Publisher's Synopsis
The Qur'an is one of the most important and controversial books ever written, yet the vast majority of people have never read it. Is it the work of a dangerous radical, a divine message from the God of Abraham, or a liberal and peaceful doctrine worthy of all humanity? In this short, concise volume the fundamental commandments of Islam have been extracted from the Qur'an, and useful annotations explain the context and purpose of those commandments. Also containing a helpful introduction to Muhammad and life in medieval Arabia, The Commandments of Islam is an excellent starting point for those wishing to understand the beginnings of this complex religious tradition. In a field beset by polarised political debates, this volume takes readers directly to the laws as written by Muhammad fourteen hundred years ago, without having to wade through the broader Qur'anic text, and allows the readers to make up their own minds about the Qur'an's author, his times, and his writings.
