Islam scares the West. Militant conservatism and the horrific acts of violent fundamentalists evoke outrage, but the reprehensible few reinforce a longstanding Western stereotype of all Muslims as "incorrigibly fanatical, violent and morally and culturally different." Overlooked is the long history of Muslim intellectual and cultural achievement, and its potential to flower once again. With about 1.5 billion adherents, Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. An understanding of its past glories, present state and future potential has never been more critical. This survey of Muslim intellectual and cultural achievements spans 1,400 years. Chapters fall into three sections: fundamentals of Islamic learning; its growth until the present; and its future direction in the face of anti-intellectual fundamentalism. Arranged chronologically within the sections, chapters begin with an historical overview of the time period they encompass, providing context for the subsequent discussion of key intellectual and cultural achievements within that period.
Appendices describe decorative and other arts, the requirements for expertise in Islamic thought, Islamic ethical traditions, and list noteworthy personalities and achievements chronologically. Maps and photographs illustrate the text, which also includes a glossary, notes, a bibliography and an index.
- ISBN10 0786419547
- ISBN13 9780786419548
- Publish Date 1 December 2004
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 24 April 2009
- Publish Country US
- Imprint McFarland & Co Inc
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 235
- Language English