Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam

I. INTRODUCING ISLAM. 1. Why Has Islam Become So Important? The Muslims Are Coming! Why Didn't I Learn More About Islam in School? Muslims, Muslims Everywhere! Is There Really a Clash of Civilizations? Bridging the Next Gap.2. Food for the Soul. The Core Beliefs of Islam. We All Have the Same God. The Universe Is Muslim! Aladdin Rubbed the Wrong Lamp. Touched by an Angel. Accepting the Burden. Soul Soup.3. Looking at Life the Islamic Way. The Three-Fold Journey. Sin and Redemption. The Last Payday.4. All About Allah. God and Hollywood. There Is Only One God. Islam on God. Pagan Arab Beliefs Before the Coming of Islam. Do Muslims Believe in Original Sin? How Close Is Close? Allah Has Many Names.II. THE SPIRITUAL WORLD OF ISLAM. 5. The Four Stages of Life in Islam. Four Lives for Each Life. Life in the Womb. Life in the World. Careful! You're Being Watched. Life in the Grave.6. Islam on Heaven and Hell. Why Have a Judgment Day? Use Your Time Wisely. No Dancing with the Devil Here! Why Does God Punish?7. In the Beginning! An Islamic Perspective. The Creation of the Universe. Islam and Evolution. Adam and Eve: A New Perspective.8. The Measurement of Life. Destiny, Fate, or Free Will--Which Is It? It's Not Written in the Stars. What You Can and Can't Do.9. From Adam to Armageddon. No Tower of Babel Here. The Rise of the Prophets. The End Is Near! The Last Day.III. THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM. 10. Declaring Faith in Islam. Introducing the Five Pillars of Islam. The Shahadah. And Muhammad Is His Prophet.11. Understanding Muslim Prayers. Supplication Versus Prayer. The Muslim Call to Prayer. Humble Pie. The Prayer Described. Remembrance of God.12. Elevating the Soul. The Burden of Wealth. The Fast of Ramadan. Welcoming Ramadan. The Month of Training.13. Gathering in Mecca. Introducing the Hajj Ritual. The Rituals of Hajj.14. Uncovering the Real Story About Jihad. What Is Jihad? Social Activism in Islam. The Myth of the Holy War. Islam on War. What Makes a Terrorist?IV. ISLAM AND OTHER RELIGIONS. 15. It's All in the Prophets. All Prophets Are Brothers. Will the Real Prophet Please Stand Up. Introducing the Prophets in Islam. Looking at the Characteristics of the Prophets. The Books of God.16. Jews in Islam. The People of the Book. Judaism and Islam. The Qur'an on Judaism. The Only Muslim-Jewish War. Jews in the Muslim Empire.17. Christianity and Islam. Setting the Stage. Muhammad and the Monk. An Interesting Proposal. Christianity and Jesus in the Qur'an. Original Sin and All That. Interfaith Dialogue.V. REGULATING LIFE WITHIN THE LAWS OF ISLAM. 18. Exploring the Sources of Islam. A Closer Look at the Qur'an. The Teachings of the Prophet. The Companions of the Prophet. The 'Ulema: Scholars of the Faith.19. Living Islam. Islam and the Family. Welcome to My Mosque. Ceremonies for Life. Islamic Holidays. Halal and Haram: What Can a Muslim Do?20. Looking at Women in Islam. Does Islam Teach Inequality? Myths About Muslim Women. Women's Rights in Islam. Divorce in Islam. Islam and the Dress Code.VI. THE HISTORY OF ISLAM. 21. Muhammad in Mecca. Arabia: The Birthplace of Islam. Meet Muhammad's Parents. A Prophet Is Chosen. Muhammad's Night Journey and Ascension. The Great Escape!22. The Victory of Islam. The First Islamic State. The Desperate Times. The Conquest of Mecca. Confronting the Superpowers. Taking Another Look at Muhammad's Marriages. The Passing of a Prophet.23. The Rightly Guided Successors. Islam on Government. The Caliphate of Abu Bakr As-Sadeeq. Umar ibn al Khattab and Persia's Defeat. Uthman ibn Affan and the Great Conspiracy. Ali ibn Abi Talib.24. Islamic Civilization: The Dynastic Period. The Umayyads. The Abbasids and the Mongol Invasions. The Golden Age of Islamic Civilization. The Beginnings of Rival Muslim States. The Crusades.25. Islam in America. The Forgotten Religion of African Americans. The Rise of African American Islam. Muslim Immigrants and the American Dream. Caucasian Converts to Islam. Hispanic Muslims. Muslim Organizations in North America.VII. THE LEGACY OF ISLAM. 26. Discover the Influences of Islam. Charting the Muslim Influence on Europe. Illuminating the Science Hall of Fame. Speaking in a Familiar Tongue. Uncovering the Unique Features of Islamic Civilization.27. Meet the Islamic Sectarian Movements. Sectarianism and Islam. A Quick Look at Early Sects. The Sunnis and Shi'as. The Sufi Path.28. Islam in World Affairs Today. The Death and Rebirth of Islam. What Do Muslims Want? The Establishment of Israel. The Iranian Revolution. The Satanic Verses. Islam, the Next Chapter.APPENDIXES. Appendix A. The Islamic Calendar. Appendix B. Common Prophets in the Qur'an. Appendix C. Further Reading. Appendix D. Glossary. Index.