Prepared by the Flint Public Library in partnership with the C.S. Mott Foundation

 

The Koran | Beliefs and Practices | History | Arts
Understanding Islamic Fundamentalism | Adult Video | Adult Web Sites
Resources for Islamic Materials | Children's Selections

THE KORAN

THE KORAN
translated by N.J. Dawood. [297/Ko]
A revised, updated translation of the Koran. The clear, fluent, authoritative English rendering of this holiest of Muslim texts preserves the characteristic flavor and rhythm of the original, following the sequence of the Koranic suras.

THE MEANING OF THE GLORIOUS KORAN
translated by Marmaduke Pickthall. [297/Me]
This edition of the Koran, part of the "Modern Library," is one of the most widely read translations of the Koran. It is written in modern English and, as such, is highly accessible to modern readers.

THE MEANING OF THE HOLY QUR’AN
by Abdullah Yusuf Ali [297/Al]
Considered the most popular English translation of the Holy Qur’an, this edition has the complete original Arabic text, English translation, as well as the extensive footnotes and commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the early 20th century Muslim statesman, politician, and Qur’anic exegesis scholar.

QUR’AN AND WOMEN :
REREADING THE SACRED TEXT FROM A WOMAN’S PERSPECTIVE
by Amina Wadud [297/Wa]
The first interpretive reading of the Qur’an by a woman, this work confirms that gender equality is indeed a part of Islamic teaching.

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BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

ELEMENTARY TEACHINGS OF ISLAM
by Mohammed Abdul-Aleem Siddiqui [297/Si]
This question and answer booklet covers most of the questions a newcomer to Islam would have. It is designed to help new converts gain knowledge of their faith

HOW TO UNDERSTAND ISLAM
by Jacques Jomier [297/Jo]
The author discusses "the religious aspects of the emergence and expansion of the Islamic empire, Islamic dogma, and laws and practices of Islamic society."

ISLAM IN A NUTSHELL
by Muhammad Hamidullah [297/Ha]
This booklet was designed as a brief introduction to Islamic belief and practice for people who are new to the faith or are considering becoming Muslims.

ISLAM: THE STRAIGHT PATH
by John L. Esposito. [297/Es]
Esposito writes a succinct, up-to-date survey of the Islamic experience, giving readers a solid understanding of the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its origins to the present.

LIVING ISLAM :
FROM SAMARKAND TO STORNOWAY
by Akbar S. Ahmed [297/Ah]
This deeply thoughtful book examines Islam, its history, its culture, its values, and helps to dispel Western prejudices about this poorly understood but dominant world religion.

SILENT NO MORE; CONFRONTING AMERICA’S FALSE IMAGES OF ISLAM
by Paul Findley [297.2/Fi]
Congressman Paul Findley’s trip to South Yemen to plead for the release of an imprisoned U.S. citizen started him on an unexpected journey through the world of Islam that continued for twenty-five years and inspired this book.

WHAT MUSLIMS BELIEVE
by John Bowker. [297/Bo]
Bowker has compiled an explanation of Muslim religious beliefs from interviews with practitioners around the world. The book is based on a series of radio broadcasts compiled for the BBC World Service.

THE WORD OF ISLAM =
[LA ILAH ILLA ALLAH MUHAMMAD RASUL ALLAH]
edited by John Alden Williams [297/Wo]
Compiled with the intention of letting Islam describe itself in its own words, this book is an important source for all students of Muslim culture and world religions. It includes an interpretation of the Qur’an, as well as portions of the Hadith—sayings and actions of the Prophet—Islamic law, mysticism (Sufism), theology, and sectarian writings.

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HISTORY

THE CULTURAL ATLAS OF ISLAM
by Isma’il R. Al-Faruqi [R297/Al]
This magnificent book presents the entire world view of Islam – its beliefs, traditions, institutions, and its place in the cultures in which it has taken root.

