The Crisis of Islamic Civilization (Hardcover)

Islam, central to over a billion lives, is facing a monumental crisis as a distinctive civilization. Powerful adverse currents now overshadow Islamic civilization which once thrived. The most significant of these are the imperial expansion of the West into Muslim lands and the blast of modernity that came with it. Today, these challenges are compounded by a third wave: globalization.

In his provocative book, Ali A. Allawi explores how these forces have increasingly tested Islam and Islamic civilization for validity, adaptability, and the loyalty of Muslims. While the faith itself has proven resilient, Allawi argues that other aspects of Islamic civilization have atrophied or died, marking what he believes is its final crisis.

Under colonial rule, Islamic civilization began to unravel, with its institutions, laws, and economies often replaced by inadequate modern equivalents. Allawi examines the backlash expressed through increasing religiosity and the rise of political Islam, including its terrorist offshoots. By assessing the status of the building blocks of Islamic civilization, he concludes that it cannot survive without the vital spirituality that once underpinned it.

Allawi identifies key principles for moving forward—principles that may surprise some and anger others. These principles are essential considerations for the future of Islamic civilization.