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Introduction to Islam
From one of the most prominent intellectuals in the Muslim world comes a timely new introduction to one of the world's most practiced-and most misunderstood-religions. In frank, unapologetic language, Tariq Ramadan walks readers through Islam and its principles, rituals, diversity, and evolution. Ramadan, known for his efforts to reform and change the understanding of Islam in the West, avoids ideology and idealism, instead attempting to depict the true meaning of Islam for readers who have no previous experience with the religion. The book is therefore focused on defining the basic principles of Islam and offering an overview of the faith's from its beginnings in prophetic mission, to the Sunni-Shi'a schism, to the formation of distinct schools of law, theology, philosophy, and mysticism. Perhaps the most misinterpreted aspect of Islam, shariah, literally translated as "the way that leads to a source of water," receives an entire chapter of attention. Ramadan explains the ways in which shariah has been reduced by fundamentalism to a mere criminal code and expands upon its place in the larger Islamic worldview. He then confronts some of the most pressing issues facing Muslims today, including gender equality, religious diversity, and violence. Both sensitive and accessible, Introduction to Islam is a much-needed guide to understanding the role of Islam in the modern world.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2016
18 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Tariq Ramadan
107 books1,178 followersTariq Ramadan is the son of Said Ramadan and Wafa Al-Bana, who was the eldest daughter of Hassan al Banna, who in 1928 founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Gamal al-Banna, the liberal Muslim reformer is his great-uncle. His father was a prominent figure in the Muslim Brotherhood and was exiled by Gamal Abdul Nasser[3] from Egypt to Switzerland, where Tariq was born.
Tariq Ramadan studied Philosophy and French literature at the Masters level and holds a PhD in Arabic and Islamic studies from the University of Geneva. He also wrote a PhD dissertation on Friedrich Nietzsche, entitled Nietzsche as a Historian of Philosophy.[4] Ramadan then studied Islamic jurisprudence at Al-Azhar university in Cairo, Egypt.[5]
He taught at the College de Saussure, a high school in Geneva, Switzerland, and held a lectureship in Religion and Philosophy at the University of Fribourg from 1996 to 2003. In October 2005 he began teaching at St Antony's College at the University of Oxford on a Visiting Fellowship. In 2005 he was a senior research fellow at the Lokahi Foundation.[6][7] In 2007 he successfully applied for the professorship in Islamic studies at the University of Leiden, but then declined to take up the position, citing professional reasons.[8][9] He was also a guest professor of Identity and Citizenship at Erasmus University Rotterdam,[10][11][12] till August 2009 when the City of Rotterdam and Erasmus University dismissed him from his positions as "integration adviser" and professor, stating that the program he chairs on Iran's Press TV, Islam & Life, was "irreconcilable" with his duties in Rotterdam. Ramadan described this move as Islamophobic and politically charged. Beginning September 2009, Ramadan, was appointed to the His Highness Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Chair in Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University.
Ramadan established the Mouvement des Musulmans Suisses (Movement of Swiss Muslims),which engages in various interfaith seminars. He is an advisor to the EU on religious issues and was sought for advice by the EU on a commission on “Islam and Secularism”.In September 2005 he was invited to join a task force by the government of the United Kingdom.[3] He is also the President of the Euro-Muslim Network,a Brussels-based think-tank.
He is widely interviewed and has produced about 100 tapes which sell tens of thousands of copies each year
As of 2009, Tariq Ramadan was persona non grata in Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia[19] Libya or Syria because of his "criticism of these undemocratic regimes that deny the most basic human rights".
Ramadan is married to a French convert to Islam and they have four children.
Tariq Ramadan studied Philosophy and French literature at the Masters level and holds a PhD in Arabic and Islamic studies from the University of Geneva. He also wrote a PhD dissertation on Friedrich Nietzsche, entitled Nietzsche as a Historian of Philosophy.[4] Ramadan then studied Islamic jurisprudence at Al-Azhar university in Cairo, Egypt.[5]
He taught at the College de Saussure, a high school in Geneva, Switzerland, and held a lectureship in Religion and Philosophy at the University of Fribourg from 1996 to 2003. In October 2005 he began teaching at St Antony's College at the University of Oxford on a Visiting Fellowship. In 2005 he was a senior research fellow at the Lokahi Foundation.[6][7] In 2007 he successfully applied for the professorship in Islamic studies at the University of Leiden, but then declined to take up the position, citing professional reasons.[8][9] He was also a guest professor of Identity and Citizenship at Erasmus University Rotterdam,[10][11][12] till August 2009 when the City of Rotterdam and Erasmus University dismissed him from his positions as "integration adviser" and professor, stating that the program he chairs on Iran's Press TV, Islam & Life, was "irreconcilable" with his duties in Rotterdam. Ramadan described this move as Islamophobic and politically charged. Beginning September 2009, Ramadan, was appointed to the His Highness Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Chair in Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University.
