"Kingdom of Islam, is a solid work that lays out the rich, complex history not only of Islam but the development of its core theology. It's not just for students of religion and history, though. Get your copy, read it, and you'll come away with a deeper understanding of Islam and those who practice it." - J.J. Hebert, USA Today bestselling author
For more than fourteen centuries, Islam has been seen primarily as a religion. This book provides a new framework for understanding Islam. Employing the technique used by the earliest Muslim exegetes, focusing on correctly interpreting key theological terminology in the Qur'an, brings a new theory of Muhammad's message and his mission. Through meticulous scholarship, it traces the earliest history of Islam and highlights the importance of Iman, the belief in God, and its relationship to the Din, the kingdom of God.
A careful examination of terms like 'Muslim, ' 'Mu'min, ' 'Millah, ' 'dhimmi, ' kafir, and 'People of the Book' from the Qur'an itself and the hadiths sheds fresh light on how they were interpreted in their historical context, as well as what that means for Islam today. We see Muhammad's tireless efforts to consolidate the Kingdom of God, ensure its stability, and make it a model for all nations to follow. There is also a thoughtful investigation of how 'jihad' changed from spreading the lofty principles of the kingdom of Islam, including justice and freedom of religion, to other nations to spreading the religion of the Prophet Muhammad by oppression and violence.
Islam is the second-largest religion in the world, with almost two billion adherents, so it's crucial to understand its tenets. The Kingdom of Islam: The Origins of Islam will help Muslims appreciate the richness of their faith and traditions as well as engaging and informing non-Muslims.
Ahmed El Ghawaby has an engineering background with a keen eye for details and a gift for logical analysis. He is a businessman who is open-minded to learning and ideas. These skills were added to his Islamic upbringing and applied to Islamic academic studies, which resulted in a new vision of traditional Islamic concepts and legacies. This is his first book.