Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan

Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan is one of the most important works published in this area. It explores the resistance movement against the PDPA and Soviet invasion and roots it in the traditions, theology and culture of the region. Importantly, it links the resistance movement to the ideas of Shah Waliullah and the Barelvi and Deoband movements, grounding it in a uniquely South Asian context. Another important feature of the book is its treatment of the 1975 uprising, which involved Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Ahmed Shah Massoud, among others. This took place during the Daoud regime, some three years before the Saur Revolution and more than four before the Soviet intervention. This forgotten chapter is also important in understanding the role of the Islamist movement regarding the state and ulama. The book also explores the role of traditionalist and modernist imperatives on the resistance movement.