Islam
Islamic books can open the reader's mind to the richness of the religion and Islam's unique impact on cultures. While the seminal Islamic book is the Koran, or Qur'an, there are numerous texts that seek to elucidate aspects of Islam and create meaning in various contexts. Islam is an ancient way of life, and it's regarded as one of the three great monotheistic religions of the world. The start of Islam was in 610 C.E. after the first revelations were made to the prophet Muhammad.
The Sunnah is certainly required reading for any inquiring mind, as it encompasses the words and deeds of Muhammad, as well as the Hadith, a traditional collection of the sayings and events in the life of Muhammad. Modern Islamic books that provide insights into the application of Islamic beliefs include Abdus-Salaam bin Abdillaah As-Sulaymaan's Raising Children in Light of the Qur'aan Sunnah and G. Willow Wilson's personal journey of faith in The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam.
For those interested in historical writings, the poetry of the Persian scholar Rumi (1207-1273) is collected and translated in Coleman Barks's The Soul of Rumi. The history of Islam is extensive, and so any collection of Islamic books should include several volumes that provide a variety of viewpoints. For example, Karen Armstrong's Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time offers a scholarly approach to the founder of Islam, while The Venture of Islam by Marchall G. S. Hodgson is a multivolume series that examines the history of the world before and after Islam's birth.Collectible Islamic books include A.J. Arberry's Sufism: An Account of the Mystics of Islam, which provides an in-depth look at this mystic Islamic belief system and practice. Buy Islamic books to explore this belief system and learn about the myriad interpretations of Islam throughout the world.