"This book greatly enlarges our understanding of the possibilities of peacebuilding across the world. By demonstrating that Islamic traditions provide abundant resources for conflict resolution, this book enriches our efforts at intercultural peacemaking and augments our understanding of global culture."
— Mark Juergensmeyer, professor emeritus of global studies and sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara
"Today, many people see religion as the prime cause of the bitter conflicts in our troubled world—and sometimes not wrongly so. Yet religions can also offer solutions. In this highly informative and insightful book, Qamar-ul Huda shows the prospects of such religious peacemaking by referring to the rich heritage of the Islamic tradition. I applaud his goal and his bold thinking for an ethics of peacebuilding. This book is a must-read.”
— Mustafa Akyol, senior fellow on Islam, modernity and public policy, Cato Institute
Reenvisioning Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution in Islam fills an important gap in peace studies, conflict resolution, and human security. With compelling case studies, Huda argues that specifically Islamic approaches to these fields in relevant contexts would deepen a resonance with civil society actors and complement hard power diplomacy. Highly recommended.
— Tamara Sonn, director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University
"Huda invites activists, analysts, and policymakers working for peace and conflict resolution in Muslim countries to learn about local activists’ deeply influential and widely practiced new strategies. Based on research and professional experience, this book offers an alternative approach to peacebuilding and conflict resolution more on the social than political level."
— Muhammad Khalid Masud, scholar of Islam, author of Islam and Modernity: Key Issues and Debates and Shari'a Law in the Twenty-first Century
“Qamar-ul Huda’s insightful work provides a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of Islamic peacebuilding principles and practices in the modern world. The book outlines a practical vision for fostering inner and communal peace amidst global conflict, highlighting real-world applications of peace education and conflict resolution strategies. This book is essential reading for both scholars and practitioners.”
— Tahir Abbas, professor, Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University
“This book does what many books in the field of peacebuilding fear to do: it acknowledges religion’s vital role in peace and conflict and legitimizes religious peacebuilding with research and analysis. Qamar-ul Huda provides a resource to the broader community, from peacebuilders to policymakers, that will transform their work to become more inclusive, expanding the peacebuilding toolkit.”
— Paul Turner, president, The Peace Fund
"Qamar-ul Huda makes a forceful case that an understanding of Islamic peacebuilding strategies must be a central part of the international peacebuilding field. His analysis offers fresh perspectives and innovative tools for reconciliation, peace processes, national dialogues on the past. This is a very welcome addition to the growing literature on the role of religion in peacebuilding.”
— Christine Schliesser, senior lecturer of systematic theology and ethics, Zurich University
In the face of relentless terrorism and propaganda from radical groups in Muslim-majority communities and unfettered headlines regularly portraying Islam as a violent tradition, this book examines diverse ways in which local Muslim peacebuilders design and implement programs based on nonviolence, reconciliation, community healing, and forging acceptance of others through peace education and their creative moral imagination.
— Qibla Ayaz, director, Institute of Islamic and Arabic Studies, University of Peshawar
Huda’s challenge to the now-dominant peacebuilding field contributes in a rich and positive way to the ongoing pursuit of a more just, sustainable and peaceful world. The book explores many dimensions of Islamic peacebuilding’s essential contributions to the work for peace in a troubled world.
— Marie Dennis, former president, Pax Christi International
"Whether you're an activist, policymaker, or thought leader, Qamar-ul Huda's book delivers unmatched depth and richness, revolutionizing old peacebuilding tactics with spiritually rooted Islamic peacemaking solutions. This well-researched and insightful book is an essential guide that presents the timeless wisdom of the ages to resolve world conflicts using an enduring peace framework."
— Daisy Khan, founder, Women Initiative in Spirituality and Equality
“This is a significant contribution to peace and methods of conflict resolution as recorded in the classical sources of Islam. Huda’s work explores the relevance of these Islamic methods and approaches to peacebuilding in contemporary circumstances where there are many misperceptions. This work is a bold vision to help readers understand peacebuilding from the perspectives of Islam.”
— Muhammad zia Rehman, President of International Islamic Research University, Pakistan
“Qamar-ul Huda’s work is a must-read for the international affairs and donor community. There is often a mismatch between peacebuilding and conflict resolution educational endeavors and the reality on the ground in Muslim-majority societies. This engaging and astute analysis unpacks this conundrum and provides an alternate conceptual and practical framework."
— Peter Weinberger, senior advisor, World Learning Institute
Reenvisioning Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution in Islam is a tour de force that will reshape the contours of peace studies. This meticulously researched and thought-provoking work challenges established narratives, offering a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted dimensions of Islamic peacebuilding.
— Zainab al-Suiwaj, president, American Islamic Congress
“Huda, a master of the art of peace and diplomacy, skillfully blends scholarship, passion, and practicality to offer fresh perspectives on conflict resolution and peacebuilding, as demonstrated in this timely and captivating book."
— Flamur Vehapi, author, The Alchemy of Mind and Kosovo: A Brief Chronology
This book fills a crucial and needed gap in understanding the varieties of and complex dynamics of peacebuilding in Muslim countries. Huda successfully demonstrates the wide misconceptions often raised by Western scholars about the compatibility of religious diplomacy and peacebuilding with a paradigm of liberal objectivism toward creating equitable societies.
— Rashad Bukhari, director, International Research Council for Religious Affairs
This book is a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the role of religion in peacebuilding, with a focus on Islam and its diverse traditions. It combines rigorous scholarship with inspiring vision and deserves to be widely read and discussed by all who care about the constructive role of religion in the future of humanity.
— Ammar Khan Nasir, Director of Islamic Studies, Gujranwala Institute of Future Technologies University