Islam

In ISLAM: A SHORT HISTORY, the always erudite and engaging religion writer Karen Armstrong meets the needs of those who feel they are, for whatever reason, poorly informed or are just curious about one of the major world religions. As she did in her bestselling A HISTORY OF GOD, Armstrong presents Islam's basic history, key figures, and major precepts--all necessary--while at the same time conveying a sense of religion's mystical sources and its deep and continuing presence in the lives of many. Armstrong explicates the common sources of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and then recounts the life of Muhammad, as he flees Mecca and unites his followers with the people of Medina and other regions; she tells of the first mosques, the Crusades, and the spread of Islam into Africa and Asia, and then carries her history to the current time, with the forming of Pakistan, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the global eruptions following September 11, 2001. Eminently readable, Armstrong's book beats a clear and easy path through the complexities of history, always maintaining an objective stance. She is sensitive to the emergence of factions within Islam, and wades fearlessly into terrain that is hotly argued, especially the rise of fundamentalism and its meaning for current times. ISLAM: A SHORT HISTORY is an important one-volume overview that can be helpful for readers who just wish to know more, and also for those who wish to use it to help them envision the prospects for greater conciliation and world peace. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.