Islamic world. On the one hand Western capitalism has meant domination of local
free enterprise by foreign competition, while the Eastern Bloc socialist alternative has
involved excessive bureaucracy and the introduction of large-scale trading
conglomerates at the expense of traditional small-scale trading patterns. Traditional
Islam, on the other hand, presents a moderating influence similar to Catholic social
responsibility of the, early twentieth century: a free market philosophy shaped by
social responsibility in which private ownership carries with it an imperative to
behave in a socially beneficial manner. In short Islam contains viable alternatives
to the developed world social, political and cultural patterns that sit uneasily on
Muslim shoulders.

This is not to suggest that Islam is a seamless fabric, for in fact there is a
significant rift between the apparent secularism of the entrepreneurial and
professional elite and the generally traditional worldview of the ordinary people in
Islamic countries. Also, one suspects, the political elite to some extent have used
Islamic rhetoric and traditional Islamic views to mobilize the masses, through modern
communication technology, by presenting a somewhat mythic view of a resurgence
in Islam when in fact the faith has been a powerful force in Islamic states for
decades. It is the pervasive power of this faith--witness events in Iran and Iraq in the
last five years--that is being emphasized through communication and the media.

Those of us who are of other faiths tend not to see the subtle, positive attributes
of Islam; we are too entranced by the extremes of the Ayatollahs, General Zia,
Saddam Hussein, Colonel Qaddafi and a host of other Islamic rulers who seem to
emphasize the more unsavory tenets of this religion. At the same time Islam has
produced such pragmatic reformers as Ibn Khaldun, who ably offered a moderate
interpretation of Islam in tune with the realities of his time. A similar flexibility has
been exhibited by Islamic leaders in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, Nigeria,
Indonesia, and other countries--quiet achievers for whom Islam has been a way of life
that does not require flamboyant sabre-rattling.

If the Muslim sabre-rattlers permit us to see in a new century, it is more than
likely that Islam will be recognized as an articulate and powerful source in the future
development of the world. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon us all to understand
the reasons behind the Islamic resurgence, and I believe that Professor Haddad and
her colleagues have aided us substantially in this task with their valuable collection
of essays and bibliography on Islam in the last two decades.

G.E. Gorman
Advisory Editor

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