A HISTORY OF THE ARAB PEOPLES
by Albert Hourani [956/Ho]
Although ten years old, this is still considered one of the best introductory works on Arab history available. It covers 13 centuries of Arab history, with a greater emphasis on the last 200 years.

ISLAM: A SHORT HISTORY
by Karen Armstrong [297/Am]
The focus of this book is on Islam as a political force, in particular how the idea of a religious community was central to the development of Islam. Armstrong’s clear explanation of Islamic beliefs and practices will help dispel many of the misconceptions that non-Muslim’s hold about this great world religion.

ISLAM AND THE WEST
by Bernard Lewis [297/Le]
Edited by one of the West’s foremost scholars of Islam, this book is a collection of essays on the clash between Western and Islamic cultures.

MUHAMMAD AND THE ORIGINS OF ISLAM
by F.E. Peters [297/Pe]
This work is a biography of the Prophet Muhammad with a special emphasis on his religious development.

THE OXFORD HISTORY OF ISLAM
edited by John Esposito [297/Ox]
An extensive survey of the history of Islam wherever it is found, including China and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa that are often overlooked in books on this topic.

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ARTS

THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ISLAM: 650-1250
by Richard Ettinghausen [709.1767/Et]
Starting just after the founding of Islamic culture, this book traces the development of that culture’s artistic nature. Lavishly illustrated, it covers not only the art of Muslims, but also the effect that they had on the artistic life of the communities with which they interacted.

THE ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ISLAM: 1250-1800
by Sheila S. Blair [709.1767/Bl]
The second of a two volume set, this book covers many of the great masterpieces of Islamic art, including the famed Taj Mahal.

ISLAMIC ARTS
by Jonathan Bloom [Reference 709.948/Bl]
In this comprehensive survey the authors highlight those characteristics that connect the various arts of all the Islamic lands without minimizing the differences.

POTTERY OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD: IN THE TAREQ RAJAB MUSEUM
by Geza Fehervari [738.3/Fe]
The world of pottery provides one of the defining themes of Islamic art. This book presents the history and development of Islamic pottery through ninety selected vessels and tiles. The book is beautifully illustrated with over 100 color photographs which include supplementary plates showing excavated kilns, kiln-wasters and Islamic monuments decorated with tile work.

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UNDERSTANDING ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM

THE CHALLENGE OF FUNDAMENTALISM :
POLITICAL ISLAM AND THE NEW WORLD DISORDER
by Bassam Tibi [320.55/Ti]
Written by a Muslim and a descendent of famous Islamic scholars, Tibi’s book is a useful contrast to the Western viewpoint from which most books on Islamic fundamentalism are written. Tibi draws a firm distinction between Islam as a faith and fundamentalism as a political movement, a distinction that is often blurred in our Western perception.

ISLAM WILL CONQUER ALL OTHER RELIGIONS AND AMERICAN POWER WILL DIMINISH: READ HOW ALLAH (GOD’S) PREDICTION WILL SOON COME TO PASS
by Mohamed Azad and Bibi Amina [320.55/Az]
This is a view of the conflict between the West and Islam from a point of view that Westerner’s don’t often hear. The authors cover the history of Islam’s conquests, both physical and spiritual, and demonstrate that it is the fastest growing religion in the world.

THE RISE OF THE ISLAMIC EMPIRE AND THE THREAT TO THE WEST
by Anthony J. Dennis [320.55/De]
At the time it was written, this book predicted that Islamic fundamentalism would become a threat to world stability, a prediction that has come true. Dennis’ work covers the transnational Islamic fundamentalist movement’s goals and methods in detail and should be a great help in understanding this powerful movement.

TRIUMPH OF DISORDER: ISLAMIC
FUNDAMENTALISM, THE NEW FACE OF WAR
by Morgan Norva [320.55/No]
Written by the director of a Washington, D.C. think tank devoted to the study of terrorism, this book describes the threat that Islamic terrorism poses to the West. Rather than simply looking at the religious aspects of Islamic fundamentalism in isolation, Norva also explains the causes of discontent in the Islamic world that create an atmosphere in which such movements can breed.

