Understanding Islam: Electronic Resources

The following resources related to Islam have been selected as part of the Spring/Summer 2004 Culture Corner. These resources consist of databases, electronic books, and websites. The electronic books are available for online "checkout" through the library's catalog for anyone affiliated with the University. They can be read online or "checked out" for four hours. The databases and electronic books can be accessed from within the UT Libraries or if you connect to the Internet with the UT service or through the proxy server. A few databases may be freely available on the web and are indicated by an * next to their name. The selected websites are available free on the Web.

Art & Architecture

Dictionary of Islamic Architecture. Petersen, Andrew. New York: Routledge, 1996.

Displaying the Orient: Architecture of Islam at Nineteenth-Century World's Fairs. Çelik, Zeynep. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992.

 

Economy

African Entrepreneurship: Muslim Fula Merchants in Sierra Leone. Jalloh, Alusine. Athens: Ohio University Center for International Studies, 1999.

Economic Development in the Middle East. Wilson, Rodney. New York: Routledge, 2002.

Islamic Finance in the Global Economy. Warde, Ibrahim. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2000.

General

Arabs Face the Modern World: Religious, Cultural, and Political Responses to the West. Rejwan, Nissim. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1998.

Beyond the Stream: Islam and Society in a West African Town. Launay, Robert. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1992.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam. Emerick, Yahiya. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha, 2002.
"...takes you back to the origins of this faith and explores its beliefs and practices through the centuries and in the present."

The Calligraphic State: Textual Domination and History in a Muslim Society. Messick, Brinkley. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993.

Dollars for Terror: The United States and Islam. Labévière, Richard. New York: Algora Pub., 2000.

Imaginal Worlds: Ibn al-'Arabi and the Problem of Religious Diversity. Chittick, William C. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994.
"This book is an introduction to this thought concerning the ultimate destiny of human beings, God and the cosmos, and the reasons for religious diversity. It summarizes many of Ibn al-'Arabi's teachings in a simple manner."

Islam: A Very Short Introduction. Ruthven, Malise. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Islam: An Introduction. Schimmel, Annemarie. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992.

Islam and the Destiny of Man. Eaton, Gai. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1985.

Islam in America. Smith, Jane I. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999.

Islam in Black America: Identity, Liberation, and Difference in African-American Islamic Thought. Curtis, Edward E. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2002.

Islamic Identity and the Struggle for Justice. Barazangi, Nimat Hafez, M. Raquibuz Zaman, and Omar Afzal. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1996.

Islamic Life and Thought. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1981.

Islamic Society in Practice. Fluehr-Lobban, Carolyn. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1994.

Liberal Islam: A Source Book. Kurzman, Charles (ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Making Muslim Space in North America and Europe. Metcalf, Barbara Daly. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.

Malcolm and the Cross: The Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, and Christianity. DeCaro, Jr., Louis A. New York: New York University Press, 1998.
"Exploring the religious roots of the Nation of Islam in relation to Christianity, Louis A. DeCaro, Jr., examines Malcolm's development and contributions as an activist, journalist, orator, and revolutionist against the backdrop of his familial religious heritage."

Muslim Communities in North America. Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck and Jane Idleman Smith (ed.). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994.

The Next Threat: Western Perceptions of Islam. Hippler, Jochen and Andrea Lueg (eds.). Boulder, CO: Pluto Press with Transnational Institute, 1995.

Postmodernism and Islam: Predicament and Promise. Ahmed, Akbar S. New York: Routledge, 1992.

Religious Nationalism: Hindus and Muslims in India. Van der Veer, Peter. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1994.

Sufi Wisdom. Stepaniants, M. T. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994.

The World's Religions: Islam. Clarke, Peter (ed.). London: Routledge, 2002.

 

History

Arabia and the Arabs: From the Bronze Age to the Coming of Islam. Hoyland, Robert G. New York: Routledge, 2001.
"...provides the only up-to-date, one-volume survey of the region and its people from prehistory to the coming of Islam. Using a wide range of sources - inscriptions, poetry, histories and archaeological evidence - Robert Hoyland explores the main cultural areas of Arabia, from ancient Sheba in the south to the deserts and oases of the north."

Contemporary Islam and the Challenge of History. Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1982.

Discovering Islam: Making Sense of Muslim History and Society. Ahmed, Akbar S. New York: Routledge, 2002.

The Divine Guide in Early Shiism: The Sources of Esotericism in Islam. Amir-Moezzi, Mohammad Ali. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994.

