This book is a bold, modern, and in-depth vision of Islam solely according to the Quran. This Islam is spiritual, humane, and scientific, far from a fanatic and militant image it carries in the West. It is an impassioned call to understand Islam solely in Quranic terms and to reform practiced Islam, distorted by Hadith-based ideas.
Exploring the increasing impact of the Internet on Muslims around the world, this book sheds new light on the nature of contemporary Islamic discourse, identity, and community. The Internet has profoundly shaped how both Muslims and non-Muslims perceive Islam and how Islamic societies and networks are evolving and shifting in the twenty-first century, says Gary Bunt. While Islamic society has deep historical patterns of global exchange, the Internet has transformed how many Muslims practice the duties and rituals of Islam. A place of religious instruction may exist solely in the virtual world, for example, or a community may gather only online. Drawing on more than a decade of online research, Bunt shows how social-networking sites, blogs, and other "cyber-Islamic environments" have exposed Muslims to new influences outside the traditional spheres of Islamic knowledge and authority. Furthermore, the Internet has dramatically influenced forms of Islamic activism and radicalization, including jihad-oriented campaigns by networks such as al-Qaeda. By surveying the broad spectrum of approaches used to present dimensions of Islamic social, spiritual, and political life on the Internet, iMuslims encourages diverse understandings of online Islam and of Islam generally.
This accessible work balances the image of Islam as aggressive and fanatical with an objective picture of the main features of Muslim history and the compulsions of Muslim society.
Exploring Islam is a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the foundations of the Islamic faith, including its history, theology, and spiritual practice. The book also deals with issues such as jihad, the status of women, and the various sectarian divisions in Islam. Most distinctive about this work is its analysis of the lived experience of Muslims in modern American life. The book explores questions such as: - What are the foundations of Islam? - How do Muslims relate to and interpret the Qur'an? - Who is the Prophet Muhammad? - What does Shari'a law really mean? - What are the major themes of Islamic theology? - What are the theological and political issues that led to divisions among Muslims? - Do Muslims and Christians believe in the same God? - How do Muslims practice Islam in America? - What are the challenges and opportunities for American Muslims? In addressing these questions, Sayilgan offers readers a perspective that is scholarly, judicious, and engaging.
THOMAS CLEARY is the pre-eminent translator of Buddhist and Taoist texts, including 'The Essential Tao', 'The Essential Confucius', 'The Secret of the Golden Flower', and the best-selling 'The Art of War'. "For Muslims the whole of the Qur'an is
A political theorist teases out the century-old ideological transformation at the heart of contemporary discourse in Muslim nations undergoing political change. The Arab Spring precipitated a crisis in political Islam. In Egypt Islamists have been crushed. In Turkey they have descended into authoritarianism. In Tunisia they govern but without the label of “political Islam.” Andrew March explores how, before this crisis, Islamists developed a unique theory of popular sovereignty, one that promised to determine the future of democracy in the Middle East. This began with the claim of divine sovereignty, the demand to restore the sharīʿa in modern societies. But prominent theorists of political Islam also advanced another principle, the Quranic notion that God’s authority on earth rests not with sultans or with scholars’ interpretation of written law but with the entirety of the Muslim people, the umma. Drawing on this argument, utopian theorists such as Abū’l-Aʿlā Mawdūdī and Sayyid Quṭb released into the intellectual bloodstream the doctrine of the caliphate of man: while God is sovereign, He has appointed the multitude of believers as His vicegerent. The Caliphate of Man argues that the doctrine of the universal human caliphate underpins a specific democratic theory, a kind of Islamic republic of virtue in which the people have authority over the government and religious leaders. But is this an ideal regime destined to survive only as theory?
The Muslim leader best known for his contributions to the establishment of an interfaith community center near Manhattan's Ground Zero offers insight into his progressive beliefs and advocacy of tolerance and equal rights.
Islam is not just 5 Pillars. It is comprehensive guidance for all mankind for all generations for all time. Covering every aspect of life, it ranges far beyond the outward rituals, informing your attitude to this life and the next. This book aims to make abstract Islamic concepts practical and easy to understand. In addition, it answers the wide-ranging questions that many young people and adults ask. Exploring controversial topics such as sharia law, hijab and jihad, it also explains, clearly and simply, deeper questions, such as the existence of God and how we know Islam is the right religion. How do we know there is a God? Who created the Creator? How do we know that Islam is the right religion? How do we turn our daily lives into worship? Why do we pray? Are women oppressed in Islam? Why do women need to wear the hijab (headscarf)? What is sharia law? And what is jihad? Ideal for parents, teachers, teenagers and anyone wanting to understand what it means to live Islam. This is a must have for every home. Abu Mustafa Zakariya is a health sector professional and a youth worker in the Islamic community. His background is one of science, including research, and he holds multiple degrees and diplomas including a higher research doctorate degree. He is settled in the UK with his wife and children. Abu Mustafa is a student of Islamic knowledge. He has studied with authentic, erudite, classical scholars with whom he continues his learning. This book is a summary of his journey so far, explaining essential knowledge to the reader in a way that's easy to grasp.
This book is a humble attempt to help settle some of the common doubts and misconceptions people have about the great religion of Islam. A religion that has captured the hearts of hundreds of millions of people around the world and answered their questions about the unseen. It is hoped that, with the simple explanation of the topics in this book, I can reach the inner conscience of all brothers and sisters in humanity and show them the truth about the final religion that has been revealed to mankind.
How do Muslims who grew up after September 11 balance their love for hip-hop with their devotion to Islam? How do they live the piety and modesty called for by their faith while celebrating an art form defined, in part, by overt sexuality, violence, and profanity? In Representing Islam, Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir explores the tension between Islam and the global popularity of hip-hop, including attempts by the hip-hop ummah, or community, to draw from the struggles of African Americans in order to articulate the human rights abuses Muslims face. Nasir explores state management of hip-hop culture and how Muslim hip-hoppers are attempting to "Islamize" the genre's performance and jargon to bring the music more in line with religious requirements, which are perhaps even more fraught for female artists who struggle with who has the right to speak for Muslim women. Nasir also investigates the vibrant underground hip-hop culture that exists online. For fans living in conservative countries, social media offers an opportunity to explore and discuss hip-hop when more traditional avenues have been closed. Representing Islam considers the complex and multifaceted rise of hip-hop on a global stage and, in doing so, asks broader questions about how Islam is represented in this global community.