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Big Ideas Simply Explained
The Islam Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
This comprehensive, accessible, and authenticated guide to Islam is essential to understanding the world's fastest-growing religion.
This essential guide to Islam covers every aspect of the Muslim faith and its history - from the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Koran to Islam in the 21st century. Celebrating the scientific, literary, and artistic achievements of the Islamic Golden Age and the ideas of philosophers and theologians across the centuries, it opens a window on the Islamic world.
Clear factual writing offers insight into terms like Sharia law, the Caliphate, and jihad; Sunni and Shia divisions; and Sufi poetry and music. Images of Islamic art, architecture, calligraphy, and historical artefacts illustrate the articles while the Big Ideas' trademark infographics and flowcharts explore and explain the central tenets of Islam, such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage.
Modern issues such as fundamentalism are discussed in context alongside the work of peaceful traditionalists, modernizers, and women's rights campaigners, among others. Packed with inspiring quotations and bold illustrations, The Islam Book is an invaluable source of information both for members of one of the world's major religions and readers looking for a clear unbiased guide to the meaning of this faith.
This essential guide to Islam covers every aspect of the Muslim faith and its history - from the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Koran to Islam in the 21st century. Celebrating the scientific, literary, and artistic achievements of the Islamic Golden Age and the ideas of philosophers and theologians across the centuries, it opens a window on the Islamic world.
Clear factual writing offers insight into terms like Sharia law, the Caliphate, and jihad; Sunni and Shia divisions; and Sufi poetry and music. Images of Islamic art, architecture, calligraphy, and historical artefacts illustrate the articles while the Big Ideas' trademark infographics and flowcharts explore and explain the central tenets of Islam, such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage.
Modern issues such as fundamentalism are discussed in context alongside the work of peaceful traditionalists, modernizers, and women's rights campaigners, among others. Packed with inspiring quotations and bold illustrations, The Islam Book is an invaluable source of information both for members of one of the world's major religions and readers looking for a clear unbiased guide to the meaning of this faith.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published July 16, 2020
About the author
D.K. Publishing
7,333 books1,685 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 21, 2021
"You can't talk about Muslims or Islam if you don't know it" - Ghostface Killah (American rapper)
The Islam Book is an authentic and comprehensive overview of Islam, its history, its contributions to science, literature, art, and architecture over the centuries. There are 6 main topics provided in this book, which is Muhammad, The Quran, An Islamic Identity, The Golden Age Of Islam, Reform and Revival, and Islam Today. This book describes the foundational ideas not just of Islam, the religion, but also many of the great Islamic civilisations, cultures, and political and social movements that the religion inspired, and continues to inspire.
I love the overall layouts of the contents. They included quotes from known Muslims figures from all over the world including my own country, Malaysia, quotes from the Quran, facts and history behind each topic, and also there's pictures, mind maps and illustrations related to it (slide left.
As the editor and 11 contributors put it, this book is for you whether you are a Muslim, a student, or simply curious.
Personally, I would very much suggest anyone to get this unbiased and ideal introduction to Islam book to get to know the religion more and its believers to better understand the teachings and embrace each other's differences so that we all could live with more respect and harmony. There's just too much hate and misunderstandings for years, and it has to stop.
The Islam Book is an authentic and comprehensive overview of Islam, its history, its contributions to science, literature, art, and architecture over the centuries. There are 6 main topics provided in this book, which is Muhammad, The Quran, An Islamic Identity, The Golden Age Of Islam, Reform and Revival, and Islam Today. This book describes the foundational ideas not just of Islam, the religion, but also many of the great Islamic civilisations, cultures, and political and social movements that the religion inspired, and continues to inspire.
I love the overall layouts of the contents. They included quotes from known Muslims figures from all over the world including my own country, Malaysia, quotes from the Quran, facts and history behind each topic, and also there's pictures, mind maps and illustrations related to it (slide left.
As the editor and 11 contributors put it, this book is for you whether you are a Muslim, a student, or simply curious.
Personally, I would very much suggest anyone to get this unbiased and ideal introduction to Islam book to get to know the religion more and its believers to better understand the teachings and embrace each other's differences so that we all could live with more respect and harmony. There's just too much hate and misunderstandings for years, and it has to stop.
October 14, 2020
Islam is a large topic to cover. I have heard bits and pieces about this religion but have never really been able to put all this knowledge together into a coherent picture.
