What Every Christian Should Know About Islam
By Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood
Paperback ISBN: 0-86037-276-6 Pages: 154
Published by the Islamic Foundation, Leicester UK

Of the many books on Islam, few seek to allay the misperceptions and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims among Christians. Apart from filling this gap, the present work brings into sharper relief the common background of three major world faiths - Judaism, Christianity and Islam

This book serves as an introduction to the theology and practice of Islam and attempts to explode some of the false impressions which surround it.

In four sections, mostly in a question and answer format:
1) The Religious Beliefs of Islam Explained - amongst other topics: "Muslims are not the enemy - the Crusades are over!" and "Belief in God, His Unity - 'Tawhid'"
2) The Religous Duties of Islam Explained - What are the 'pillars of Islam'? What is the 'religious tax'? "What is that big black cube-shaped building?"
3) Miscellaneous Questions - questions such as "Are Muslims extremists?", "Are Muslim men allowed to beat their wives?" and "What about Israel and the PLO?"
4) Christianity and Islam - focusing primarily on the differences between the Islamic and Christian concepts of God and comparing our respective beliefs about Muhammad and Jesus.

Finishing on a very personal note: 'My mother's question 
' Why did my daughter, who I have always believed to be intelligent and in her right mind, choose to become one of these Muslims?'

Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood:: Author of many  books on Islam and other subjects. She gained her honours degree in Theology in 1963, and Post Graduate Teaching Certificate in 1964, with distinctions in theory and practice. Her professional life was spent as Head of Religious Studies at various UK inner city secondary schools, until she retired in 1996, to concentrate on writing and lecturing.
Brought up as a  a devout Christian, but converted to Islam in 1986. Already established by then as an author of books on Christian and educational topics, she has since devoted her time to writing on Islam and doing dawah work to both Christian and Muslim audiences. She regularly addresses school and church groups, and has a keen interest in presenting Islam as a world faith, especially raising the awareness of Muslims in the traditional Islamic societies of the western and northern hermisphere converts to Islam (with cultural backgrounds totally different from Muslims of the Middle East and equatorial countries)
Ruqaiyyah's  main interests lie in the Madinah period, the genealogy of the Prophet and his companions, the importance of re-establishing good relationships between the Peoples of the Book (as opposed to rather ignorant hostility), and the battle to preserve Islam as the one true faith, tolerant, noble, and compassionate - in face of the growth of the 'other Islam' which is extremist and intolerant, and which she regards as both false and dangerous.

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"And say: truth has  arrived, and falsehood has  perished: for falsehood is ever  bound to perish." [TMQ Al-Isra:81]

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