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ADULT VIDEO

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
[VT 297]
The essential principles on which Islam rests — the five pillars are put into historical perspective in this video. Viewers are introduced to the huge international mosaic of Moslem believers and the conflict between traditional teachings and the effects of industrialization.

GREAT RELIGIONS AND THE POOR
[VT 291]
Explores the beliefs of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam regarding the poor and explains the theological basis for identifying the poor, as well as the modern means for the world’s religions to provide relief. A good study in comparative religious thought and behavior.

HOLY PLACES AND PILGRIMAGE
[VT 291]
This program examines the meaning of holiness and how it is born of people, places, and events within Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Also explored is the importance of pilgrimages to believers who seek to be closer to God.

ISLAM
[VT 956]
A Smithsonian production that discusses the history and culture of the worlds of Islam, not only as a religion, but as a way of life.

ISLAM, A CLOSE LOOK
[VT 297]
Discusses the tenets and modern practices of Islam.

MESSAGE
[VT 297]
The dramatic story of Mohammed, the prophet who founded Islam. Also includes the documentary, Making of an Epic: Mohammad, Messenger of God.

RAMADAN
produced and directed by Fabian-Baber Communications, Inc. [VT j394.26 Ho]
Educational series that explores the customs, rituals and folklore associated with Ramadan celebrated in our country. ("Holidays for Children" video series)

WISDOM OF FAITH
[VT 291]
Hosted by Bill Moyers, Huston Smith relates his experiences with the world’s greatest religions and attempts to show how all of these "wisdom traditions" share fundamental truths.

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ADULT WEB SITES

AMERICAN MOSLEM FOUNDATION
http://www.oz.net/~msarram/
The American Moslem Foundation is a non-political organization that assists Muslim immigrants, the children of such immigrants, and established American Muslims.

AMERICAN MUSLIM COUNCIL (AMC)
http://www.amconline.org
The American Muslim Council was established in 1990 to increase the effective participation of American Muslims in the U.S. political and public policy arenas.

CENTER FOR MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING
http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/
Under the aegis of Georgetown University, the center was founded in 1993 to foster a better understanding of Islam and Muslim-Christian relations in the West.

COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS (CAIR)
http://www.cair-net.org
Believing that misrepresentations of Islam are most often the result of ignorance on the part of non-Muslims and a reluctance on the part of Muslims to articulate their case, CAIR was established to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America.

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ISLAMIC THOUGHT
http://www.iiit.org
The Institute is an intellectual forum working from an Islamic perspective to promote and support research projects, organize intellectual and cultural meetings, and publish scholarly works.

ISLAMONLINE
http://www.muslims.net
This is a unique, global Islamic site on the Internet that provides services to Muslims and non-Muslims in several languages. It also aspires to become a reference for everything that deals with Islam — its science, civilization, and nation.

ISLAM WEB
http://www.islamweb.net
A site dedicated to the teachings of Islam with several links to other Islamic sites, including information on what is a Muslim, daily prayers, current events. Information for children and adults are included here.

RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE.ORG
http://www.religioustolerance.org/islam.htm
Religions from around the world are covered in this site. The section on Islam includes an introduction to Islam, a comparison of Islam and Christianity, taking a pilgrimage to Mecca (The Hajj), and many more topics to help one understand the religion and the people who practice it.

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RESOURCES FOR ISLAMIC MATERIALS

AMANA PUBLICATIONS
10710 Tucker St.
Beltsville, MD 20705-2223
(301) 595-5777
http://www.amana-publications.com/index.shtml

ASTROLABE ISLAMIC MEDIA—
BOOKS, VIDEOS, SOFTWARE, AUDIO, GIFTS
(800) 392-7876
http://www.astrolabepictures.com/

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