Reclaiming Jihad: A Qur'anic Critique of Terrorism

In Reclaiming Jihad: A Qur'anic Critique of Terrorism, ElSayed Amin presents a detailed critique of institutional and legal definitions of terrorism. He engages the Qur’an exegetical tradition, both classical and contemporary, to critique key verses of the Qur'an that have been misread to establish violence as the relational norm between Muslims and non-Muslims. He distinguishes both Islamic jihad and armed deterrence from modern terrorism through examination of the 9/11 attacks, and proposes legal proscriptions for terrorism from the Qur’an on the basis of its political, social and psychological impacts.

At a time when terrorism and extremism are commonly associated with Islam in general, this pointed rejection of such practices and positions based on the Qur’an is an essential work that will challenge beliefs and change perceptions.

“This book is a scholarly and necessary critique of why the crime of terrorism is inconsistent with the ethical outlook of the Qur’an. Anyone who wants to understand the Qur’an and its relationship to violence must read this book.”
– Dr Khaled Abou El Fadl, Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law