Synopses & Reviews
The Iranian revolution, the Lebanese and Afghan civil wars, the assassination of Egypt's Anwar Sadat, the Gulf War--these crises have dominated the headlines and global politics, yet few of us know anything about Islam, the faith of the people and nations of the world's second largest religion. Islam and Muslims have often been viewed through a series of stereotypes--as fundamentalists, extremists, radicals--which distort our understanding of the faith of its one billion followers, who span the globe from Africa to Asia, from the United States to the Soviet Union. Now John L. Esposito offers a timely revised edition of
Islam, his widely acclaimed guide to Islamic history, faith, culture, and politics.
In Islam, Esposito provides a succinct, up-to-date survey of the Islamic experience, an introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its origins to its contemporary resurgence. He traces the emergence and development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and politics. He discusses the formation of Islamic belief and practice (law, theology, philosophy, and mysticism), chronicling the struggle of Muslims to define and adhere to their Islamic way of life. Equally important is the essential information Esposito provides on the contemporary world of Islam, from Muslim responses to the challenges of colonialism and modernization to the reassertion of Islam in politics and society.
With years of teaching and traveling in the Islamic world, Esposito offers an inside understanding of Muslim faith and thought. Lucidly written and expansive in scope, this new edition of a volume highly respected in both the West and the Islamic world provides keen insight into one of the world's least understood religions.
Synopsis
The world's largest religion, Islam is also one of the fastest growing and most politically potent, yet its nature remains obscure to many westerners despite its common theological and historical roots with Judaism and Christianity. Combining the finest Western scholarship with an insider's understanding of the Muslim world, this book provides a brief, yet comprehensive introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from the seventh century to the contemporary resurgence. Drawing on his extensive experience traveling, researching, and teaching in the Muslim world, John L. Esposito records the struggle of Muslims to define and follow their way of life through the development of Islamic law, theology, mysticism, and philosophy, bringing his discussion to life with excerpts from a wide range of original sources. Written for a broad audience, Islam: The Straight Path addresses the powerful and pervasive role of Islam in modern Muslim life and the issues that Islam faces, avoiding simplified political generalizations about the contemporary scene. Completely up-to-date, this book is indispensable to understanding the Islamic world during this turbulent and important period in its history.
Synopsis
The Gulf War, the World Trade Center bombing, conflicts in Afghanistan, Algeria, and Bosnia--these crises have dominated the headlines and global politics. Yet few of us know anything about Islam, a religion with one billion followers worldwide. Now John L. Esposito offers a timely new edition of
Islam: The Straight Path, his widely acclaimed guide to Islamic history, faith, culture, and politics.
Esposito provides a succinct, up-to-date survey of the Islamic experience, an introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its origins to the present. He traces the emergence of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and he discusses the formation of Islamic belief and practice in such areas as law, theology, philosophy, and mysticism. Equally important, Esposito provides much needed information on contemporary Islam. This third edition has been updated throughout and is enhanced by new material that more accurately reflects the true diversity of Muslim cultures. In particular, Esposito broadens the study of Islam beyond the Middle East with a new study of Pakistan as well as a new section on the Muslim presence in the US and the impact of such figures as Malcolm X, Warith uddin Muhammad, and Louis Farrakhan. In the final chapter, Esposito discusses modern Muslim thinking on religious pluralism, democracy, and human rights.
With years of teaching and travel in the Islamic world, Esposito offers an informed portrait of Muslim faith and thought. Lucidly written and expansive in scope, this new edition of a volume highly respected in the Islamic world provides keen insights into the world's second largest religion.
Synopsis
The world's largest religion, Islam is also one of the fastest growing and most politically potent, yet its nature remains obscure to many westerners despite its common theological and historical roots with Judaism and Christianity. Combining the finest Western scholarship with an insider's
understanding of the Muslim world, this book provides a brief, yet comprehensive introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from the seventh century to the contemporary resurgence. Drawing on his extensive experience traveling, researching, and teaching in the Muslim world, John L.
Esposito records the struggle of Muslims to define and follow their way of life through the development of Islamic law, theology, mysticism, and philosophy, bringing his discussion to life with excerpts from a wide range of original sources. Written for a broad audience, Islam: The Straight Path
addresses the powerful and pervasive role of Islam in modern Muslim life and the issues that Islam faces, avoiding simplified political generalizations about the contemporary scene. Completely up-to-date, this book is indispensable to understanding the Islamic world during this turbulent and
important period in its history.
Synopsis
This exceptionally successful survey text introduces the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its earliest origins up to its contemporary resurgence. The author, an internationally renowned expert on Islam, traces the development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and politics, discussing the formation of Islamic belief and practice (in law, theology, and mysticism) and chronicling the struggle of Muslims to define and adhere to their Islamic way of life. This third edition has been updated throughout and is enhanced by new material in order to more accurately reflect the true diversity of Muslim cultures. A study of Pakistan has been added to the existing country-by-country survey, broadening the scope of the volume beyond the countries of the Middle East for the first time. A new section on Islam in the West explores the significance of the Muslim presence in the U.S., Great Britain, and Europe, examining some of the issues it has raised. Noteworthy figures, including Malcolm X, Warith Deen Muhammad, and Louis Farrakhan, are also considered. In the final chapter, Esposito discusses modern Muslim thinking on such issues as religious pluralism, democracy, and human rights. Lucidly written and expansive in scope, the third edition of Islam: The Straight Path provides keen insight into one of the world's least understood religions and is ideally suited for use in courses on Islam, comparative religions, and Middle Eastern history and culture.
Synopsis
This exceptionally successful survey text introduces the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its earliest origins up to its contemporary resurgence. The author, an internationally renowned expert on Islam, traces the development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and
politics, discussing the formation of Islamic belief and practice (in law, theology, and mysticism) and chronicling the struggle of Muslims to define and adhere to their Islamic way of life. This third edition has been updated throughout and is enhanced by new material in order to more accurately
reflect the true diversity of Muslim cultures. A study of Pakistan has been added to the existing country-by-country survey, broadening the scope of the volume beyond the countries of the Middle East for the first time. A new section on Islam in the West explores the significance of the Muslim
presence in the U.S., Great Britain, and Europe, examining some of the issues it has raised. Noteworthy figures, including Malcolm X, Warith Deen Muhammad, and Louis Farrakhan, are also considered. In the final chapter, Esposito discusses modern Muslim thinking on such issues as religious pluralism,
democracy, and human rights. Lucidly written and expansive in scope, the third edition of Islam: The Straight Path provides keen insight into one of the world's least understood religions and is ideally suited for use in courses on Islam, comparative religions, and Middle Eastern history and
culture.
About the Author
About the Author - John L. Esposito is Professor of Religion and Director of the Center for International Studies at the College of the Holy Cross, and served as President of the Middle East Studies Association. His many publications include Islam and Politics, Islam in Asia, Voices of Resurgent Islam, and The Iranian Revolution: Its Global Impact.
Table of Contents
Preface to the Third Edition