Overview

While the specter of September 11, 2001, sparked a reawakening of U.S. and international interest in Islam, it also brought with it a fundamental misunderstanding of one of the world's oldest and most widely practiced religions. The Islamic jihadists, most notably Osama bin Laden, became the face of Islam for millions, overwhelming in an instant the rich history of a religion practiced by one out of every five people, and expanding the chasm between the West and the Middle East. To understand Islam, it is first important to understand that there is little compartmentalization of life into public and private realms. The public realm--social, economic, and political structures--are part of the faith and must be constructed based on the tenets of that faith. They are operated and interpreted by man based on his reading of the Qur'an, the scripture which for Muslims is the revealed word of God (Allah). Thus, it is imperative that for a fuller of understanding of Islam one must have an understanding of the people in the Muslim diaspora. Many major individuals, groups of individuals, and tribes are covered in this comprehensive work. Each entry provides detailed information on the person or group's relationship with the Muslim diaspora, and entries are arranged alphabetically with extensive cross-references. For individuals, entries include birth and death dates (when known), birthplace or village with which the person is most often associated, and other information. For groups and tribes, the entries often include histories of their contributions to the development of Islam. The book is extensively indexed.

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