Religion
Islam in the World
Selection from Oxford U. Press

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The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World
4-vol. set
Editor-in-Chief: JOHN L. ESPOSITO, Georgetown University

This unique reference is the first comprehensive encyclopedia dedicated to the institutions, religion, politics, and culture in Muslim societies throughout the world. Placing particular emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World contains over 750 articles in four volumes. The focus throughout is on the Islamic dimension of the Muslim experience in recent history, and background articles ground the information in its historical context and ensure continuity. Entries address political and social action as well as formal texts, and emphasis is placed on the practice and theory of Islam in Muslim societies around the globe. Unlike more limited explorations of Islam, this work looks at Muslim societies in the Arab heartland as well as in South and Southeast Asia, and even in Europe and the Americas. Thus it is an invaluable resource offering extensive comparative and systematic analyses of Islamic beliefs, institutions, movements, practices, and peoples on an international scale.

Topical categories covered include history and geography; schools of thought; religious beliefs; theology and philosophy; mysticism; religious practice, devotionalism, and ritual; religious law; politics; economics; culture and society; and biographies. Alphabetically arranged articles range from brief 500-word essays to major interpretive and synthetic treatments of topics such as the Islamic state, pilgrimage, law, marriage, and foreign relations. Related entries cover such topics as social and political movements, women, Muslim minorities, human rights, Islam in the West, and interreligious affairs.

Truly multidisciplinary, this work reflects the breadth and depth of contemporary scholarship in Islamic studies, combining the tools of the humanities and social sciences to examine the interrelationship of religion, politics, and culture in Muslim societies and to explain the changing realities of Muslim life. Designed for easy use by both scholars and students, the work has an index and an extensive system of cross-references that provide easy access to the network of related articles throughout the encyclopedia. Entries are written by Muslim and non-Muslim scholars from around the world.

Unique in its focus on the modern Islamic world, this encyclopedia is an invaluable reference for anyone concerned with Islam: scholars and students of many disciplines, government and media analysts who increasingly require an understanding of the Muslim world, and interested lay readers who are becoming more and more familiar with Islamic politics and culture.

"This new encyclopedia...fills an important gap; it does not shy away from such controversial issues as terrorism, holy war, human rights and the status of women."--London Review of Books

"Presenting a rounded picture of a subject about which Americans hear only the extremes, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World is an important purchase for academic and public libraries."--Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

"The Middle East is in the headlines daily, but how much do we really know about the culture and history of this vitally important part of the world? For answers, turn to the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World....This source has something of interest for everyone from the scholar to the high school student....An invaluable addition to academic and public libraries."--American Libraries

"A valuable reference for every sort of reader....Well edited, clear, and jargon free....Highly recommended for both academic and public libraries."--Library Journal

"The topics are well chosen and highly informative, offering lucid analyses of complex concepts that many users will be unfamiliar with."--College & Research Libraries News

1904 pp.; 49 halftones; 8-1/2 x 11; 0-19-514803-7
Published in 2001, Price: $150.00 (08) 

John L. Esposito, Editor-in-Chief of the four-volume Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, has gathered together sixteen leading scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, to examine the origins and historical development of Islam--its faith, community, institutions, sciences, and arts. Beginning in the pre-Islamic Arab world, the chapters range from the story of Muhammad and his Companions, to the development of Islamic religion and culture and the empires that grew from it, to the influence that Islam has on today's world. The book covers a wide array of subjects, casting light on topics such as the historical encounter of Islam and Christianity, the role of Islam in the Mughal and Ottoman empires, the growth of Islam in Southeast Asia, China, and Africa, the political, economic, and religious challenges of European imperialism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and Islamic communities in the modern Western world. In addition, the book offers excellent articles on Islamic religion, art and architecture, and sciences as well as bibliographies.

Events in the contemporary world have led to an explosion of interest and scholarly work on Islam. Written for the general reader but also appealing to specialists, The Oxford History of Islam offers the best of that recent scholarship, presented in a readable style and complemented by a rich variety of illustrations.

"A stunning achievement. John Esposito--America's preeminent scholar of Islam--has brought together an array of international experts who present a masterful survey of Islamic history in a single volume. But this is a history with a purpose. Covering Islam's origins in the seventh century, the development of its political, cultural and intellectual traditions, and its spread throughout the world, The Oxford History of Islam guides readers to an appreciation of both the richness of Islamic heritage and the dynamism and diversity of contemporary Islam. It should be required reading for all those interested in history, religion, and especially international affairs."--Tamara Sonn, Wm. R. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Humanities, College of William and Mary

"Both bold brush strokes and subtle shadings make up this masterful, comprehensive picture of Islamic faith, law, science, art, philosophy, and politics in the Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia, and the West from the seventh century to the present. Drawing on the expertise of renowned authorities from several disciplines, it is written in an accessible style and--rare for books these days--lavishly illustrated. This work will stand not simply as an erudite synthesis of Muslim thought and practice over the centuries, but as an elegant vade mecum for all those curious about the fastest growing religion in the world today."--James Piscatori, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies

"A good introduction to Islamic history is hard to find, and readers interested in the world's second largest religion can rejoice at finding this one. Esposito...has brought together a fine cadre of scholars for this anthology. Fifteen articles cover almost every subject that might interest a novice in the field: philosophy, science, art, architecture, and histories of Islamic empires and civilizations. The art (100 b&w photos and 200 four-color illustrations) comes fast and thick, adding a great deal to the text."--Publishers Weekly

Muslim Perceptions of Other Religions
A Historical Survey
Edited by JACQUES WAARDENBURG, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Since its inception, Islam and its civilization have been in continuous relationships with other religions, cultures, and civilizations, including not only different forms of Christianity and Judaism inside and outside the Middle East, Zoroastrianism and Manicheism, Hinduism and even Buddhism, but also tribal religions in West and East Africa, in South Russia and in Central Asia, including Tibet. The essays collected here examine the many texts that have come down to us about these cultures and their religions, from Muslim theologians and jurists, travelers and historians, and men of letters and of culture.

368 pp.; 7 x 10; 0-19-510472-2.  Published in 1999.  Price: $85.00

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