The First Dynasty of Islam: The Umayyad Caliphate AD 661-750. Hawting, G. R. New York: Routledge, 2000.

A History of Medieval Islam. Saunders, J. J. New York: Routledge, 2002.

Interpreting Islam: Bandali Jawzi's Islamic Intellectual History. Sonn, Tamara. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Islam and the West: The Moriscos, a Cultural and Social History. Chejne, Anwar G. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1983.

Islam in Britain, 1558-1685. Matar, N. I. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Islam in Post-Soviet Russia: Public and Private Faces. Pilkington, Hilary and Galina Yemelianova (eds.). New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003.

Islam: Origin and Belief. Bogle, Emory C. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1998.

The Last Years of the Prophet: Translated and Annotated by Ismail K. Poonawala. Tabari. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1990.

Muhammad and the Origins of Islam. Peters, F. E. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994.

Self and Sovereignty: Individual and Community in South Asian Islam since 1850. Jalal, Ayesha. New York: Routledge, 2002.

The Shade of Swords: Jihad and the Conflict between Islam and Christianity. Akbar, M. J. New York: Routledge, 2002.
"...traces the origins of jihad in the struggle against oppression that was part of the earliest consciousness of Muslims. Traveling across centuries and continents, from the triumphant rise of Islam under the Prophet Muhammad to the depression of defeat in the First Crusade, through the renewal of Saladin to the rise and fall of the Ottoman and Mughal empires to the raw passions of Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent, M.J. Akbar's gripping story explains how jihad thrives on complex and shifting notions of persecution, victory and sacrifice."

The Victory of Islam: Translated and Annotated by Michael Fishbein. Tabari. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1997.

 

Juvenile Literature

I am Muslim. Chalfonte, Jessica. New York: PowerKids Press, 1996.

 

Law

Comparing Religions Through Law: Judaism and Islam. Neusner, Jacob and Tamara Sonn. New York: Routledge, 2002.

Islamic Legal Orthodoxy: Twelver Shiite Responses to the Sunni Legal System. Stewart, Devin J. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1998.

The Just Ruler (al-sultan al-adil) in Shiite Islam: The Comprehensive Authority of the Jurist in Imamite Jurisprudence. Sachedina, Abdulaziz Abdulhussein. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.

The Search for God's Law: Islamic Jurisprudence in the Writings of Sayf al-Din al-Amidi. Weiss, Bernard G. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1992.

State, Society, and Law in Islam: Ottoman Law in Comparative Perspective. Gerber, Haim. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994.

 

Literature & Poetry

Islam and Postcolonial Narrative. Erickson, John D. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

 

Philosophy

Avicenna. Goodman, Lenn E. New York: Routledge, 1992.

Ibn 'Arabi in the Later Islamic Tradition: The Making of a Polemical Image in Medieval Islam. Knysh, Alexander. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1999.

A Parliament of Minds: Philosophy for a New MIllennium. Tobias, Michael, J. Patrick Fitzgerald, and David Rothenberg (ed.). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2000.

The Principles of Epistemology in Islamic Philosophy: Knowledge by Presence. Ha'iri Yazdi, Mahdi. New York: State University of New York Press, 1992.

 

Politics

Arabs at the Crossroads: Political Identity and Nationalism. Khashan, Hilal. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2000.

Authority and Political Culture in Shi'ism. Arjomand, Amir (ed.). Albany: State University of New York Press, 1988.

Between Memory and Desire: The Middle East in a Troubled Age. Humphreys, R. Stephen. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1999.
"...presents a much-needed and thoughtful analysis of Islam's place in today's Middle East. In clear, accessible language, he examines both the medieval and modern history of the region to show the interweaving of the sacred and secular in its political and intellectual life."

The Call from Algeria: Third Worldism, Revolution, and the Turn to Islam. Malley, Robert. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.
"Charting Algeria's political evolution from the turn of the century to the present, Robert Malley explores the historical and intellectual underpinnings of the current crisis."

The Challenge of Fundamentalism: Political Islam and the New World Disorder. Tibi, Bassam. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.
"...offers an important and disquieting analysis of this particular synthesis of religion and politics."

Ethnic Conflict and International Politics in the Middle East. Binder, Leonard. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1999.

Intellectual Discourse and the Politics of Modernization: Negotiating Modernity in Iran. Mirsepassi, Ali. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Islam and Democracy. Esposito, John L. and John O. Voll. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.
"...explores the Islamic sources (beliefs and institutions) relevant to the current debate over greater political participation and democratization.

