Violence shapes Islam's public and private spheres, and by charting the historical and doctrinal background of violence in this context, this volume displays a spectrum of attitudes that challenge the common belief that Islam is a civilization of violence. Choosing to focus on the role of violence in the political economy of Muslim societies, the book illuminates political uses of violence by the Muslim state and sheds light on the historical struggle of Muslims to defend the private sphere against political authorities.
The book is divided into three parts: public violence and state power; representations of public violence; and public violence and the law.