Random House New Releases - Religion - Islam

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an by Denise A. Spellberg

2013-10-01T00:30:00-05:00

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an Islam and the Founders
Written by Denise A. Spellberg

Hardcover, 384 pages | Knopf | History - United States; Political Science - Civil Rights; Religion - Islam - History | $27.95 | 978-0-307-26822-8 (0-307-26822-5)

A fascinating new understanding of the birth of American religious freedom and of how Islam shaped the thinking of the Founding Fathers.

In 1765, eleven years before composing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson bought a Qur'an. His interest in Islam did not belie his personal disdain for the faith, a sentiment then rampant among his Protestant contemporaries. But unlike most of them, by 1776 Jefferson could imagine Muslims as future citizens of his new country. In this original and illuminating book, Denise A. Spellberg reveals a little known but crucial dimension of the birth of American religious freedom, a drama in which Islam played a surprising role. She recounts how a handful of the Founders, Jefferson foremost, drew upon Enlightenment ideas about the toleration of Muslims--then deemed the ultimate outsiders in Western society--to fashion from what had been a purely speculative debate a practical foundation for governance in America. In this way, Muslims, who were not even known to exist in the colonies, became the imaginary outer limit for an unprecedented, uniquely American religious pluralism that would also encompass the actual despised minorities of Jews and Catholics. The rancorous public dispute concerning the inclusion of Muslims, for which principle Jefferson's political foes would vilify him to the end of his life, thus became decisive in the Founders' ultimate judgment not to establish a Protestant nation, as they might well have done. Their radical ideal is being tested to this day, as popular suspicions about Islam persist and Muslim citizens number in the millions.

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an by Denise A. Spellberg

2013-10-01T00:30:00-05:00

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an Islam and the Founders
Written by Denise A. Spellberg

eBook, 384 pages | Knopf | History - United States; Political Science - Civil Rights; Religion - Islam - History | $13.99 | 978-0-385-35053-2 (0-385-35053-8)

The Faithful Scribe by Shahan Mufti

2013-09-24T00:30:00-05:00

The Faithful Scribe A Story of Islam, Pakistan, Family, and War
Written by Shahan Mufti

Hardcover, 352 pages | Other Press | History - Middle East; Social Science - Islamic Studies; Religion - Islam - History | $26.95 | 978-1-59051-505-1 (1-59051-505-6)

A journalist explores his family’s history to reveal the hybrid cultural and political landscape of Pakistan, the world’s first Islamic democracy

Shahan Mufti’s family history, which he can trace back fourteen hundred years to the inner circle of the prophet Muhammad, offers an enlightened perspective on the mystifying history of Pakistan. Mufti uses the stories of his ancestors, many of whom served as judges and jurists in Muslim sharia courts of South Asia for many centuries, to reveal the deepest roots—real and imagined—of Islamic civilization in Pakistan.

More than a personal history, The Faithful Scribe captures the larger story of the world’s first Islamic democracy, and explains how the state that once promised to bridge Islam and the West is now threatening to crumble under historical and political pressure, and why Pakistan’s destiny matters to us all.

The Faithful Scribe by Shahan Mufti

2013-09-24T00:30:00-05:00

The Faithful Scribe A Story of Islam, Pakitan, Family, and War
Written by Shahan Mufti

eBook, 352 pages | Other Press | History - Middle East; Social Science - Islamic Studies; Religion - Islam - History | $20.99 | 978-1-59051-506-8 (1-59051-506-4)

Sons of Abraham by Samuel G. Freedman

2013-09-17T00:30:00-05:00

Sons of Abraham A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims
Written by Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali
Foreword by Samuel G. Freedman

Hardcover, 232 pages | Beacon Press | Religion - Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict; Religion - Islam; Religion - Judaism | $25.95 | 978-0-8070-3307-4 (0-8070-3307-3)

A prominent rabbi and imam, each raised in orthodoxy, overcome the temptations of bigotry and work to bridge the chasm between Muslims and Jews

Sons of Abraham relates the unlikely friendship between the orthodox Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali. Despite the anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic prejudices they were exposed to in their youth, these two men forged a lasting friendship in the tumultuous decade following the attacks of 9/11. Here they share their vision of how Jews and Muslims can work to find common ground. To that end, they analyze some of the religious texts that divide—but can also unite—Jews and Muslims, and address the pressing issues of the day, such as why Jews should be concerned about Islamophobia and why Muslims should care about anti-Semitism. In a time when Jews and Muslims are viewed as incorrigible enemies, Sons of Abraham is an example of a genuine alliance that gives readers a cause for hope.

