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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam Understanding Islam by Yahiya Emerick A Pearson Education Company Contents at a Glance Part 1: Introducing Islam 1 1 Why Has Islam Become So Important? 3 Get to know who Muslims are and why there has been such a misperception about them. 2 Food for the Soul 17 Learn who Allah is, what Islam teaches about Him, and what Islam says about genies and magic. 3 Looking at Life the Islamic Way 27 Discover how Islam views human nature and what hap- pens to people who were good or evil in this life according to Islam. 4 All About Allah 37 Compare Islam’s understanding of God with Judaism and Christianity. Part 2: The Spiritual World in Islam 47 5 The Four Stages of Life in Islam 49 Learn about the four stages of life in Islam and what Islam says about the sanctity of life in the womb. 6 Islam on Heaven and Hell 63 Learn what will happen on Judgment Day, why everyone must pass over a bridge to get to Heaven, and why Hell is not forever for everybody. 7 In the Beginning … An Islamic Perspective 75 Read about the Qur’an’s version of “In the beginning ….” 8 The Measurement of Life 89 Learn why Muslims are not taught to be fatalistic, despite popular stereotypes. 9From Adam to Armageddon 99 Discover how Islam explains the spread of humanity all over the Earth and what Muslims believe about Armageddon and the return of Jesus. Part 3: The Five Pillars of Islam 111 10 Declaring Faith in Islam 113 Become acquainted with the five pillars of Islam and what they mean in the daily life of a Muslim. 11 Understanding Muslim Prayers 123 Discover what’s actually going on in the ritualistic Muslim prayers and what Muslims are praying for. 12 Elevating the Soul 139 Discover why charity and fasting are an integral part of the Islamic method for self-improvement. 13 Gathering in Mecca 151 Follow Muslims on their annual pilgrimage to the desert city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. 14 Uncovering the Real Story About Jihad 165 Learn why jihad is so misunderstood among Muslims and non-Muslims. Part 4: Islam and Other Religions 177 15 It’s All in the Prophets 179 Discover the way in which Islam promotes religious toler- ance all over the world. 16 Jews in Islam 191 Learn about the history of Jewish-Muslim relations and how Islam protected the Jews for over a thousand years. 17 Christianity and Islam 201 Rediscover Jesus—from the viewpoint of Islam. Part 5: Regulating Life Within the Laws of Islam 215 18 Exploring the Sources of Islam 217 Read more about the Qur’an and the other sources of Islamic teachings that Muslims consult. 19 Living Islam 233 Find out how Islam strives to build an ordered society that is beneficial to all people in the community. 20 Looking at Women in Islam 249 Discover the role of women in an Islamic society and how Islam has been one of the most progressive systems for promoting women’s equality. Part 6: The History of Islam 267 21 Muhammad in Mecca 269 Discover the man who would alter human history forever with the cry that there is no god but God. 22 The Victory of Islam 279 Learn how (and why) Islam transformed traditional Arab culture. 23 The Rightly Guided Successors 287 Find out why Islam was able to expand so rapidly from Arabia into the Middle East. Learn about the first Muslim civil war and why it occurred. 24 Islamic Civilization: The Dynastic Period 297 Explore the wonders of Islamic history and the great achievements that were produced in the arts, literature, and philosophy. 25 Islam in America 309 Find out how Europe came to dominate the entire Muslim world in only 300 years and how the legacy of Coloni- alism has shaped current world events for Muslims. Part 7: The Legacy of Islam 319 26 Discover the Influences of Islam 321 Discover how Islam has touched your life in ways you never would have expected. 27 Meet the Islamic Sectarian Movements 331 Meet the different sects currently flourishing in the Muslim world. 28 Islam in World Affairs Today 343 Learn about the misuse of Islam by political factions and how to read what’s really going on. Appendixes A The Islamic Calendar 355 B Common Prophets in the Qur’an 357 C Further Reading 359 D Glossary 365 Index 373 vi Contents Part 1: Introducing Islam 1 1 Why Has Islam Become So Important? 3 The Muslims Are Coming! ..................................................4 Why Didn’t I Learn More About Islam in School? ............5 Muslims, Muslims Everywhere! ..........................................7 Does Islam Encourage War? ................................................9 Muslim Missionary Efforts ................................................10 How Did Muslims Get There? Thank the British! ..............11 Is There Really a Clash of Civilizations? ..........................12 Bridging the Next Gap ......................................................13 2 Food for the Soul 17 The Core Beliefs of Islam ..................................................18 We All Have the Same God ..............................................18 The Universe Is Muslim! ....................................................20 Aladdin Rubbed the Wrong Lamp ....................................21 Touched by an Angel ........................................................22 Accepting the Burden ........................................................22 Was God Right to Make Us? ..............................................23 Soul Soup ..........................................................................24 Our Compass Points Inward ..............................................24 Can You Stand on One Leg? ..............................................26 3 Looking at Life the Islamic Way 27 The Three-Fold Journey ....................................................28 The Animal in All of Us ....................................................28 Stepping Up to the Plate ....................................................29 The Supreme Achievement ..................................................30 Sin and Redemption ..........................................................30 How Does God Forgive? ....................................................31 Law and Order ..................................................................32 Everything Counts When It Counts ....................................32 The Last Payday ................................................................33 Our Report Card ................................................................34 There’ll Be Hell to Pay ......................................................34 The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding Islam 4 All About Allah 37 God and Hollywood ..........................................................38 There Is Only One God ....................................................39 Does God Show Himself to Us? ..........................................39 Islam on God ....................................................................40 Pagan Arab Beliefs Before the Coming of Islam ..............41 The Qur’an Speaks ..............................................................42 Man and God ....................................................................42 Do Muslims Believe in Original Sin? ................................43 How Close Is Close? ..........................................................44 Allah Has Many Names ....................................................45 Part 2: The Spiritual World in Islam 47 5 The Four Stages of Life in Islam 49 Four Lives for Each Life ....................................................50 Life in the Womb ..............................................................50 Abortion and Islam ............................................................51 Islam and Contraception ....................................................52 When Is a Fetus a Person? ................................................52 Life in the World ..............................................................54 Does God Try to Fool Us? ..................................................55 Careful! You’re Being Watched ..........................................55 Life in the Grave ................................................................58 Spirit on a Wing ................................................................58 Soul Storage ......................................................................59 6 Islam on Heaven and Hell 63 Why Have a Judgment Day? ............................................64 The Long Arm of the Law ..................................................64 When Will It Come? ..........................................................65 The Judgment Cometh ........................................................67 Allah Is Merciful ................................................................68 The Bridge over Hell ..........................................................68 Use Your Time Wisely ........................................................70 The Gardens of Paradise ....................................................70 No Dancing with the Devil Here! ....................................72 Why Does God Punish? ....................................................74 viii Contents 7 In the Beginning … An Islamic Perspective 75 The Creation of the Universe ............................................76 Allah’s Notebook ................................................................76 Creation in the Qur’an ........................................................77 Six Days and Still No Rest ..................................................78 Islam and Evolution ..........................................................79 Adam and Eve: A New Perspective
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