Ramadan established the Mouvement des Musulmans Suisses (Movement of Swiss Muslims),which engages in various interfaith seminars. He is an advisor to the EU on religious issues and was sought for advice by the EU on a commission on “Islam and Secularism”.In September 2005 he was invited to join a task force by the government of the United Kingdom.[3] He is also the President of the Euro-Muslim Network,a Brussels-based think-tank.
He is widely interviewed and has produced about 100 tapes which sell tens of thousands of copies each year
As of 2009, Tariq Ramadan was persona non grata in Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia[19] Libya or Syria because of his "criticism of these undemocratic regimes that deny the most basic human rights".
Ramadan is married to a French convert to Islam and they have four children.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 15, 2017
First of all you should know I’m an Irish Catholic so I was very grateful for the opportunity to read this to learn more about Islam from a pre-eminent source.
I was raised by a father who was insistent we learn and respect other faiths because our own family had suffered severe losses for the crime of being Catholic in Ireland. He taught us about the Tanakh, Quran, and other sacred scriptures to find balance with the Catholic Bible used in our own culture.
In the States I often see and hear about those in the Muslim faith being treated very similarly to the way my own family was and do not want to be counted among the ignorant. I feel those who are of a similar mind in wanting to enrich their understanding would do well to pick this up.
This text was written so that you could have absolutely no familiarity or a media educated familiarity to Islam and be able to easily grasp the tenets of the faith. There is no reason a person who thoroughly reads this work and takes time to understand what the author is teaching can walk away still feigning ignorance of this beautiful faith.
His writing style is so easy to follow that this is less like those boring texts you feel forced to read for class and more like a journey to something deeper and more meaningful. You can’t help but get caught up in the passion whispering through his words and become enthralled with the truth of what Muslims seek.
Even a Non-Muslim, such as myself, can appreciate and enjoy what is being taught on these pages. I ended feeling like not only had I learned about something far greater than myself but felt like I finally understood why my father pushed us to explore beyond the mass and rosaries we use in our culture. I have come away with believing not only is it possible to believe in different things but to understand and accept another’s position without feeling like my own is threatened.
I hope others take the time to study this book and find a mesmerizing experience as well.
I was raised by a father who was insistent we learn and respect other faiths because our own family had suffered severe losses for the crime of being Catholic in Ireland. He taught us about the Tanakh, Quran, and other sacred scriptures to find balance with the Catholic Bible used in our own culture.
In the States I often see and hear about those in the Muslim faith being treated very similarly to the way my own family was and do not want to be counted among the ignorant. I feel those who are of a similar mind in wanting to enrich their understanding would do well to pick this up.
This text was written so that you could have absolutely no familiarity or a media educated familiarity to Islam and be able to easily grasp the tenets of the faith. There is no reason a person who thoroughly reads this work and takes time to understand what the author is teaching can walk away still feigning ignorance of this beautiful faith.
His writing style is so easy to follow that this is less like those boring texts you feel forced to read for class and more like a journey to something deeper and more meaningful. You can’t help but get caught up in the passion whispering through his words and become enthralled with the truth of what Muslims seek.
Even a Non-Muslim, such as myself, can appreciate and enjoy what is being taught on these pages. I ended feeling like not only had I learned about something far greater than myself but felt like I finally understood why my father pushed us to explore beyond the mass and rosaries we use in our culture. I have come away with believing not only is it possible to believe in different things but to understand and accept another’s position without feeling like my own is threatened.
I hope others take the time to study this book and find a mesmerizing experience as well.
February 8, 2021
As one might expect, what little the typical person [myself included] knows about Islam is not only wholly inaccurate but likely not based on anything factual about one of the largest religions in the world. I only had a vague impression of Islam and that was based on headlines and anecdotes, and was likely wrong in some ways. I needed some explanations of what it was really about so I found this book at my local library.
