THE TRUTH ABOUT ISLAM A Historical Study

This is a book by a non-Muslim with no other affiliation with Islam than scholarship. It frames the Qur’an and Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) in their proper historical context to explain what the frequently misinterpreted words written in the scripture and spoken by the Prophet truly mean. It goes further to point out the civilizing, and humanizing influences of this relatively young religion throughout the world. It reads like a bedtime story book, full of facts and ideas to be savoured by anyone who has any opinion on Islam. And who doesn’t! Given the current geopolitical turmoil, such a book had to be written at this time, not to justify a religion but to serve mankind’s eternal quest for knowledge and truth.

The book gives an appraisal of such aspects of Islamic thought and tradition as have incited vigorous debate, ever deepening the smoke of ambiguity over them. These include such issues as the position of women, religion and politics, jihad, pluralism and nationalism following a methodology of staying close to the sources of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and view the inferences of scholars and commentators in that light. The study is encased in a historical framework, since the “pastness of the past”, continues as an organic element, at once directing and resisting social change.

The book gives the background of the tension between Muslim countries and Western nations which intensified with the conclusion of World War I in 1918 and rose acute with the end of the Cold War in 1990s. The continued political, economic, and military intervention by European powers and the USA has been discussed in the context of the present situation when Muslims tend to look upon the West as anti-Islam and in the Western world-view Islam is considered to be a menace to civilization itself.

The book, authored by Lakshmeshwar Dayal, first published in India, 2010, in hard-bound, is available with the publishers at: anamikapublishers@yahoo.co.in OR www.bookshopofindia.com

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