Seeking the historical and cultural roots of the conflict between Soviet-aligned Marxists and the religious extremists inspired by Egyptian and Pakistani brands of 'fundamentalist' Islam, this work examines the lives of three significant figures of the late nineteenth century - a tribal khan, a Muslim saint, and a prince.
"This is a wonderful, absorbing, moving book."-Barbara Metcalf, University of California, Davis
"An original and significant work that is beautifully written and passionately engaged with material that is fascinating from start to finish. It is one of the best first books I have read in a long, long time."-Steven Caton, New School for Social Research
"A telling analytical juxtaposition of texts in family oral history, saint's legend, autobiography, and edict, amounting to a new approach to Middle Eastern discourse analysis and social history."-Margaret Mills, University of Pennsylvania
