What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Second Edition

289 Pages·2011·0.9 MB·English

by  John L. Esposito

WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO
KNOW ABOUT ISLAM
SECOND EDITION
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WHAT EVERYONE
NEEDS TO KNOW
ABOUT ISLAM
SECOND EDITION
JOHN L. ESPOSITO
1
1
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Esposito, John L.
What everyone needs to know about Islam / John L. Esposito. — 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-19-979413-3 (hardcover) — ISBN 978-0-19-979423-2 (ebook)
1. Islam--Essence, genius, nature. I. Title.
BP163.E85 2011
297—dc22 2010044252
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
For Jean,
Who Makes All Things Possible
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CONTENTS
PREFACE xiii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xvii
General Information 3
Why do we need to know about Islam? 3
Are all Muslims the same? 3
How many Muslims are there, and where do they live? 4
Faith 5
What do Muslims believe? 5
Why do Muslims say they are descended from Abraham? 6
How did Islam originate? 7
What is the Muslim scripture? 9
Why is Arabic so important in Islam? 10
What role does Muhammad play in Muslim life? 11
Was Muhammad a prophet like the prophets in the Bible? 12
Why is so much known about Muhammad’s life? 12
Why do Muslims object to images of Muhammad? 14
Did Muhammad have multiple wives? 15
viii Contents
What do Muslims believe about a worldwide Muslim community
(ummah)? 16
What are the core beliefs and practices that unite all Muslims? 18
What do Muslims do on the pilgrimage to Mecca? 22
What is the Kaaba? 23
What is the signifi cance of Mecca? 24
How do Muslims pray? 25
Do Muslims believe in angels? 27
How do Muslims view the Day of Judgment? 28
Do Muslims believe in heaven and hell? 29
What are Muslim women promised in the afterlife? 31
Do Muslims believe in saints? 31
Do Muslims believe in sin and repentance? 32
What do Muslims believe about Mary and Jesus? 33
Do Muslims have a Sabbath like Jews and Christians? 35
Do Muslims have a weekly worship service? 35
Do Muslims have religious holidays or holy days? 36
Does Islam have a clergy? 37
What is a mosque? 38
What is an Islamic center? 40
What is a madrasa? 40
Are there any divisions in Islam? 42
What is the difference between Sunni and Shii Muslims? 48
What are the divisions among Shii Muslims? 51
Who is the Aga Khan? 52
What is Wahhabi Islam? 53
What is Salafi Islam? 55
Is there a difference between Muslims and Black Muslims? 57
Who are the Sufi s? 61
Who are these Islamic fundamentalists? 63
Contents ix
Is Islam medieval and against change? 65
Is Islam compatible with modernization? 67
Are there any modern Muslim thinkers or reformers? 68
Islam and Other Religions 72
Do Muslims believe Islam is the only true religion? 72
What about Muslim religious intolerance? 73
How is Islam similar to Christianity and Judaism? 76
How do Muslims view Judaism? Christianity? 77
Why do Muslims persecute Christians in Muslim countries? 78
Haven’t Jews and Christians always been enemies of Islam? 81
Who won the Crusades? 87
Are Muslims involved in interfaith dialogue? 90
Customs and Culture 95
Why does Islam separate men and women? 95
Are women second-class citizens in Islam? 97
What do Muslims say about women’s rights? 101
What kinds of roles did women play in early Islam? 104
Why do Muslim women wear veils and long garments? 105
Why do Muslim men wear turbans or caps? 109
Why do Muslim men wear beards? 109
Does Islam require circumcision? 110
Is the practice of Muslim arranged marriages changing? 111
Can Muslim men have more than one wife? 112
Can Muslims marry non-Muslims? 113
What does Islam have to say about domestic violence? 114
How does Islam treat divorce? 116
Why are Muslims reluctant to shake hands? 118