SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2017

‘An eye-opening, well-written and very timely book’ Yuval Noah Harari

‘The best sort of book for our disordered days: timely, urgent and illuminating’ Pankaj Mishra

‘It strikes a blow…for common humanity’ Sunday Times

The Muslim world has often been accused of a failure to modernise and adapt. Yet in this sweeping narrative and provocative retelling of modern history, Christopher de Bellaigue charts the forgotten story of the Islamic Enlightenment – the social movements, reforms and revolutions that transfigured the Middle East from the early nineteenth century to the present day. Modern ideals and practices were embraced across the region, including the adoption of modern medicine, the emergence of women from purdah and the development of democracy.

The Islamic Enlightenment looks behind the sensationalist headlines in order to foster a genuine understanding of Islam and its relationship to the West. It is essential reading for anyone engaged in the state of the world today.

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From the Qur’an to Ramadan, this friendly guide introduces you to the origins, practices and beliefs of Islam

Many non-Muslims have no idea that Muslims worship the same God as Christians and Jews, and that Islam preaches compassion, charity, humility, and the brotherhood of man. And the similarities don’t end there. According to Islamic teaching, Muhammad founded Islam in 610 CE after the angel Gabriel appeared to him at Mecca and told him that God had entered him among the ranks of such great biblical prophets as Abraham, Moses, and Christ. 

Whether you live or work alongside Muslims and want to relate to them better, or you simply want to gain a better understanding of the world’s second largest religion, Islam For Dummies can help you make sense of this religion and its appeal, including:

• Muhammad, the man and the legend
• The Five Pillars of Wisdom
• The Five Essentials beliefs of Islam
• The different branches of Islam and Islamic sects
• The Qur’an and Islamic law
• Islam throughout history and its impact around the world

Professor Malcolm Clark explores the roots of Islam, how it has developed over the centuries, and it’s long and complex relationship with Christianity. He helps puts Islam in perspective as a major cultural and geopolitical force. And he provided helpful insights into, among other things:

• Muhammad, the Qur’an and the ethical teachings of Islam
• Muslim worship, customs, and rituals surrounding birth, marriage, and death
• Shi’ites, Sunnis, Sufis, Druze, and other important Muslim groups
• Islam in relation to Judaism and Christianity

In these troubled times, it is important that we try to understand the belief systems of others, for through understanding comes peace. Islam For Dummies helps you build bridges of understanding between you and your neighbors in the global village.

P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you’re probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Islam For Dummies (9780764555039). The book you see here shouldn’t be considered a new or updated product. But if you’re in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We’re always writing about new topics! .

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Opening with a lucid overview of the rise and spread of Islam, from the seventh to twenty first century, the book charts the evolution of what was originally a small, localised community of believers into an international religion with over a billion adherents.
Chapters are also dedicated to the peoples – Arabs, Persians, and Turks – who shaped Islamic history, and to three representative institutions – the mosque, jihad, and the caliphate – that highlight Islam’s diversity over time.

Finally, the roles that Islamic history has played in both religious and political contexts are analysed, while stressing the unique status that history enjoys amongst Muslims, especially compared to its lowly place in Western societies where history is often seen as little more than something that is not to be repeated.

Some of the questions that will be answered are:

· How did Islam arise from the obscurity of seventh century Arabia to the headlines of twenty first century media?
· How do we know what we claim to know about Islam’s rise and development?
· Why does any of this matter, either to Muslims or to non-Muslims?

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

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