The Beliefnet Guide to Islam

by Hesham A. Hassaballa, Kabir Helminski

This concise introduction to Islam offers a sophisticated and informative exploration of the history, beliefs, tenets, and practices of the second-largest religion in the world. There are 1.3 billion Muslims in the world today, yet Islam remains a misunderstood faith. In this day and age, when issues related to Islam are dominating current affairs, The Beliefnet® Guide to Islam takes readers into the heart of this global religion, describing its origins, its links to Judaism and Christianity, and its place and practices in the modern world.

In clear, unbiased language, the authors outline the core beliefs that shape the daily lives of practicing faith, prayer, charity, fasting and self-purification (during the period of Ramadan), and the Hajj (the annual pilgrimage to Mecca). They clarify the differences between the Sunni and the Shia, the two main branches of Islam, shedding light on a topic that has garnered attention during the current crises in Iraq and other parts of the Muslim world. Hassaballa and Helminski also look at the many misinterpretations of basic terms and beliefs that have had a serious impact on the relationship between Muslims and those who practice other religions, explaining such essentials as the meaning of jihad , Islamic teachings on the role of women in society, and much more.


From the premier source of information on religion and spirituality, the Beliefnet® Guides introduce you to the major traditions, leaders, and issues of faith in the world today.

Genres: Islam

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Drummond's Islam for the Western Mind, this book got an easy four. It might have gotten a five stars even, if it hadn't been for the final chapter which kind of dragged a little bit. Overall, it was very well organized, concise and informative. The authors were clearly very dedicated to their beliefs and willing not only to identify the points that Islam has in common with the west, but also frank and open about the differences. The only downside that I noticed was that the last chapter which was dedicated to the most common misconceptions regarding Muslim beliefs and misinterpretations of the Qur'an was probably a little too thorough. The authors identified numerous individual scriptures that are often misquoted (or at least taken out of context) and went through a fairly detailed explanation of each. I felt this might have been more appropriately left brief as the book seems to be targeted to the curious observer more than the well informed critic. That being said, it would probably be a lot to ask of anyone to leave out what they might consider to be relevant details in the defense of their personal beliefs just for the sake of brevity. Overall, the book was very much worth reading. Two thumbs up.

[Wahyu Awaludin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sebagai umat muslim, menurut saya buku ini mampu menjelaskan Islam secara sederhana. Mulai dari mengenal Allah, mengenal Islam, mengenal Alquran, dan mengenal Muhammad secara general.

Di bab akhir, buku ini memaparkan kesalahpahaman tentang Islam yang paling sering muncul di masyarakat.

Tampaknya buku ini memang ditujukan untuk orang awam non-muslim dari Barat. Sebabnya, banyak contoh yang diambil dari sudutpandang Barat.

Untuk kaum muslim, buku ini sangat sederhana dan mungkin tidak memuaskan. Namun, untuk non muslim Barat, menurut saya buku ini cukup recommended untuk dibaca.

[dwiki hardika · Rating 4 out of 5]

this author can easily explain the difficult-to-understand parts of Islam