Islam in Five Minutes

Forthcoming, 2026

Part of the widely used and highly regarded Religion in 5 Minutes series, this book provides an accessible and lively introduction to questions about Islam, Muslims, their discourses and practices. Suitable for beginning students and the general reader, the book offers more than 60 brief essays on a wide range of fascinating questions about Islam and its study, such as:

Is Islam a religion or a political ideology?
Why should we study Islam?
What was Muhammad like and why does that matter?
How did Islam spread?
Did Muhammad appoint a successor?
When was the Qur’an standardized?
What are Hadith and are Hadith historical records?
Is Islam and the Qur’an compatible with science?
Do Muslims believe in the God of Christianity?
Are Sufis Muslim?
Can you be Shi’i and Sufi?
Can you be a non-Muslim and a Sufi?
What is the sharia?
How is sharia different from common law?
What is the ultimate purpose or goal of Islam?

Each essay is written by a leading authority and offers succinct, insightful answers along with suggestions for further reading, making the book an ideal starting point for classroom use or personal browsing.