Islam: A Very Short Introduction

Description

Islam features widely in the news, often in its most militant forms, but few people in the non-Muslim world really understand its nature. Malise Ruthven's Very Short Introduction, offers essential insights into the big issues, provides fresh perspectives on contemporary questions, and guides us through the complex debates.

• Offers insights into the structure and beliefs of this major world religion
• Looks at issues surrounding why Islam has major divisions between movements such as the Shi'ites, the Sunnis, and the Wahhabis
• Considers the importance of the Shar'ia (Islamic law) in Islamic life
• Examines the role of women in the Islamic world, including recent debates relating to the veil-controversy in France
• Includes new material surrounding the idea of globalized Islam, looking at the effects of economic globalization on Islam, the effects of international events in Middle Eastern countries, the issues surrounding Islam and democracy, and the role and perception of Islam in the West
• Part of the bestselling Very Short Introductions series - over three million copies sold worldwide

New to this edition

• Text has been fully updated to incorporate world events and issues that have arised since the original publication
• Includes new material surrounding the idea of a globalized Islam - looking at Islam and democracy, the effects of economic globalization, and the role of Islam in the West
• Updated references and further reading

About the Author(s)

Malise Ruthven, University of Aberdeen

Malise Ruthven was born in Dublin of Hiberno-Scottish parentage. A former scriptwriter with the BBC Arabic and World Services, he holds an MA in English Literature and a PhD in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge University. He has taught Islamic studies, cultural history and comparative religion at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, Birkbeck College, University of London, the University of California, San Diego, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire and at the Colorado College, Colorado Springs. He is the author of Islam in the World (Oxford University Press 1984, 1991, 2006 ) a highly acclaimed overview of Islamic faith and history. His review essays and blogs appear regularly in the New York Review of Books and in 2004 London's Prospect magazine ranked him among the 100 top public intellectuals in Britain.

Table of Contents

Preface
1:Islam, Muslims, and Islamism
2:The Quran and the Prophet
3:Divine Unicity
4:The Shari'a and its consequences
5:Women and Family
6:The Two Jihads
Appendix: The five pillars of Islam
References
Further reading

Reviews

Review from previous edition very readable - RE Today 01/01/2002

excellent little book - The Guardian