American J o d  of Islamic Social Sciences 

Book Notice 

Vol. 3, No. 1, 1986 169 

The Cultural Atlas of Islam 
Ismail and Lamya’ a1 Faruqi 

This magnifrcent book, published by Macmillan a month after the Famqis’ 
deaths, presents the entire world view of Islam-its beliefs, traditions, institu- 
tions, and its place in the cultures in which it has taken mot. THE CULTURAL 
ATLAS OF ISLAM is not only a comprehensive introduction to the Islamic 
experience in history and the modern world. It is an authoritative and deeply 
felt statement of the faith of Islam, written for those of all faiths. Isma‘il and 
Lois Lamya’ al Famqi’s book is, in fact, Islam explaining itself. 

Rich with more than 300 photographs, drawings, and other illustrations, 
and with some 75 original maps, this is a unique guide to the meaning of 
Islam and its shaping force on cultures from the Mediterranean to the Pacific. 
This is, however, much more than a history of events; it is a clear presenta- 
tion of the essence of Islamic civilization in all its spheres, from everyday 
practices of Muslims around the world to the Islamic legacy in art, science, 
law, politics, and philosophy. 

The authors begin with the ancient setting of Islam, examining the different 
strands of influence-Arab, Mesopotamian, Canaanite, and Hebrew-that were 
its frontrunners. Islam, the authors demonstrate, brought together diverse tradi- 
tions and from them forged the unique body of belief, thought, and practice 
that continues to animate Muslim life today throughout the world. 

Part N o  explains the concept of Tawhid-the essence of Islam that binds 
together the lives of its believers. Tawhid is the affirmation of God as One, 
Absolute, and Ultimate; it deeply affects all aspects of Islamic thought, ex- 
pression, and behavior. 

Part Three shows how this core of belief takes shape in scripture, social 
institutions, and the arts-the forms which God’s revelations to Muhammad 
assumed in the historical fabric of Islam. There is a concise introduction to 
the fundamental nature of the Qurhn, and to the collection of Muhammad’s 
sayings and deeds that clarify its statements-the Sunnah. The ways in which 
Islam affects social life and its institutions-from education and family life 
to the making of the Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca-is also examined. So, 
too, is the central role of the Qurhn in defining artistic expression. 

part Four is a remarkable exploriltion of the manifestations of Islam in all 



170 American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 3, No. 1, 1986 

areas of intellectual, social, artistic, political, and scientific life. Here, the 
authors trace the flowering of Islam, its enormous impact on other traditions, 
and its distinctive legacy in language, law, theology, philosophy, the social 
sciences, history, literature, art, architecture, music, and crafts. From the ef- 
fect of the Q u r h  on the development of literary Arabic to the function of 
ornamentation in Islamic art, from the meaning of S h r i t z h ,  or Islamic law, 
to the achievements of such influential scholars as the historian Ibn Khaldun, 
these chapters form a superb introduction to the entire range of Islamic 
civilization. 

Throughout the book, the authors pay special attention to the influence of 
other traditions - Judaism, Christianity, and classical Greek philosophy, for 
example-on Islam. Yet they return time and again to that which is unique 
to Islam: the distinctive set of assumptions and questions Muslims use to define 
the path to a just and holy life. 

Rich in detail, clearly written, and integrating the best of classic and con- 
tempomy scholarship, this is an exceptionally valuable book. It presents Islam 
from the inside out, makes much that has been overlooked or distorted by 
Western scholars clear, vital, and comprehensible, and documents for all the 
reality of a religion that counts nearly a quarter of humanity as its follwoers. 
This is indeed an essential addition to all libmries, and a valuable new resource 
for all interested both in Islam and in the religious experience writ large. 

Available from the Islamic Book Service, 109oO West Washington St.. 
Indianapolis, IN 46231