The No-Nonsense Guide to Islam

(Paperback)

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Description

This guide explains Islamic history, the Quran, sharia law, and Islams relationship with the West. It analyzes the struggle within the faith for a more humane interpretation of the religion, issues surrounding women, democracy, and economic development, and the outlook post-9/11 and the Iraq war.

Merryl Wyn Davies is a writer, anthropologist, and TV producer. The author of Knowing One Another: Shaping an Islamic Anthropology, she also co-authored the international bestseller Why Do People Hate America

Ziauddin Sardar is a writer, broadcaster, and cultural critic. His works include Postmodernism and the Other, Orientalism, and Why Do People Hate America, written with Merryl Wyn Davies.

Reviews

"The latest in the New Internationalist's excellent series of No-Nonsense Guides to all things is timely, as the peaceful and humane idealogy of the world's second-largest religion becomes dangerously obscured not only by widespread ignorance and misinterpretation, but also by the Muslims own drift away from the central tenets of the faith. The book examines the history and principles of Islam, how the faith which emphasised justice, creativity and tolerance, drifted from education to despotism and mediocrity, and what Islam could and should become in future." Observer, London My school library contains many books about Islam. However, no books explain the conflicts which have arisen... A teenage student investigating Islamic views as an issue, rather than a system of beliefs would have been very short of material before the addtion of this volume.' - School Librarian, UK "Sardar and Davies show what Islam has achieved; and what it is capable of achieving. They suggest how both Islam and the West can transform themselves to see each other as fully human and capable of laying the foundation for a just world order." - Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, Director of the Muslim Institute and leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain "If you are thinking about a book on Islam for non-Muslims new to the faith, or a book for anyone seeking to make sense of the challenges faced by Muslims in 21st century, then this book bests both tasks." Amazon customer review

Author Bio

Ziauddin Sardar is a writer, broadcaster and cultural critic. His numerous books include 'Postmodernism and the Other' (1998), 'Orientalism' (1999), and 'The A to Z of Postmodern Life' (2002). 'Why Do People Hate America' (2002), written with Merryl Wyn Davies, has been in the bestseller list in several countries. He is also known for his regular contributions to New Statesman magazine and to national and international newspapers. Merryl Wyn Davies is a writer, anthropologist and former producer of religious programmes for the BBC. She is the author of the highly acclaimed 'Knowing One Another: Shaping an Islamic Anthropology' (1988) and of 'Introducing Anthropology' (2002). She is the co-author, with Ziauddin Sardar, of the international bestseller 'Why Do People Hate America' (2002), among other publications.