Vision
of Islam
By Murata, Sachiko, Chittick, William C.
Pub Date: 11/94
Publisher: Paragon House Publishers
Binding: Trade Paper, 382pp.
ISBN: 1557785163
Our Price $18.95
Synopsis
"Exploring
fundamental religious perspectives held by Muslims, . . . {this book}
covers the four dimensions of Islam as outlined in the Hadith of
Gabriel: practice, faith, spirituality, and the Islamic view of history.
. . . {Combining} teachings from the Koran, the sayings of the Prophet,
and . . . authorities of the tradition, the authors introduce . . . each
dimension, then goon to . . . {describe} how each has been embodied in
Islamic institutions throughout history." (Publisher's note) Index.
Annotation
Covering the
four dimensions of Islam as outlined in the Hadith of Gabriel--practice,
faith, spirituality, and the Islamic view of history--The Vision of
Islam draws on the Koran, the sayings of the Prophet and the great
authorities of the tradition. This clearly written book introduces the
essentials of each dimension and then shows how each has been embodied
in Islamic institutions throughout history.
M. Swartz -
Choice
This lucid and
compelling account of Islam is written from what might be called a
phenomenological perspective. Because its principal aim is to present
Islam as a living faith from a Muslim perspective as reflected in the
classical texts of the tradition, Murata and Chittick (comparative
studies, SUNY, Stony Brook) go to some length to differentiate their
work from the numerous historical, critically oriented introductions to
Islam that have appeared over the last several decades. . . . The book
is intended to serve as an introductory text in undergraduate college
and university courses on Islam, but it can serve equally well as an
introduction to Islam for a more general readership. Useful glossary of
technical terms; brief set of notes. Recommended to all college and
university libraries as well as to public libraries concerned to
maintain up-to-date information on major living religions.
Library
Journal
Most
English-language introductions to Islam (and to Christianity and Judaism
as well) scant the intellectual and spiritual; instead, they stress the
externals-the things one must do to be saved, to be justified, to be
upright before God and one's fellows. Basic doctrine, moral teaching,
and ritual obligations are, as Murata and Chittick point out, all that
the ordinary Muslim believer, prospective convert, and casually
interested non-Muslim observer really need to know. The authors
(comparative studies, SUNY at Stonybrook) provide a systematic and
thorough handbook of basic Islamic theology on many topics, such as the
nature of God and man, revelation and scripture, prayer and the interior
life, and mysticism and devotion. For serious students of Islam (and its
relationship to Judaism and Christianity) who are undaunted by technical
terminology, this work is the book to have. For academic libraries and
public libraries with substantial collections in religion.-James F.
DeRoche, Alexandria, Va.
A. Rippin -
The Journal of Religion
This is an
excellent presentation of Islam, of that there is no doubt. Every reader
will gain much from it. Whether it would be appropriate for
everyclassroom context as a textbook is another matter which will depend
on one's conception of the aim of teaching about religions and religious
studies; the question remains of whether conveying the internal
coherence of the worldview of the believer is the goal of studying Islam
(or any other religion). As well, potential users of the book will need
to think about their own point of viewtoward modernity and traditional
values because the authors' disdainful attitude toward the ignorance of
spiritual matters within modern life--whether on the part of Muslims or
anybody else--pervades the book.
Vision
of Islam