July 13, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS – The faith of a billion Muslims today, developed over fourteen centuries, is sympathetically and skillfully presented in Understanding Islam: An Introduction from Fortress Press. In this marvelous volume, author C.T. R. Hewer's extensive knowledge and contextually sensitive presentation yield an exceptionally rich and faithful account, presupposing no prior knowledge of the traditions, without orientalist, Western, or Christian biases. Includes diagrams, glossary, and easy to follow references to the Qur'an.

"This is a clearly written and well-organized book that is a fine introduction to Islam. It will serve as a useful resource for all who desire to deepen their understanding and appreciation of this important faith. The author ably shows how the rich heritage of Islam is celebrated and expressed in the faith lives of Muslims." – John Kaltner, Rhodes College, author of Islam: What Non-Muslims Should Know.

"Understanding Islam is a model in the genre. It will surely be of the greatest help not only for students of religious studies but for the general reader interested in grasping what the faith and way of life of Muslims are essentially about, far away from the caricatures too often privileged in our time." – Yahya Michot, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford University.

Contents
Introduction
1. The Wider Picture: Creation from a Muslim Perspective
2. Muhammad, the Last in the Chain of Prophets
3. The Qur'an, the Revealed Word of God
4. An Overview of Islamic History
5. The Central Beliefs of Islam
6. The Principal Practices of Islam
7. A Muslim Life
8. Living Constantly Remembering God
9. Islam and Other Faiths
10. Muslims in Britain, Western Europe, and the U.S. (by Yvonne Haddad and Jane I. Smith)
Glossary

C.T.R. Hewer is Fellow in Christian-Muslim Relations at St. Ethelburga's Centre, London. He has worked in the area of Christian-Muslim relations for twenty years. Dr. Hewer's undergraduate work was in Christian Reformation Theology, and he holds a Master's degree in Islamic Studies. His doctoral dissertation analyzed the work of contemporary Muslim scholar Fazlur Rahman. Among his many publications is The Essence of Islam (2002).

Understanding Islam: An Introduction, By C.T. R. Hewer, Format: 7" x 9.25," sewn hardcover with jacket, 320 pp, ISBN: 0-8006-3797-7, Price: $35.00, Publisher: Fortress Press, Rights: North American English, Pub Date: July 2006.

To order Understanding Islam please call Fortress Press at 1-800-328-4648 or visit the Web site at http://www.fortresspress.com/.

Fortress Press