The Islam Book helped me organize everything I have learned over the years, correct misconceptions that I have had, and fill in a lot of missing information. This book covers the history of the religion, key concepts of the faith, important events, famous people (including my favorite, Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan Marco Polo), the golden age of Islam, and contemporary issues for the Muslim community.
The information was presented in a very structured manner that made it easy to learn the key concepts with references to other parts of the book. Important facts (such as Ali ibn Abi Talib was the fourth caliph) were mentioned in multiple sections when it was relevant to the topic at hand. This repetitiveness allows readers to jump to any section they wish and have all of the relevant information needed. Additionally, the reiteration makes it easier to remember essential details of Islam.
It should also be noted that this book was written for informative purposes and not for proselytization. People of the faith can find ways in this book to explain their beliefs to those outside of their religion while others could interrupt the same information through the prism that religion is man made.
I was impressed by this book and I am interested in reading more books in the same format about other religions. The structure and style of writing made it easy to learn and organize the plethora of information. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who is unfamiliar with Islam and would like to start learning.
The Islam Book helped me organize everything I have learned over the years, correct misconceptions that I have had, and fill in a lot of missing information. This book covers the history of the religion, key concepts of the faith, important events, famous people (including my favorite, Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan Marco Polo), the golden age of Islam, and contemporary issues for the Muslim community.
The information was presented in a very structured manner that made it easy to learn the key concepts with references to other parts of the book. Important facts (such as Ali ibn Abi Talib was the fourth caliph) were mentioned in multiple sections when it was relevant to the topic at hand. This repetitiveness allows readers to jump to any section they wish and have all of the relevant information needed. Additionally, the reiteration makes it easier to remember essential details of Islam.
It should also be noted that this book was written for informative purposes and not for proselytization. People of the faith can find ways in this book to explain their beliefs to those outside of their religion while others could interrupt the same information through the prism that religion is man made.
I was impressed by this book and I am interested in reading more books in the same format about other religions. The structure and style of writing made it easy to learn and organize the plethora of information. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who is unfamiliar with Islam and would like to start learning.
October 20, 2020
I've been curious about Islam and when I saw this pop at the library I figured I'd give it a try. This book exceeded my expectations. First a disclaimer, reading this book is somewhat like reading a text book although a good text book. That said, this book enlightened me on a huge hole in my education. Why don't we teach kids about Islam? Even outside of religious classes, there is a lot of history with regards to Islamic countries which is ignored. This book does a great job discussing Islam in relation to the Quran, the history, the traditions, and even current events. So much of public understanding of Muslims is from stereotypes and I think that's why Islamophobia is so strong in the US.
December 27, 2021
Great introduction that requires a big pinch of salt when you read it
Like other books in the "Big Ideas Simply Explained" series, I generally like this book but it needs some improvements for a few aspects. My biggest two constructive criticism will be:
- infographics are not adjusted for the kindle version and it's extremely difficult to try to read them.
- I understand that the book is written by a group of authors instead of an individual author, but I wish the final editing process was better for vetting some of the information and for presenting the information in both a consistent manner throughout the book and for presenting different aspects of certain issues. I was quite bothered by the fact that certain issues are presented in a matter-of-fact manner even though there are many disagreements surrounding them (and they could present different views without taking any position).
But otherwise, this is a pretty nice book covering a large array of subjects around Islam, starting with the basics about Islam as a religion, the history of big Muslim figures and going all the way to Islam in today's world and some challenges in Muslim and non-Muslim countries regarding Islam (such as Islamophobia in the West and extremely restrictive interpretations of some religious rules in Saudi Arabia).
It's a great introduction to the "big picture" surrounding Islam from religious, cultural, and political perspectives, for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. But if you are genuinely curious about certain issues, further and deeper reading will be required, and please keep in mind that for certain issues, the reality is a bit more complicated than what is presented in the book.
Like other books in the "Big Ideas Simply Explained" series, I generally like this book but it needs some improvements for a few aspects. My biggest two constructive criticism will be:
- infographics are not adjusted for the kindle version and it's extremely difficult to try to read them.
- I understand that the book is written by a group of authors instead of an individual author, but I wish the final editing process was better for vetting some of the information and for presenting the information in both a consistent manner throughout the book and for presenting different aspects of certain issues. I was quite bothered by the fact that certain issues are presented in a matter-of-fact manner even though there are many disagreements surrounding them (and they could present different views without taking any position).
