An Introduction to Islam

I read this book because of a desire to understand as much as I could about Islam - I was not disappointed when I finished this book. The author provided an answer to every question that I had before reading this book and has given me the desire to read more about certain aspects of this religion. For me, the most interesting chapters were those that detailed the basic beliefs and practices of Islam, Islamic life and the family, Islamic community life and finally the issues concerning Islam in the modern world. I more fully understand their beliefs, but maybe more importantly, the challenges the religion faces as "progressive" Muslims try to open free dialouge about their religion - and the obstacles they face in doing so. Highly recommend - if at all intersted in Islam, you will not be disappointed in the knowledge you will gain.

I bought this book because my knowledge of Islam was minimal and I wanted something thorough, but not scholarly. This book was perfect. It's laid out as an undergrad textbook, with the sort of logic we westerners expect to see when being introduced to something. The chapters each have an over-view, then break into well-defined sections. If there are four important things about something, Denny gives four section headings. He also reviews information, where needed. The best thing about the text is Denny's strategy of leaving many words in Arabic (after he has explained the terms); that means you won't learn about an idea under a name specific this translator. Sometimes there's a longish space between iterations of a term - 50 pages, for example - but the excellent glossary and the very thorough index make it possible to recover the information easily. The only fault I could find - aside from the somewhat self-satisfied tone of his first-person plural narrative style - is that he never addresses the way he sets up the book. Does Islam naturally lend itself to western academic organization? Did the author impose this organization on the material in the service of his readers? If so, what would a Muslim text look like? Or did the western academy get this principle of organization from the Arab world, as we got our number system? The second edition is MUCH cheaper than the third edition - the post-9/11 edition - but the history of Islam hasn't changed. Save your money and get the second edition.

Denny does a great job of explaining what can be a very complex topic. I used this as a textbook for a history course, but it is still very readable for personal enjoyment. It is clear that Denny is very passionate about his work. Although the book is not a chronological history of Islam, the knowledge gained from it is useful when trying to understand that type of study.

"An Introduction to Islam" by Frederick Denny, First edition in 1985, Second edition in 1994 (paperback ISBN 0-02-328519-2), 405 pgs. Although a medium-size paperback, a book actually worthy of being called a college-level textbook. Chapter 1: Early Civilizations: Egypt & Mesopotamia; 2: The Jews (10 pages); 3: Christianity (8 pages); 4: Pre-Islamic Arabia - Beliefs (10 pgs); 5: Muhammad and the Early Muslim Community (20 pages); The Arab Conquest (20 pages); 7: The Basic Beliefs and Worship Practices of Islam (40 pages); 8: The Nature and Function of the Quran - format, recitation, nature, interpretation, the Inimitability (15 pgs); 9: The Prophets' Sunna as Preserved in the Hadith (10 pgs); 10: Muslim Creeds and Theologies - the place of reason, Mutazilited, three Muslim creeds, Kalam, the challenge of philosophy (20 pgs); 11: Law and the State in classical Islamic Formulations - Shari'a, Fiqh, schools of law, political institutions (10 pgs); 12: Sufi Way of Mysticism - tariqa, al-Junayd & sober Sufism, antinomian, intoxicated al-Hallaj, al-Ghazali (20 pgs); 13: Master and Disciples of Sufi orders - Shaykhs, Faqirs, Qadiri, Jalal al-Din al-Rumi, Mawlawis, Silsila, Dhikr, Sama, Ibn Arabi (15 pgs); 14: The Islamic Life Cyle and the Family - rites, ceremonies, customs, infancy, childhood, marriage, divorce, inheritance, property, interest, food, clothing, death rituals (20 pgs); 15: Ideals and realities of Islamic community life - the mosque, marketplace, public behavior, recreation, veneration of saints (20 pgs); 16: Islam in the Modern World - Wahhabis, Islam and nationalism (13 pgs), 17: Three forms of Islamic Revival - fundamentalism, feminism, the Umma in North America (10 pgs). Besides presenting Islamic views in the Middle East, it also covers the Far East, also. One of the more informative books of its era.

Let's say you know nothing about Islam. But you want to learn everything about it that can be learned in one book, and in a readable format. Pick up Denny. He covers the full gamut of psychology, religion, history, sociology, and much more, in a way the layman can easily understand. There are times when he seems to accept a little too much the Muslim version of history without investigating it further, but in general he seems to respect Islamic beliefs and still maintain a historical critical perspective. Especially helpful is the background in Mesopotamian beliefs, Judaism, and Christianity provided before hand. It frames the Islamic movement historically, and also provides an easy etic segue for the typical Western reader. And while Denny goes into great detail on orthodox and folk Islam, he is to be additionally commended for the sections on Sufism, which often get short shrift in scholarly works on Islam. The title is apt. After reading this, one will know Islam thoroughly at the introductory level.