Islam at the Crossroads: Understanding Its Beliefs, History, and Conflicts

Islam at the Crossroads traces how the vibrant history of Islam has been inspired by specific core beliefs, including jihad or holy war. Written in a popular and engaging style, it begins with a panoramic view of invasions and campaigns, including those of the Prophet Mohammad, and quickly moves to today's events, including terrorist attacks over the past five years. This historical survey reveals how certain Islamic beliefs have created an international network of violent groups, including Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden's operational base. The authors explore the differences between these militant groups and the peaceful majority of Muslim people and consider the question as to which form of Islam will prevail. The voices of moderate Islamic scholars and clerics then conclude the book with the call for a rejection of radical Shari'a law and a focus, instead, on an inner battle against evil. Readers interested in understanding the history of Islam and its conflicts with Christianity and Judaism, including pastors and theology and political science students, will benefit from this objective book and its illustrative stories, maps, and charts.