From the Qur'an to Ramadan, this friendly guide introduces you to the origins, practices and beliefs of Islam
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, 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.
P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you're probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Islam For Dummies (9780764555039). The book you see here shouldn't be considered a new or updated product. But if you're in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We're always writing about new topics! .
Autorentext
Professor Malcolm Clark taught in the Department of Religion at Butler University for 30 years.
Klappentext
- Understand common Muslim beliefs
- Explore Islamic history, from Muhammad to the present-day
- Identify the differences between Islamic sects
Learn about customs, history, and Islamic law
You don't have to be Muslim to understand Islam. This friendly guide introduces you to the origins and practices of Islam, including the Five Pillars and life-cycle rituals, and reveals the significance of Muhammad and the Qur'an, Islam's sacred scripture. You also meet the various Islamic sects, and see how Islam fits in with other Abrahamic religions. Follow how Islam has adapted over time, and examine recent developments in the Islamic world. From Islamic tradition to Islam in the modern-day, this insightful reference provides everything you need to know about the Muslim faith.
Inside...
- The prophet Muhammad and the origins of Islam
- Muslim ideas on heaven and hell
- Teachings of the Qur'an
- Islamic rituals and customs
- The principles of Islamic ethics
- Muslim contributions to world civilization
Inhalt
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Conventions Used in This Book 2
Foolish Assumptions 3
How This Book is Organized 4
Part 1: Understanding the Basics 4
Part 2: Muhammad: The Man, the Book, and Rules of Law 4
Part 3: Becoming Familiar with Muslim Daily Life 5
Part 4: Recognizing That All Muslims Aren't the Same 5
Part 5: Considering Islam's Concept of Abrahamic Religions 5
Part 6: The Part of Tens 5
Part 7: Appendixes 5
Icons Used in This Book 6
Where to Go From Here 6
Part 1: Understanding the Basics 7
Chapter 1: Approaching Islam 9
Getting an Overview of Islamic Origins 9
Summarizing Islamic Beliefs 10
Dividing into Branches 11
Counting the Numbers 11
Locating Islam on the World Map 12
Chapter 2: Tracing the Path of Islamic History 15
The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs 17
Choosing a successor: Abu Bakr (632634) 18
Expanding out of Arabia: `Umar (634644) 19
Gathering the Qur'an: `Uthman (644656) 21
Rebelling against `Ali (656661) 22
Expanding the state 23
The Golden Age 24
Umayyad rule (661750) 25
Abbasid rule (7501258) 27
Bridging the Gap 29
Three Great Later Empires 31
Ottoman Empire: The Turks 32
Safavid Empire: The Iranians 33
Mughal Empire: Islam in South Asia 35
Chapter 3: Submitting to God 37
Affirming the Unity of God: Tawhid 38
Clarifying the Terminology: Allah Equals God 40
Testifying to God's Supremacy 41
Defining the Attributes of God 42
Loving and Knowing God 43
Invoking the 99 Names of God 44
Dividing the names into categories 45
Remembering the names 46
Chapter 4: What Muslims Believe 47
Stating the Five Essential Beliefs of Islam 47
Believing in God 49
Believing in God's angels 50
Believing in God's books and in God's messengers 50
Believing in the last day and the resurrection from the tomb 52
Explaining the Faith to Non-Muslims 55
Expounding the Faith: Dealing with Difficult Faith Issues 56
Naming some theological issues 58
Defining a true Muslim 59
Relating faith to works 59
Degrees of faith 60
Anthropomorphizing God 60
Created or eternal Qur'an 60
Knowing what is good and evil 60
Rejecting Formal Creeds 61
Chapter 5: Standing Before God: Heaven and Hell 63
Understanding Other Beings beyond God and Humans 64
Gabriel and the other angels 64
Aladdin's lamp and the jinn 67
The Devil made me do it 68
Going to Heaven or Hell: From Life to Death to Resurrection 69
Dying and the grave 69
The resurrection and the final judgment 70
Facing the unresolved issues 71
Envisioning Heaven and Hell 72
Hell and its torments 73
Heaven and its delights 74
Women and the houris in heaven and hell 74
Part 2: Muhammad: The Man, the Book, and Rules of Law 77
Chapter 6: The Prophet: Muhammad 79
Setting the Stage: Arabia before Muhammad 80
Two key cities 81
Outside the cities: The beduin 82
Arabian religious practices 82
Telling the Story of Muhammad 83
Growing up 84
Summoning the people of Mecca 86
Facing opposition 87
Establishing the community in Medina 88
A chronology from 622 to 630 90
Thinking about Muhammad Theologically 92
Messenger, pro...