The Broken Crescent

The Threat of Militant Islamic Fundamentalism

Fereydoun Hoveyda

• Publisher: Praeger
• Year: 1998
• Print ISBN: 9780275958374
• eBook ISBN: 9780275971489
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: International Relations
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Militant Islamic fundamentalists blame the ills of their societies on the West, calling for the overthrow of local governments and the resumption of Jihad against the Infidels. Ambassador Hoveyda explores the historical and contemporary causes of the current wave of militant Islamic fundamentalism. If Western colonization and economic domination of the 19th and 20th centuries are to be blamed for the predicament of Muslim countries, Hoveyda asserts that Muslims also bear a great responsibility for their situation. This book shows how the triumph of fundamentalist interpretations of the Koran in the 12th century triggered the gradual decline of Islamic civilization and chronicles the history of militant Islamic movements, from the Assassins of the late 11th century to the reign of Ayatollah Khomeini. It shows why, despite their terrorist attacks in the West, fundamentalists are even more dangerous for Muslim countries that are desperately trying to catch up with the global economy to alleviate their accumulated social and economic problems. Hoveyda draws upon a lifetime of experience, as well as scholarship and the experiences of others, to provide an important insider/outsider examination of a worldwide concern.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. First Encounter with a Militant
• 2. The Iranian Connection
• 3. The Community of Devoted Fighters
• 4. The Beads and the Bullets
• 5. Some Precursors
• 6. The Turning Point
• 7. Fundamentalism Forever
• 8. The Islamic State
• 9. Fundamentalist Agendas
• 10. Enter Khomeini
• 11. Theologian and Tactician
• 12. The Kindling of the Revolution
• 13. The Party of God
• 14. The Stretching Shadow
• 15. The Causes of Militant Fundamentalism
• 16. The Broken Crescent
• 17. The Case Against the West
• 18. The “Great Satan”
• 19. A Global Danger?
• 20. Holy War (Jihad)
• 21. A Clash of Civilizations?
• 22. Preparing for the “Final Round”
• 23. Can Militant Islamic Fundamentalism Succeed?
• 24. A Challenge to the West and the World?
• Conclusion: The “Past Shock”
• Notes
• Selected Bibliography
• Index of Names
• Index of Subjects