Introducing Islam
By: William E. Shepard
Edition: Second edition.
Series: World Religions series; World religions (Routledge (Firm))
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2014
Place of publication: New York, NY
Language: eng
Number of pages: 424
ISBN-13: 9780415533454; 9780415533423
Subjects: Historia; Islam; History
Description: "Just what is Islam and what does it mean to be a Muslim in the world today? Since the events of 9/11 and 7/7, Islam has become one of the most controversial and misunderstood religions in the world. Introducing Islam encourages students to put aside their preconceptions and explore this fascinating religion. William Shepard traces the history of Islam from its origins in the life and career of Mohammed, through its classical expressions, to its interactions with the West in the modern world. A chapter is devoted to each major topic, including The Quran, Islamic law, Islamic theology, and the Sufi movement, as well as community rituals and Islamic art and culture. There is a survey of modern developments and four chapters are dedicated to individual countries, Turkey, Iran, Egypt and Indonesia. Fully revised and updated, the second edition of this core textbook adds crucial material on contemporary issues such as women in Islam and democratization and human rights. Illustrated throughout, the book also includes learning objectives, a glossary of key Arabic terms, comprehensive further reading lists and critical thinking boxes, helping students to critically engage with the material in each chapter. Further teaching and learning resources are available on the companion website at www.routledge.com/cw/shepard .This book continues to be essential reading for students of Islam worldwide."--Publisher.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 404-410) and index.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note: 1. Introduction: approaching the subject; title: Who represents Islam?; title: What is Islam?; title: Is there a "true Islam"?; title: Empathetic understanding; title: Apologetics; title: Two problematic pairs; title: From Orientalism to Islamic Studies; title: The role of the media; title: Issues of language and related matters; title: Dates; title: An introductory overview of Islam; title: pt. I History of the community; title: 2. On the eve of Islam: the Hellenistic; title: Iranian world; title: Two "superpowers"; title: Religion in Iran: Zoroastrianism; title: Other Iranian religions; title: Byzantine Christianity; title: Other forms of Christianity; title: Jews; title: Philosophers and Gnostics; title: The Axial Age; title: 3. The beginnings of Islam: Muslim history to about 700 CE; title: The Arabs before Islam; title: The career of the Prophet Muhammad; title: Conflict and conquest after Muhammad; title: Some scholarly reservations; title: 4. Expansion and flowering: the history of Islam from about 700 to 1700 CE; title: The later Umayyad period; title: The early Abbasid period.; title: Contents note continued: Independent or autonomous realms; title: The later Abbasid period; title: The Crusades and their effects; title: Mongol invasions and after; title: The three great empires: Ottomans, Safavids and Moghuls; title: Central Asia, China, Southeast Asia and Africa; title: pt. II Aspects of Islam; title: 5. The Qur'an: God speaks; title: What is the Qur'an?; title: The Qur'an in Muslim culture; title: The main teachings of the Qur'an; title: Interpretation of the Qur'an; title: Modern critical approaches to the Qur'an; title: 6. The Prophet Muhammad: "the best of all creatures"; title: Muhammad is human, but special; title: Sunna and Hadith; title: How authentic are the Hadith?; title: Muhammad as intercessor and spiritual being; title: Modernist views: Muhammad as hero; title: 7. Rituals and ceremonies; title: Some basic distinctions and concerns; title: The Pillars; title: Other pilgrimages; title: The birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (Mawlid al-Nabi); title: Life cycle rituals; title: Sibha; title: Halal food; title: 8. Divisions in the umma: sects and political theory; title: Kharijis; title: Shi'is.; title: Contents note continued: Sunnis; title: Persian and Greek contributions; title: 9. Those who know: scholars and learning; title: Who are the `ulama'?; title: The mosque; title: Education and learning; title: The sciences and higher level teaching; title: `Ulama' and government; title: 10. To know God's will: Islamic law; title: Law: Shari'a and fiqh; title: The five Shari'a valuations; title: Usul al-fiqh, the roots of jurisprudence: the Sunni form; title: Sunni "schools" of jurisprudence, madhhabs; title: Usul al-fiqh: the Twelver Shi'i form; title: Muftis and fatwas; title: A brief history of fiqh; title: The Shari'a and popular appropriation; title: 11. Theology and philosophy: "God talk", Muslim style; title: Theology (kalam, usul al-din); title: Theological issues; title: Philosophy; title: Main teachings of the philosophers; title: 12. The Sufi path to God: spiritual dimensions of Islam; title: Knowledge, love and remembrance of God; title: Tariqa, the path; title: The goal: fana' and baqa'; title: Walis (saints); title: Sufism and Shari'a-mindedness; title: Historical outline; title: Poetry and theosophy.; title: Contents note continued: Some recent developments; title: 13.A philosopher, a scholar-mystic and a reformer; title: Ibn Sina; title: Al-Ghazali; title: Ibn Taymiyya; title: 14. Culture and counter-culture; title: Visual art; title: Architecture; title: Literature; title: Poetry; title: Prose; title: Music; title: pt. III Modern developments; title: 15. Modern challenges: Western imperialism and Muslim response; title: European imperialism and colonialism; title: Modernization, Westernization, secularization; title: The challenge to Islam: "the great reversal"; title: Pre-modern reform; title: Responses to the challenge; title: Traditionalism; title: Islamic modernism; title: Secularism; title: Islamism; title: Resurgence of Islam; title: The special case of Israel and Palestine; title: The "Arab spring"; title: Post-Islamism?; title: 16. Ideology and politics in Turkey: secularist reform; title: Ottoman defeats and reforms; title: Ottoman "pan-Islamic" policy and claim to the caliphate; title: "Turkism" in the early twentieth century; title: Nationalist and secularist republic established by Ataturk.; title: Contents note continued: Partial retreat from secularism from about 1950; title: The Nurcu and Gulen movements; title: Alevi revival; title: The Turkish experience; title: 17. Ideology and politics in Egypt: between secularism and Islamism; title: The beginnings of modernization and secularization; title: Muhammad 'Abduh and Islamic modernism; title: Nationalism and secularization in the early twentieth century; title: The beginnings of Islamism: the Muslim Brothers; title: Revolution: support, control and repression; title: Resurgence of Islam; title: The "Arab spring" in Egypt; title: 18. Ideology and politics in Iran: from secularism to Islamic republic; title: The Qajars: religion, foreign interference, constitution; title: The Pahlavis: Reza Shah and Iranian nationalism; title: Muhammad Reza Shah: White Revolution; title: Islamic opposition and revolution; title: Islamic republic; title: After Khomeini; title: 19. Ideology and politics in Indonesia: Islamic society or Islamic state?; title: Islamization of Java, Sumatra and other islands.; title: Contents note continued: Dutch imperialism and continuing Islamization; title: Twentieth-century movements; title: Independence and the issue of an Islamic state; title: The events of 1965 and Suharto's regime; title: Post-Suharto: elections; violent Islamism; title: 20. Globalization: challenge and opportunity; title: Globalization: meaning and examples; title: Global jihad; title: Why martyrdom operations?; title: Muslim diaspora in the West; title: Liberal/progressive Islam; title: 21. Three cultural flashpoints: gender, democracy and human rights; title: Gender; title: Democracy; title: Human rights; title: Concluding problematic postscript: the myth of equality.