But otherwise, this is a pretty nice book covering a large array of subjects around Islam, starting with the basics about Islam as a religion, the history of big Muslim figures and going all the way to Islam in today's world and some challenges in Muslim and non-Muslim countries regarding Islam (such as Islamophobia in the West and extremely restrictive interpretations of some religious rules in Saudi Arabia).
It's a great introduction to the "big picture" surrounding Islam from religious, cultural, and political perspectives, for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. But if you are genuinely curious about certain issues, further and deeper reading will be required, and please keep in mind that for certain issues, the reality is a bit more complicated than what is presented in the book.
December 19, 2020
A beautiful journey into the world of Islam, crossing multiple areas such as religion, history, sociology and politics.
It starts with a summary on the life of Muhammad, continuing with the Coran and the five pillars of Islam, followed by a history of the main Islamic empires, Islamic art and Islam nowadays.
It starts with a summary on the life of Muhammad, continuing with the Coran and the five pillars of Islam, followed by a history of the main Islamic empires, Islamic art and Islam nowadays.
January 21, 2021
Great book for non Muslims
Really good clear information and great layout. Easy enough to read, not complicated.
Really good book for anyone looking to learn about islam.
I wanted to learn more about Islam as I am a Christian myself. I'm glad I did read it.
Really good clear information and great layout. Easy enough to read, not complicated.
Really good book for anyone looking to learn about islam.
I wanted to learn more about Islam as I am a Christian myself. I'm glad I did read it.
June 15, 2020
Written by an expert group of contributors, DK’s The Islam Book provides a multi-faceted look at a frequently misunderstood religion—the religion of roughly 25% of the world’s population scattered from the Middle East and Africa to Turkey, Iran, and Iraq, from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar to Europe and the Americas.
Early portions of the book treat the basics—the life of Muhammed, the Five Pillars of Islam fulfilled through ritual action, the Six Pillars of Faith describing major religious beliefs, and the history, nature, and structure of the Quran, Islam’s Holy book. Throughout such sections, the authors help readers understand how Islam resembles and differs from Judaism and Christianity. It distinguishes between Sunni and Shia sects of Islam as well as explaining Sufism—Islamic mysticism.
Educating readers on historic periods of Islam from the religion’s early spread through such events as the creation of Pakistan and the secularization of Turkey, The Islam Book also focuses on many everyday life issues diet, restriction on interest in moneylending, naming practices for babies and marriage, divorce, and death practices. The authors discuss Islam and science, democracy, education, and literature, talking briefly about major works such as The Thousand and One Nights, the poetry of Rumi and Omar Khayyam, and an interesting, lesser-known Sufi work, The Conference of Birds.
The Islam Book addresses issues of special concern to U.S. readers, pointing our periods throughout our history in which Muslims entered the U.S. or in which American Muslims played other important roles in shaping the nation: Muslim Africans imported as slaves, periods of voluntary Muslim immigration, and Black Muslim roles in Civil Rights, and today’s Muslim American’s in Congress.
Not shying away from controversial issues, the authors tackle Muslim extremists such as Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and Boko Haram, Islamophobia in the U.S. and Europe, Myanmar’s genocide of the Rohingyas, and China’s incarceration and “reeducation” of the Uighurs.
Easy to understand flow charts and similar graphics help readers visualize key concepts, and colorful Islamic art enhances the history and beautifies the pages.
Appropriate for high school age or older readers wanting to understand Islam, The Islam Book is also a must for any library.
Thanks to NetGalley and DK, a division of Penguin Random House, for providing an Advance Reader Copy.
Early portions of the book treat the basics—the life of Muhammed, the Five Pillars of Islam fulfilled through ritual action, the Six Pillars of Faith describing major religious beliefs, and the history, nature, and structure of the Quran, Islam’s Holy book. Throughout such sections, the authors help readers understand how Islam resembles and differs from Judaism and Christianity. It distinguishes between Sunni and Shia sects of Islam as well as explaining Sufism—Islamic mysticism.
Educating readers on historic periods of Islam from the religion’s early spread through such events as the creation of Pakistan and the secularization of Turkey, The Islam Book also focuses on many everyday life issues diet, restriction on interest in moneylending, naming practices for babies and marriage, divorce, and death practices. The authors discuss Islam and science, democracy, education, and literature, talking briefly about major works such as The Thousand and One Nights, the poetry of Rumi and Omar Khayyam, and an interesting, lesser-known Sufi work, The Conference of Birds.
