Differences and conflicts make for sensational headlines, but this Brief Guide to Islam starts with the similarities between the major Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Only then can the differences be understood.
By exploring the beliefs, history and politics of the ordinary people of Muslim countries, Paul Grieve offers a fully comprehensive survey that combines authoritative analysis with carefully chosen primary sources, lists, storytelling and illustrations. The result is user-friendly book that challenges cliché and stereotype in areas such as art, women, banking, war, Malcolm X, literature and the dos and don'ts of visiting a Muslim country. It also exposes the big issues behind the headlines: can Islam support true democracy? Is true democracy what the West really wants for the Middle East? Or are we merely seeking a cover of legitimacy for a policy of 'might is right'?
Paul Grieve is an unbeliever, he is not a born-again Muslim, a proselytizer or a frustrated desert romantic. His aim is simple: to inform. This is the ideal summary for the reader looking for a broad overview of the political and religious contentions that have been forced into our everyday lives.
'A sympathetic and sensitive treatment of a difficult subject; exploratory as well as explanatory; well-informed, confidently narrated, and well-written with an enviable gift for sure and incisive summary. I particularly admire the way it relates Muslim tradition to Christian and Judaic tradition.' David Gardner, Middle East Correspondent, Financial Times
