Listen free for 30 days
-
Great World Religions: Islam
- Narrated by: John L. Esposito
- Series: The Great Courses: Comparative & World Religion
- Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
- Categories: Religion & Spirituality, Islam
People who bought this also bought...
-
Introduction to the Qur’an
- By: Martyn Oliver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Martyn Oliver
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Often, much of what is misunderstood about Islam is the result of a lack of information - and some dangerous and prolific myths. To combat these myths and better understand the complex Islamic tradition, Dr. Martyn Oliver, a senior professorial lecturer at American University, presents 12 in-depth lectures to provide you with a multifaceted approach to Muhammad, Islam, and the revelation known today as the Qur'an.
-
-
Skips the contentious parts
- By mcfc on 02-08-20
-
The Dead Sea Scrolls
- By: Gary A. Rendsburg, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary A. Rendsburg
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether complete or only fragmentary, the 930 extant Dead Sea Scrolls irrevocably altered how we look at and understand the foundations of faith and religious practice. Now you can get a comprehensive introduction to this unique series of archaeological documents, and to scholars' evolving understanding of their authorship and significance, with these 24 lectures. Learn what the scrolls are, what they contain, and how the insights they offered into religious and ancient history came into focus.
-
-
Excellent: Much More Than The Dead Sea Scrolls
- By Jonathan on 29-03-15
-
Introduction to Judaism
- By: Shai Cherry, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Shai Cherry
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a religion, culture, and civilization, Judaism has evolved in surprising ways during its long and remarkable history. In this series of 24 lectures, Professor Cherry explores this rich religious heritage from biblical times to today. From the first lecture on the Torah to the last on the Jews as the Chosen People, this course is packed with truly fascinating information.
-
-
very good
- By LeliBug on 09-02-16
-
The New Testament
- By: Bart D. Ehrman, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether taken as a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings the world has ever known, its web of meaning relied upon by virtually every major writer in the last 2,000 years. Yet the New Testament is not only one of Western civilization’s most believed books, but also one of its most widely disputed, often maligned, and least clearly understood, with a vast number of people unaware of how it was written and transmitted.
-
-
Utterly Compelling
- By Jonathan on 23-11-14
-
The Pagan World
- Ancient Religions Before Christianity
- By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Hans-Friedrich Mueller
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity, you will meet the fascinating, ancient polytheistic peoples of the Mediterranean and beyond, their many gods and goddesses, and their public and private worship practices, as you come to appreciate the foundational role religion played in their lives. Professor Hans-Friedrich Mueller, of Union College in Schenectady, New York, makes this ancient world come alive in 24 lectures with captivating stories of intrigue, artifacts, illustrations, and detailed descriptions from primary sources of intriguing personalities.
-
-
Thoroughly Enjoyable and Informative
- By Kindle Customer on 26-05-20
-
The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis
- By: Louis Markos, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Louis Markos
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What can we still learn from C.S. Lewis? Find out in these 12 insightful lectures that cover the author's spiritual autobiography, novels, and his scholarly writings that reflect on pain and grief, love and friendship, prophecy and miracles, and education and mythology.
-
-
Outstanding lecture series!
- By Adisha on 26-02-21
-
Introduction to the Qur’an
- By: Martyn Oliver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Martyn Oliver
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Often, much of what is misunderstood about Islam is the result of a lack of information - and some dangerous and prolific myths. To combat these myths and better understand the complex Islamic tradition, Dr. Martyn Oliver, a senior professorial lecturer at American University, presents 12 in-depth lectures to provide you with a multifaceted approach to Muhammad, Islam, and the revelation known today as the Qur'an.
-
-
Skips the contentious parts
- By mcfc on 02-08-20
-
The Dead Sea Scrolls
- By: Gary A. Rendsburg, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary A. Rendsburg
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether complete or only fragmentary, the 930 extant Dead Sea Scrolls irrevocably altered how we look at and understand the foundations of faith and religious practice. Now you can get a comprehensive introduction to this unique series of archaeological documents, and to scholars' evolving understanding of their authorship and significance, with these 24 lectures. Learn what the scrolls are, what they contain, and how the insights they offered into religious and ancient history came into focus.
-
-
Excellent: Much More Than The Dead Sea Scrolls
- By Jonathan on 29-03-15
-
Introduction to Judaism
- By: Shai Cherry, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Shai Cherry
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a religion, culture, and civilization, Judaism has evolved in surprising ways during its long and remarkable history. In this series of 24 lectures, Professor Cherry explores this rich religious heritage from biblical times to today. From the first lecture on the Torah to the last on the Jews as the Chosen People, this course is packed with truly fascinating information.
-
-
very good
- By LeliBug on 09-02-16
-
The New Testament
- By: Bart D. Ehrman, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether taken as a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings the world has ever known, its web of meaning relied upon by virtually every major writer in the last 2,000 years. Yet the New Testament is not only one of Western civilization’s most believed books, but also one of its most widely disputed, often maligned, and least clearly understood, with a vast number of people unaware of how it was written and transmitted.
-
-
Utterly Compelling
- By Jonathan on 23-11-14
-
The Pagan World
- Ancient Religions Before Christianity
- By: Hans-Friedrich Mueller, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Hans-Friedrich Mueller
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity, you will meet the fascinating, ancient polytheistic peoples of the Mediterranean and beyond, their many gods and goddesses, and their public and private worship practices, as you come to appreciate the foundational role religion played in their lives. Professor Hans-Friedrich Mueller, of Union College in Schenectady, New York, makes this ancient world come alive in 24 lectures with captivating stories of intrigue, artifacts, illustrations, and detailed descriptions from primary sources of intriguing personalities.
