A Muslim Primer covers the basic beliefs of Islam and provides an informative source for both lay and professional readers. First published in 1992, it has proven to be a valuable handbook for all attempting to better understand the tenets of the religion of a major portion of the world’s population. The reader is introduced to the authority of the Quran, the prophethood of Muhammad, the Wisdom of the Law, the Five Pillars of Islam, and to other fundamental principles of the religion. Distinctions are made between Sunni and Shiite traditions and the Sufi mystical dimension of Islam.
Well organized, visually appealing, and accurate, A Muslim Primer is useful to pre-collegiate and collegiate students of Islam, church and community study groups, and travelers, both tourists and business people.
Ira G. Zepp Jr. is professor emeritus of religious studies at Western Maryland College and has authored several books, including The New Religious Image of Urban America: The Shopping Mall as Ceremonial Center.
Sayyid Muhammad Syeed is Secretary General of the Islamic Society of North America.
“[This book] not only tackles such sensitive contemporary issues as the Islamic view on women, veiling, and human rights, but also provides a useful survey of Western cultural indebtedness to a rich Islamic heritage.”
—Ellen-Fairbanks, author of World of Islam: Images and Echoes
Adopted at: McDaniel College
Course: IDS 2215 The Arab World
Course Description: This course will offer an introduction to and an overview of the history, culture, politics and current events of the Arab world in the Middle East and Africa. The students will also be introduced to the Arab-American community and its contribution to culture and politics in the United States. One integral part of the class is a daily discussion of current events in the Arab World, US policy toward the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the U.S. war on terrorism.
Professor: Mo Esa
Term: Spring 2021
