'For the novice to the field the book serves as a good introduction to the meanings of Islam in the area; for those well-versed in the field of Central Asian studies it is very important reading, not least because of its engagement with theory as well as the broader literature on the wider Islamic world (still rare in the field of Central Asian studies). I find [Rasanayagam's] attempt to bring the material into dialogue with current theoretical discussions on morality within anthropology particularly illuminating … Scholars and students interested in the anthropology of morality would find his discussions of experience as a moral source most interesting, and scholars interested in religion, politics and ideology would find lots of inspiration in the book as well.' Maria Louw, Contemporary Islam