The concise encyclopedia of Islam (Hardcover)

by Cyril Glasse (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Glassé’s Concise Encyclopedia of Islam (Harper and Row) was first published in 1989, followed by a revised edition entitled the New Encyclopedia of Islam (AltaMira) that appeared in 2001. This third edition consists of more than 1,400 entries, including new entries of contemporary interest for Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (a paramilitary organization in Pakistan) and the Taliban. Both a scholar of Islam and a practicing Muslim, Glassé provides an accessible and sympathetic introduction for the general reader to aspects of religious belief, practice, and prayer in Islam; biographical information on theologians and political leaders; and much more. Entries are extensively cross-referenced, and the work concludes with a concise bibliography. Also included are color plates as well as maps of the Islamic world, a schematic representation of branches within Islam, and some genealogical tables. A chronology of important events in the history of Islam has been updated through 2007. Unfortunately, there is still no index. That an individual scholar produced a single-volume reference work of this scope and historical depth is impressive. A scholarly review of the first edition, however, not only praised it as an accessible introduction but also raised concerns about the accuracy and tendentious nature of many entries, especially those concerned with the Shi’a tradition within Islam and complex intellectual traditions such as Islamic philosophy and theology. Another single-volume introduction to Islam, written by a team of scholars and subjected to broader peer review, is the Oxford Dictionary of Islam (2003). Libraries with extensive collections on Islam may want to acquire this new edition. Libraries looking for basic information on Islam should add this new edition only with the understanding that in the case of some entries, the scholarly jury is still out. --Christopher McConnell --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
A feast of fact and insight. An enormous amount of information is contained here, all of it fascinating. -- ACCLAIM FOR EARLIER EDITIONS

The Washington Post

A magnificent achievement...a wealth of information. -- The Independent

An indispensable guide. -- Sunday Times

Cyril Glasse has achieved a miracle, 1200 readable entries. -- The Economist

Erudite, accurate, and comprehensive. -- The Telegraph --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 472 pages
• Publisher: Harper & Row (1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060631236
• ISBN-13: 978-0060631239
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,051,246 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This title is valuable and should be reprinted., November 2, 1997

By A Customer

For those fascinated with religion in general and Islam in particular, Cyril Glasse's book is a treasure. I purchased my copy in 1991. I would pour over the work for hours, letting one entry guide me to others, often forgetting what I had originally sought to investigate. It is, indeed, a popular, one-volume dictionary written in an accessible prose style. The entries are brief and to the point, providing enough information to answer an immediate question about the religion, but also enough to encite further investigation of the topic in a larger work. The print is easy to read. All topics related to Islam are covered, including not only Sunni and Shiite Islam, but also the various sects that have evolved from Islam, such as the Bahais and the Druze. Theology, mysticism, folk belief, law, history, art as each pertains to Islam are fully covered. In many entries, Glasse compares Islamic belief and worship with those of Judaism and Christianity. Glasse's work covers all geographic areas of Islam, too, not just the Arabian heartland. The Encyclopedia lists entries according to Arabic tranliteration, but also lists reference entries in anglisized spellings. Some beautiful photographs illustrate the work and the appendix contains a graphic timeline of the development of Islam. I can not say enough about the value of the Concise Encyclopedia of Islam; I've learned more from it than from most narrative accounts of Islam. When, a year or so ago, I lost my copy during a move, I was deeply saddened to find that HarperCollins has chosen not to reprint the title. I understand the title is not technically out of print, but it is nonetheless unavailable. This review, then, is a plea for HarperCollins to reissue the Encyclopedia in the near future. The energy and committment that Glasse must have given to his research and its worthy results should not remain unavailable.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best general reference on Islam in our library, May 7, 1998

By A Customer

I was not aware that the book was out of print. It is a very unfortunate situation for those seeking a general reference on Islam. None of the 27 English-language texts we have on the subject even approach the breadth and presentation of this encyclopedia. I should hope that it will either be reprinted or released in a new edition. I do not easily give 10s in my reviews but this book certainly deserves it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable and Highly Recommended, December 1, 2008

By	DK (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Encyclopedia of Islam (Hardcover)

Since I've owned the 3rd edition of the New Encyclopedia of Islam I've found it a fascinating and indispensable companion to reading Middle Eastern history as well as that of adjoining regions such as the Balkans and Central Asia. The Encyclopedia and the accompanying long chronology of significant events, reaching to the present year, are especially useful for building perspective and understanding of current developments in these areas and, increasingly, elsewhere. I actually appreciated as well having it as a reference while reading Salman Rushdie's The Enchantress of Florence. The Encyclopedia is at heart a remarkable compendium of information and lore--comprehensive, synthetic, and articulate--on a variety of issues and historical points for which Islam has had any relevance whatever. The bibliography is quite interesting and varied, with deep sources. In the reading, the transliteration style of words from Arabic is detailed and consistent. In all, the author's command of facts and developments and linguistic contexts, and his obvious enthusiasm for the topics, recommend this volume highly.