Does jihad denote destruction or imply peace? Because jihad is closely associated with the early spread of Islam, today's debate about the origin and meaning of the word if nothing less than a struggle over the religion itself. in Jihad in Islamic History, Michael Bonner shows that strict arguments for either side are incorrect, since jihad is a complex set of doctrines and practices that have changed over time and continue to evolve today. This book provides the first study in English that focuses on the early history of jihad, and it sheds much-needed light on the most recent controversies over jihad. Written for general readers, Jihad in Islamic History will also interest specialists because of its original arguments. (Back cover).

Originally published: 2006.

Chapter One. Introduction -- What is Jihad? -- Just War and Holy War -- Warfare and Jihad -- Fields of debate -- Historiography and origins -- Chapter Two. The Quran and Arabia -- Combat in the Quran -- Gift and reciprocity -- Fighting and recompense -- "The beggar and the warrior" -- Chapter Three. Muhammad and His Community -- Sira and Maghazi: sacred history -- Hadith: the norm -- Themes of Jihad in the Hadith -- Fighting with one's money -- Chapter Four. The Great Conquests -- The course of conquest -- Explanations -- Approaches to the Islamic sources -- Approaches to the Non-Islamic sources -- Chapter Five. Martyrdom -- Martyrdom before Islam -- Martyrdom in Quran and tradition -- Contexts of martyrdom in Islam -- Martyrs and Neomartyrs -- Chapter Six. Encounter with the Other -- Conquest society and fiscal regime -- Treatment of Non-Muslims -- Adome of Islam, Abode of War -- Convivencia -- Chapter Seven. Embattled Scholars -- Syria and the Byzantine Frontier -- Arabia -- Iraq -- North Africa -- Spain -- Central Asia -- The embattled scholars: conclusions -- Chapter Eight. Empires, Armies, and Frontiers -- The Umayyad caliphate: Imperial Jihad -- Revolution and Jihad -- 'Abbasid caliphate and its military crisis -- Frontier societies: against Byzantium -- Frontier societies: Spain and North Africa -- Ribat -- The Crusades -- Ottoman origins -- Corsairs in the Mediterranean -- The Western Sudan -- Empires, Armies, and Frontiers: conclusions -- Chapter Nine. Colonial Empire, Modern State, New Jihad -- Resistance and Reform -- Fundamentalism and Islamism -- Chapter Ten. Conclusions.