Islam in Focus

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 224 pages
• Published by: Amana Publications
• Edition: Revised Edition September 1, 1997
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0915957744
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0915957743
• Book Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.5 inches
• Weighs: 11.2 ounces

Product Description
Newest available publication of this now famous book, thoroughly updated and edited, approved for sale by the Abdulati family. Published by amana publications. This book is the most popular written document on Islam. With its living and resourceful style, the book addresses both the young educated and the adult intellectual in a scholarly yet fresh and simple mode of thinking and presentation.

Reader Reviews
I found this to be a very good starter book in most areas. Basic subjects are covered such as the five pillars and about applying Islam to one's daily life. The chapter dealing with prayer was superb and is one of my favorite books dealing with the issues of prayer right after "The Illuminated Prayer" by Coleman Barks. Basic concepts are covered as well and may well give the non-Muslim Western reader a nice window into the day to day life of Muslims and how religious Muslims use the principles of Islam into their every day lives. I do, however, have two points about this book which did bother me somewhat, hence the 4 stars instead of five. The author occasionally justifies the Islamic point of view by stating that people "in the West" do bad thing A or bad thing B. I don't find this type of approach all that helpful when trying to reach a Western audience. Also, I feel that if an Islamic concept is good enough for all to follow, it should be able to do so on its own merits and not by comparing it to another system to "prove" how good it is. It looks too defensive. Also, the mention of polygyny is not covered from both sides. It does give the androcentric point of view that any man who is not receiving enough sex from his wife is able to just take another. This way of using (or abusing) polygyny is often pushed by most (male) scholars, but other interpretations are out there that favor the woman, but are often overlooked by the male power structure. Amina Wadud's "Quran and Woman" gets into this topic from a more female balanced point of view, and reading the two together should give a fuller idea of the various views on polygyny. Related to this, the author correctly lists how Islam gave women rights, but gets into little detail of the day to day realities for Muslim women, which, believe me, are far from the rosy picture often painted by the male scholars. Still, I would totally recommmend this book even with my disagreements, if nothing else for the excelent chapter on prayer. Back in the days when Islam was held in higher regard, scholars often agreed to disagree and few stated that they were absolutely correct. It is something we have left behind in these Wahabi styled times, and something we could use again.