ASPECTS OF ISLAM Ron Geaves=A UNNERSTY] 's “Fett published in 2005 by : | | seam Poo ‘GeararnUnveniy Pes Wahingon 0 ‘Thr tok pinion ai ne paper meting tbe mints he American Noa sandr = Preface : Introduction ‘The Western Media: a mi Doctrine and Architecture: manifestations of tawhid The Shari'a the law of God or a cultural construct? or deeply divided? presentation ora factual ‘The Umma: an homogenous uni Martyrdom: the Shia doctrine of suffering opposed tothe Sunni doctrine of ‘Manifest Success Sufism: an aberration or the voice of traditional Islam? ‘The Prophet of God: human messenger or 2 manifestation of divine qualities? Jind: Islamic warfare of spiritual effort? ‘Muslim Fundamentalism: a misnomer or the heart ofthe faith? “Muslim Women: Islam’s oppressed or victims of patriarchy? Glossary of Terms Bibliography Index 2 4 3 5 96 us. 1a 165 190 27 2a 29 237PREFACE T have boen teaching Islam to undergraduate and. postgraduate students in several institutions over the ast ten years. During that time Ihave published two monographs and several artes that have explored some key issues in contemporary Muslin communities in the West. My perspective on teaching Islam has alays been commit ted to both a horizontal and vertical approach, exploring the history ‘but ony in the context of i forming » background to understanding what i happening in the present. But my main aim has been to enter Inside the faith tradition and discover what Muslims believe with regard ta slam and how they fel about their eligous belies, pra tices and events taking place around them, both inthe Muslim and ‘non-Muslim world. Consequently the strength ofthis work has been the horizontal approach to the research, based on detailed fieldwork and knowledge of living Muslim communities, especially those in sliaspora which form significant minorities inthe Western world DDuring the course of teaching Islam T have made a practice of otferng students the possibility of undertaking seminars and pre ‘sentation and topes covers in the book's chapters are based pon the most popular choices made by students, and, also, on their ora feedback about which topic excited them moet ducing the course of their modules on Islam. In addition to gathering information fw undergraduates, the book is indebted to information fom exe ‘sive Muslim contacts concerning the main areas of controversy hott Within Muslim communities an also those which originate fom pe ceived outsider stereotypes of Islam, "believe that a booko this kind is timely in view ofthe evens since 11 September 2001 (fom herein, termed 9/11) 1 have noted thei terest with which students are asking questions concerned with real inses a8 opposed to theological or historical topics. Ths the subject mater of each chapter gleaned from these informal attempts by students to develop thei understanding. of contemporary Islan “The book ~ill leo attempt to explore the diversity of Islam by pre senting a series of dichotomies or differences in belief and practice that wil asst readers in moving away from the idea that Islam i