Islam in the World

Since September 11 2001 not a day passes without stories about 'Islam' - the religion of about one-fifth of humanity - appearing in the media. The terrorists who hijacked four American airliners not only unleashed a 'War on Terrorism' by the United States and its allies, leading to the removal of two governments in Afghanistan and Iraq, they also raised the profile of 'Islam' throughout the world as a subject for analysis and discussion. Those debates have been heated and passionate. Questions that were previously discussed in the rarefied atmosphere of academia have entered the mainstream. What is the 'law of jihad'? How is it that 'religion of peace' subscribed to by millions of ordinary, decent believers can become an ideology of hatred for an angry minority? Why has 'Islam' after the fall of communism become so freighted with passionate intensity? This book offers answers to these and many related questions, looking in turn at the exemplary life of the Prophet, the Quranic world-view, the evolution of the Sharia, and the emergence of sects and encounters with the west. A new final chapter looks at the post-9/11 world order.

Review: New third edition of Ruthven's classic book With a new chapter, looking the world post 9/11 By the author of A Fury for God 'An exceptionally insightful and thought-provoking introduction to Islam, explaining its basic religious beliefs, practices and institutions as well as discussing its impact on Muslim life today' John L. Esposito 'Full of original ideas and judgements based upon wide reading and personal observation' Albert Hourani, author of A History of the Arab People