Jihad is one of the most loaded and misunderstood terms in the news today. Contrary to popular understanding, the term does not mean "holy war." This book looks closely at a range of sources from sacred Islamic texts, and focuses on the role of Islam in the contemporary world.
“Among the plethora of books on jihad published since 9/11, David Cook’s stands out in its ability to extend readers’ awareness of the breadth of Muslim writing about the topic.”—International Journal of Middle East Studies
"Understanding Jihad is one of the most helpful of the spate of new books to appear since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, on the debate about jihad in Islam. Cook's approach is based on historical and textual analyses, and is enhanced by valuable theoretical discussion. This book will help readers find their way through the vast literature by Muslims and non-Muslim scholars on what we can't seem to get away from calling 'holy war.'"—Richard C. Martin, Professor of Islamic Studies, Emory University
"This book is important to current political and religious discourse on the role of Islam in today's world and increases our understanding of the seemingly odd behaviors we observe through the media. A tremendous contribution."—Reuven Firestone, author of Jihad: The Origin of Holy War in Islam
"A worthwhile resource on the examination of the meaning of jihad."
