The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis

When Islamic Civilization faced crisis in the late 20th century, Bernard Lewis labeled it “The Crisis of Islam” in his book “The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror”. His commentary is well backed by extensive research, interviews with leaders and superiors in Middle Eastern states, personal insights concerning the crisis of the religion and poignant attention directed to the relationship amongst the Islamic States and the Western World.

Lewis was born in Great Britain in 1916. His early life was largely occupied by academics. After graduating from London University, Lewis was sent to Venice to begin his work as an apprentice orientalist. Despite his admiration for the culture of the Middle East, Lewis’ true area of conquest is his mastery of the history of the region.

Lewis began his book “The Crisis of Islam” by openly recognizing the predicaments that the Muslim world has encountered within the past fifty-years. The primary reasons of the crisis, according to Lewis, can be attributed to three separate topics. Political power, economic failure, and a spiritual retreat are the three points of stress that caused the crisis.

The chapters within the book aim to explore these topics. Lewis first discusses the rapid decline of Muslim political power in the Middle East. He speaks of how two main events, the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the capture of Jerusalem, signaled the end of Islamic influence in the region. With time, the control of Islam within the Muslim world began to decrease as European states captured large portions of power within the Middle Eastern states.

Economic failure within the Muslim world is another large issue that Lewis concludes factored in the decline of Islamic control within the Middle East. The economic disenfranchisement of many large factions of the Muslim population, from Bedouin tribes to city traders, has hindered the progression of the Islamic willpower within the region. Lewis writes that the result of the decline in events evidently perpetuated the fall of Islamic influence throughout the region, forcing even the upper classes of Muslim society to accept the European influence over their own.

In terms of the spiritual decline, Lewis presents a firm stance by asserting that the crisis of Islam is clearly derived as a result of a decline in moral decency from within the religion. He emphasizes the moral issues that arise with the practice of Islamic law in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran. He also brings up the issue of terrorism, a term that he uses interchangeably with the phrase “unholy terror.”

The “unholy terror” of Islamic militants allowsLewis to inquire into the intricate connections of terrorism and terror regimes within the Middle East. The blame is shared throughout many states, and he proves this with evidence of collusion and collaboration between the United States and many Islamist movements during the Cold War.

He makes note that the infrastructure of many terrorist networks are largely powered by decisions made during Western regimes, and also by an ignorance of the power that Islamic terrorism can have. Lewis is frank in his writings about the collusion of militaries in the Middle East and the United States, and cites many events that are either celebrated or condemmed depending on the group that view it.

Finally, Lewis finishes with a resolution of sorts. He talks about the need for greater foreign understanding of the Islam in order to build bridges between different nations and walks of life. This includes both collective understanding of the religion and the power of state-level diplomacy to bridge gaps between East and West.

Lewis’ “The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror” is an eye-opening exploration of the crumbling precipice upon which Islamic civilization found itself in the late 20th century. Lewis’ insight and exhaustive research make it an essential book for any student looking to understand the past, present, and future of Middle Eastern politics.