Unholy War: terror in the name of Islam by John L Esposito

The West has to understand the causes of Muslim rage

We entered a new phase of history on 11 September. Terrorism acquired a new dimension. Previously it had been a local phenomenon, but the technology and communications of the 21st century made it possible for Osama bin Laden to organise a worldwide campaign. Like it or not, we now inhabit one world: what happens in Afghanistan or the West Bank today is likely to have repercussions in New York or London tomorrow. So if, like the Bush administration, we try to isolate ourselves, the world will come to us – in terrifying ways. Our old ways of thinking no longer suffice.

In Unholy War, John Esposito, an American scholar of Islam, has entered fully into the experience of Muslims themselves. This is a masterly and indispensable guide to the bewildering array of militant groups that have erupted throughout the Muslim world. It should be required reading, because we can no longer afford to be ignorant of the causes of Muslim rage. A lucid and balanced account, it covers a huge canvas with elegance and economy.

There is no attempt to excuse terror; instead, Esposito argues that both Westerners and Muslims have been profoundly challenged by the events of the past year. He gives an an admirably concise account of the role of jihad, showing that Bin Laden has completely ignored the constraints imposed by Islamic law on the waging of a just war. Civilians must not be targeted, retribution must be proportionate, and only a head of state may declare that war. Al-Qa'ida recognises no limits but its own.

Esposito traces the rise of different Islamist groups, showing that some have attempted to counter the difficulties of modernisation with peaceable welfare programmes, and only a minority have resorted to terror. He does not discount the negative effects of colonialism, pointing out that the instability of many Muslim states derives from the fact that they are artificial constructs, drawn up arbitrarily by Europeans. He shows how social and political problems have enabled the terrorists to draw on widespread frustration with their own despotic rulers (who are often supported by the West) and with American foreign policy. If these root causes of terror are not addressed, no military intervention will be able to make the world a safer place.

Most crucially, Esposito shows that Bin Laden is not a representative figure. He discusses the work of Muslim politicians and intellectuals, who get no coverage in the West but who are creatively attempting to formulate solutions that would enable Muslims to enter the modern world on their own terms without abandoning their traditions.

The primary meaning of jihad is not "holy war", but "struggle, effort". Esposito concludes that we all have a jihad on our hands. Muslims must follow the example of their enlightened thinkers, reform their dislocated societies and deal more aggressively with extremism. The Western powers must restrain their oil-greed, withdraw support from authoritarian regimes and make sure that their foreign policy is truly in line with their democratic ideals.

The reviewer's book 'Islam: a short history' is published by Phoenix Press