Islam and Democracy. Smock, David R. Washington, DC: U.S. Institute of Peace, 2002.

Islam and Political Legitimacy. Akbarzadeh, Shahram and abdullah Saeed (eds.). New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003.

Islam and Politics. Esposito, John L. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1998.
"...updates major country case studies and adds coverage of Tunisia, Algeria, the Taliban of Afghanistan, and Hamas...also addresses democratization and the clash of civilization debate."

Islam in an Era of Nation-States: Politics and Religious Renewal in Muslim Southeast Asia. Hefner, Robert W. and Patricia Horvatich. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, 1997.
"...examines the history, politics, and meanings of this resurgence in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines and explores its implications for Southeast Asia, the larger Muslim world, and the West."

Islam in Malaysian Foreign Policy. Nair, Shanti. New York: Routledge, 1997.

Islam, Politics and Social Movements. Burke, III., Edmund and Ira M. Lapidus (eds.) Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.
"Taken together the essays in this work not only provide new research essential to the study of Islamic societies and Muslim peoples, but they also set a new standard for the concrete study of local situations and illuminate the forces shaping the history of modern Muslim societies."

Mobilizing Islam: Religion, Activism, and Political Change in Egypt. Wickham, Carrie Rosefsky. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002.

Moderate and Radical Islamic Fundamentalism: The Quest for Modernity, Legitimacy, and the Islamic State. Moussalli, Ahmad S. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1999.

Political Islam: Essays from Middle East Report. Beinin, Joel and Joe Stork (eds.). Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997.

The Politics of Muslim Cultural Reform: Jadidism in Central Asia. Khalid, Adeeb. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.

Religion and Political Power. Benavides, Gustavo and M. W. Daly (eds.). Albany: State University of New York Press, 1989.

Religious Radicalism and Politics in the Middle East. Sivan, Emmanuel and Menachem Friedman (eds.). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1990.

Two Worlds of Islam: Interaction between Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Von der Mehden, Fred R. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1993.

The Vanguard of the Islamic Revolution: The Jamaàt-i Islami of Pakistan. Nasr, Seyyed Vali Reza. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1994.

Western Dominance and Political Islam: Challenge and Response. Sayeed, Khalid Bin. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1995.

 

Religion

All the King's Falcons: Rumi on Prophets and Revelation. Renard, John. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994.

Christ in Islam and Christianity. Robinson, Neal. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1991.

Debating Islam in the Jewish State: The Development of Policy Toward Islamic Institutions in Israel. Peled, Alisa Rubin. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2001.

Ethical Issues in Six Religious Traditions. Morgan, Peggy and Clive Lawton (eds.). Edinburgh [Scotland]: Edinburgh University Press, 1996.

Faith and Practice of Islam: Three Thirteenth Century Sufi Texts. Chittick, William C. (trans.). Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992.

Islam in Practice: Religious Beliefs in a Persian Village. Loeffler, Reinhold. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1988.

Islamic Theology and Philosophy: Studies in Honor of George F. Hourani. Marmura, Micahel E. (ed.). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1984.

The Jews of Islam. Lewis, Bernard. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1984.

A Muslim and a Christian in Dialogue. Kateregga, Badru D. and David W. Shenk. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press, 1997.
"...open up the basic questions of the human situation and confront similarities and differences in the Muslim and Christian responses."

Muslim Travellers: Pilgrimage, Migration, and the Religious Imagination. Eickelman, Dale F. and James Piscatori (eds.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1990.
"Focusing on travel in various Muslim societies from Malaysia to West Africa to Western Europe and covering historical periods from the first centuries of Islam to the present, the contributors to this edition investigate the role of religious doctrine in motivating travel."

Roman Catholics & Shi'i Muslims: Prayer, Passion, & Politics. Bill, James A. and John Alden Williams. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2002.

Sacred Tensions: Modernity and Religious Transformation in Malaysia. Lee, Raymond L. M. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 1997.

Saracens: Islam in the Medieval European Imagination. Tolan, John V. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002.

Seven Doors to Islam: Spirituality and the Religious Life of Muslims. Renard, John. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.
"...reveals the religious faith and spiritual tradition of the world's one billion Muslims. Spanning Islamic civilization from Morocco to Indonesia, Seven Doors demonstrates how Muslims have used the literary and visual arts in all their richness and diversity to communicate religious values."

The Spiritual Writings of Amir 'Abd al-Kader. 'Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhyi al-Din, Amir of Mascara. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1995.

