Author: Benjamin Walker
Publisher: Rupa
Year: 2004
Language: English
Pages: 376
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8171678319
Description
The principal object of the present book is to give an account of the many contributions made to the religion of Islam by non-Muslim peoples, and it may claim to be original in the sense that it deals exclusively and comprehensively with this debt.
This volume is a comprehensive survey of the many influences that have helped shape one of the great religions of the world. The book discuss the non Muslim sources that have moulded many aspects of the culture.
From earliest times, the pre-Islamic Arabs had dealings with other civilizations in the region. The book opens with a look at the records of contacts with Egypt, Babylonia, Greece, Rome, Palestine and the Christian communities of the Middle East. An overview of the dominant religions in Arabia before the advent of Islam is followed by a biography of the Prophet Muhammad, leading to a study of the evolution of the Koran, of Muslim law, beliefs and practices and the rapid growth and spread of the emergent religion across half the globe. The book ends with an examination of the place of Islam in the modern world.
With more than four hundred citations from the Koran and supported by the writings of Muslim scholars past and present as well as western authorities, Foundations of Islam is encyclopedic in its range and depth. It will appeal both to the students of religion and history and to the general reader.
Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
Ancient Contacts
The Ancient Arabs
The Monotheists before Muhammad
Arabic before Islam
The Meccan Period
Medina and After
The Koran
The Hadith
The Jews and Muhammad
The Christians and Muhammad
The Cult of Muhammad
The Spread of Islam
Foreign Influences
The Critics of Islam
The Dilemma of Islam
Bibliography
Index