Sons of Abraham by Samuel G. Freedman

2013-09-17T00:30:00-05:00

Sons of Abraham A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims
Written by Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali
Foreword by Samuel G. Freedman

eBook, 232 pages | Beacon Press | Religion - Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict; Religion - Islam; Religion - Judaism | $25.95 | 978-0-8070-3308-1 (0-8070-3308-1)

Sacred Ground by Eboo Patel

2013-09-03T00:30:00-05:00

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America
Written by Eboo Patel

Trade Paperback, 224 pages | Beacon Press | Religion - Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict; Religion - Islam; Religion - Ecumenism | $15.00 | 978-0-8070-7752-8 (0-8070-7752-6)

There is no better time to stand up for your values than when they are under attack.

In the decade following the attacks of 9/11, suspicion and animosity toward American Muslims has increased rather than subsided. Alarmist, hateful rhetoric once relegated to the fringes of political discourse has now become frighteningly mainstream, with pundits and politicians routinely invoking the specter of Islam as a menacing, deeply anti-American force.

In Sacred Ground, author and renowned interfaith leader Eboo Patel says this prejudice is not just a problem for Muslims but a challenge to the very idea of America. Patel shows us that Americans from George Washington to Martin Luther King Jr. have been “interfaith leaders,” illustrating how the forces of pluralism in America have time and again defeated the forces of prejudice. And now a new generation needs to rise up and confront the anti-Muslim prejudice of our era. To this end, Patel offers a primer in the art and science of interfaith work, bringing to life the growing body of research on how faith can be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division and sharing stories from the frontlines of interfaith activism.

Patel asks us to share in his vision of a better America—a robustly pluralistic country in which our commonalities are more important than our differences, and in which difference enriches, rather than threatens, our religious traditions. Pluralism, Patel boldly argues, is at the heart of the American project, and this visionary book will inspire Americans of all faiths to make this country a place where diverse traditions can thrive side by side.

From the Hardcover edition.

In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland

2013-02-12T00:30:00-05:00

In the Shadow of the Sword The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire
Written by Tom Holland

Trade Paperback, 560 pages | Anchor | History - Middle East; Religion - Islam - History | $16.00 | 978-0-307-47365-3 (0-307-47365-1)

A thrillingly panoramic and incredibly timely account of the rise of Islam, from the acclaimed author of Rubicon and Persian Fire.

The evolution of the Arab empire is one of the supreme narratives of ancient history, a story dazzlingly rich in drama, character, and achievement. In this exciting and sweeping history—the third in his trilogy of books on the ancient world—Holland describes how the Arabs emerged to carve out a stupefyingly vast dominion in a matter of decades, overcoming seemingly insuperable odds to create an imperial civilization aspects of which endure to the present day. With profound bearing on the most consequential events of our time, Holland ties the exciting story of Islam’s ascent to the crises and controversies of the present.

Sharia Versus Freedom by Andrew G. Bostom, M.D.

2012-11-06T00:30:00-05:00

Sharia Versus Freedom The Legacy of Islamic Totalitarianism
Written by Andrew G. Bostom

eBook | Prometheus Books | Social Science - Islamic Studies; Religion - Islam - Law | $15.99 | 978-1-61614-667-2 (1-61614-667-2)

Author Andrew G. Bostom expands upon his two previous groundbreaking compendia, The Legacy of Jihad and The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism, with this collection of his own recent essays on Sharia - Islamic law. The book elucidates, unapologetically, Sharia's defining Islamic religious principles and the consequences of its application across space and time, focusing upon contemporary illustrations. A wealth of unambiguous evidence is marshaled, distilled, and analyzed, including: objective, erudite studies of Sharia by leading scholars of Islam; the acknowledgment of Sharia's global "resurgence," even by contemporary academic apologists for Islam; an abundance of recent polling data from Muslim nations and Muslim immigrant communities in the West confirming the ongoing, widespread adherence to Sharia's tenets; the plaintive warnings and admonitions of contemporary Muslim intellectuals - freethinkers and believers, alike - about the incompatibility of Sharia with modern, Western-derived conceptions of universal human rights; and the overt promulgation by authoritative, mainstream international and North American Islamic religious and political organizations of traditional, Sharia-based Muslim legal systems as an integrated whole (i.e., extending well beyond mere "family-law aspects" of Sharia). Johannes J. G. Jansen, Professor for Contemporary Islamic Thought Emeritus at Utrecht University, says this book "will prove sobering to even staunch optimists."

