Islam: Its History, Teaching, And Practices

Book Summary

This compact introduction to Islam describes the essential aspects ofIslam as a living religion and social force. The book is organized around seventopics: the life of Muhammad; Islamic political development and territorialexpansion; the important groupings of Islamic believers (Sunni, Shi'ite, and Sufi);the Qur'an (the Holy Book of Islam); Sunnah, Hadith (the record of the Prophet'sactions and sayings), and Shari'ah (the compilation of Islamic law); the fiveArticles of Faith and the so-called Five Pillars of Islam that govern faith andaction; and other binding religious observances and festivals. The presentation ofthese seven aspects of Islam strikes a balance between fact, tradition, currentinterpretation, and commentary. S. A. Nigosian underscores twofundamental points: that to understand Islam properly, it is necessary to see it asa major faith tradition, with Muhammad as the last of a series of messengers sent byGod; and that to grasp the spirit of Islam, one must recognize its emphasis on anuncompromising monotheism, with strict adherence to certain social, political, andreligious practices, as taught by the Prophet and elaborated by tradition.

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