Nonviolent Activism in Islam

Hayat Alvi

doi:10.5771/9781498597333

Summary

In this book, author Hayat Alvi’s purpose and focus are to illustrate the legal basis for Islamic nonviolent activism, as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad promoted and exemplified. Maulana Azad’s endorsement of nonviolent civil disobedience as a means to expel British colonial rule from India poses a strong counterargument against Islamist extremism, and a legal precedent for nonviolent activism in Islam. Millions of Indian Muslims participated under Maulana Azad and Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership in nonviolent civil disobedience against the British Raj. These facts indicate that there is such a thing as nonviolent activism in Islam. Abul Kalam Azad introduced “nonviolent Jihad” in the form of civil disobedience. As a legitimate religious authority, trained as an Islamic jurist and scholar, he endorsed Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent civil disobedience and activism to free India from British colonial rule. A highly respected Islamic scholar and jurist, Maulana Azad’s endorsement of nonviolent civil disobedience provides the legal precedent for nonviolent activism in Islam. Contemporary Muslim leaders and activists can learn lessons from Maulana Azad’s example, and as Alvi’s thoroughly researched book shows, can be an argument against blind dogma, extremism, and militancy in the modern era.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2021
ISBN-Print: 978-1-4985-9732-6
ISBN-Online: 978-1-4985-9733-3
Publisher: Lexington, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 166
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. 1. Note No access
3. Acknowledgments No access
1. What Is Jihad? No access
2. Abul Kalam Azad—A Biographical Profile No access
3. An Argument against Militancy and Extremism No access
4. The Purpose and Focus of This Book No access
5. The Contents of This Book No access
6. Notes No access
1. Abul Kalam Azad: Who Was He? No access
2. Long Live the Revolution No access
3. The Pain of Partition No access
4. Conclusion No access
5. Notes No access
1. The Concepts of Oppression, the Oppressed, and Oppressors No access
2. Conclusion No access
3. Notes No access
1. Historical Background and Key Concepts of Violent Islamist Militancy No access
2. The 2011 Arab Awakening No access
3. Conclusion No access
4. Notes No access
1. The Rise of ISIS No access
2. The Utility of Violent Jihad in International Relations and How It Has Backfired No access
3. Political Islam on the Subcontinent No access
4. Conclusion No access
5. Notes No access
1. Revenge Does Not Equal Justice No access
2. Unity within Islam No access
3. Conclusion No access
4. Notes No access
5. Notes No access
1. Inspirational Speech of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad No access
2. Excerpts of a Speech Delivered by Maulana Azad No access
3. Note No access
Bibliography No access Pages 155 - 160
Index No access Pages 161 - 164
About the Author No access Pages 165 - 166