Islam Faith and History

Framed by his personal experience of Islam, Mahmoud Ayoub's sweeping survey covers every element of the Muslim faith, placing significant events, issues and figures in historical context. From the origins of the word 'Islam' to contemporary debates, the author outlines the key aspects of the tradition as it developed over the centuries and across the world. Among the many areas of importance covered are: the five pillars of Islam; the religious sciences: law, morality and belief; the Qur'an: its history, teachings and role; gender issues and family life: from the 7th-century nomad to the 21st-century wife; Islam and modernity: from the fall of the Ottoman Empire to post-Revolutionary Iran.

Mahmoud M. Ayoub is Professor of Islamic Studies and Comparative Religion at Temple University, Philadelphia.