Dispelling the popular myths about Muslims and Islam, this is a beginners' guide to the history and development of Islam and the Muslim faith.

PART 1: INTRODUCING ISLAM: Why has Islam become so important? -- Food for the soul -- Looking at life the Islamic way -- All about Allah -- PART 2: THE SPIRITUAL WORLD IN ISLAM: The four stages of life in Islam -- Islam on Heaven and Hell -- In the beginning ... an Islamic perspective -- The measurement of life -- From Adam to Armageddon -- PART 3: THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM: Declaring faith in Islam -- Understanding Muslim prayers -- Elevating the soul -- Gathering in Mecca -- Uncovering the real story about jihad -- PART 4: ISLAM AND OTHER RELIGIONS: It's all in the prophets -- Jews in Islam -- Christianity and Islam -- PART 5: REGULATING LIFE WITHIN THE LAWS OF iSLAM: Exploring the sources of Islam -- Living Islam -- Looking at the status of women in Islam -- PART 6: THE HISTORY OF ISLAM: Muhammad in Mecca -- The victory of Islam -- The rightly guided successors -- Islamic civilization: the dynastic period -- Islam in America -- PART 7: THE LEGACY OF ISLAM: Discover the influence of Islam -- Meet the Islamic sectarian movements -- Islam in world affairs today.