The Islam Book addresses issues of special concern to U.S. readers, pointing our periods throughout our history in which Muslims entered the U.S. or in which American Muslims played other important roles in shaping the nation: Muslim Africans imported as slaves, periods of voluntary Muslim immigration, and Black Muslim roles in Civil Rights, and today’s Muslim American’s in Congress.
Not shying away from controversial issues, the authors tackle Muslim extremists such as Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and Boko Haram, Islamophobia in the U.S. and Europe, Myanmar’s genocide of the Rohingyas, and China’s incarceration and “reeducation” of the Uighurs.
Easy to understand flow charts and similar graphics help readers visualize key concepts, and colorful Islamic art enhances the history and beautifies the pages.
Appropriate for high school age or older readers wanting to understand Islam, The Islam Book is also a must for any library.
Thanks to NetGalley and DK, a division of Penguin Random House, for providing an Advance Reader Copy.
September 6, 2020
This is a well put together, comprehensive look at Islam. I've always liked the way DK books are set up, with bite-sized chunks of information mingled with lengthier pieces, making it easy to dip in and out. The illustrations, infographics, and timelines help the reader to understand the concepts discussed, and sidebars help with context. The text is written in a straightforward manner, and doesn't shy away from the more controversial aspects of some of the religion's followers. A great book for anyone interested in learning more about Islam.
#TheIslamBook #NetGalley
#TheIslamBook #NetGalley
March 29, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher DK books for an advance reader copy of this book
If you are interested in learning about Islam , it’s history and practices, this is a great book to get your hands on..
The book is structured in a way that makes it really easy to read. There are lots of photos and insights that are presented on everything from the 5 pillars of Islam, to how women / the role of women are portrayed in the Quran, to halal meat and many more topics .
4.5 Stars ⭐️
If you are interested in learning about Islam , it’s history and practices, this is a great book to get your hands on..
The book is structured in a way that makes it really easy to read. There are lots of photos and insights that are presented on everything from the 5 pillars of Islam, to how women / the role of women are portrayed in the Quran, to halal meat and many more topics .
4.5 Stars ⭐️
Read
January 29, 2023I did not read this cover to cover, but its not that kind of book. I read enough and will continue to explore this book over the years.
cool. everyone should understand Islam - this book lets Kids-adults explore and learn at their own pace. Good. .
nearly 2 Billion people around the earth, living incredibly unique and diverse lives, are muslim. You have the fundamental obligation to be willing to learn and understand the most basic tenants of Islam, especially in a time when muslims are subject to the consequences of discourse and decisions made by people who have no respect for the religion, people, or culture.
learn about ideas, systems, institutions, etc that are unfamiliar, or framed as your enemy/opposite by convenient&violent US narratives. This learning needs to be from the correct sources/voices, however, or else it is useless or even counterproductive by reinforcing violent US narratives, which materialize into death for many.
cool. everyone should understand Islam - this book lets Kids-adults explore and learn at their own pace. Good. .
nearly 2 Billion people around the earth, living incredibly unique and diverse lives, are muslim. You have the fundamental obligation to be willing to learn and understand the most basic tenants of Islam, especially in a time when muslims are subject to the consequences of discourse and decisions made by people who have no respect for the religion, people, or culture.
learn about ideas, systems, institutions, etc that are unfamiliar, or framed as your enemy/opposite by convenient&violent US narratives. This learning needs to be from the correct sources/voices, however, or else it is useless or even counterproductive by reinforcing violent US narratives, which materialize into death for many.
December 21, 2020
“Big Ideas Simply Explained” is a series of books that takes on large topics and provides a comprehensive overview of the aforementioned topic. I was familiar with the format as I’ve read the one on Psychology in the series already. When beginning to read this book, you’re greeted by beautiful illustrations and maps to help you visualize the time in which Islam became prominent in history.
You start with Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. You get a timeline of his life and some background about what made him the perfect person to start a religious movement in an area where polytheism was the norm. You get to see a side of Muhammad that you wouldn’t normally see. In religious dialogue, it can often be not so loving and peaceful to talk about one another’s religious figures.
I think we should recognize that Islam and Christianity have some similarities. We can acknowledge these as peaceful starters to dialogue, without compromising either of our belief systems. As a Christian, I’ll still affirm Christian distinctives that the Qu’ran denies and I expect my Muslim friend to still hold to his/her distinctive. The media can sometimes be unfair to both belief systems, whether it’s calling adherents anti-science, or posing them as violent, we both know what it’s like to be unfairly represented. Let’s not continue that trend with each other.
