The Handy Islam Answer Book

This highly accessible and satisfying book from Renard (Islamic studies, St. Louis Univ.; Fighting Words: Religion, Violence, and the Interpretation of Sacred Texts) covers Islam and Muslim beliefs, culture, and philosophy. The author's stated purpose is to provide reliable information on the religion and its adherents and to elucidate what he calls "the simple consideration of the shared humanity that joins Muslims and non-Muslims far more deeply than cultural or religious differences separate them." In these ways the volume succeeds admirably. Formatted as a series of questions divided into 12 thematic chapters, it addresses the essentials such as "How did Islam begin?" and "Who was Muhammad?" and the complex questions of philosophy, culture, and theology, such as "What are key aspects of the divine-human relationship?" and "How does preaching function in Muslim ritual?" Matters of family (marriage, divorce, child rearing); attitudes toward women, other cultures, and other faiths; and parallels and convergences between Islam and other religions, are also explored. A series of appendixes offers time lines, a glossary, and references. The text itself is engaging, and, rare for a reference book, inspires one to read it cover to cover.