|
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and has the second largest number of followers, behind Christianity. Since the seventh century, it has inspired countless millions of people and has helped to form the living cultures of Middle East, Asia, Africa, and beyond. The Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World is a comprehensive, historically-focused reference work that introudces the doctrinal, legal, social, and spiritual ideas that inform the various traditions of Islam, and the changes they have experienced in almost 1400 years since the prophet Muhammad is said to have undergone his religious revelation. It is one of the only major references that discusses Islam's beliefs, practices, and traditions in their broader cultural and political context, tracing its history as a uniquely historical force from the Prophet and the caliphs to modern-day governments. The set documents the sweeping influence of Islam on the art, architecture, and vernacular literatures of the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia, examines the encounters between Islam and modern social and political movements. In language accessible to non-specialists, this encyclopedia describes the teachings and practices of the different Muslim schools and traces the origins and development of these schools and the relations between them. It follows the spread of Islam from the Middle East to Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Central Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and shows how Islam has related to and intermingled with other religions, including folk or indigenous religions as well as local politcal structures. Articles on such topics as faith, hermeneutics, pilgrimage, ritual, and sacred space ensure that Islamic concepts may become fully integrated into readers' thinking.
|
