Understanding Islam

Islamism-also called Islamic Fundamentalism or Political Islam-represents one of the most important movements in the modern Islamic world. The global Muslim community is extremely diverse, and Islamist movements have taken many forms that reflect this diversity. However, most Islamists share a few common goals. These include ridding Islam of what are seen as corrupt influences and returning the faith to what they believe is an original, "pure" form; establishing Sharia as the basic law in Muslim lands; and replacing secular governments with governments that observe the tenets of Islam. This book details the historical and political context that gave rise to modern Islamist movements and groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). It also surveys fundamentalist movements in a variety of countries and regions, and outlines the ongoing challenges Islamic fundamentalism presents for the United States and its allies.

Today, there are more than 1.1 billion Muslims in the world. Even in the wake of this enormous growth, many of the practices established by Muhammad remain intact today. This not only applies to how Muslims pray, but also to how they construct their mosques, what events they celebrate, and what music they listen to and play. By adhering to the teachings of the Qur'an, a book that has remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years, Muslims observe a rich cultural tradition that bridges the past, present, and future worlds of the community of the faithful.

The United States is home to more than 3 million Muslims. Most demographers agree that Muslims are the fastest-growing religious group in the country. Yet many Americans still know comparatively little about Islam, which claims more than 1.6 billion adherents worldwide and which shares common roots with Judaism and Christianity. Muslims in America offers an in-depth and multifaceted look at the Muslim experience in the United States. In addition to summarizing the essential teachings and early history of Islam, this volume examines the past, present, and future of the American Muslim community, and explores how misunderstandings about Muslim beliefs can lead to discrimination and alienation from the larger US society.

Over the past twenty years, groups like the Gallup Organization and the Pew Research Center have conducted numerous polls of people in the Muslim world. These polls track the attitudes and opinions of tens of thousands of people living in predominantly Muslim countries like Indonesia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Egypt. Probing questions uncover the views of Muslims toward their local political systems, culture, religion, family life, and the United States. The resulting data is analyzed in Ideas & Daily Life in the Muslim World Today, in conjunction with historical background and current demographic information. It provides an unprecedented window into the perceptions, hopes, and values of adults across the Islamic world.

Islam is one of the world's fastest growing religions. Many non-Muslims, however, may know little about it. It is the world's second largest faith after Christianity and has made an invaluable contribution to the sciences, art, culture, and politics in both the Islamic world and the West. Muslims around the world-from countries like Indonesia, Iran, and Algeria, to American cities places like New York City, Dearborn, Michigan, and Toledo, Ohio-are an amazingly diverse group. Like the many different faith groups within Christianity and Judaism, Muslims worship in many ways. Some are very devout, while others are more secular. In this book, you will meet members of a worldwide Islamic community. At the same time, you will see them struggle to fit in with their non-Muslim neighbors, while negotiating the jagged lines running among fundamentalism, moderation, and secular life.

In recent years there has been a great interest in Islam and the more than 1.6 billion people around the world who practice this religion. Islam: Core Beliefs and Practices provides an overview of this major world religion that will help readers to understand what Muslims believe and value, as well as how Muslims practice their faith in their everyday lives. The book provides the historical background of Islam's emergence on the Arabian Peninsula during the seventh century and traces the spread of the faith throughout the world during the centuries that followed, along with information about the major Islamic sects, an explanation of Islamic laws and practices, details of important Islamic celebrations and festivals, and a discussion of important issues that Muslims face today.

Radiating outwards from the Arabian Peninsula, the Islamic world would spread to Africa, India, southeast Asia, Europe, China, and the steppes of Russia. At the height of the empire's strength and extent, a period known as the "Golden Age," Muslim achievement in all areas of culture was unsurpassed worldwide. In the fields of science, medicine, and technology, in particular, the Islamic world shined brightly in a world often darkened by ignorance and incomprehension. The efforts of Muslim scientists, mathematicians, astronomers, doctors, and engineers transformed the Islamic world and ultimately helped stimulate the European Renaissance, prompting a rediscovery of the ancient world that would revolutionize arts, science, and philosophy, and so transform the world.

In recent years, deadly terrorist attacks in European and American cities have drawn attention to the differences between the Muslim world and the West. Many Americans are surprised to find that Muslims have a negative attitude toward the US government. The widespread distrust of the United States and the European countries is not something that occurred in a short period of time, however. The Struggle for Identity: Islam and the West explores the history of contact between the Muslim and Western civilizations during the fourteen centuries since Islam was established. It discusses the spread of Islamic influence into Europe, the impact of the Crusades during the Medieval period, the legacy of European colonialism in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, and the involvement of the US government and military in Muslim lands over the past 75 years.

The followers of the three major monotheistic faiths-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-make up more than half of the world's population. Each of these religions traces its descent to the patriarch Abraham, who was the first man to completely submit to the will of a single, all-powerful God. Yet despite this shared heritage, there are important differences in the religious beliefs of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. This book provides the historical context in which each of these three important monotheistic religions developed, an overview of the essential beliefs and religious practices expected of each faith's followers, and a discussion of how Jews, Christians, and Muslims have interacted in both the ancient and modern worlds.

More than 1.6 billion Muslims live throughout the world today, and they can be found in practically every country. Although this has resulted in great diversity, all Muslims are members of the umma, or community, and all share the same basic belief in a single god and his messages about how humans are expected to live their lives. Who Are the Muslims: An Overview provides a snapshot of life in the Islamic world, with an overview of the countries in which Muslims live, basic information about the beliefs shared by all Muslims, and the history of the spread of Islam throughout the world. The book also examines Islamic law and its importance to Muslims, and discusses the role of Islam in governments throughout the Islamic world.

From its modest beginnings on the Arabian Peninsula nearly 1,400 years ago, Islam has grown into the world's second-largest religious faith, with more than 1.6 billion believers worldwide. Islamic civilization has a long and rich history characterized by magnificent achievements in the arts, science, and culture. Many individuals have played important roles in the development and spread of the Islamic faith and Islamic civilizations. This book provides brief biographies of a handful of those individuals, whose deeds have served as a powerful inspiration for other Muslims. This book also examines the places that Muslims consider sacred, explaining how those sites figure into Islamic history.

The story of Islam begins with a humble man who was devoted to practicing kindness towards others, and it continues with millions of followers in many countries. Islam is an intricate, beautiful, sophisticated, morally scrupulous world religion that asks its followers above all to be mindful of others in their community. Most Muslims are peaceful people who practice a religion that calls for personal responsibility and a commitment to being a good and kind person in the world. It's no surprise that a religion as morally and ethically engaged, as Islam is still a powerful force in today's world. It is responsible for uniting individuals and families in the pursuit of the values of kindness, compassion, and responsibility to others that Muhammad exemplified over 1,300 years ago. Its vivid history is not forgotten as it grows into other areas of the world, and its story continues today even when new cultural contexts result in Islam's ongoing evolution and adaptation to local circumstances.