In this profound critical work, Wael Hallaq offers a radical re-evaluation of Orientalism studies, moving beyond Edward Said’s critique to encompass a critique of the epistemological foundations of Western modernity itself. Hallaq argues that the "impotence of Orientalism" is not merely cultural bias, but an inherent outcome of the structure of modern science and its inability to understand non-Western traditions on their own terms. The book proposes a new methodology for studying Islam and other societies, based on deconstructing the hegemony of the European perspective. This book is an essential contribution to postcolonial studies and the critique of modernity.