University professor and international government and media consultant John L. Esposito guides you through the facts and myths surrounding Islam and its more than 1.2 billion adherents. How familiar are you withthe world's second largest and fastest-growing religion? Many in the West know little about the faith and are familiar only with the actions of a minority of radical extremists.  This course will help you better understand Islam's role as both a religion and a way of life, and its deep impact on world affairs both historically and today. It is important to understand what Muslims believe, and also how their beliefs are carried out privately and publicly as individuals as well as members of a larger community. Learning about Islam: What Does the Future Hold? What does the future hold for Islam and the West in the new century? How will it change under the influence of conservatives, reformers, and extremists? "In 12 lectures, moving from Muhammad to the present, from the 7th to the 21st centuries, we will explore Muslim beliefs, practices, and history in the context of its significance and impact on Muslim life and society through the ages, as well as world events today."You will learn about: Muhammad, Jihad, Muslim beliefs about other faiths.  Whether the Quran condones terrorism and what it says about God, The contributions to mathematics, science, and art made by a flourishing Islamic civilization, The role of women in Islam, Whether Islam is compatible with modernization, capitalism, and democracy. Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is one of the great monotheistic faiths that traces its ancestry to Abraham. Professor Esposito discusses the similarities and differences in the three great Abrahamic faiths and explores more closely the core beliefs that serve as the common denominators that unite all Muslims throughout the world.