Islam an Intro for Christians

One of the aftermaths of the World Trade Center/Pentagon attackswas that there was an increased interest in Islam. People wanted to know what makes those guys tick. _Islam:an Introduction for Christians_ was originally written in Germany in 1990(and translated in 1994) as an ecumenical tool to help Christains understand Islam. Even so _Islam_ is an excellent place to start the study of the world's fastest growing religion.The chapters of the book touch on a variety of subjects. The first seven discuss Islamic faith: the Qur'an and Mohammed, the Five Pillars, law and justice, the family, and death and burial. Paul Martinson then inserted into the English translation a section on Islam in North America. The third part of the book discusses Islamic movements of the present and past and the emphases of these various groups. The fourth part of the book relates Islam and Christianity. How have these two religions acted as they have encountered each other in the past? What about Jerusalem? How is Jesus addressed in the Qur'an? The last part of the book offers a Christian appreciation of Islam._Islam_ again and again comes back to a simplified answer of what makes those guys tick. On page 101 the story is told of a Ms Lahaj who had been a folk singer in Greenwich Village in the 1970's and who rediscovered Islam. "Everything there had been the same for the last 1400 years." The Sharia, the traditional law, as it has been known for centuries has come into conflict with Western values. _Islam_ makes this plain in an anecdote about a chance encounter between a man and the wife of a new Islamic family (page 18), in the chapter on women and the family, in the chapter on marriages between Christians and Muslims, and elsewhere. To this _Islam_ adds (page 133) the note that in the 19th and 20th centuries when Europeon powers practiced colonialization in Islamic countries, the new values introduced by the foreigners presented "profound difficulties" for Muslims.It is a simplified answer, but that is what makes those guys tick.

I thought this book was very helpful. Not only did it address the actual Koranic beliefs of Islam, it also covered the traditions and societal roles of modern Muslims, as well as the history of the Islamic faith. Also, I found the Christian aspects of the commentary to be quite accurate and true to Biblical concepts. On the whole, this book is about as objectively informative as it gets, I imagine. It does not attempt to qualify either faith and appears to be a genuine effort to enlighten and encourage Christian readers in their interactions with Muslim individuals. On a side note, I am personally a Christian, but I have a great deal of respect for the Islamic way of life, as I have had many encounters with truly amazing people who embrace the faith in full. This book only bolstered my respect and admiration for the discipline, nobility, and integrity of devout Muslim people. A great insight into the true Islamic religion!

please note wrong author. It is Martinson. Please correct