This book keeps a very matter-of-fact approach that shouldn’t be controversial with anyone, it’s merely stating the beliefs and origins of those beliefs in the Islamic religion. Despite being mainly introductory, It has a lot of useful information and some things I didn’t know and It’s always good to learn.
I know I mentioned it in the beginning, but the illustrations truly are beautiful. They’re placed throughout the book and I always like to stop and look at pictures while I’m reading. It helps the reader immerse into the story, at least from my perspective it does. I felt like I was really there when the historical events occurred and I could see why so many love their religion. I think this book is a must-read for my fellow Christians because if we are only reading about other religions from hostile sources, we won’t be learning much and like the source, we will be hostile towards others.
This is an excellent Introduction.
I was offered an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
You start with Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. You get a timeline of his life and some background about what made him the perfect person to start a religious movement in an area where polytheism was the norm. You get to see a side of Muhammad that you wouldn’t normally see. In religious dialogue, it can often be not so loving and peaceful to talk about one another’s religious figures.
I think we should recognize that Islam and Christianity have some similarities. We can acknowledge these as peaceful starters to dialogue, without compromising either of our belief systems. As a Christian, I’ll still affirm Christian distinctives that the Qu’ran denies and I expect my Muslim friend to still hold to his/her distinctive. The media can sometimes be unfair to both belief systems, whether it’s calling adherents anti-science, or posing them as violent, we both know what it’s like to be unfairly represented. Let’s not continue that trend with each other.
This book keeps a very matter-of-fact approach that shouldn’t be controversial with anyone, it’s merely stating the beliefs and origins of those beliefs in the Islamic religion. Despite being mainly introductory, It has a lot of useful information and some things I didn’t know and It’s always good to learn.
I know I mentioned it in the beginning, but the illustrations truly are beautiful. They’re placed throughout the book and I always like to stop and look at pictures while I’m reading. It helps the reader immerse into the story, at least from my perspective it does. I felt like I was really there when the historical events occurred and I could see why so many love their religion. I think this book is a must-read for my fellow Christians because if we are only reading about other religions from hostile sources, we won’t be learning much and like the source, we will be hostile towards others.
This is an excellent Introduction.
I was offered an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2020
This book is very informative, honestly too informative for me. It's more like an encyclopedia than a book I can actually read.
There's information overflow that made this title hard for me to read and find the things that are important for beginners without too many details.
I don't know who can benefit from this title, people who loves reading encyclopedias I guess...
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher DK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.
There's information overflow that made this title hard for me to read and find the things that are important for beginners without too many details.
I don't know who can benefit from this title, people who loves reading encyclopedias I guess...
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher DK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.
April 25, 2022
The first book I’ll recommend to someone who wants to learn about Islam
This book is one of the clearest big-picture explanations about Islam. It is a perfect introduction for novices, but the sheer wealth of information can also teach so many new insights to the practitioners of the faith.
The book began with the history of the Prophet Muhammad and the birth of Islam. Then followed by the step by step guide about the 5 pillars of Islam, from the syahada, to explaining about the prayers rituals (even how to do wudhu or cleansing before starting the prayer), to everything there is about zakat (or alms), fasting and the Hajj. The book then moves to the holy Qur’an, where it slowly breaks down the explanation of chapters and verses, including the context, meaning, and usage, before continuing the journey of the history of Islam.
It covers everything imaginable about the religion, from Islam’s stance on other religion, the concept of heaven and hell, prohibition of alcohol and eating pork, the background explanation of sharia banking, the switch from community guided by the caliph into an empire expanding through war, the misconception of women’s role status and opportunities (including all the many benefits and disadvantages), to the wonderful hakawati (ancient story tellers), the amazing stories on the Silk Road, and of course the elephant in the room: on terrorism.
It also provides the clearest and most concise explanation about the schism between Sunni and Shia, how the order of Sufi was born, even the controversial sect of Ahmadiyah. And it dive deep into my favourite subjects on Islam: the Golden Age of Islam, and one special chapter on Islam in Indonesia.
