Books from the In Brief series of Books for Busy People
Books from the In Brief series of Books for Busy People
Lecturer, and author of the In Brief series of Books for Busy People
Lecturer, and author of the In Brief series of Books for Busy People
Lecturer, and author of the In Brief series of Books for Busy People
This book attempts to show how close Judaism, Christianity and Islam are in terms of their history and beliefs.
It has been written mainly for those who are less familiar with Islam and so there is an emphasis on the early Islamic history. However, it is hoped that readers of all Faiths or none, may find the content of interest, particularly in the present climate where an understanding of the history of Islam is
important.
Starting with the Patriarch Abraham, who is revered by people of all three Faiths, the book takes a broadly historical approach tracing throughout areas of commonality and conflict. Separate chapters are devoted to Abraham, Prophecy, Islamic Expansion, the Shi’a and finally ‘Holy War’ and in each chapter the topic is discussed from the perspective of each Faith.
Finally, the Epilogue contains a brief reflection on the current situation in relations between the three Faiths, particularly in the context of the Middle East post 9/11.
As with other books in the series, this book is aimed at the general reader who wants to understand a particular historical topic but doesn’t have the time or inclination to read a heavy academic tome. With this mind, footnotes have been omitted. However, the reader will find a small selection of the main works that are referred to at the end.
This is a well written and informative account of the origins, historical development of Islam and its relationship to the other two Abrahamic faiths, namely the Jewish and Christian religions. Although the focus is on the Muslim religion, commonalities and conflicts between the three religions are made apparent, as is the distinction between the Sunni and the Shia. Particularly useful for the lay reader such as myself is the Epilogue where the author relates historical thoughts, beliefs and faiths to current crises such as the kidnapping of 200 schoolgirls by Boco Haram, the Al Quaeda world view, and the recent horrific actions of ISIS. This concise and inexpensive book does a remarkable job of providing an understanding of key issues in faith and politics, both historically and as of now. It is an excellent addition to Anne Davison’s ‘In Brief’ Series: Books for Busy People, and comes highly recommended. January 2015
This made a complicated matter clear. I feel that this should be a book on school reading lists. October 2014