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Informationen zum Autor David's professional life has seen him live and work in both London and Sydney. It was during his six years in Australia! experiencing life in a new country! that David began to write stories for his two young children! all about the new adventures they would have. Klappentext In recent times Islamic martyrdom has become associated with suicide missions conducted by extremists. However! as David Cook demonstrates! this type of martyrdom is very different from the classical definition which condemned suicide and stipulated that anyone who died a believer could be considered a martyr. Ideas about martyrdom have evolved to suit prevailing circumstances! and it is the evolution of these interpretations that Cook charts in this fascinating history. The book covers the earliest sources on martyrdom including those from the Jewish and Christian traditions! discussions about what constituted martyrdom! and differences in attitudes between Sunnis and Shi'ites. A concluding section discusses martyrdom in today's radical environment. There is no other book which considers the topic so systematically! and which draws so widely on the literary sources. This will be essential reading for students of Islamic history! and for those looking for an informed account of this controversial topic. Zusammenfassung Ideas about Islamic martyrdom have evolved across the ages to suit prevailing circumstances. It is the evolution of these different interpretations! from the time of Muhammad to the present! that David Cook charts in this fascinating history of the role of suffering and peoples' willingness to die for their faith. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface; 1. Martyrs in religion; 2. Martyrdom in the genesis of Islam; 3. Legal definitions, boundaries and rewards of the martyr; 4. Sectarian Islam: Sunni, Shi`ite and Sufi martyrdom; 5. Martyrs: warriors and missionaries in Medieval Islam; 6. Martyrs of love and epic heroes; 7. Patterns of prognostication, narrative and expiation; 8. Martyrdom in contemporary radical Islam; 9. Conclusions; Glossary; Chronology; Appendices; Bibliography....