Along the way, it touches upon the stories of some of the most notable Muslims in history, from the rightly guided caliphs, to the many emperors and sultans, Salah al-Din, Avicenna, Averroes, Al Bukhari, Sultan Mehmed II, Harun al-Rashid, scientists such as Al-Khwarizmi Al-Haytham and Al-Kindi, Ibn Khaldul, Kemal Ataturk, Ibn Battuta, Rumi, Jamal al-Din al-Afgani, Mansa Musa, Malala Yousafzai, , Malcolm X, to even controversial figures such as Ayatollah Khomeini, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, Muhammad bin Saud, Mahdi of Sudan, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, and terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden, Bagdhadi, Boko Haram, Taliban and Al Shabab, and so much more.
All in all, the knowledge in the book is so complete that it could be the only book anyone reads about Islam and still come out very knowledgable. It can also becomes the gateway to further specific studies on the many, many topics presented in the book. Very well written, and very well edited. Well done.
This book is one of the clearest big-picture explanations about Islam. It is a perfect introduction for novices, but the sheer wealth of information can also teach so many new insights to the practitioners of the faith.
The book began with the history of the Prophet Muhammad and the birth of Islam. Then followed by the step by step guide about the 5 pillars of Islam, from the syahada, to explaining about the prayers rituals (even how to do wudhu or cleansing before starting the prayer), to everything there is about zakat (or alms), fasting and the Hajj. The book then moves to the holy Qur’an, where it slowly breaks down the explanation of chapters and verses, including the context, meaning, and usage, before continuing the journey of the history of Islam.
It covers everything imaginable about the religion, from Islam’s stance on other religion, the concept of heaven and hell, prohibition of alcohol and eating pork, the background explanation of sharia banking, the switch from community guided by the caliph into an empire expanding through war, the misconception of women’s role status and opportunities (including all the many benefits and disadvantages), to the wonderful hakawati (ancient story tellers), the amazing stories on the Silk Road, and of course the elephant in the room: on terrorism.
It also provides the clearest and most concise explanation about the schism between Sunni and Shia, how the order of Sufi was born, even the controversial sect of Ahmadiyah. And it dive deep into my favourite subjects on Islam: the Golden Age of Islam, and one special chapter on Islam in Indonesia.
Along the way, it touches upon the stories of some of the most notable Muslims in history, from the rightly guided caliphs, to the many emperors and sultans, Salah al-Din, Avicenna, Averroes, Al Bukhari, Sultan Mehmed II, Harun al-Rashid, scientists such as Al-Khwarizmi Al-Haytham and Al-Kindi, Ibn Khaldul, Kemal Ataturk, Ibn Battuta, Rumi, Jamal al-Din al-Afgani, Mansa Musa, Malala Yousafzai, , Malcolm X, to even controversial figures such as Ayatollah Khomeini, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, Muhammad bin Saud, Mahdi of Sudan, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, and terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden, Bagdhadi, Boko Haram, Taliban and Al Shabab, and so much more.
All in all, the knowledge in the book is so complete that it could be the only book anyone reads about Islam and still come out very knowledgable. It can also becomes the gateway to further specific studies on the many, many topics presented in the book. Very well written, and very well edited. Well done.
August 9, 2022
I've struggled to find books that are actually readable about world religions, hence me only having researched three religions in seven months, contrary to my goal.
This book, thankfully, is well-written, respectful, and not overly technical/hefty. I appreciated most of all how much historical context it offers--like, a staggering amount of new information for me. (Jewish history is so long I was only able to access a general outline, and finding books about overall Christianity is not going very well at all.)
It honestly just got more staggering the more I learned about how we got where we are in the world today. I've always wondered why humans are like this--all beautiful and awful and foolish and strange at once--but WHY ARE HUMANS LIKE THIS?
This book, thankfully, is well-written, respectful, and not overly technical/hefty. I appreciated most of all how much historical context it offers--like, a staggering amount of new information for me. (Jewish history is so long I was only able to access a general outline, and finding books about overall Christianity is not going very well at all.)
It honestly just got more staggering the more I learned about how we got where we are in the world today. I've always wondered why humans are like this--all beautiful and awful and foolish and strange at once--but WHY ARE HUMANS LIKE THIS?
October 1, 2022
Just a brief overview that covers islamic history,some aspects of the religion like the pillars of faith etc..the main issue is the author did not research about controversial topics like 9/11 and went along with the western propoganda and labelled the muslims as the one's who commited the atrocity while in reality it's not and is a much deeper matter.