Sharia Versus Freedom by Andrew G. Bostom, M.D.

2012-09-18T00:30:00-05:00

Sharia Versus Freedom The Legacy of Islamic Totalitarianism
Written by Andrew G. Bostom

Hardcover, 735 pages | Prometheus Books | Social Science - Islamic Studies; Religion - Islam - Law | $32.00 | 978-1-61614-666-5 (1-61614-666-4)

Beyond Belief by V.S. Naipaul

2012-08-15T00:30:00-05:00

Beyond Belief Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples
Written by V.S. Naipaul

eBook, 432 pages | Vintage | Religion - Islam | $12.99 | 978-0-307-82841-5 (0-307-82841-7)

"Brilliant. . . . A powerfully observed, stylistically elegant exploration." --The New York Times

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

"The book's strength lies in Naipaul's extraordinary ability as a storyteller to draw striking portraits of a cross section of individuals."--The Boston Globe

Fourteen years after the publication of his landmark travel narrative Among the Believers, V. S. Naipaul returned to the four non-Arab Islamic countries he reported on so vividly at the time of Ayatollah Khomeini's triumph in Iran. Beyond Belief is the result of his five-month journey in 1995 through Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, and Malaysia--lands where descendants of Muslim converts live at odds with indigenous traditions, and where dreams of Islamic purity clash with economic and political realities.

In extended conversations with a vast number of people--a rare survivor of the martyr brigades of the Iran-Iraq war, a young intellectual training as a Marxist guerilla in Baluchistan, an impoverished elderly couple in Teheran whose dusty Baccarat chandeliers preserve the memory of vanished wealth, and countless others--V. S. Naipaul deliberately effaces himself to let the voices of his subjects come through. Yet the result is a collection of stories that has the author's unmistakable stamp. With its incisive observation and brilliant cultural analysis, Beyond Belief is a startling and revelatory addition to the Naipaul canon.

"Highly accomplished. . . . Another display of Naipaul's remarkable talent." --The Independent (London)

Sacred Ground by Eboo Patel

2012-08-14T00:30:00-05:00

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America
Written by Eboo Patel

Hardcover, 224 pages | Beacon Press | Religion - Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict; Religion - Islam; Social Science - Sociology Of Religion | $24.95 | 978-0-8070-7748-1 (0-8070-7748-8)

Sacred Ground by Eboo Patel

2012-08-14T00:30:00-05:00

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America
Written by Eboo Patel

eBook | Beacon Press | Religion - Religious Intolerance, Persecution & Conflict; Religion - Islam; Religion - Ecumenism | $24.95 | 978-0-8070-7749-8 (0-8070-7749-6)

From the Hardcover edition.

In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland

2012-05-15T00:30:00-05:00

In the Shadow of the Sword The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire
Written by Tom Holland

eBook, 448 pages | Anchor | History - Middle East; Religion - Islam - History; Social Science - Islamic Studies | $11.99 | 978-0-385-53136-8 (0-385-53136-2)

The acclaimed author of Rubicon and other superb works of popular history now produces a thrillingly panoramic (and incredibly timely) account of the rise of Islam.

No less significant than the collapse of the Roman Republic or the Persian invasion of Greece, the evolution of the Arab empire is one of the supreme narratives of ancient history, a story dazzlingly rich in drama, character, and achievement. Just like the Romans, the Arabs came from nowhere to carve out a stupefyingly vast dominion—except that they achieved their conquests not over the course of centuries as the Romans did but in a matter of decades. Just like the Greeks during the Persian wars, they overcame seemingly insuperable odds to emerge triumphant against the greatest empire of the day—not by standing on the defensive, however, but by hurling themselves against all who lay in their path.

The Rumi Daybook by Camille Helminski

2011-11-22T00:30:00-05:00

The Rumi Daybook
Edited by Kabir Helminski and Camille Helminski

Trade Paperback, 384 pages | Shambhala | Religion - Sufism; Poetry - Middle Eastern; Religion - Islam - Rituals & Practice | $18.95 | 978-1-59030-894-3 (1-59030-894-8)

"My heart wandered through the world
constantly seeking after my cure,
but the sweet and delicious water of life
had to break through the granite of my heart."

