"For many people, Islam remains a mystery. Here Bernard Lewis and Buntzie Ellis Churchill examine Islam: what its adherents believe and how their religion has shaped them, their rich and diverse cultures, and their politics over more than 14 centuries."--Jacket.

The faith and the faithful --The pillars of the faith -- Scripture, tradition and law -- The mosque -- Diversity and tolerance -- Sunni, Shiʻa, and others -- Some history -- Government and opposition -- The wider world of Islam -- Islam and the economy -- Women in Islam -- Dress -- Language and writing -- War and peace -- Radical Islam.