. Carrying Out God's Orders.

"In this work the late Irene Hilgers analyses the revival of Islam in the public sphere in postsocialist Uzbekistan, with particular reference to its role in the construction of a new national identity. Data collected during fieldwork in 2003-2004 are contextualized with reference to the history of the Kokand Khanate and the suppression of religion during the Soviet era. Hilgers analyses current state ideology and the official structures for controlling religion, but also the continued significance of 'popular religion', as expressed at shrines and in healing rituals, and the tensions associated with 'Wahabi' currents. The tight association between Uzbek identity and Islam is also illustrated through the problems encountered by converts to Christianity. Throughout the work Hilgers deploys her rich ethnographic materials to shed fresh light on major debates concerning secularization and the nature of Soviet and post-Soviet 'modernity'.