books on Islam Shiite / Sunni

I know we have a few culturally aware people here (at least more than the average) I was wondering if any of you know of any books on Islam specifically the Shiite and Sunni sects.

[HarmNone]

Try these:

"Islam: A Short History" by Karen Armstrong
"The Straight Path" by John Esposito

The second book can get a little pedantic, but is still very good, in my opinion, at giving Westerners a better understanding of Islam.

[Warriorbird]

Several good annotated Korans out there as well.

Problem is understanding what the different sects of Islam take out of the Koran.

I have a few months to become as much an expert on Arabic culture, and Islam as I can... is there a Koran for dummies out there? :)

[Back]

Geez, did you learn christianity from a “Bible for Dummies”?

Originally posted by Backlash
Geez, did you learn christianity from a “Bible for Dummies”?

No I learned it from years of going to church and from my parents.

I dont have years.
(that was also a joke though you must have missed the smiley face) ;)

[Edited on 3-25-2005 by Dave]

Originally posted by HarmNone
Try these:

"Islam: A Short History" by Karen Armstrong
"The Straight Path" by John Esposito

The second book can get a little pedantic, but is still very good, in my opinion, at giving Westerners a better understanding of Islam.

Thank you Harmnone I ordered both.

[Warriorbird]

I've got one from a Sufi point of view and one from a more Sunni. I'll see if I can dig up my religious studies booklist for that class.

Originally posted by Warriorbird
I've got one from a Sufi point of view and one from a more Sunni. I'll see if I can dig up my religious studies booklist for that class.

Thanks a lot Warriorbird I appreciate it.

[HarmNone]

There is a book titled "Islam for Dummies", but I don't remember who wrote it. You might find it on Amazon.

[Warriorbird]

"Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revalations" translated by Micheal Sells

Can't find the other. Approaching the Qur'an gets knocked a lot because it leaves out a lot of the more edgy bits of the Qur'an, but I thought it was a good book to get an idea of Muslims as decent people.

"The Shah's Last Ride" by William Shawcross

"Bin Laden: The Man Who Declared War on America" by Yossef Bodansky

"The Secret History of the Iraq War" by Yossef Bodansky

"Militant Islam Reaches America" by Daniel Pipes

"The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror" by Bernard Lewis

"Islam for Dummies" by Malcolm Clark

"The Middle East for Dummies" by Jr. Davis Craig

"Discovering the Qur'an: A Contemporary Approach to a Veiled Text" by Neal Robinson


Some of the professor's current syllabus. Somewhat different than what was there when I took the course.

[pennywise]

http://www.rotten.com/library/religion/islam/

http://www.rotten.com/library/religion/heresy/islamic-heresies/

I know, its rotten.com, but their library is actually entertaining and good. Check out the dictator section if you have time.

[Keller]

That Karen Armstrong is one nice lady.

She's a pretty decent scholar too, for a nun.

I think its good to start from the beginning. I'd look at the Koran and the story of muhammed's life first. If I was back at lewis I could give you my books, but thats a no-go.