Understanding Islam
Subtitle: an introduction to the Muslim world
By: Thomas W. Lippman.
Edition: 3rd rev. and updated ed.
Publisher: Penguin Putnam
Published: 2002
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 198
ISBN-13: 9780452011601
Subjects: Islam.
Description: A little over thirteen centuries ago, the prophet Muhammad converted a few Arab desert tribes to the belief in a single god, Allah, thus founding the religion of Islam. Within a century, that belief had created one of history's mightiest empires - and today Islam continues to shape events around the globe.

This comprehensive guide offers an informative and insightful introduction to Islam both as a religion and as a political-economic force. It tells the story of Muhammad - and the rise of Islam; outlines the sacred book, the Koran; explains "the five pillars of faith"; explores the interplay between religion and government; describes the differences that divide Islam; and, above all, shows the influence of Islam on world affairs.

This second revised edition provides crucial new material on the Islamic community today, including discussion of the Gulf War and the Salman Rushdie affair; the rise and ebb of fundamentalist fervor in Iran, Algeria, and elsewhere; and the relationships among different factions of the Islamic faith. There are also updated descriptions of internal politics in Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, and other Islamic nations.

Complete with glossary, bibliography. and index, Understanding Islam is engrossing, essential reading for both students and all who seek a clearer understanding of the world in which we live.
Notes: "A Plume book."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 190-191) and index.
Table of contents: title: Basic beliefs and practices; title: The prophet Muhammad; title: The Koran; title: Law and government in Islam; title: The advance of Islam; title: Schism and Mysticism; title: The Islamic community today.