Events such as the Iranian Revolution, the Rushdie affair and the Gulf War have convinced many in the West that Islam is one of the most sinister forces in the post-Cold War world. Written by a leading authority on Islam, this revealing study of the sources and diversity of Muslim politics provides a balanced background to the current tensions. Providing a systematic analysis of political Islam in several key states and a wide range of popular movements, the author assesses Islam's potential challenge, and explores such issues as fundamentalism, human rights, and the status of women and minorities in the context of Islamic revivalism.