Introduction to Muslim Diversity


Book Description




Women in Muslim Societies


Book Description

Authors from a variety of disciplines assess the issues facing women in Muslim societies not only in the Middle East but also in Africa and Asia. They stress the importance of historical context, local customs and policies in defining the status of Muslim women, and examine how women are coping with challenges such as modernity and conservative reaction.




Islam & Muslims


Book Description

The need to understand Islam and Muslims has never been greater, both because of conflicts that dominate the news and because of the increasing presence of Muslims in Western societies. There are hundreds of books that introduce the Western reader to Islam, and dozens of books that explore various Muslim societies (usually Arab ones). Islam & Muslims is the first to bring together both, explaining Islam in theory and in practice across the diverse Muslim world. Readers learn not just what Islam says about everything from the nature of God to marriage to prayer to politics, but also how individual Muslims (traditional or modern, devout or barely observant) apply teachings in everyday life.







The Practice of Islam in America


Book Description

"Muslims have always been part of the United States, but very little is known about how Muslim Americans practice their religion. How do they pray? What's it like to go on pilgrimage to Mecca? What rituals accompany the birth of a child, a wedding, or the death of a loved one? What holidays do Muslims celebrate and what charities do they support? How do they learn about the Qur'an? [This book] introduces readers to the way Islam is lived in the United States, offering ... portraits of Muslim American life passages, ethical actions, religious holidays, prayer, pilgrimage, and other religious activities"--Back cover.




Beyond the Mosque


Book Description

I.B. Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies While mosques are the central house of worship for a majority of Muslims around the world, many of Islam's communities have developed their own distinctive religious spaces. These complementary spaces serve the different cultures, geographies and interpretations of Islam that continue to enrich the Muslim tradition. In this book, Rizwan Mawani encounters diverse communities and their sites of worship, from the mosque and husayniya to the khanaqah and jamatkhana. Readers are introduced to a variety of Muslim spaces, modest and elaborate – their distinct structures and the rituals practised within them, as well as the purposes they serve as community centres and markers of identity. Beyond the Mosque reveals architectural responses to evolving community needs and local environments, from Senegal and China to Iran and India. This illuminating survey celebrates the significant pluralism that characterises the living Muslim tradition today.




Cultural Diversity and Islam


Book Description

This edited volume is a compilation of original scholarly papers on the theme of cultural diversity in Islamic thought and practice under conditions of early and late modernity, with a specific contemporary focus on the crisis of religious tolerance in the Muslim world. Particular emphasis is placed upon Islamic concepts of cultural diversity as they contrast to the traditional Western liberal approach that takes a neutral position on tolerance to cultural difference.




Qur'an in Conversation


Book Description

The Qur'an is God's verbatim speech for most traditional Muslims. Qur'an in Conversation reflects how this sacred text of Islam comes into dialogue with the contemporary world through the voices of the eloquent interpreters gathered in this volume. In Qur'an in Conversation, author Michael Birkel engages North American Muslim religious leaders and academics in conversations of scriptural interpretation. Scholars, practicing imams, and younger public intellectuals wrestle with key suras of the Qur'an. Qur'an in Conversation demonstrates a wide spectrum of interpretation and diversity of approaches in reading Islam's scripture. The discussions directly address key issues in Muslim theology--good versus evil, the nature of God, and the future of Islam. Younger North American Muslims read the Qur'an in varied ways; this is analogous to the diverse ways in which Jews and Christians have interpreted their own holy books. Michael Birkel welcomes people of goodwill into a public conversation about the current role of Western Muslims in Islam. Qur'an in Conversation encourages non-specialists and Muslim scholars alike to imagine how the Qur'an will be interpreted among North American Muslims in years to come. --Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies, University of North Carolina "Publishers Weekly"




Muslim Minorities, Workplace Diversity and Reflexive HRM


Book Description

Workplace diversity has become increasingly relevant to academics and practitioners alike. Often, this issue is tackled merely from a business-oriented/managerial point of view. Yet such a single-level perspective fails to acknowledge both the macro-societal context wherein companies and organizations act and the micro-individual dynamics by which individuals construct and affirm their identities in relation to others. Muslim minorities are part of current workplace diversity in many parts of the world. This book focuses on Muslim identities and their interrelations with societal frameworks and organizational strategy and practice. Contributors from various disciplines and societal contexts ensure a multiplicity of perspectives. The authors shed light on this diversity and draw implications for human resource management (HRM) theory and practice. Chapters uncover the wider discourses on Muslim minorities that impact organizational HRM. The book explores how HRM academics and practitioners might become aware of and counteract these discourses in order to acheive a truly inclusive HRM regarding Muslim minorities. Throughout Muslim Minorities, Workplace Diversity and Reflexive HRM, readers are guided from large theoretical concepts to specific contexts, whilst being encouraged to question their assumptions. This book lays the foundations for managing Muslim employees beyond stereotypes, enabling the reader to develop the reflexive mindset needed for truly inclusive HRM with regard to Muslim employees.




Understanding Islam in Indonesia


Book Description

An important book that bridges the gap between the more specialist literature and the - often depressingly ill-informed - comments of journalists and ideologues. Merle Ricklefs Professor, Department of History, National University of Singapore --