When the words of Rumi enter your heart, something softens, breaks, and is subtly reborn. That he wrote the words seven hundred years ago in a medieval Persian world that bears little resemblance to ours makes their uncanny resonance to us today just that much more remarkable. Here is a treasury of daily wisdom from this most beloved of all the Sufi masters—both his prose and his ecstatic poetry—that you can use to start every day for a year, or that you can dip into for inspiration any time you need to break through the granite of your heart.

Puritan Islam by Barry A. Vann

2011-09-27T00:30:00-05:00

Puritan Islam The Geoexpansion of the Muslim World
Written by Barry A. Vann

eBook | Prometheus Books | Religion - Islam; Social Science - Sociology Of Religion; Religion - Fundamentalism | $12.99 | 978-1-61614-518-7 (1-61614-518-8)

In contrast to previous waves of immigrants who arrived in host countries eager to become productive and contributing members of their new homelands and desiring to adopt the native customs and culture, puritan Muslim immigrants with their more conservative, if not radical, interpretation of the dictates of Islam are likely to refuse assimilation in favor of a separatist lifestyle, seemingly cut off from the host nations. Clearly, people with a puritan Muslim mind-set are little inclined to accept a pluralistic, multicultural, live-and-let-live concept of society. And conflicts between differing value systems are almost inevitable. This author shows that this purist approach to Islam is certainly not universal among Muslims, and there are many varying interpretations that are more moderate in outlook. Nonetheless, the undeniable theological background of all Muslim communities colors their values and attitudes, and must be taken into consideration when attempting to understand the potential conflicts between contiguous Muslim and non-Muslim groups. Given the fact that the population of Muslim immigrants is growing rapidly in traditionally Christian and increasingly secular countries of the Western world while the resident populations are either stagnant or declining, Vann’s insightful analysis of the ways in which Islam influences perceptions of community and geography is an eye-opening message of urgency and gives evidence of the social, political, and cultural changes that lie ahead.

The Simple Guide to Attending Muslim Ceremonies by Akasha Lonsdale

2011-09-20T00:30:00-05:00

The Simple Guide to Attending Muslim Ceremonies
Written by Akasha Lonsdale

eBook | Simple Guides | Religion - Islam - Rituals & Practice; Religion - Islam; Religion - Reference | $4.99 | 978-1-85733-649-8 (1-85733-649-6)

In today’s multicultural society we are increasingly likely to meet and become friends with people from different religious backgrounds, and to find ourselves attending an unfamiliar ceremony. When this happens, there can be few of us who know exactly what to expect, or are confident about how to behave. This chapter from Do I Kneel or Do I Bow? will tell you everything you need to understand and take part in a Muslim ceremony.

Puritan Islam by Barry A. Vann

2011-09-20T00:30:00-05:00

Puritan Islam The Geoexpansion of the Muslim World
Written by Barry A. Vann

Hardcover, 228 pages | Prometheus Books | Religion - Islam; Social Science - Sociology Of Religion; Religion - Fundamentalism | $26.00 | 978-1-61614-517-0 (1-61614-517-X)

No god but God (Updated Edition) by Reza Aslan

2011-08-30T00:30:00-05:00

No god but God (Updated Edition) The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam
Written by Reza Aslan

Trade Paperback, 384 pages | Random House Trade Paperbacks | Religion - Islam; Religion - Islam - History; Religion - History | $17.00 | 978-0-8129-8244-2 (0-8129-8244-4)

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
A finalist for the Guardian First Book Award

In No god but God, internationally acclaimed scholar Reza Aslan explains Islam—the origins and evolution of the faith—in all its beauty and complexity. This updated edition addresses the events of the past decade, analyzing how they have influenced Islam’s position in modern culture. Aslan explores what the popular demonstrations pushing for democracy in the Middle East mean for the future of Islam in the region, how the Internet and social media have affected Islam’s evolution, and how the war on terror has altered the geopolitical balance of power in the Middle East. He also provides an update on the contemporary Muslim women’s movement, a discussion of the controversy over veiling in Europe, an in-depth history of Jihadism, and a look at how Muslims living in North America and Europe are changing the face of Islam. Timely and persuasive, No god but God is an elegantly written account that explains this magnificent yet misunderstood faith.

