An introduction to Islam for Jews / Reuven Firestone.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Firestone, Reuven, 1952-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Islam.

Islam--Essence, genius, nature.

Islam--Relations--Judaism.

Judaism--Relations--Islam.

Judaism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (315 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia : JPS/Jewish Publication Society, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Muslim-Jewish relations in the United States, Israel, and Europe are tenuous. Jews and Muslims struggle to understand one another and know little about each other's traditions and beliefs. Firestone explains the remarkable similarities and profound differences between Judaism and Islam, the complex history of Jihad, the legal and religious positions of Jews in the world of Islam, how various expressions of Islam (Sunni, Shi`a, Sufi, Salafi, etc.) regard Jews, the range of Muslim views about Israel, and much more. He addresses these issues and others with candor and integrity, and he writes

Contents:

A survey of Islamic history

Why an introduction to Islam specifically for Jews?

Arabs and Israelites

Pre-Islamic origins

The emergence of Islam

Muhammad and the Jews of Medina

The death of the prophet and the expansion of the community

The conquests

The caliphal dynasties

The decline of the Muslim world

God, the Qur'an, and Islamic law

God

The five doctrines or "pillars of faith"

The evolution of a formal theology

The Qur'an

The interpretive tradition

The prophetic record

Islamic law

The workings of shari'a

The umma: Islam in practice

The umma and the caliphate

The five pillars of Islam

A sixth pillar? Jihad

The range of practice among Muslims

Sufism

The shi'a

Mosque and clergy

The calendar

The Muslim life-cycle

Personal observance.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 269-272) and indexes.

ISBN:

9781283810630

1283810638

9780827610491

0827610491

OCLC:

818820232