What Everyone should know about Islam and Muslims

Islam is so little known and understood in the Western world that to many people, especially in America, it is simply another strange religious cult or sect, Allah is some sort of a heathen deity, Muhammad is someone who is worshipped by hordes of pagans overseas, and Muslims are either militant sword-wielding Bedouins mounted on camels, fanatical men of religion with long robes and beards, or rich, decadent playboys. Indeed, Islam has been so gravely misunderstood and misrepresented in the West that many people in America and Europe think of it as an enemy to any sort of stability, peace and progress; they mistrust it, fear it and regard it as a dire threat without as a rule knowing anything about it other than what the popular media convey, which almost invariably reflects grave inaccuracies and errors. Why is all this so? First, it is due in part to the legacy of history. Islam and Christendom confronted each other as enemies during the Crusades and afterwards. Secondly, it is partly due to the confused and distorted picture of Islam which the behavior of many Muslims, those who profess this faith but do not live by it, and often doing everything which it does not permit and doing nothing which it requires, very unfortunately presents. Perhaps you have been hearing a lot about Islam and Muslims and are interested in knowing, justifiably, just what this religion is all about. If so, this book is meant for you.