Mohammedanism

This book is about the rise and growth of Mohammedanism from the seventh century to the present day. It describes Mohammed's background, early revelations and subsequent struggles among the Semitic tribes of the Arabian peninsula and the lightning spread of the faith he founded which, a hundred years after his death, extended across North Africa into Western Europe. In addition to tracing the expansion of Mohammedanism as a historical and cultural phenomenon, this book explains the place of the Koran, the "hadith" and other sources of Muslim belief, the mysticism of the Sufis, the sects within Islam, including the orthodox Sunnis, the Shiites and the Kharijites, the reilgious and social duties of Mohammedans and the significance of key terms such as "umma" -- the community state of believers -- "Jihad" and Ijma". Mohammedanism beliefs about our Lord and Christianity are also discussed from the time of Mohammed's early contacts with Nestorians to the present.