The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam

I like the way the book is laid out with numerous sidebars. Good information for someone who knows little of Islam, but sadly also a propaganda piece to take advantage of those who know little of Islam. Within the first few pages there were misleading and inaccurate statements. For example, on Napoleon Bonaparte’s view of Islam. The truth is out there, only this book is a sugar coated version.

I've read both the on-line reviews and the book and would like to comment on some of the negative comments I've read here. Basically, the author was laying out what the religion of Islam teaches and how religious minded Muslim in the mainstream view their faith. This is how any honest author trying to explain a subject would proceed. I find it strange that some people are telling us to look at the terrible governments of the Muslim world and to judge Islam by that. Well then, let's judge Christianity by some very terrible governments in the Christian world. For example, the Nazis were all Christians, as were the Soviets (despite the veneer of Communism), the Conquistadores that killed millions in Latin America were all Christians and the dictatorships of southern Africa, Latin America (as they come and go) and also of eastern Europe are all Christian as well. Christians have persecuted and murdered Jews for over a thousand years in a brutal and systematic way. Should we judge Jesus and his teachings? The British and French looted half the world on the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, do we say that wasa Christian act? Half the people in Libya look white because under Italian occupation, the "Christians" raped every Arab woman they came across. Is this Jesus' fault? A person writing a book about Christianity would rightly overlook all these instances and merely say that those acts of brutality are not consistent with the religion. Why should we not give Islam the same slack? Look, before Sept. 11 no one gave half a peanut about Islam. Now because of fifty guys who were angry about the U.S. army in Arabia, now suddenly the whole world is villifying Islam as if it were a demonic religion of baby-eaters. In actual fact, and I have studied Islam extensively, this religion is basically the combination of Judaism and Christianity. The morals are the same, the practices are essentially on the same philosophical plain and the Qur'an is no more a violent book than the Bible, Old or New Testament. If you want to read about Islam as it is, not about the sorry SECULAR governments in the Middle East or fringe religious extremist elements that twist the teachings of Islam just like McVeigh or Koresh twist Christinity, then this book is for you. It is about Islam as it is supposed to be followed and presents the worldview of the mainstream Muslim community which is a welcome breath of fresh air showing that Islam is compatible with the modern world. Don't let the religious extremists, and the Western hate-mongers win and make you think Islam is something else besides a respectable and tolerant faith. Where did Jews go for the last thousand years to be safe from Christians in Europe? To Muslim lands. The proof is in that. It's only because European Jews, fresh from the Holocaust, forced the establishment of homeland in a land that had not belonged to them for a long time that Arabs and Jews have come to fight.

I'm smart enough to know that I don't know everything and I feel smarter knowing that television doesn't give you the whole story. Islam, like most religions is not as cut and dry as knowing what the followers believe in (god or person) and what holidays they do or do not celebrate. This book does an excellent job of explaining what being a true muslim does and does not mean. What I like about it most is that the author is not trying to persuade the reader to become a believer in Islam. He is simply and unapologetically telling you about the religion in simple terms. If you're looking for preaching, rhetoric or an affirmation of what you've seen on CNN, then this book is not for you, but if you want a better understanding of the neighbors on the corner who keep their heads covered this is your book.

We finally get to see what the message of Islam truly is. Most books on Islam are written by people who aren't even Muslims. This book is written by a Muslim, an American convert to Islam, no less! All of the information is written in a very clear manner; moreover, all information points back to the original source: be it hadith or the Qur'an itself. We must remember to ask this question when learning about a new religion: "What does the Book (in this case the Qur'an) say?" We may not like what the followers of a belief are doing, but what does their Book say? This book gives us a precise background about what the Qur'an and the foundation of Islam really states, concerning a person's role in this world. This guide outlines Islam's place in history, from our own numerical system to the real rights of women in Islam. I've read several books on Islam, and this is by far the most complete!

I just got my book a few days ago and have read over half of it. I can't agree with the scathing and obviously angry-inspired view that I just saw here. In fact, I'm ordering copies for all my friends. I have read books on Islam before and this one gives the clearest presentation of Muslim spiritual beliefs I have found. While I may not agree with some of the author's conclusions, nevertheless it is an accurate account of what Islam believes and teaches. I'm familiar with the issue of Muhammad's marriage to a young girl and know that the age of the girl is in dispute among Muslims themselves.I didn't think the book was sticking up for the Taliban or anything else. I got the impression the author was trying to explain what motivates them and others. It was refreshing to see a book written by a Muslim that accepts the existence of the state of Israel- from a religious point of view!There are quite a lot of books that do distort Islam. As an American I can say that there have been far too many. But this book helped me to understand Islam without bias for or against. The quotes from the koran gave ample proof for whatever the author said.I hope people will make their own judgment of this book and not rely on people who are obviously angry. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know for themselves how a Muslim views their religion.

I recently purchased this book. It's been really hard to put it down since! I find it to be excellent in explaining what Islam is and how it relates to the modern world. Emerick has a gift of not just writing well but researching thoroughly, clearly showing what mainstream Islam is all about.This book should be a must read for everyone!