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DISCOVERING ISLAM
by Akbar Ahmed
(Routlegde 2002)
ISBN: 0415285259
List price: $19.95
Now reissued with a new introduction, "Discovering Islam" is
an account of how the history of Islam and its relations with the west
have shaped Islamic society in 2002. Islam is often caricatured as aggressive
and fanatic. Written in the tradition of Ibn Khaldun, this book balances
that image, uncovers the roots of Islamic discontent and celebrates the
sources of its strength. From the four "ideal Caliphs" who succeeded
the Prophet to the refugee camps of Peshawar, an objective picture emerges
of the main features of Muslim history and the compulsions of Muslim society.
Table of Contents:
Introduction:Discovering Islam Part One:The Pattern of Islamic History
2. Muslim Ideal:Holy Book and Prophet 3. A Theory of Islamic History 4.
The Great Muslim Empires:Ottomans, Saffavids and Mughals 5. Sufis and
Scholars 6. Islam of the Periphery 7. Under European Rule:The Colonial
Impact on Muslim Society Part Two:Contemporary Muslim Society 8. Princes
and Paupers:Muslim Societies in Saudi Arabia and South India 9. Muslim
Society Turned Inside Out:Ethnicity, Women and Refugees 10. The Reconstruction
of Muslim Thought 11. Only Connect Appendix:Muslim Chronology, Glossary
of Islamic Terminology, Bibliography:Suggested Readings, Index
Reviews:
Asian Affairs
"An intriguing mixture of the history of primitive Islam . . . very
readable." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
History Today
"[Ahmed is] one of the more gifted and sensitive Muslim minds of
today . . . With Discovering Islam, he moves beyond anthropology . . .
to set before us the kindlier face of Islam and the dynamics of its history."
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Religious Studies Review
"[Ahmed's] bold treatment of such issues as poverty, the status of
women, and the plight of refugees contributes to the study's timeliness."
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Anthropology and Humanism Quarterly
"Using anthropology and history, Ahmed presents a very readable and
valuable study of Islam which provides Westerners with a clear and accurate
understanding of this important religion and its influence on numerous
cultures." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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