What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, From One of the America's Leading Experts

Overview

* A brief but reliable primer on Muslims and Islam, written by one of the world's most respected authorities
* The information about Islam that people most want to know presented in question-and -answer format
* The first place to look for information on the faith, customs, and political beliefs of the one billion people who call themselves Muslims
* Topics covered include - Faith and Practice, Islam and Other Religions, Customs and Culture, and Muslims in the West
* Special section devoted to terrorism and violence, addressing such questions as "What is jihad?" and "Why do Muslims hate us?"
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, there has been an overwhelming demand for information about Islam. As a leading expert, John Esposito has found himself called upon to speak to a wide range of audiences, including members of Congress, the Bush administration, government agencies, the military, and the media. Out of this experience, he has identified the most pressing questions people consistently ask about Islam.
In What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Esposito presents in question-and-answer format the information that most people want to know. Esposito provides succinct, accessible, sensitive, and even-handed answers to questions that range from the general--"What do Muslims believe?" and "Who was Muhammad?"--to more specific issues like Is Islam compatible with modernization, capitalism and democracy? How do Muslims view Judaism and Christianity? Are women second-class citizens in Islam? What is jihad? Does the Quran condone terrorism? What does Islam say about homosexuality, birth control, abortion, and slavery?
As the editor of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Modern Islam and The Oxford History of Islam, and author of Unholy War and many other acclaimed works, John Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. This brief and readable book is the first place to look for information on the faith, customs, and political beliefs of the more than one billion people who call themselves Muslims.


Readership: Anyone with an interest in Religion, Islam, Politics, and Social studies

Editorial Reviews

Georgetown professor Esposito has written an excellent primer on all aspects of Islam. The question-and-answer format allows readers to skip ahead to areas that interest them, including hot-button issues such as "Why are Muslims so violent?" or "Why do Muslim women wear veils and long garments?" In his answers, which are anywhere from a paragraph to several pages long, Esposito elegantly educates the reader through what the Qur'an says, how Muslims are influenced by their local cultures, and how the unique politics of Islamic countries affects Muslims' views. All three elements contribute to a fuller understanding of Islam. For instance, in answering the question on veiling, Esposito accurately clarifies that though the Qur'an instructs believers to be modest, it does not require head coverings. He continues by describing how the custom of veiling gained popularity in and after Muhammad's time as a status symbol. He ends by pointing out how some women who veil today feel they are making a social protest against judgment based on appearance as much as they are fulfilling the modesty requirement. Occasionally Esposito excludes some key information. He says that jihad is sometimes called the "Sixth Pillar" of Islam without pointing out that Western critics propagate the centrality of jihad, not Muslims. In his discussion of Qur'an 4:34, which appears to permit domestic violence in a disciplinary capacity, he omits new translations by feminist scholars that change the meaning and mitigate the controversy. However, overall, this book honestly and clearly answers the questions most non-Muslims have about Islam.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Author Information

Bio of John L. Esposito

John L. Esposito, University Professor of Religion and International Affairs and Founding Director of the Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.

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Additional Info

Imprint

Oxford University Press, Incorporated

Filesize

1.10 MB

Number of Pages

224

eBook ISBN

9780198035701