March 18, 2023
"The Islam Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained" presents a biased and inaccurate view of Islam that perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misrepresentations. The book oversimplifies a diverse religion and portrays it inaccurately, which is a disservice to the Muslim community and can contribute to discrimination and prejudice. The book also contains numerous errors and lacks sufficient historical and cultural context for understanding Islamic beliefs and practices. Additionally, it ignores the diversity within the Muslim community, perpetuates Orientalist stereotypes, and fails to address the experiences of Muslims from different cultural backgrounds and theological perspectives.
Overall, this book is not a reliable resource for readers interested in learning about Islam. Instead, readers would be better served by seeking more accurate and nuanced sources that comprehensively understand the religion.
Overall, this book is not a reliable resource for readers interested in learning about Islam. Instead, readers would be better served by seeking more accurate and nuanced sources that comprehensively understand the religion.
August 6, 2022
A comprehensive, objective and important overview of Islam's history, ideology and impact on the world today. As someone who is interested in different cultures, this book is a perfect start if you want to learn about the world's second largest religion.
I went in with no expectations and was impressed with the complexity of Islam's role in history. It covers everything from Muhammad to how Muslims live today. It changed my mind in many issues regarding Islam, as it also adds a lot of context to geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East. Overall another great entry in DK's magnificent series.
I went in with no expectations and was impressed with the complexity of Islam's role in history. It covers everything from Muhammad to how Muslims live today. It changed my mind in many issues regarding Islam, as it also adds a lot of context to geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East. Overall another great entry in DK's magnificent series.
July 12, 2021
I was more interested in the part about the origin of the religion, their prophet and their rules and customs. So the first half of the book was great. But the second half was more about Arabic discoveries and sciences etc. That was less interesting for me personally as I was more interested in their faith.
If you want to know more about Islam you will definitely learn a lot by reading the first half of this book.
If you want to know more about Islam you will definitely learn a lot by reading the first half of this book.
March 10, 2023
This is a quite thorough summary of the history and current state of the religion and its followers told from the insider’s (I guess a relatively liberal insider or at least one who intends to appeal to liberal outsiders) perspective.
A bit long, repetitive and propagandistic but also very informative both the text itself and the most likely intention behind the text and occasionally as much for what is omitted as for what is included.
A bit long, repetitive and propagandistic but also very informative both the text itself and the most likely intention behind the text and occasionally as much for what is omitted as for what is included.
April 17, 2024
This was a pretty solid overview of the history, culture, and religious profile of Islam. If you're not familiar with Islam at all, this will probably help acquaint you with it. It's probably best described as a mile wide and a few inches deep, as the book is broken up into small portions touching upon many different topics. A helpful introductory reference book.
January 3, 2022
As a Moslem, I found some of new things that I didn’t learn from school or my secondary lessons with Islamic religion teacher (ustadz).
Lots of modern Moslem insights from this book and I treated this one like Qur’an due to holliness in this book.
Lots of modern Moslem insights from this book and I treated this one like Qur’an due to holliness in this book.
January 18, 2022
I appreciated learning about Islam - I had no experience outside of the very basic things we're taught in school. The book definitely side-stepped some controversial issues and attempted to tackle others.
February 3, 2022
Not a good choice for audio. This is more of a reference work to dip into to read about specific topic and not a general introduction to Islam which is what I was looking for. I think it was interesting enough to get either the actual or e-book for future reference.
March 5, 2022
As with all Dorling ,Kindersley books, this is a very accessible way to learn about Islam, including all aspects of the life of Muhammad, the Koran, Sunni and Shia divisions and what it is like to be Muslim. Very educational.
April 1, 2024
It was like reading a dictionary, so a bit much. But very educational!
Also, plenty of photos.
I'm glad I read it.
Mentions everyone from Khadija to Malala and all the different directions of Islam.
Also, plenty of photos.
I'm glad I read it.
Mentions everyone from Khadija to Malala and all the different directions of Islam.
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December 31, 2020It is a wonderful book.
Although I would question the authors' motivation. At least some of them do not follow what they write in the book.
Although I would question the authors' motivation. At least some of them do not follow what they write in the book.
April 20, 2021
This book has helped me to understand Islam and the Islamic world more than four years of college ever did.
September 10, 2021
UNBOXING | The Islam Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by D.K. Publishing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXIth...
September 16, 2021
Got quite a few references to Malaysia, Salamweb is cool, and it's not afraid to address Isis, 911, taliban etc. A must read if you got islamophobia
December 19, 2021
Informative, easy to digest with sections that’s broken down so it’s not a dull read. Definitely wanna read the other topics now
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