Books about Islam and Muslims

A Popular Dictionary of Islam

A Popular Dictionary of Islam is a good reference book about various terms and concepts in Islam.  It includes everything from names and descriptions of the Prophets (PBUT) to descriptions of Islamic concepts.  You can look stuff up by either its English name or its Arabic name.  In other words, its a very handy book!

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Daughters of Another Path:
Experiences of American Women Choosing Islam

Daughters of Another Path is written from the viewpoint of a Christian, American mother whose daughter had married a Muslim man and later converted to Islam.  This woman speaks of the anguish her and her family felt over the daughter's conversion, and how later, her anxiety disolved into acceptance and respect for her daughter's newfound faith.  Having come to terms with her daughter's conversion to Islam, the author decided to survey other American (and Canadian) parents of converted Muslim daughters.  The author carefully weaves various anecdotes from those surveyed with her own experience of having a daugher who embraced Islam.

What is nice about this book:

1. The book shows the (western female convert) reader that she is not alone.  If the reader has had little to no contact with other Muslim women at the time of her conversion (or at the time she is thinking about converting) the reader may feel isolated and wonder if there is any significant number of American-born (or "western" born) women who have converted to Islam.  This book will not only show the reader that she is not alone, it will also show the reader that there are MANY other American (and Canadian) women who are experiencing the same thing she is experiencing.
2. This book shows the (western female convert) reader that while her family may be shocked and surprised when they find out she converted, more likely than not, they will still love her the same way they did before.

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Don't be Sad
(Translated into English)

Don't be Sad takes sayings from the Qur'an, the Sunnah and other philosophical sources and presents them in such a way, that if the reader is unhappy, upset, angry, or stressed then he or she will feel better after reading this book.

Though this book is written from a Muslim perspective, just reading it will put the reader, of any faith, in a better mood.

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Encyclopedia of Islamic Law:
A Compendium of the Major Schools

Encyclopedia of Islamic Law is a good reference book for one to find out about how the four major schools of Sunni law (i.e. Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi, Hanbali) feel on a variety of life issues including: purity, impurity, ablution, Shahadah, Salat, Sawm, Hajj, Zakat, endowment, inheritance, marriage, and divorce.  This book is written in a somewhat technical form, so (in my opinion) it is easier to use this book for reference material, rather than to read it like you would read a novel, i.e. in order from beginning to end.

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History of the Prophets:
As Narrated in the Holy Quran Compared with the Bible

History of the Prophets compares the descriptions of the Prophets (PBUT) in the Holy Quran with the same Prophets' descriptions as presented in the Bible.  The Prophets (PBUT) described are:

Abraham [Ibrahim],

Adam,

Aaron [Harun],

David [Dawud],

Elias [Ilyas],

Elisha [Alyasa'],

Enoch [Idris],

Ezekial [Dhu 'i-Kifl],

Ezra'Uzayr],

Isaac [Ishaq],

Ishmael [Isma'il],

Jacob [Ya'qub],

Jesus Christ ['Isa].

Job [Ayyub],

John the Baptist [Yahya],

Jonah [Yunus],

Joseph [Yusuf]

Lot [Lut],

Moses [Musa],

Noah [Nuh],

Prophets not mentioned in the Bible:

[e.g. Luqman, Dhul 'l-Qarnayn],

Shu'ayb [Considered to be the Arabic name for Jethro],

Solomon [Sulayman,]

Zacharias [Zakariyya].

This comparison between the Prophets (PBUT) as described in the Bible versus the Prophets (PBUT) as described in the Qur'an is very helpful to the reader, especially if he or she has come from a Christian background.  The author's careful study of both the Bible and the Qur'an highlights how the facts presented in the Bible have been noticeably altered over the passage of time.  One noteable instance comes to mind: The author points out the the Qur'an shows that Abraham (Ibrahim) was instructed to sacrifice his (first born) son Ishmael (Isma'il).  The Bible states that God (Allah) instructed Abraham(Ibrahim) to sacrifice his second child, Isaac (Ishaq).  How could God (Allah) have instructed Abraham (Ibrahim) to have sacrificed Isaac (Ishaq) when he hadn't even been born yet?

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Islam in Focus

Islam in Focus is a good book for someone who wants to know the basics about Islam.  It covers concepts including iman and taqwa, the Ummah, the five pillars of Islam (i.e. Shahadah, Salah, Sawm, Zakah and Hajj), as well as the application of Islam in one's daily life.

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Salat
or Islamic Prayer Book

Salat or Islamic Prayer Book provides very clear, concise description of Wudu and Salat.  It is especially helpful (to the non-Native Arabic speaker) that while it includes the Arabic text for Wudu and for each part of each rakah, this book also includes (using the English alphabet) how the Arabic in each section is pronounced and illustrations of the proper positions for prayer (i.e. Takbir Al Ihram, Ruku, Sujud, etc...)

However, I found it useful to read additional books on Salat (along with Salat or Islamic Prayer Book) because this book does not always clearly distinguish what is Sunnah and what is Fard when it comes to Salat.  This can be confusing to a new Muslim who may have only read of (or may only have knowledge of) the basic, Fard requirements for prayer.

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Salaat:
The Islamic Prayer Guide from A to Z

Salaat: The Islamic Prayer from A to Z is a great book for converts needing to learn their prayers.  This book is a little overwhelming at first because it is so detailed, but it has very clear information about how to perform ablution before praying, about when one should pray, about how one should pray, and about what one should and should not do while praying.  In addition, this book includes images that illustrate what one should do for ablution and how one should pray.

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Silent No More:
Confronting America's False Images of Islam

Silent No More is written by a non-Muslim but it is very objective when describing the Muslim situation in America.  Silent No More is written by a Christian-American who has been a member of the U.S. Congress for 22 years.  The author first became interested in Islam, during a political trip to Yemen in 1974.

Through his various political trips through the Middle East and his contact with American Muslims, the author learned that the negative stereotypes that he had been taught about Muslims were wrong.  The author comes to realize that Islam shares the same basic value systems as Christianity and Judaeism.  The author then becomes active in denouncing the negative stereotypes much of American society has about Muslims and Islam.

What is nice about this book:

1. The author shows the American public that Islam does not sanction violence and that Muslims are generally good, honest people.
2. Being as this is written by a member of the U.S. Congress, it serves to show people who live outside the United States that not all (non-Muslim) Americans are against Muslims and Islam.

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The General Prescripts of Belief In the Quran and Sunnah
(Translated into English)

The General Prescripts of Belief in the Quran and Sunnah covers the following articles of faith for Muslims:

• Belief in the One-ness of Allah
• Belief in Angels
• Belief in the Scriptures
• Belief in the Messengers of Allah
• Belief in the Hereafter
• Belief in 'Qadaa and Qadar

This book is very helpful (to one who is seeking knowledge) because the concepts in this book are explained in a clear manner and include quotations from the Qur'an, and footnotes are included for more detail on each topic.

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