It is a splendid introduction—carefully researched and comprehensive, yet readable. It corrects many popular and erroneous notions about Islam that prevail in non-Muslim societies. For the general reader there are many profound insights of great consequence, for example, the passages on women, marriage, and inheritance, or the section on jihad, nearly always completely misunderstood in the press.
'The topic is becoming more significant because Islam is the most rapidly growing religious in the world. This book provides a thorough and sophisticate, but at the same time clear-headed and reliable, overview.' --Kevin Lacey
