Da'wa: A Global History of Islamic Missionary Thought and Practice

In this engaging study, Matthew J. Kuiper tells 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
Provides an accessible, single-volume survey of the full sweep of Islamic missionary history, from the 7th century to the present day
Includes fresh readings of the Qur'an and 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
Emphasizes 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