Addresses the manifestation of Islam in the particular context of Sudanese society; the politicisation / repoliticisation of Islam and the Islamicisation of politics; and the mechanisms that influence the rise of a specific Islamicist force or enhance calls for Islamicisation.

Note on Transliteration -- Preface -- INTRODUCTION -- 1 BACKGROUND: THE IMPACT OF THE CONDOMINIUM -- I An Overview -- II The Nationalist Movement -- - Rise of Sectarianism -- - The Intelligentsia -- III The Sudanese Political Parties -- a) The Traditionalist Parties -- b) Radicalism -- c) Islamism -- 2 THE SECULAR FACE OF SECTARIANISM -- I Decolonisation Process: Issues, Forces and Problems -- The Politics of Constitutional Developments -- The Southern Question -- Parties and Politics -- II The Sectarian Rule -- Reconciliation of Rivals -- A Difficult Power Share -- III The Secular Face of Sectarianism -- 3 GENERALS, MILITANTS AND POLITICIANS -- I The Rule of the Generals -- II October 1964 and Aftermath -- Chronology of Events -- Genesis of Failure -- Changing Political Situations -- Democracy For the Faithful! -- 4 THE MAKING OF AN ISLAMIC CONSTITUTION -- I General Considerations -- II The Controversial Constitution -- III The Bourbon Dynasty -- 5 FROM POPULIST LEADER TO AN 'IMAM -- I The Formative Years -- II Power and Ideology -- The 'cult' of Development -- Pan Islamism -- Doves and Hawks -- The Doves -- The Hawks -- - al-Mahdi's pan-Islamism -- - al-Turabi's Realism -- III September 1983 -- 6 THE POST-NIMEIRI SUDAN -- An Introductory Note -- I Nimeiri's Successors -- The Transitional Period -- The Third Democratic Episode -- II War and Peace -- - The Impact of War -- - Behind the Peace Process -- III The Politics of the Shari'a -- - Islamists -- - Secularists -- 7 PAX ISLAMICA -- I Genesis of the NIF Ascent -- - The Impact of Nimeiri's Policies -- - The Mughtarbin Class -- - The Disintegration of the Old Order -- Grand Strategy in Action -- - From Campus to Community -- - Islaminomics -- - The National Islamic Front (NIF) -- II Ideology and Pragmatism -- - Ideological Adjustments -- - NIF's Populism -- - Islamic Symbolism -- III Conclusion -- Notes -- Index.

'admirably comprehensive This is a valuable study of contemporary Sudan. The author spares us sententious judgements and writes dispassionately about a subject that evokes passionate debate among Sudanese.' - Shamil Jeppie, Journal of Islamic Studies