Islam For Dummies

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...