Introducing Islam

Abstract

Introducing Islam is the result of the author’s more than thirty years of teachingand research about Islam within the context of religious studies. Thiscomprehensive and concise textbook is an ideal introduction to Islam thatseeks to present it and its culture, as found within different Muslim countries,in a sympathetic way.From its early environment and origins in the life and career ofMuhammad (pbuh), it traces the history of Islam through its classicalexpressions and up to its contemporary interactions with the West. Devotinga chapter to each important topic (e.g., the Qur’an, Islamic law, Islamic theologyand philosophy, and Sufism) and to studies of Islam in individualcountries (e.g., Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Indonesia), it explores Islamiccivilization through discussions of Islamic art and culture as well as communityrituals. Consisting of a preface, an introduction, and three parts(divided into nineteen chapters [2-20]), the book is illustrated with ten mapsand twenty-eight figures, text boxes, summary charts (key points), a glossaryof key Arabic terms, and a list of further reading to aid students/readers’understanding ...