Now available in a fully-revised and updated third edition,
Islam: History, Religion and Politics, provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the core teachings, historical development, and contemporary public struggles of Islam.
- Features a new chapter on the Arab Spring and the ongoing struggles for representative governance throughout the Muslim world
- Includes up-to-date analysis of the civil wars in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, including the rise of terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS
- Spans Islamic history from the life of Muhammad and the birth of Islamic ideals, through Islam’s phenomenal geographical expansion and cultural development, to the creation of modern states and its role in today’s global society
- Written by a leading scholar of Islamic studies
Foreword ix
Preface xi
Maps xiii
1 Many Paths to One God: Establishing the Ideals 1
The Quran 1
The Quran and Other Scriptures 7
Themes of the Quran 12
The Exemplary Life of Muhammad, Prophet of Islam:
The Sunna 21
The Early Muslim Community and the Pillars of Islam 24
The Successors (“Caliphs”) 27
Early Communal Disputes 29
Conclusion 31
2 The Pursuit of Knowledge in the Service of God and Humanity: The Golden Age 34
Institutions 35
Law 36
Political Structure 43
Cultural Achievements 45
Spirituality and the Mystical Tradition: Sufism 54
Conclusion 68
3 Division and Reorganization 7lc0
![Islam History, Religion, and Politics [Paperback]](/itemImage/2/4/1/2/2_533976.jpg "Islam History, Religion, and Politics [Paperback] xxx")