Islam Today

Ron Geaves is Professor of the Comparative Study of Religion at Liverpool Hope University, UK. He is Co-editor of the Journal of Fieldwork in Religion and the Journal of Religions of South Asia.

• 1. Islam: the basics; 2. Islam and diversity; 3. Islam and ethics and morality: The challenge of textual interpretation; 4. Islam and Gender; 5. Islam and Fundamentalism; 6. Islam and the West; 7. Islam: the future; Bibliography; Index.

"Primarily drawing on Muslim sources, Geaves discusses a range of contemporary issues, some contentious. Aware of Islam's diversity, he consistently avoids generalizations. Specialist and beginners alike will be interested in Geaves' contention that the West should listen to Muslim voices. Despite regrettable acts by some, he argues, most Muslims want to engage in constructive dialogue. Muslim criticism of Western materialism, social injustice and equality merits serious discussion. So does Muslim insistence that values have a place in public discourse. Geaves is equally clear that Muslims do not always translate ideals into practice. What emerges is balanced, sensitive, informed and insightful. Avoiding caricature and calumny, Geaves resists the opposite - apology for an idealized Islam. Focusing on Islam as a lived experience, Geaves is concerned with Muslim realities, not romanticized versions. I am delighted to recommend Islam Today as a positive contribution to literature on Muslim life and thought. Hopefully, it will achieve what it sets out to do - improve Muslim-non-Muslim understanding." - Professor Clinton Bennett, The State University of New York at New Paltz, NY, USA