Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: Revivalist of an Intellectual Tradition

This book not only attempts to trace the ancestral roots of Malaysia's fifth Prime Minister, it aims to elucidate the more esoteric ideas couched in the latter's now famous poetic composition, "In Search of Everlasting Peace." In addition, this study represents a critical albeit preliminary examination of the phrase 'Islam hadhari' cast in the framework of the worldview of Islam. It is a philosophical, intellectual understanding of the approach contrary to what the current information suggests.

To date there have been no complete adequate understanding of the phrase. Apart from being the only adequate scholarly work dealing with this approach, it will also be one of the first renderings of the approach into English which simultaneously attempts to weave Abdullah's beautifully penned poetic composition with the need for a sagacious comprehension of the modern contemporary world.

Although there have been a vast number of interpretations and explanations which have exposed the phrase to the Malay speaking milieu, the lack of an adequate critique or analysis has not only hampered its correct understanding, it has failed to approach even the logical boundaries of intelligible meaning. What this preliminary study ultimately aims to achieve is to arrive at intelligible meaning for the benefit of the Malays primarily, and Malaysians in general.