Christian book about Islam and Muslims?

[RevLogos]

Yeah, you should really just read the Koran. Primary sources are always best. Better than message board posts, anyway.

I agree. For me the key was to study Islam as it is taught by Muslims, for Muslims. Avoid anything meant for the consumption of non-Muslims, whoever wrote it, until you have a solid handle on it.

There are multiple Korans on-line if you want to go that route. I recommend reading it with Tafsir ("commentary"). Tafsir Ibn Kathir is well respected among Muslims, and available on-line.

Personally, I found reading the Koran spiritually draining. I couldn't read too much at a time. I ended up reading through Sura 9, and some bits and pieces after that. It gets repetitive. Because the Suras are organized from longest to shortest, that's almost half of it. It was enough.

In my opinion, David Taylor has provided a very good and fair summary.

[bengtang]

Reading the Koran will no more give you an insight into Islam than reading the Bible will help a non-Christian know about Christianity. The book, and the practice of religion by people, are different things. All Christians read the Bible (including some who those here would not call Christians) yet they have so many differing beliefs and practices.

For a good book for Christians about Islam, try "Faith to Faith", also etntitled "The Prophet and the Messiah", by Chowkat Moucarry, a Syrian Arab Christian. It gives you a good overview of Islam as practiced by Muslims, and the different sects and denominations of Islam.