Synopses & Reviews
Although there are over one billion Muslims in the world, and over ten million in the West, most discussions of Islam are based on clichés or outright prejudice. This lively and compelling book sets out to bridge the gulf of misunderstanding. Islam, argues Akbar Ahmed, does not mean the subordination of women, contempt for other religions, opposition to the modern world, or barbaric punishments for petty crimes. One cannot fully come to terms with modern Islam without understanding its sources and traditions.
Review
"Get a true picture of the religion distorted by Osama bin Laden in this Oprah recommended guide to the Muslim world." --
Guardian
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [241]-243) and index.
About the Author
Akbars Ahmed is fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge, UK, and has been a visiting professor at Princeton and Harvard Universities.
Table of Contents
This is a compelling book--it goes a long way toward bridging the gulfs of misunderstanding that hinder most discussions of Islam.
Introduction: Raising Questions * What is Islam? * The Challenge of the Past: Empires and Dynasties * When Worlds Collide: Muslim Nations and Western Modernity * Muslims as Minorities * Islam in the Age of the Western Media * Concluding Thoughts * Index