Islam For Dummies
Many non-Muslims have no idea that Muslims worship the same God as Christians and Jews, and that Islam preaches compassion, charity, humility, and the brotherhood of man. And the similarities don’t end there. According to Islamic teaching, Muhammad founded Islam in 610 CE after the angel Gabriel appeared to him at Mecca and told him that God had entered him among the ranks of such great biblical prophets as Abraham, Moses, and Christ.\ Whether you live or work alongside Muslims and want to...
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Many non-Muslims have no idea that Muslims worship the same God as Christians and Jews, and that Islam preaches compassion, charity, humility, and the brotherhood of man. And the similarities don’t end there. According to Islamic teaching, Muhammad founded Islam in 610 CE after the angel Gabriel appeared to him at Mecca and told him that God had entered him among the ranks of such great biblical prophets as Abraham, Moses, and Christ. Whether you live or work alongside Muslims and want to relate to them better, or you simply want to gain a better understanding of the world’s second largest religion, Islam For Dummies can help you make sense of this religion and its appeal. From the Qur’an to Ramadan, this friendly guide introduces you to the origins, practices and beliefs of Islam, including: Muhammad, the man and the legend The Five Pillars of Wisdom The Five Essentials beliefs of Islam The different branches of Islam and Islamic sects The Qur’an and Islamic law Islam throughout history and its impact around the world Professor Malcolm Clark explores the roots of Islam, how it has developed over the centuries, and it’s long and complex relationship with Christianity. He helps puts Islam in perspective as a major cultural and geopolitical force. And he provided helpful insights into, among other things: Muhammad, the Qur’an and the ethical teachings of Islam Muslim worship, customs, and rituals surrounding birth, marriage, and death Shi’ites, Sunnis, Sufis, Druze, and other important Muslim groups Islam in relation to Judaism and Christianity In these troubled times, it is important that we try to understand the belief systems of others, for through understanding comes peace. Islam For Dummies helps you build bridges of understanding between you and your neighbors in the global village.
Introduction1About This Book1Conventions Used in This Book1Foolish Assumptions3How This Book is Organized4Icons Used in This Book6Where to Go From Here6Part IUnderstanding the Basics7Chapter 1Approaching Islam9Getting an Overview of Islamic Origins9Summarizing Islamic Beliefs10Dividing into Branches11Counting the Numbers11Locating Islam on the World Map12Chapter 2Tracing the Path of Islamic History15The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs17The Golden Age24Bridging the Gap28Three Great Later Empires30Chapter 3Submitting to God37Affirming the Unity of God: Tawhid38Clarifying the Terminology: Allah Equals God40Testifying to God's Supremacy41Defining the Attributes of God42Loving and Knowing God43Invoking the 99 Names of God44Chapter 4What Muslims Believe47Stating the Five Essential Beliefs of Islam47Explaining the Faith to Non-Muslims55Expounding the Faith: Dealing with Difficult Faith Issues56Naming some theological issues58Rejecting Formal Creeds60Chapter 5Standing Before God: Heaven and Hell63Understanding Other Beings beyond God and Humans64Going to Heaven or Hell: From Life to Death to Resurrection68Envisioning Heaven and Hell72Part IIMuhammad: The Man, the Book, and Rules of Law77Chapter 6The Prophet: Muhammad79Setting the Stage: Arabia before Muhammad80Telling the Story of Muhammad83Thinking about Muhammad Theologically91Relating Personally to Muhammad95Searching for the Historical Muhammad97Chapter 7The Book: The Qur'an99Introducing the Qur'an100Hearing the Qur'an101Treating the Qur'an with