Islam: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

Islam: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

by Malise Ruthven (Author)

Synopsis

Islam features widely in the news, often in its most militant versions, but few people in the non-Muslim world really understand the nature of Islam. Malise Ruthven's Very Short Introduction contains essential insights into issues such as why Islam has such major divisions between movements such as the Shi'ites, the Sunnis, and the Wahhabis, and the central importance of the Shar'ia (Islamic law) in Islamic life. It also offers fresh perspectives on contemporary questions: Why is the greatest 'Jihad' (holy war) now against the enemies of Islam, rather than the struggle against evil? Can women find fulfilment in Islamic societies? How must Islam adapt as it confronts the modern world?

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 176
Edition: Reprint
Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
Published: 24 Feb 2000

ISBN 10: 0192853899
ISBN 13: 9780192853899

Media Reviews

Malise Ruthven's book answers the urgent need for an introduction to Islam... He addresses major isssues with clarity and directness, engages dispassionately with the disparate stereotypes and polemics on the subjects, and guides the reader surely through the urgent debates about fundamentalism. --Michael Gilsenan, New York University


Author Bio

Malise Ruthven is renowned as a commentator on Islam and the Arab world. A former scriptwriter with the BBC Arabic and World Services, his previous publications include Islam in the World and The Divine Supermarket: Shopping for God in America.