The author here does an excellent job at communicating the history and beliefs of Muslims, along with the cultural and societal concepts [jurisprudence, science, philosophy, arts] inherent in Islam, while taking to task the sources of so much incorrect information and woeful misunderstanding [amongst Muslims and the world as a whole] about it that exists worldwide. You might think that you know what 'sharia' or 'jihad' mean and you are likely mistaken, like I was.
One example of many I learned here: It is well known that artistic depictions of the prophet Muhammad are forbidden in Islam. I assumed that this was because he was so divine that it was sacrilege to depict him. Not so. This practice is apparently for a somewhat opposite reason: to prevent idolization. Muhammad, though he is claimed to have received divine revelations, was really just a man, a mortal human, and idolizing him like a God would be in error, according to this book. Under that context, I understand it better.
Like other religions, there are factions and organizations who, in seeking to gain power or control of people, teach violence, misogyny, oppression, and so on under a deluded misrepresentation of their particular scripture. But these are not to be found as we expect in the foundational beliefs of Islam written in the Quran.
This book, or even just the last section titled 'Ten Things You Thought You Knew About Islam', should be required reading for the average person, whatever their beliefs. I now understand the rich breadth of the Muslim faith better and with more understanding.
The author here does an excellent job at communicating the history and beliefs of Muslims, along with the cultural and societal concepts [jurisprudence, science, philosophy, arts] inherent in Islam, while taking to task the sources of so much incorrect information and woeful misunderstanding [amongst Muslims and the world as a whole] about it that exists worldwide. You might think that you know what 'sharia' or 'jihad' mean and you are likely mistaken, like I was.
One example of many I learned here: It is well known that artistic depictions of the prophet Muhammad are forbidden in Islam. I assumed that this was because he was so divine that it was sacrilege to depict him. Not so. This practice is apparently for a somewhat opposite reason: to prevent idolization. Muhammad, though he is claimed to have received divine revelations, was really just a man, a mortal human, and idolizing him like a God would be in error, according to this book. Under that context, I understand it better.
Like other religions, there are factions and organizations who, in seeking to gain power or control of people, teach violence, misogyny, oppression, and so on under a deluded misrepresentation of their particular scripture. But these are not to be found as we expect in the foundational beliefs of Islam written in the Quran.
This book, or even just the last section titled 'Ten Things You Thought You Knew About Islam', should be required reading for the average person, whatever their beliefs. I now understand the rich breadth of the Muslim faith better and with more understanding.
June 8, 2022
This was such a thorough introduction to Islam that was genuinely enjoyable to read because the writing is beautiful. I appreciate the author’s perspective for the most part.
However, I was really disappointed in the way this book dealt with homosexuality. For a book that purports to highlight a religion of inclusivity, love, social justice, and non-judgment, one short paragraph writing homosexuality off as “judge the sin, not the person” was not it. It contradicts the entire message of the rest of the book.
However, I was really disappointed in the way this book dealt with homosexuality. For a book that purports to highlight a religion of inclusivity, love, social justice, and non-judgment, one short paragraph writing homosexuality off as “judge the sin, not the person” was not it. It contradicts the entire message of the rest of the book.
July 30, 2022
I took a semester-long “intro to Islam” class in undergrad and yet found this 224 page book more comprehensive. This will definitely be one of my top books of 2022. I think, even after reading the dense yet short explanations of various parts of Islam, the most important section is the last one. After providing an overarching introduction to Islam, the author spends 10 pages going through “10 things you thought you knew about Islam” like jihad and sharia. Because of the context the book provides, these terms and ideas can now be more fully understood by the reader. Phenomenally well written.
April 26, 2022
Edit: Having learned of the author's history and charges of sexual violence, I do not endorse this book. I will leave my original review as it stands.
A very good survey that concisely outlines what Islam is, and what issues surround it today.
Generally an informative, easy-to-read text that does exactly what it sets out to do. I found the explanations of Sharia and Jihad especially good. Ramadan goes to great effort to denounce literalist readings, and the overbearing emphasis in the Muslim world of law over meaning.
I do not feel the need to praise it anymore than that, but will address a few issues I found below.
While Ramadan nods towards the issues of misogyny and the efforts of feminist scholars, this could have been better substantiated. It is rather disingenuous to end the sub-chapter on women's issues by complaining about the lack of attention for the "Muslim man", after admitting to the "overwhelming" presence of men in the written literature. Perhaps men should be more concerned with themselves and let women write about themselves.
