The genius of Islam: Initiation to its foundations, its spirituality and its history, by Tariq Ramadan, Presses du châtelet

Not a day without anyone hearing about Islam. Immediately, it is a question of violence, terrorism, or even the status of women. And Muslims find themselves summoned to justify themselves on what their religion is not.
What it really is, society and the media offer little space to explain.

What it really is, society and the media offer little space to explain. Answering all questions, presenting to the reader the principles and spiritual references of Islam, its rituals, its history, its diversity, its evolution: such is the objective of this book.

What exactly does the Quran and hadith say? What are or should be the sharî'ah (the way) and the jihad (effort) . Why is Islam divided between Sunni, Shia and Ibadi ? What to think of the Salafist and literalist currents, as well as of “political Islam”? Are there really food, clothing or ethical prohibitions in Islam? What are the prescriptions and possible reforms in terms of education in morals, secularism, social justice, individual rights and freedoms, environmental protection?

Far from caricatures, this voyage of initiation to the diversity, to the richness, to the "genius" of Islam, but also to its unspoken, challenges and contradictions of Muslims, is not afraid to approach the subjects sensitive. It ends with a short glossary of the most common received ideas.

About the Author: Tariq Ramadan

Tariq Ramadan is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford and Director of the Center for Research in Islamic Legislation and Ethics. Among his many works: Islam , radical reform, My intimate conviction, Islam and the Arab awakening, Islam and Muslims, Introduction to Islamic ethics ( Presse du Châtelet, 2008 to 2015) .