The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi. Jalal al-Din Rumi, Maulana. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1983.

Windows on the House of Islam: Muslim Sources on Spirituality and Religious Life. Renard, John (ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998.

 

The Woman in Islam

Feminism and World Religions. Sharma, Arvind and Katherine K. Young (eds.). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1999.

Islam, Gender, & Social Change. Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck and John L. Esposito. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
"...place this issue in its historical context and offer case studies of Muslim societies from North Africa to Southeast Asia. These fascinating studies shed light on the impact of the Islamic resurgence on gender issues in Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, the Philippines, and Kuwait."

Medicines of the Soul: Female Bodies and Sacred Geographies in a Transnational Islam. Malti-Douglas, Fedwa. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001.
"...the autobiographical writings of three leading women in today's Islamic revival movement reveal dramatic stories of religious transformation...provide a powerful, groundbreaking portrayal of gender, religion, and discourses of the body in Arab-Islamic culture."

Perfecting Women: Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanawi's Bihishti zewar - A Partial Translation with Commentary. Metcalf, Barbara Daly. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990.

The Rights of Women in Islam: An Authentic Approach. Jawad, Haifaa A. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998.

Windows of Faith: Muslim Women Scholar-Activists in North America. Gisela Webb (ed.). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2000.
"...brings together voices from the most recent development in Muslim women's studies, namely, the burgeoning network of Muslim women working on issues of women's human rights through engages revisionist scholarship in such areas as theology, law and jurisprudence, and women's literature."

Women in the Qur'an, Traditions, and Interpretation. Stowasser, Barbara Freyer. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.

The Tao of Islam: A Sourcebook on Gender Relationships in Islamic Thought. Murata, Sachiko. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992.
"...a rich and diverse anthology of Islamic teachings on the nature of the relaitonships between God and the world, the world and the human being, and the human being and God."

Today's Woman in World Religions. Sharma, Arvind (ed.). Albany: State University of New York Press, 1994.
"This book examines how the women's movement is affecting traditional religions and civilizations throughout the world. It reviews cases of global impact in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confuciansim, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Australian aboriginal religion."

---

Websites:

A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam:
"This Islamic guide is for non-Muslims who would like to understand Islam, Muslims (Moslems), and the Holy Quran (Koran). It is rich in information, references, bibliography, and illustrations. It has been reviewed and edited by many professors and well-educated people." Available in a number of languages, including Chinese, French, and Spanish.

Columbia University Libraries' Middle East Studies Internet Resources:
"...an on-going compilation of electronic bibliographic resources and research materials on the Middle East and North Africa (in the broadest sense) available on the global Internet...Electronic resources from the Middle East are organized by region, country and subject...The scope of the collection is research-oriented, but it also provides access to other gopher and web sites with different or broader missions. Among the many selected resources on these pages are: On-line catalogs of the world's top libraries with large Middle East collections. Bibliographies from Columbia University Libraries and other research institutions around the world. Electronic journals and news archives that specialize in the Middle East. Reports on the region from US, Middle East, and international organizations. Electronic Middle Eastern art exhibits. Other electronic texts, images, and sound files reflecting upon Middle East history and contemporary cultures. Maps, flags, and geographical data. Information on scholarly organizations and activities. Links to directories (such as the International Directory of Middle East Scholars). Links to other Middle East-related gophers and web servers.

Internet Islamic History Sourcebook:
"This page is a subset of texts derived from...three major online Sourcebooks: Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Islamic History Section, and the Internet Modern History Sourcebook. Also includes "added texts and web site indicators." - From Fordham University.

Muslim Student Association:
The official website of UTK's Muslim Student Association. Site includes events, information about Islam, news, and how to contact the association, among other information.

The Nation of Islam:
The official website of the Nation of Islam, includes a history of the group, and other information related to The Nation. "...committed to providing...visitors official statements, current events, general information and reference material."

The University of Arizona Library's Middle East Collection: Middle Eastern Newspapers Online:
"Offers links to Middle Eastern newspapers available online. Some of the papers are in arabic and hebrew, categorized by country, and all are available free on the Web."

Yale University Library's Selected Internet Resources: Islamic Sites:
A very comprehensive list of links to resources on the Internet, separated into eight categories: General, Discussion Lists and News Groups, Art and Architecture,Islamic Texts, Bookstores, Medieval and Modern Islamic Medicine, Centres and Organizations, and Student Associations and Societies.

List compiled by Kawanna Bright - UT Libraries' Diversity Committee
Last updated: April 5, 2007