Collective. The Oxford dictionary of Islam (2003)

Collective. The Oxford dictionary of Islam. Editor in chief: John L. Esposito. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003, XVIII+359 p. ISBN 0195125584

Designed for general readers with little or no knowledge of Islam, this superb Oxford Dictionary provides more than 2,000 vividly written, up-to-date, and authoritative entries organized in an easy-to-use, A-to-Z format.

The Dictionary focuses primarily on the 19th and 20th centuries, stressing topics of most interest to Westerners. What emerges is a highly informative look at the religious, political, and social spheres of the modem Islamic world. Naturally, readers will find many entries on top-ics of intense current interest, such as terrorism and the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, the PLO and HAMAS. But the cover-age goes well beyond recent headlines. There are biographical profiles, ranging from Naguib Mahfouz (the Nobel Prize winner from Egypt) to Malcolm X, including political leaders, influential thinkers, poets, scientists, and writers. Other entries cover major political movements, militant groups, and religious sec. as well as terms from Islamic law, culture, and religion, key historical events, and important landmarks (such as Mecca and Methna). A series of entries look at Islam in individual nations, such as Afghanistan, the West Bank and Gaza, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the United States, and there are discussions of Islamic views on such issues as abortion, birth control, the Rushdie Affair, and the theory of evolution.

Whether we are listening to the evening news, browsing through As sped page, reading a book on current events, references to Muslims and the Islamic world appear at every turn.

Whether we are listening to the evening new, browsing through the op-ed page, or reading a book on current events, references to Muslims and the Islamic world appear at every turn. Oxford Dictionary of Islam offers a wealth of information for anyone curious about this burgeoning and increasingly important world religion.

Farsi Indo-European language. Also known as New Persian. Replaced Pahlavi following the Islamic conquest of the Persian Sasanian Empire. Written in Arabic script and consists of as much as 70 percent Arabic loan words. Second language of Islam and the courtly language in Iran, the Ottoman Empire, Central Asia, and the Mughal Empire. (in p. 83)