Understanding Islam

by Hewer, C. T. R.

• ISBN13: 9780800637910
• ISBN10: 0800637917
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-07-01
• Publisher: Fortress Pr

Summary

The faith of a billion Muslims today, developed over fourteen centuries, is sympathetically and skillfully presented in this marvelous introduction. Hewer's extensive knowledge and contextually sensitive presentation yield an exceptionally rich and faithful account, presupposing no prior knowledge of the traditions, without orientalist, Western, or Christian biases. Includes diagrams, glossary, and easy to follow references to the Qur'an.

Table of Contents

Illustrations	viii
Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	xi
The Wider Picture: Creation from a Muslim Perspective	1	(13)
Muhammad, the Last in the Chain of Prophets	14	(29)
A chain of Prophets	15	(3)
The importance of Abraham	18	(3)
The Hajj	21	(6)
The birth and early life of Muhammad	27	(1)
The first revelation	28	(2)
The early years in Makka	30	(1)
The migration to Madina	31	(4)
The exemplary life of the Prophet	35	(2)
Death and succession: The Sunni view	37	(1)
Death and succession: The Shi'a view	38	(5)
The Qur'an, the Revealed Word of God	43	(17)
The Kalam Allah	46	(1)
The earlier Books and their Messengers	47	(4)
The structure, compilation, and preservation of the Qur'an	51	(3)
Interpretation of the Qur'an	54	(2)
Respect for and pious use of the Qur'an	56	(4)
An Overview of Islamic History	60	(15)
Overview	60	(1)
Expansion of the Islamic Empire	61	(4)
Intellectual and scientific advances	65	(5)
The Crusades	70	(2)
The expansion of Islam to the non-Arab world	72	(1)
Modern period	73	(2)
The Central Beliefs of Islam	75	(13)
God	75	(3)
Angels	78	(2)
Prophets	80	(1)
Books	80	(1)
The power and foreknowledge of God	81	(3)
Death	84	(1)
The Last Days and the final judgment	85	(1)
Heaven and hell	86	(2)
The Principal Practices of Islam	88	(28)
Shahada: To profess and practice the principal belief of Islam	89	(2)
Conversion to Islam	91	(4)
Salat: To perform ritual prayer five times daily	95	(11)
Zakat: To purify one's wealth by providing money to those in need	106	(4)
Sawm: To fast during the month of Ramadan	110	(6)
A Muslim Life	116	(22)
Birth	116	(3)
Education and childhood	119	(1)
Growing into adulthood	120	(2)
Marriage	122	(4)
Divorce	126	(2)
Family life	128	(7)
Death	135	(3)
Living Constantly Remembering God	138	(25)
Shari'a	139	(2)
Qur'an	141	(2)
Sunna	143	(2)
Intellectual activity	145	(1)
Classification of actions	146	(1)
Schools of law	147	(3)
Contemporary situation	150	(1)
Law in an Islamic state	151	(6)
The journey within: Sufism	157	(6)
Islam and Other Faiths	163	(23)
Setting the scene	163	(3)
Classification of religions	166	(5)
The Jews	171	(2)
The Christians	173	(2)
Controversy over the ``Son of God''	175	(5)
The Trinity	180	(2)
Jesus in the Qur'an	182	(4)
Muslims in Britain, Western Europe, and the United States	186	(44)
Overview of Muslims in Western Europe	187	(13)
Subcontinental Sunni Muslims	200	(8)
A future perspective	208	(5)
Muslims in the United States of America	213	(17)
YvonneYazbeck Haddad
Jane I. Smith
Further Reading	230	(9)
Glossary	239	(10)
Index	249