Topics of Interest

An extraordinary survey, in four volumes, of the religious belief and practice in all 276 of the world's nations and territories.Photographs of religious leaders, ceremonies, sacred structures, and artifacts such as an Aboriginal sacred Churunga and the Gurujem Monastery in Tibet .

This book contributes to the rich recent scholarship on contemporary Islam in South Asia. It provides insights into the controversies of the past 150 years over how South Asian Muslims ought to respond to the challenges of modernity and Western imperialism. Though such contests of ideas began with a few intellectuals, their consequences flowed through to touch the lives of ordinary people. The book also traces the processes, in train since British times, that have created large social categories out of diverse, dispersed communities. Overall, this volume highlights the diversity of peoples and practices among South Asians who follow Islam, and helps readers learn about aspects of those practices in the resolution of disputes, the education of children, the marriage of offspring, and the recreations of leisure time.

A handy reference book that provides essential information on different world religions. Religions covered include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Bahai, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto.

This book invites Muslims and non-Muslims to acquaint themselves with the prophet's practice and teachings, his Sunnah, first hand. Relying exclusively upon the sayings and actions of the prophet, which have been selected and translated from authenticated and well-known collections of hadith literature, this book presents a close-up and composite picture of the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

Despite Muhammad's exalted place in Islam, even today there is still surpisingly little actually known about this shadowy figure and the origins of the Qur'an because of an astounding lack of verifiable biographical material. Interpreting traditional contexts of historical evidence and rereading passages of the Qur'an, the researchers in this thought-provoking volume unveil a surprising - and highly unconventional - picture of the very foundations of Islamic religious history.

An Introduction to Islam, Fourth Edition, provides students with a thorough, unified and topical introduction to the global religious community of Islam. In addition, the author's extensive field work, experience, and scholarship combined with his engaging writing style and passion for the subject also sets his text apart. An Introduction to Islam, places Islam within a cultural, political, social, and religious context, and examines its connections with Judeo-Christian morals. Its integration of the doctrinal and devotional elements of Islam enables readers to see how Muslims think and live -- engendering understanding and breaking down stereotypes.

This analysis of the evolution of religious political violence outlines the differences between secular and religious political violence, on ideological, strategic, and tactical levels before comparing the concept of Holy War in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Lastly, it shows how modern radical monotheistic religious groups interpret and manipulate their religious sources and ideas to advocate their political agendas, including the practice of violence. A unique comparative study of religious political violence across Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, this text features many international case studies from the Crusades to the Arab Spring.