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Acknowledgments

Achieving simplicity proved to be anything but simple. This book – an initiation into Islam – was intended to be accessible and concise. Little did I realize the effort involved in making it so! In finished form at last, it represents the synthesis of lectures, studies and essays too numerous to mention, and of actual experience gained over the years as a student, as a teacher, a Muslim scholar and thinker deeply involved both in public debate and at the grass-roots. These are the major factors, combined with the contributions of so many women and men encountered along the way – Muslims, believers of other confessions or without any particular confession – that have given me the impetus and the strength to write. My debt to them constitutes the guiding spirit of this short introductory volume.

First and foremost, I would like to thank Penguin Books, and particularly Helen Conford, for her confidence, her trust, her kindness and her friendship. Her commitment has proven immeasurable. My warmest and most fraternal thoughts go to Cynthia Read, who has accompanied me for so long with heart, attention and professional discipline. Deepest thanks, as well, go to my friend and translator Fred A. Reed for his contribution and his devotion despite the years of tight deadlines and an often-trying work schedule. Finally, a word of thanks to Drew Anderla, Shoaib Rokadiya and Annabel Huxley: each has contributed, in their respective fields, to the conception and distribution of this book. To all: the work of writing would be for naught without your clear-eyed and fine-tuned professional collaboration.

This book, in its present form, would never have seen the light of day without the contribution of Caroline Davis, my assistant and Program Manager at Oxford University: a woman of heart and of principle, and a model of great professionalism and deep humanity. To her I respectfully dedicate this work. Jennifer Reghoui, who managed my European office for five years, was unfailing in her support. My dear and supportive colleagues at the Middle East Centre at St Anthony’s College, University of Oxford: Eugene Rogan, Walter Armbrust, Michael Willis, Laurent Mignon, Toby Matthiesen, Philip Robins and Avi Shlaim. Walaa Quisay, one of my doctorate students, for her conscientious research assistance. The entire team of the Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics that has stood by me for four years will find in these pages ample reminders of our animated discussions. My profound gratitude goes to each and every one of you.

For Iman, always and intensely. For Maryam, Sami, Moussa and Najma with a father’s heart. For Shaima and Ali, with love. And, multiplying that same love today, for Kylian, Noor, Amin … and the others soon to come, God willing. How much I owe you all! Nor can I ever forget my mother, to whom my debt is so great, may God protect her; my father, may God’s grace be upon him; and Aymen, Bilal, Yasser, Arwa, Hani, my sister and my brothers. May their children and our children explore the high road and the byways of the great journey with hope and conviction. And may that journey always be one of beauty.

My thanks, my true and deepest thanks.

Oxford, November 2016

Introduction

Hardly a day goes by without some mention of Islam. And yet many people, if pressed, will admit that they know very little about the religion of one quarter of the human race. We hear much talk of violence, terrorism, the status of women and slavery. Muslims are frequently pressured to provide answers and to justify what Islam is not. Yet there is very little space in society or in the media for an exploration and an explanation of what Islam genuinely is.

Hence the objective of this short book: to introduce readers in the simplest, most direct and the most thorough manner to Islam – to its principles, its rituals, its history, its diversity and its evolution, not forgetting the numerous challenges facing Muslims today.

Tackling an entire religion and civilization requires some mental preparation. The Islamic universe is no less complex than that of Hinduism, of Buddhism, of Judaism or Christianity. The basic texts can be abstruse and their interpretation widely divergent and often contradictory; Islam’s schools of thought and its cultures do not always facilitate access to its essence as a world religion.

Before venturing into a belief system that possesses its own well-established principles, an inner coherence, and a distinct conception of humanity, life and death, readers may wish to put aside their preconceived notions and open their minds to something that may strike them as both familiar and strange. Islam comes complete with its own sacred texts, a system of references, eternal principles and applications to daily life; as such, religious, historical and legal knowledge is needed to understand its nature, its historical development and the challenges confronting it today.

For many readers, this journey of discovery will require both curiosity and effort. But it will also require intellectual humility as the path unfolds before us; a willingness to reconsider opinions often presented as established fact, to overcome stubborn prejudices and to suspend judgement for the duration of our voyage together. As we progress, these considerations will take on prime importance, for they will enable us to join the debate over key issues and to begin a process of critical reflection that is so sorely needed today, free of knee-jerk reactions, fears or attempts to justify the unjustifiable.

Written to be as accessible as possible, this brief introduction to the essence of Islam assumes no specialized knowledge on the reader’s part. It is designed to guide readers into the complexity of the multifaceted world of Islam as a religion and a civilization. The first chapter presents an introduction to the history of Islam, beginning with the Prophet Muhammad and the Revelation of the Qur’an, the prophetic mission and the basic elements of the Islamic Message, followed by a rapid survey of the evolution of the religion after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the great schism between Sunni and Shi’a and the creation of the great empires. Chapter 2 describes Islam’s fundamental tenets, its texts, the meaning of the word ‘Islam’, the search for God, and Islam’s relationship with the other monotheistic faiths. The third chapter deals with the pillars of faith and with ritual practice, with its obligations and prohibitions. Chapter 4 introduces the concept of sharia – ‘the Way’ – with its multitude of definitions and priorities, with the forms of jihad and the primacy of social action. The final chapter takes up the multitude of challenges facing today’s Muslims, both in societies where they form the majority and those in which they are in the minority.

Each chapter is divided into short sections, making it easy for the reader to locate a specific subject or theme and to find there a concise and easily understandable explanation. The presentation is never strictly theoretical: each section first takes up the governing principle, then examines the diversity of interpretation and even the contradictions between declared principles and their application by Muslims down through history to the present day.

Most of the topics seen as hypersensitive today – sharia, jihad, the status of women, polygamy, slavery and violence – are dealt with in these pages. My approach is not apologetic, but is designed to offer readers a general yet thorough consideration of Islamic teachings. These questions are then integrated into a broader analysis and placed in perspective, for to deal with them in isolation would inevitably be misleading.

In fact, this introduction should be seen as a voyage of initiation and exploration – into the terminology, principles, practices and aspirations of Muslims. As you read through this book, you will find the answers to a number of questions that, despite their topicality, cannot alone exhaust the richness of the voyage into the heart of Islam and its teachings.

Following the Conclusion, there is a short exercise entitled ‘Ten Things You Thought You Knew about Islam’, which will give you an opportunity to confront several currently received ideas and stereotypes and get to grips with certain notions that are insufficiently understood by many people (including more than a few Muslims): sharia, jihad, fatalism, dress codes, sexual equality, ritual slaughter, ‘Who is a Muslim?’ to name but a few. You can use this section to evaluate what you have learned and perceived and thus to broaden and deepen your understanding.

PELICAN BOOKS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Note on the Text