Da'wa: a Global History Of Islamic Missionary Thought and Practice

Surveys 1400 years of Islamic missionary thought and practice In this engaging study, Matthew J. Kuiper surveys the fascinating story of how Islam became a world religion and cultural phenomenon of immense scale, astonishing diversity and global impact. His starting-point is the dramatic upsurge in Islamic missionary activism and widespread Muslim recovery of the classical concept of da'wa ('inviting' to Islam or Islamic mission) in recent times. Going back to Islam's origins, Kuiper then carefully chronicles 14 centuries of history, from the 7th-century da'was of the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad to diverse da'wa initiatives in today's global religious marketplaces. Paying attention to changing contexts, and to themes like the interplay between the religious and the political, Islamic relations with other religions, and the transformations of modernity, he develops a nuanced and original portrait of the past, present and future of Islamic missionary thought and practice. Key Features  Accessible, single-volume survey of the full sweep of Islamic missionary history  Includes fresh readings of the Qur'an and the life of Muhammad and examines key developments in pre-modern Islam through the lens of da'wa  Shows how contemporary da'wa has been shaped by both classical precedents and the transformations of modernity  Emphasises the diversity of da'wa thought and practice over time  Offers compelling insights into why missionary da'wa has become the outlet of choice for many activist Muslims in modern times  Includes dozens of illustrations, maps and case studies, giving the reader further insight into da'wa past and present Matthew J. Kuiper is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies specialising in Islam at Missouri State University.