This user-friendly reference work provides an accessible introduction to Islam for the general reader and student alike. It includes a historical overview, a description of Islam as a living faith along with a discussion of the problems raised by Western perceptions of Islam.

A reference work which furnishes the reader with a general introduction to the subject incorporating key dates and simple definitions as well as helping with linguistic matters such as the structure of Arabic names and the various ways of transliterating Arabic.

'This book deserves warm praise and widespread use. While the topics covered are quite standard there is a freshness in their treatment which lifts them out of the ordinary. The book is a model of lucidity and accesibility, containing excellent summary and judicious analysis.' - British Journal of Religious Education