88 of 110 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beginner's Guide to Understanding Islam, April 14, 2004
This review is from: What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam (Hardcover)
Author John Esposito is a professor of Religion and International Affairs at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He has written books about the subject of Islam before, and he writes this one with a keen sense of education in mind. Most people know very little about the religion known as Islam, and Esposito seems like he is on a mission, in this book, to help enlighten the world's people about the facts and myths regarding the world's second largest religion.
I think it's safe to say that most people know very little about Islam. Until I read this book, I didn't really know much either. I knew some of the most basic things, like that the Quran was the holy book of Islam; the prayers that Muslims say each day; and a few other things. But my knowledge level ended right there. When I picked up this book, I began to learn things that I had never heard of before. Probably the greatest surprise was the fact that the Islamic religion regards Jesus Christ and Abraham as the second and third most important men to ever walk the face of the earth (after, of course, Muhammad). The next surprise was when I discovered that Islam teaches that the virgin birth of Jesus was real, and the Quran makes mention of Jesus and Mary even more frequently than the Christian Bible. Other facts were noteworthy, but not as shocking, like the fact that the Quran allows a man to have as many as four wives provided that he will treat them equally and support them.
The issue of the day with Islam is whether or not its religious creeds are conducive to violence. There is a full chapter in this book that attempts to answer this question. According to the Quran, violence is acceptable in certain situations, like when a man's family and/or faith might be threatened. Here lies the problem with interpretation. To a more radical member of the faith, this means that any threat at all to one's faith is deserving of retaliation (and that could include almost anything). But to a more moderate Muslim, this is interpreted to mean that only self- defense is permissible.
Esposito keeps this book on a factual level. There is no analysis or any open debate of the issues. Esposito wrote this book as a way to educate the world's people about the religion of Islam- what the Quran says, what Islamic tradition allows, what customs and cultural norms dictate, etc. There is no arguing on the part of Esposito. He just tells you what is known to be true and leaves it at that.
In the aftermath of the attacks on September 11, 2001, Islam has taken center stage in the world debate over religion and violence. Many people have taken sides in the debate, labeling Muslims as purveyors of hate and violence. But the truth is, very little is really known about Islam by the worlds non- Muslim population. Esposito's book attempts to change all of that, with a simple to read, question and answer type format. It makes a good beginner's book on the subject of Islam, with lots of facts about the second most common religion in the world, after Christianity.
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26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Introductory Text, May 4, 2004
This review is from: What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam (Hardcover)
Esposito is one of my favourite authors of general books on Islam. This book is probably the ideal starter text for those new to learning about the religion.
"What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam" is a wonderful starter text. It is written in the format of questions-and-answers. The book is excellently organised with a complete index, as well as a simple glossary. The questions asked (and answered) are importantly and relevant. Using this method, Esposito both introduces the readers to the termonology but also the scriptures, history, culture(s) and beliefs.
The book gets four stars because -- like others have said -- Esposito tends to glaze over a lot of negative aspects that are commonly critised instead of responding to it. However, I feel this is for brevity and not as necessary in this text as it would be in another introductory book.
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49 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Compact Guide to Understanding Islam, April 11, 2003
This review is from: What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam (Hardcover)
This is a concise book built around answering straightforward questions most people have about the Islamic religion and culture. Like any book that is under 200 pages, you can't claim it to be an authoritative or complete source.
Esposito does do a fine job of figuring out what (I think) most people would want to know and than furnishing concise, easy to read answers. We learn what the five pillars of the Islamic faith are. We learn what the Muslim people believe about Christ, the Old Testament, the New Testament and how they believe Muhammad received God's last revelation. We learn about the Black Muslim movement in the USA fits into Islam and its interesting. We learn what Jihad, or "holy war" really is and how the concept has been interpreted and misinterepreted by different groups.
At times, I felt Esposito perhaps downplayed negative aspects in Islam. He does attempt to explain why some Muslims hate America and the West. However, this lacked the depth that one would hope for. Also, some Medieval aspects of Islam culture such as countries that practice stoning for adultery and amputation for thievery don't get the criticism they should.
The great feature of this book is that you can learn a lot in a short time because of its size and the amount of information contained within it. Those interested in this subject should get a copy.
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