What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam | 
 enlarge | Author: John L. Esposito
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $21.95
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Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 8265
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.6 x 1.1
ISBN: 0195157133
Dewey Decimal Number: 297
EAN: 9780195157130
ASIN: 0195157133
Publication Date: November 1, 2002
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Product Description
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, there has been an overwhelming demand for information about Islam. As a leading expert, John Esposito has found himself called upon to speak to a wide range of audiences, including members of Congress, the Bush administration, government agencies, the military, and the media. Out of this experience, he has identified the most pressing questions people consistently ask about Islam. In What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Esposito presents in question-and-answer format the information that most people want to know. Esposito provides succinct, accessible, sensitive, and even-handed answers to questions that range from the general--"What do Muslims believe?" and "Who was Muhammad?"--to more specific issues like Is Islam compatible with modernization, capitalism and democracy? How do Muslims view Judaism and Christianity? Are women second-class citizens in Islam? What is jihad? Does the Quran condone terrorism? What does Islam say about homosexuality, birth control, abortion, and slavery? The editor of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Modern Islam and The Oxford History of Islam, and author of Unholy War and many other acclaimed works, John Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. This brief and readable book is the first place to look for information on the faith, customs, and political beliefs of the more than one billion people who call themselves Muslims.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
Pretty decent April 17, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This was a pretty decent book and I commend the authors efforts at trying to give a less hate filled exploration into Islam like Robert Spencer does so I found it refreshing. I viewed all the other ratings and noticed the one star reviews seemed pretty upset that the author didnt take the path that Spencer takes and kinda found it typical in the time when Islam is challenged by intolerant people. I mean, if you read books say for instance on Judaism, do you find where the author tries to impose his bias against the rleigion and exploit when Moses was commanded by god to kill and rip out newborn babies from mothers wombs? And if you wanted to learn about Christianity as a religion, would you look towards the inquisition as a proper representation of Christianity? Probably not. Nonetheless, I found it to be a pretty decent book. I recommend this book for people who want to approach Islam and not be swayed by an authors word trickery. Also, an important note, many people quote and source violent hadiths in order to use them to represent Islam as inherently "evil and intolerant". However, if you look at what a hadith is, which is an assumed prophetic narration of the prophet Muhammed, many dont know that there are hundreds of hadiths disregarded as false or inconsistent with Islamic belief. There are even sects of Islam which disregard the hadith al together and only use the Quran as a supplement to their religion. What many authors make the mistake of doing is painting Islam with one broad stroke of the brush and view it as this monolithic entity with one mind, one agenda, and one mission. Not true.
 good introduction March 29, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I like this book, because it provides a very good introduction and answers many questions in a large-minded way. Unfortunately it doesn't cover topics like aniconism and religious conversion.
Excellent Reference for Laypeople May 22, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
John Esposito has written an excellent reference on Islam and Muslim culture for laypeople. He has organized his book into an easy question-and-answer format so readers can skip to whatever topic they want to know about. Very important questions people have about Islam are answered directly and concisely.
His writing reflects his deep knowledge of Islam and engagement with Muslims. He is very respectful of Islam and tries to place controversial issues within their proper context. As a result, this work is a much-needed attempt to build bridges of understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. Too often have some Western writers written about Islam with the sole intention of damning or criticizing it. Esposito, on the other hand, approaches Islam in a neutral and objective way. He seeks to explain Islam and Muslims rather than condemn them.
Overall, I recommend this book to both Muslims and non-Muslims. For non-Muslims, this book will explain what they must know about Islam in order to avoid falling into ignorant bigotry against Muslims. On the other hand, Muslims will appreciate Esposito's expert articulation of many issues in the Muslim world today.
The title says it all. This is what everyone must know about Islam, both Muslims and non-Muslims. So if you really want to learn about Islam, this is a great book to start with.
a welcome new edition May 14, 2007
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
Book collectors and Esposito buffs will welcome this annotated reissue of Esposito's 2002 classic, now in a handsome new edition.
The publisher has also seen fit to rename the book, probably to draw in a wider audience. The previous title was "The Art of Appeasement and Sticking Your Head in the Sand."
FAQ Islam May 2, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I really did enjoy this book. It answered a lot of "why?" questions I had about Islam and it's relation to other religions, lands, and ideals. It's a quick read and gives you an overview of the basics. I found it to be factual and not partial, exactly what the doctor ordered. I like opinions when I want opinions. I didn't want to learn about the basics with a taint of preference.
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