The Cultural Atlas of Islam

Islam is a world religion which has stretched from Cordoba, Spain, to Canton, China, and one whose influence today is expanding as that of other faiths is in retreat. This magnificent book presents the entire world view of Islam-its beliefs, traditions, institutions, and its place in the cultures in which it has taken root. THE CULTURAL ATLAS OF ISLAM is not only a com-prehensive introduction to the Islamic experience in history and the modern world. It is an authoritative and deeply felt statement of the faith of Islam, written for those of all faiths. Isma’il and Lois Lamyä al Färüqi’s book is, in fact, Islam explaining itself. Rich with more than 300 photographs, drawings, and other illustrations, and with some 75 original maps, this is a unique guide to the meaning of Islam and its shaping force on cultures from the Mediterra-nean to the Pacific. This is much more than a history of events, however; it is a clear presentation of the es-sence of Islamic civilization in all its spheres, from everyday practices of Muslims around the world to the Islamic legacy in art, science, law, politics, and philosophy. The authors begin with the ancient setting of Islam, examining the different strands of influence-Arab, Mesopotamian, Canaanite, and Hebrew-that were its forerunners. Islam, the authors demonstrate, brought together diverse traditions and from them forged the unique body of belief, thought, and prac-tice that continues to animate Muslim life today throughout the world. Part Two explains the concept of Tawhid-the essence of Islam that binds together the lives of its believers. Tawhid is the affirmation of God as One, Absolute, and Ultimate; it deeply affects all aspects of Islamic thought, expression, and behavior. Part Three shows how this core of belief takes shape in scripture, social institutions, and the arts-the forms which God’s revelations to Muhammad as-sumed in the historical fabric of Islam. There is a con-cise introduction to the fundamental nature of the Qur’an, and to the collection of Muhammad’s sayings and deeds that clarify its statements the Sunnah. The ways in which Islam affects social life and its in-stitutions-from education and family life to the mak-ing of the Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca-is also ex-amined. So, too, is the central role of the Qur’an in defining artistic expression. Part Four is a remarkable exploration of the mani-festations of Islam in all areas of intellectual, social, artistic, political, and scientific life. Here, the authors trace the flowering of Islam, its enormous impact on other traditions, and its distinctive legacy in language, law, theology, philosophy, the social sciences, history, literature, art, architecture, music, and crafts. From the effect of the Qur’an on the development of literary Arabic to the function of ornamentation in Islamic art, from the meaning of Shariah, or Islamic canon law, to the achieversents of such influential scholars as the historian Ibn Khaldün, these chapters form a superb introduction to the entire range of Islamic civilization. Throughout the book, the authors pay special at-tention to the influence of other traditions-Judaism, Christianity, and classical Greek philosophy, for ex-ample-on Islam. Yet they return time and again to that which is unique to Islam: the distinctive set of assumptions and questions Muslims use to define the path to a just and holy life. Rich in detail, clearly written, and integrating the best of classic and contemporary scholarship, this is an exceptionally valuable book. It presents Islam from the inside out, makes much that has been overlooked or distorted by Western scholars clear, vital, and com-prehensible, and documents for all the reality of a religion that counts nearly a quarter of humanity as its followers. This is indeed an essential addition to all libraries, and a valuable new resource for all inter-ested both in Islam and in the religious experience writ large.