Guardians of God : inside the religious mind of the Pakistani Taliban / Mona Kanwal Sheikh.
| Author/creator |
Sheikh, Mona, 1978- |
| Other author/creator | Oxford University Press. |
| Format | Electronic and Book |
| Edition | First edition. |
| Publication Info | New Delhi, India : Oxford University Press, 2016. |
| Description | xxiv, 212 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from Oxford Scholarship Online |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from Oxford Scholarship Online Political Science |
| Subject(s) |
Click here for more information about this title
| Portion of title | Inside the religious mind of the Pakistani Taliban |
| Contents | Introduction: Worlds apart. The rise of the Pakistani Taliban ; Jihad to protect God and His laws ; The demolition of Islam's forts ; Anti-Shia and Punjab-based resistance ; Religion in the Taliban narratives ; The justice of violence -- Conclusion : a rational enemy? -- Taliban communication materials. |
| Abstract | "When Mona Kanwai Sheikh stepped into the volatile conflict zones of Pakistan to interview the Taliban, she encountered many challenging situations. Once, shortly after she declined to meet a militant at Islamabad's Marriott Hotel - a symbol of American dominance - a terrorist bomb targeted the hotel killing 53 people. The fact that she was shadowed by intelligence agencies also impeded her endeavor to get close to the Taliban. Undeterred, Sheikh interviewed several militants often depicted by the Western media as highly secretive, ruthless, and unapproachable. She had hours of conversation with Taliban militants and their supporters, ate mangoes with them, joined them in prayers, and listened to emotional anthems about the necessity to join jihad. Years of first-hand research later, she offers the most comprehensive account of the Pakistani Taliban and their religious justifications for jihad. This book explains how the Taliban, who view themselves as guardians of God, think it is their holy mission to protect Islam from the armies of the 'wrong' faiths. Paradoxically, their violent defense of the sacred encompasses worldly concerns such as social justice, peace, and political order. Guiding us to a finer understanding of the Taliban world view, Sheikh builds a case for dialogue with an enemy that may choose to lay down arms if its grievances are correctly understood"--Jacket. |
| General note | Illustrations. Taliban presence in the tribal agencies and northwest frontier regions of Pakistan ; Message from the former TTP Head Hakimullah Mehsud, distributed on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr on 18 August 2012. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Access restriction | Available only to authorized users. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| LCCN | 2016461408 |
| ISBN | 9780199468249 hardback |
| ISBN | 0199468249 hardback |
Available Items
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions | |
| Electronic Resources | View Online Content | ✔ Available |