Makers of Contemporary Islam examines the biographies of nine major activist intellectuals whose work provides the core of what the Islamic resurgence became in the 1990s and is an important foundation for what it can become in the 21st century. The profiles of these internationally recognized figures provide a new understanding of the intellectual foundations of contemporary Islamic awareness and Muslim politics. Nine figures are covered: Ismail al-Faruqi, Khurshid Ahmad, Maryam Jameelah, Hasan Hanafi, Anwar Ibrahim, and Abdurrahman Wahid. These intellectual activists represent a distinctive phase in the evolution of Islamic thinking: the ongoing effort to create an effective synthesis of modernity and Islamic tradition. Makers of Contemporary Islam is essential reading for students and scholars of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies as well as general readers interested in the Islamic resurgence and international affairs.

Reviews
"It would be difficult to overestimate the significance of Esposito and John O. Volls intellectually expansive yet thoroughly accessible volume. . . . Esposito and Volls book adds to our understanding of the intellectual and cultural foundations of the diverse religious and political movements ramifying throughout the Islamic heartlands and far beyond."-- The Journal of Asian Studies

"a major contribution to the general study of Islamic religion . While this book may serve as an overview of the intellectual foundations of contemporary Islamic politics, it is historically rich and capable of provoking many layered readings."-- The Journal of Religion