Rating: 
Summary: Good place to start
Review: With so much misinformation about Islam coming from the likes of Ibn Warraq, Daniel Pipes and many in the rightwing media it is hard to separate fact from fiction. Many critics of Islam take the beliefs of its most extreme members and present those extreme views as mainstream Islam. For example, most Muslims do not believe that they will spend eternity with 72 virgins, yet it is presented as a mainstream belief by critics. If you are confused about what Islam really teaches I recommend that you start with this book.It is written in a easy to read FAQ format. There are questions like Where do most Muslims live? Why are some Muslims opposed to music? What does Islam say about abortion? What is Wahhabi Islam? Who are these Islamic fundamentalists? and so on. I liked the fact that the author often presents both conservative and progressive interpretations of many teachings. Many nonMuslims are not aware of the progressive, liberal and feminist movements within Islam, or aware of progressive thinkers such as Farid Esack and Zeeshan Hasan. It is important to represent their viewpoints. I also liked the fact that he explained the two main ways of interpreting the Koran. Conservatives are literalists who believe if the Koran says something it must be followed without questioning. Progressives believe that many verses were said in specific contexts or referred to certain circumstances of the time. As context and circumstances change so should interpretation. This book is definitely the best place to start if you want to learn about Islam because it is objective, unlike many other books on the subject.
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