Islam, A Very Short Introduction
Introductory Guide to the Politics and Beliefs of the Muslim Faith
Oct 23, 2009
Islam is a complex religion. While it has moral and spiritual elements in common with most "book" religions, some of its beliefs are so at odds with western culture, (and vice versa) that is has led to a lack of understanding between the people of western and eastern cultures.
The book, Islam – A Very Short Introduction by Malise Ruthven attempts to explain Islam, its beliefs and reasoning. Unlike many other books in the Very Short Introduction (VSI) series, some may find that it lacks the exploration of basic concepts that is characteristic of this series.
Islam – A Very Short Introduction Focuses on Muslim Politics
Also unlike many VSIs, this book had no humorous undertones. The subject matter was primarily political and excessively full of Islam-specific terms which were not compiled in a glossary; this may make the text difficult to understand for many readers who are not familiar with these terms.
Without a glossary, readers are left to learn a quite a few new vocabulary terms if they are to understand the basic tenets of the Islamic faith. The involved political explanations are a little beyond what one might expect to find in a series that typically provides more basic description of a religion's beliefs and culture.
Diversity of Approaches to Islam
Islam – A Very Short Introduction does provide some valuable information for readers who are seeking to learn about Islam and the Muslim lifestyle. The author explains that there is no central "church" for Islam. There is no one cohesive voice laying down the law, and thus the law (as set down in the Koran) is subject to interpretation by a series of imams, roughly equivalent to a preacher or wise man.
Over time, various approaches have been more popular than others, from a basic, stringent fundamentalism to a rather spiritual, open-minded approach. The countries in which Islam has been practiced often contain areas thoroughly isolated by geography, contributing to the above-mentioned differences.
These different approaches have continually created conflict between the different nations that practice Islam, a religion that originally spread rapidly through conquest.
Family is Core in Islam
According to Dr. Ruthven, family is core in Islam, and so is morality – he describes a rigid, paternalistic morality that will likely feel alien to many in the western world. Fundamentalist Islam takes the word of the Koran quite literally. (This is something that fundamentalists of any faith, including Christianity, do, too).
While the author explains that women feel free in the context of Islam, some may find the description of this concept rather difficult to comprehend. In fact, the topic of women and Islam was given only a small section of the book, which many readers may find unfortunate, since the religion's attitude toward women appears to be one of the most-criticized and poorly understood issues in the non-Islamic world.
However, the author does remain neutral, presenting both the negative and positive aspects of the faith. He notes that fundamentalism is a huge problem but also ends on a positive note, proposing that, ultimately, Islam will become a matter of personal choice rather than doctrine and that the faith will be followed according to personal morals.
Until then, however, more bloodshed can be expected, and the best way to get information about how Islam works in the real world is still to find Islamic people, and respectfully get to know them.
Islam, A Very Short Introduction by Dr. Malise Ruthven was published by Oxford University Press in 2000. Its ISBN-13 is 978-0192853899.
Related Articles on Religion and Philosophy
Readers may also be interested in a review of Judaism – A Very Short Introduction or in information about Very Short Introductions in general.
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