Life in the medieval Muslim World: Faith

One of several books on Muslim life during the medieval times, this book by Kathryn Hinds looks at the how the Muslim faith was founded and then practiced during the medieval period in history.  While not a particularly fun book, it is very interesting and provides a basic description of Mohammad, his visitation from Allah, the work he did to bring together many of the smaller tribes and forge a strong cohesive group while he was alive. 

chapters in the book cover areas such as the Prophets life, the hows and whys of Mosques, clear explanations of the creation and expansion of the Qu'ran and the divisions of the different sects of the Islamic religion that we now have on earth.

Mohammad did not preach hate and war as many people thing these days, rather he worked hard to change traditions of fighting, stealing and butchery into a more tolerant tradition.  He also received revelation from Allah regarding the rights of women which had here to fore been absolutely zero.   Unfortunately for Mohammad, not everyone saw things his way or wanted to convert to Islam.  This lead to fights and problems, including his exodus from Mecca with most of his supporters.  

Mosques are also covered in the book and everyone can learn something from what is presented.  Mosques have several different divisions within them and a few are considered very holy.  But unlike some churches or religions, Mosques do not have to be identical providing options for individuality to fit each area or region.  Mosques are places of worship but also places for teaching, gathering together for discussions on anything and a place for the poor to come and seek assistance from others.  

Another chapter covers the Five Pillars of Islam.  These five rules are the fundamentals of the Islamic religion and are not really any different than what many Christians believe.  In not particular order, the 5 pillars include: helping others, putting God/Allah first above all else, daily prayers, a pilgrimage to Mecca and purification through fasting (especially during the month of Ramadan).

Overall, this book provides a great basic understanding of a religion that most people hear about but don't honestly KNOW much about.  It is probably not a book that most tweens would just pick up, but as they study other cultures and peoples, this selection would be a wonderful addition to any course.

Age Range: 10 to 14

Hinds, K. (2008). Faith (Life in the Medieval Muslim World) (1 ed.). New York: Benchmark Books (Ny).