Now available in a fully-revised and updated third edition, Islam: History, Religion and Politics, provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the core teachings, historical development, and contemporary public struggles of Islam.

Foreword ix Preface xi Maps xiii 1 Many Paths to One God: Establishing the Ideals 1 The Quran 1 The Quran and Other Scriptures 7 Themes of the Quran 12 The Exemplary Life of Muhammad, Prophet of Islam: The Sunna 21 The Early Muslim Community and the Pillars of Islam 24 The Successors (“Caliphs”) 27 Early Communal Disputes 29 Conclusion 31 2 The Pursuit of Knowledge in the Service of God and Humanity: The Golden Age 34 Institutions 35 Law 36 Political Structure 43 Cultural Achievements 45 Spirituality and the Mystical Tradition: Sufism 54 Conclusion 68 3 Division and Reorganization 71 The Crusades and Other Disasters 71 The Decline of the Abbasids and Rise of the Ottomans 77 Persia: The Safavid Empire 84 India and the Rise of the Mughals 87 Understanding Developments in Islamic History 95 Conclusion 99 4 Colonialism and Reform 101 Colonialism 101 The Outcome of World War I 110 The Effects of Colonialism and Themes of Islamic Reform 117 Modern Iterations of Islamic Reform and New Challenges 125 Islamist Approaches to Reform 129 Conclusion: Mainstream Islamists and Radicals 135 5 Contemporary Islam: The Challenges of Democratization and Complications of Global Politics 139 Turkey 141 Iran 144 Pakistan, Afghanistan, and al]Qaeda 154 Indonesia 166 Tunisia and the Arab Spring 168 What about Terrorism? ISIS, Boko Haram, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Hezbollah 173 Conclusion: Asking the Right Questions 185 Further Reading 195 Index 000

" Tamara Sonn has given us a superbly written, thoroughly researched, and insightful book that provides an excellent study of one of the world's great faiths. It is an important work that should be read by all who want a true and in-depth understanding of a religion and culture that has a critical role in driving events touching all of us today." General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC " Tamara Sonn's signi cantly revised edition of Islam: History, Religion, and Politics assures its continued value and relevance as a major comprehensive brief history of Islam and Muslims from the rise and development of Islam to contemporary Islamic thought and politics." John L. Esposito, Georgetown University " Tamara Sonn has undertaken a herculean task: explaining and interpreting Islam, its practice in Muslim societies, its historical origins and trajectory, its core doctrines and eschatology, and its engagement with politics and modernity, for a general audience. She accomplishes this with a unique clarity, insight, and objectivity that makes this book an important contribution to our contemporary world. As long as Islam and Muslims are in the news, this book will serve as an excellent resource for students, the media, and the broader reading public." Nader Hashemi, University of Denver Now available in a fully revised and updated third edition, Islam: History, Religion, and Politics provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the core teachings, historical development, and contemporary public struggles of Islam. Featuring a new chapter on the Arab Spring, this edition also includes up-to-date analysis of the civil wars in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen and a detailed study of the rise of modern terrorist groups Boko Haram and ISIS. This illuminating introduction spans Islamic history from the life of Muhammad and the birth of Islamic ideals, through Islam's phenomenal geographical expansion and cultural development, to the creation of modern states and Islam's role in today's global society. Written by a leading scholar of Islamic studies, the third edition of this well-respected introduction will continue to be an essential tool for anyone interested in better understanding the evolution of this infl uential and politically charged world religion.

Tamara Sonn has given us a superbly written, thoroughly researched, and insightful book that provides an excellent study of one of the world's great faiths. It is an important work that should be read by all who want a true and in-depth understanding of a religion and culture that has a critical role in driving events touching all of us today.General Anthony C. Zinni USMCTamara Sonn's significantly revised edition of Islam: History, Religion, and Politics assures its continued value and relevance as a major comprehensive brief history of Islam and Muslims from the rise and development of Islam to contemporary Islamic thought and politics.John L Esposito, Georgetown University Tamara Sonn has undertaken a herculean task: explaining and interpreting Islam, its practice in Muslim societies, its historical origins and trajectory, its core doctrines and eschatology, and its engagement with politics and modernity, for a general audience. She accomplishes this with a unique clarity, insight and objectivity that makes this book an important contribution to our contemporary world. As long as Islam and Muslims are in the news, this book will serve an excellent resource for students, the media and the broader reading public.Nader Hashemi, University of Denver