In this important and timely work ElSayed Amin engages the Qur’an exegetical tradition to critique misreadings of the Qur’an that have been used 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

"In addition to illuminating the root causes of terrorism, this book is a real contribution to the interfaith dialogue."
— Muhammad Abu Layla, professor of the comparative religions at al-Azhar University, Cairo

About Author:

ElSayed Amin is a senior lecturer of Islamic studies in English at al-Azhar University in Egypt and a visiting postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Brunei Darussalam (UBD) in Brunei. He is a member of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs in Cairo, and a former Fulbright Scholar.