Islam: Religion, History, and Civilization
Finally, a good, up-to-date introduction to Islamic faith and history. Providing compelling analysis of contemporary Islam and its conflicts without overwhelming the reader with information, Nasr, one of the most admired Islamicists, introduces all the important movements and beliefs of Islam in broad, sweeping sections on the history of Islam, the schools of Islamic thought, and other topics. Whereas most introductions breeze past the diversity within Islam to focus on the common ground, Nasr proves himself equal to the challenge of distilling 1,400 years of faith and history by discussing and lauding Islamic diversity in some detail; for instance, he treats Sufism and Shi'ism in general and also historic and contemporary sects within those traditions. Even readers of Karen Armstrong'sIslam(2000), by far the most popular introduction to Islam, will learn a lot here, although Nasr lacks the compelling narrative voice that makes Armstrong so popular. His is a deep, thoughtful, sympathetic introduction to the diversity and history of Islamic faith and practice.John GreenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved