Summary

With a growing awareness of the presence of Islamic societies around the world and the varying Islamic religious bodies that play such a key role, Islam has emerged in the forefront of today's religious discussions. Islam, Fifth Edition dispels many of the myths and mysteries surrounding this major world religion, providing readers with an up-to-date understanding of the relationship between religion and politics in today's society.

Engaging sidebars, recommendations for further reading, a list of websites for additional information, and full-color photographs add to the well-written text. A glossary and bibliography make research easy and enjoyable for students.

Coverage includes:

• The founding of Islam
• The spread of Islam
• The Koran, Hadith, and Islamic law
• Branches of Islam and their basic beliefs
• Muslim customs and rituals
• The pattern of Islamic life
• Islam and the modern world.

Specifications

eBook

About the Author(s)

Matthew S. Gordon is associate professor of history at Miami University of Oxford, Ohio. He obtained a Ph.D. from Columbia University and is the author of The Rise of Islam and The Breaking of a Thousand Swords, as well as coeditor, with L. Carl Brown, of Franco-Arab Encounters.

Series editor Joanne O'Brien has an M.A. degree in theology and has written a range of education and general reference books on religion and contemporary culture. She is coauthor, with Martin Palmer and Elizabeth Breuilly, of Religions of the World and Festivals of the World, published by Infobase, and, with Martin Palmer, of Atlas of Religion. She is a consultant to WWF, the World Bank, the World Council of Churches, UNESCO, and UNDP.

Series editor and religious historian Martin Palmer is the founder of International Consultancy on Religion, Education, and Culture (ICOREC), in 1983, and the secretary-general of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC). He is the author of many books on world religions as well as a translator of ancient Chinese texts.