"The Islamic movement in Jordan contrasts with its counterparts in other countries: The Jordanian Muslim Brothers have been nonviolent, have often defended the state vis-a-vis the challenges of radical ideologies, and have participated in the political process, while the Islamic opposition in Egypt, Iran, and Syria has engaged frequently in bloody confrontations. To reconcile their belief in the sovereignty of the shari a with the secular framework established by the state, the Brothers formed the Islamic Action Front Party with the sole objective of participating in the democratic process. This provocative move provided additional political space for the more pragmatic and moderate-minded Islamic activists, hindering the possibility of a split and thus maintaining the overall unity of the movement. This book explains the state-religion relationship in Jordan in terms of the state's ideology and policies, class formation, and the relationship between the dominant classes and the Muslim Brothers."--BOOK JACKET.