Islam: A Concise Introduction (Paperback)

by Huston Smith (Author) "Around the name of the Arabs,"writes Philip Hitti, "gleams that halo which belongs to the world-conquerors..." (more)
Key Phrases: standing miracle, Uncreated Koran

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Drawn from his masterful presentation of Islam in the bestselling book The World's Religions (over two million copies sold), Huston Smith offers a revealing look into the heart of a tradition with more than one billion adherents worldwide. Dispelling narrow and distorted notions about the nature of Islam and featuring a new introduction by the author, this book compellingly conveys the profound appeal of Islam, while addressing such timely issues as the true meaning of jihad, the role of women in Islamic societies, and the remarkable growth of Islam in America.

About the Author
Huston Smith is internationally known and revered as the premier teacher of world religions and for his bestselling books The World's Religions and Why Religion Matters. He was the focus of a five-part PBS television series with Bill Moyers, and has taught at Washington University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1st edition (December 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060095571
• ISBN-13: 978-0060095574
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #388,990 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Muslim perspective ... Thank you Huston, April 8, 2002

By	"jarbak" (the United States) - See all my reviews

As an American Christian who diligently studied Islam, lived with Muslims abroad, and then became Muslim himself, I found this book a positive introduction to Islam for the modern, Western mind.

Huston Smith has described Islam in a respectful and fair manner in a way that is difficult to find among nonMuslim authors. In my study of Islam I found that even many life long Muslim writers from outside the Western cultures are not able to describe Islam with such effectiveness.

Islam is often viewed only in negative ways, or in detail of its physical forms alone. Huston Smith is able to see beyond the ignorant sterotypes and begin to express the emotional depth and value of Islam's spiritual wisdom.

The book is intended as an introduction, and is exactly that. It only takes about ninety minutes to read, but sheds much light on a complex subject. Hopefully it is enough to inspire readers to learn more about Islam through even more effective and thorough channels, such as speaking with Muslims at a local mosque. The best source is always the direct source.

So I thank Huston Smith, and recommend this book to all those interested in beginning to understand the true nature of Islam.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Islam 101: A course in Islamic Studies., April 21, 2002

By	Iyad T. Alashqar (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book, although short in terms of number of pages, is nevertheless extremely rich and amazingly eloquent in its presentation and explanations of Islam, from the life of Muhammad, to the Quran, to Islamic teachings and philosophy, and ending with a brief introduction to Sufism (Mysticism).

This book highly builds on the chapter that was dedicated to Islam in Huston Smith's The World's Religions. But Mr. Smith, after extracting that chapter and making a separate book out of it, adds to its contents discussions that relate to current world events such as the New York and Washington events in September 2001. He also adds many useful discussions regarding misconceptions about Islamic teachings like the issue of Women, Jihad, Polygamy, and many other issues that should highly interest any reader who seeks basic - but strong - foundations in Islamic Theology and Philosophy.

The bibliography and the "suggestions for further reading" part at the end of book is extremely helpful for anyone who persues an academic background in Islamic Studies.

This book will no doubt start to appear in college courses that cover the issue of Islam as a required reading assignment.

All in all, an excellent and a highly recommended book that is considered a masterpiece in the field of Comparative Religion Scholarship.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book; a brief caution, November 2, 2003

By	Wendell L. Eisener (St Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia) - See all my reviews

Huston Smith provides exactly what the title suggests: a concise introduction to Islam. What I did not realise when ordering the book is that the text is lifted word-for-word from Smith's THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS. I have no complaints about the material or the presentation; in fact, TWR has been a standard text for years at the university where I teach part-time. I just did not need another copy of that one particular chapter. (I'll probably give it away.)