Homosexuality is addressed dismissively. A very classic 'judge the act not the person' I have heard all too often growing up in the US. This is simply homophobic and fails utterly to address the presence of LGBT+ Muslims across the globe. This response is glaringly hypocritical of the Islamic values of education and inclusivity that Ramadan emphasizes throughout the text. On a similar note, though the author claims to have addressed "all" the issues, he entirely overlooks transgender Muslims, who, to my understanding, have found mixed acceptance in Muslim-majority nations.
A sound introduction, but perhaps more lashed to bias and tradition than the author would lead the reader to believe.
A very good survey that concisely outlines what Islam is, and what issues surround it today.
Generally an informative, easy-to-read text that does exactly what it sets out to do. I found the explanations of Sharia and Jihad especially good. Ramadan goes to great effort to denounce literalist readings, and the overbearing emphasis in the Muslim world of law over meaning.
I do not feel the need to praise it anymore than that, but will address a few issues I found below.
While Ramadan nods towards the issues of misogyny and the efforts of feminist scholars, this could have been better substantiated. It is rather disingenuous to end the sub-chapter on women's issues by complaining about the lack of attention for the "Muslim man", after admitting to the "overwhelming" presence of men in the written literature. Perhaps men should be more concerned with themselves and let women write about themselves.
Homosexuality is addressed dismissively. A very classic 'judge the act not the person' I have heard all too often growing up in the US. This is simply homophobic and fails utterly to address the presence of LGBT+ Muslims across the globe. This response is glaringly hypocritical of the Islamic values of education and inclusivity that Ramadan emphasizes throughout the text. On a similar note, though the author claims to have addressed "all" the issues, he entirely overlooks transgender Muslims, who, to my understanding, have found mixed acceptance in Muslim-majority nations.
A sound introduction, but perhaps more lashed to bias and tradition than the author would lead the reader to believe.
November 18, 2021
I really think that everyone should read this book. As a Wiccan, my religion differs greatly to Islam, but it was wonderful to find some common threads in reading this book. Ramadan does a fantastic job of dispelling myths and misconceptions about Islam and making some incredibly theologically complex issues accessible for all readers. Amazing!
April 20, 2022
A good book for audiences who don’t know a lot about the actual teachings of Islam. Ramadan’s beliefs seem a bit “reformist” and at times I wonder what sources could be used to cite certain statements, but overall the book gives a pretty good overview of fundamental Islamic beliefs and practices. It also tackles many of the misperceptions presented in the Western media.
March 23, 2024
I was born Muslim but I always feel that there are still so many things I haven't learned about my own religion. I am grateful to find this book and I find it really helpful. Some questions and curiosities that I've been wondering all this time are finally answered. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends!
May 17, 2024
Wanted to find an academic overview of Islam. It started off promising, but it felt more like apologetics the deeper into the book I got. I expected more from a book from Oxford Press. If I wanted a book on modern modality I would read a book on modern morality.
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July 28, 2019Everyone would personally benefit from reading this book. I wish each elected official in the US and Western Europe would read it.
September 4, 2024
Introduction to Islam by Tariq Rahman is a concise and insightful guide that offers a broad overview of the core beliefs, practices, and historical development of Islam. Written in an accessible style, Rahman’s work covers key topics such as the life of the Prophet Muhammad, the Quran, the Five Pillars of Islam, and the diversity of Islamic thought and practices. It serves as an informative primer for readers unfamiliar with the religion, offering balanced perspectives on its spiritual, cultural, and societal dimensions. The book also touches on the historical evolution of Islamic civilization and its interactions with the modern world.
One of the book's strengths is Rahman’s ability to address complex theological and cultural concepts in a way that is easy to grasp for both general readers and students. He provides a detailed understanding of the different schools of thought within Islam, including Sunni and Shia divisions, and offers insight into contemporary issues facing Muslim societies today. While the book is not exhaustive, it serves as a valuable starting point for anyone looking to gain a foundational understanding of Islam, its rich history, and its relevance in the global context.
One of the book's strengths is Rahman’s ability to address complex theological and cultural concepts in a way that is easy to grasp for both general readers and students. He provides a detailed understanding of the different schools of thought within Islam, including Sunni and Shia divisions, and offers insight into contemporary issues facing Muslim societies today. While the book is not exhaustive, it serves as a valuable starting point for anyone looking to gain a foundational understanding of Islam, its rich history, and its relevance in the global context.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews