Discovering Islam

This title uncovers the roots of Islamic discontent and celebrates the sources of its strength. From the four "ideal Caliphs" who succeeded the Prophet to the refugee camps of Peshawar, an objective picture emerges of the main features of Muslim history and the compulsions of Muslim society.
Now reissued with a new introduction, "Discovering Islam" is an account of how the history of Islam and its relations with the west have shaped Islamic society in 2002. Islam is often caricatured as aggressive and fanatic. Written in the tradition of Ibn Khaldun, this book balances that image, uncovers the roots of Islamic discontent and celebrates the sources of its strength. From the four "ideal Caliphs" who succeeded the Prophet to the refugee camps of Peshawar, an objective picture emerges of the main features of Muslim history and the compulsions of Muslim society.