Respect103Gathering and Organizing the Qur'an104The Style of the Qur'an108Interpreting the Qur'an112Using the Qur'an in Daily Life114Opening the Qur'an: The Fatiha116Chapter 8Islamic Tradition and Law119Imitating Muhammad120Understanding God's Law124Part IIIBecoming Familiar with Muslim Daily Life135Chapter 9The Five Pillars of Worship: Foundations of Islam137Purification: Getting Ready for Worship138The Shahada (First Pillar): Testifying139Salat (Second Pillar): Praying141Zakat (Third Pillar): Helping the Needy150Saum (Fourth Pillar): Reflecting and Fasting151Hajj (Fifth Pillar): Making the Pilgrimage to Mecca154Chapter 10Observing Other Religious Rituals and Customs161Rituals Linked to the Yearly Calendar162Marking Life's Transitions168Observing Everyday Customs176Looking at Women's Rituals180Chapter 11Muslim Ethics: Living the Good Life181Reviewing the Starting Points for Islamic Ethics182Applying Ethics to Practical Issues186Understanding Sexual Ethics186Outlining Ethics Regarding Marriage and Family189Part IVRecognizing That All Muslims Aren't the Same197Chapter 12Shi'ites199Locating and Counting Shi'ite Muslims200Keeping the Faith in the Family200Reviewing Two Foundational Events of Shi'ism203Following the Line of the 12 Imams205Worshipping in Twelver Shi'ite Fashion208Thinking like Shi'ites210Interacting: Shi'ites, Sufis, and Sunnis213Chapter 13Sufis215Searching for God216Believing in the Sufi Manner218Making a Contribution: Outstanding Individual Sufis219Organizing the Sufi Community223Acting in the Sufi Manner224Putting Faith into Verse: Sufi Literature227Establishing the Sufi Brotherhoods228Rejecting Sufism230Chapter 14Exploring Lesser-Known Sects Linked to Islam231'Ibadis (the early Kharijites)232Zaydis (or Fiver Shi'ites)233Isma'ili (or Sevener Shi'ite) Groups233On the Fringes of Islam and Beyond236Chapter 15Islam in America243Getting an Overview243Organizing the Muslim Community245Reestablishing a Black Muslim Community248Shi'ites in America253Sufis in America253Facing the Future as Muslim Americans254Part VConsidering Islam's Concept of Abrahamic Religions257Chapter 16Seeking Common Roots: Abrahamic Religion and Beyond259Belonging to the Same Family259Reading the Bible in the Qur'an262Muslims Facing Other Religions268Moving Toward Religious Dialogue270Chapter 17Seeking Common Ground273Ascertaining Muslims' Concerns273Hearing American Concerns Regarding Muslims278Facing the Major Issues279Knowing What's Needed from the Muslim Side283Knowing What's Needed from the Western Side283Chapter 18Meeting the Challenge of Modernity285Considering Islamic Democracy285Reclaiming Identity as an Islamic State286Forming a Shi'ite Islamic Republic289Reviewing the Globalization of Islamic Radicalism: bin Laden and Afghanistan292Part VIThe Part of Tens295Chapter 19Ten Muslim Contributions to World Civilization297Transmission of Greek Writings297Algebra and Mathematics298Arabic Numbers298Astronomy299Engineering and Technology300Medicine300Pharmacology301Physics, Specifically Optics301Architecture302Chapter 20Ten Noteworthy Muslims, Past and Present305Taking a Long Trip: Ibn Battuta305Gathering it All Together: al-Tabari306Wielding the Sword of Saladin307Glorifying the King: Akbar308Thinking Deep Thoughts: Ibn Rushd309Creating the First Philosophy of History: Ibn Khaldun310Becoming a Hero of the Revolution: Ali Shariati310Building Great Mosques: Sinan311Winning the Nobel Prize: Naguib Mahfouz312Listening to Umm Kulthum313Chapter 21Ten Islamic Regions in the News Today315Africa315South Asia317Southeast Asia and the Pacific319The Baltic States321Iraq322Lebanon323Palestine and Israel324The Former Soviet Union325Syria326Turkey326Part VIIAppendixes329Appendix ACounting the Years: The Muslim Calendar331Appendix BGlossary335Appendix CResources: Digging Deeper343Academic Resources343The Qur'an344Video Resources345Computer Software345Islam on the Web346And Finally ...347Index349