No god but God (Updated Edition) by Reza Aslan

2011-08-30T00:30:00-05:00

No god but God (Updated Edition) The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam
Written by Reza Aslan

eBook, 384 pages | Random House Trade Paperbacks | Religion - Islam; Religion - Islam - History; Religion - History | $11.99 | 978-0-679-64377-7 (0-679-64377-X)

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Random House New Releases - Religion - Islam

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an by Denise A. Spellberg

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an Islam and the FoundersWritten by Denise A. Spellberg

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an by Denise A. Spellberg

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an Islam and the FoundersWritten by Denise A. Spellberg

The Faithful Scribe by Shahan Mufti

The Faithful Scribe A Story of Islam, Pakistan, Family, and WarWritten by Shahan Mufti

The Faithful Scribe by Shahan Mufti

The Faithful Scribe A Story of Islam, Pakitan, Family, and WarWritten by Shahan Mufti

Sons of Abraham by Samuel G. Freedman

Sons of Abraham A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and MuslimsWritten by Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali Foreword by Samuel G. Freedman

Sons of Abraham by Samuel G. Freedman

Sons of Abraham A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and MuslimsWritten by Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali Foreword by Samuel G. Freedman

Sacred Ground by Eboo Patel

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of AmericaWritten by Eboo Patel

In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland

In the Shadow of the Sword The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab EmpireWritten by Tom Holland

Sharia Versus Freedom by Andrew G. Bostom, M.D.

Sharia Versus Freedom The Legacy of Islamic TotalitarianismWritten by Andrew G. Bostom

Sharia Versus Freedom by Andrew G. Bostom, M.D.

Sharia Versus Freedom The Legacy of Islamic TotalitarianismWritten by Andrew G. Bostom

Beyond Belief by V.S. Naipaul

Beyond Belief Islamic Excursions Among the Converted PeoplesWritten by V.S. Naipaul

Sacred Ground by Eboo Patel

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of AmericaWritten by Eboo Patel

Sacred Ground by Eboo Patel

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of AmericaWritten by Eboo Patel

In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland

In the Shadow of the Sword The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab EmpireWritten by Tom Holland

The Rumi Daybook by Camille Helminski

The Rumi Daybook Edited by Kabir Helminski and Camille Helminski

Puritan Islam by Barry A. Vann

Puritan Islam The Geoexpansion of the Muslim WorldWritten by Barry A. Vann

The Simple Guide to Attending Muslim Ceremonies by Akasha Lonsdale

The Simple Guide to Attending Muslim Ceremonies Written by Akasha Lonsdale

Puritan Islam by Barry A. Vann

Puritan Islam The Geoexpansion of the Muslim WorldWritten by Barry A. Vann

No god but God (Updated Edition) by Reza Aslan

No god but God (Updated Edition) The Origins, Evolution, and Future of IslamWritten by Reza Aslan

No god but God (Updated Edition) by Reza Aslan

No god but God (Updated Edition) The Origins, Evolution, and Future of IslamWritten by Reza Aslan

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an Islam and the Founders
Written by Denise A. Spellberg

Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an Islam and the Founders
Written by Denise A. Spellberg

The Faithful Scribe A Story of Islam, Pakistan, Family, and War
Written by Shahan Mufti

The Faithful Scribe A Story of Islam, Pakitan, Family, and War
Written by Shahan Mufti

Sons of Abraham A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims
Written by Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali
Foreword by Samuel G. Freedman

Sons of Abraham A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims
Written by Rabbi Marc Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali
Foreword by Samuel G. Freedman

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America
Written by Eboo Patel

In the Shadow of the Sword The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire
Written by Tom Holland

Sharia Versus Freedom The Legacy of Islamic Totalitarianism
Written by Andrew G. Bostom

Sharia Versus Freedom The Legacy of Islamic Totalitarianism
Written by Andrew G. Bostom

Beyond Belief Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples
Written by V.S. Naipaul

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America
Written by Eboo Patel

Sacred Ground Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America
Written by Eboo Patel

In the Shadow of the Sword The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire
Written by Tom Holland

The Rumi Daybook
Edited by Kabir Helminski and Camille Helminski

Puritan Islam The Geoexpansion of the Muslim World
Written by Barry A. Vann

The Simple Guide to Attending Muslim Ceremonies
Written by Akasha Lonsdale

Puritan Islam The Geoexpansion of the Muslim World
Written by Barry A. Vann

No god but God (Updated Edition) The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam
Written by Reza Aslan

No god but God (Updated Edition) The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam
Written by Reza Aslan