-
-
Thoroughly Enjoyable and Informative
- By Kindle Customer on 26-05-20
-
The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis
- By: Louis Markos, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Louis Markos
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What can we still learn from C.S. Lewis? Find out in these 12 insightful lectures that cover the author's spiritual autobiography, novels, and his scholarly writings that reflect on pain and grief, love and friendship, prophecy and miracles, and education and mythology.
-
-
Outstanding lecture series!
- By Adisha on 26-02-21
-
Understanding the New Testament
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor David Brakke
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Join Professor David Brakke, an award-winning Professor of History at The Ohio State University, for Understanding the New Testament. In these 24 eye-opening lectures, he takes you behind the scenes to study not only the text of the New Testament, but also the authors and the world in which it was created. You will explore Jewish lives under Roman occupation, reflect on the apocalyptic mood of the first and second centuries AD, witness the early Christians’ evangelism beyond the Jewish communities, and witness the birth of a faith that continues to shape our world today.
-
The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
-
-
Spectacularly great history.
- By Johnny M on 19-06-14
-
The Rise of Communism: From Marx to Lenin
- By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How did communism become such a pervasive economic and political philosophy? Why did it first take root in early 20th-century Russia? These and other questions are part of a fascinating story whose drama has few equals in terms of sheer scale, scope, or human suffering and belief. These 12 lectures invite you to go inside communism’s journey from a collection of political and economic theories to a revolutionary movement that rocked the world.
-
-
Good straight forward history
- By Neil Green on 29-05-20
-
Understanding the Old Testament
- By: Professor Robert D. Miller II, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Robert D. Miller II
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Old Testament is one of the foundational texts of Western civilization, and is among the most impactful and widely read books in world history. In 24 enthralling lectures, Professor Miller guides you through a core selection of the major books of the Old Testament, inviting you to probe their meaning and relevance in incisive and thought-provoking commentary. In Understanding the Old Testament, you’ll take a revelatory look at this epically impactful document, finding its deeper historical and religious meanings, as well as its sublime literary treasures.
-
-
interesting and helpful, but I wanted more...
- By Alan Myers on 17-06-20
-
The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the
Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people. Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the
Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
-
-
Great Lecture Series
- By Naomi Skilling on 18-10-17
-
No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
- By: Robert C. Solomon, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert C. Solomon
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.
-
-
Excellent overview
- By Dave Kinsella on 03-03-16
-
The Real History of Secret Societies
- By: Professor Richard B. Spence, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Richard B. Spence
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to The Real History of Secret Societies, a historical look at the true-life groups which, if you believe the myths, are the unspoken power behind some of the world’s major turning points, from controlling the British crown to holding back the electric car and keeping Martians and Atlantis under wraps. Prepare yourself. In this course brought to you in partnership with HISTORY®, you will be visiting some of history’s deepest rabbit-holes, across centuries and continents, in search of secret societies in all their varieties.
-
-
Entertaining/Informative
- By j t connolly on 26-11-20
-
The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition
- By: Daniel N. Robinson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Daniel N. Robinson
- Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.
-
-
Well presented introduction to philosophy
- By White Eagle on 02-12-13
-
Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- By: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
-
-
Some useful lectures
- By Sina Madani on 27-03-18
-
Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- By: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
-
-
This covers it all
- By Amazon Customer on 07-07-14
-
The Story of Human Language
- By: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.
-
-
Groans from Taiwan
- By Jake Harrison on 18-04-20
-
The Foundations of Western Civilization
- By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble
- Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.
-
-
Loved it - I'll be ordering more
- By First Impressions on 21-09-16
Summary
How familiar are you with the world's second-largest and fastest-growing religion? In these 12 lectures, Professor Esposito guides you through the facts and myths surrounding Islam and its more than 1.2 billion adherents. Many in the West know little about the faith and are familiar only with the actions of a minority of radical extremists, but this lecture series will help you better understand Islam's role as both a religion and a way of life, and its deep impact on world affairs both historically and today.
What does the future hold for Islam and the West in the new century? How will it change under the influence of conservatives, reformers, and extremists? Moving from Muhammad to the present, from the 7th to the 21st centuries, you'll explore Muslim beliefs, practices, and history in the context of its significance and impact on Muslim life and society through the ages, as well as world events today. Topics you'll cover include the life and legacy of the prophet Muhammad; the nature and true meaning of jihad; the Muslim beliefs about other faiths such as Judaism and Christianity; Islamic contributions to mathematics, science, and art; the intricate relationship between Islam, modernization, capitalism, and democracy; and much more.Professor Esposito takes a closer look at the historical development of two great Islamic institutions: Islamic law and Islamic mysticism. And he examines the worldwide "struggle for the soul of Islam" occurring today between conservatives and reformers, mainstream Muslims and extremists.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
What listeners say about Great World Religions: Islam
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Matt
- 20-08-13
Highly compressed scholarship
This is the first "Great Courses" audiobook I've listened to and I have to say that I'm very impressed. I know quite a lot about Islam and religion in general and I was dubious about how much I would really learn from such a short course. However, I have been very pleasantly surprised! Prof. Esposito packs an enormous amount into each 30min lecture but does so with such enthusiasm and precision that you never feel that you're drowning.
The great strength of this course is its holistic approach. I knew a lot of the content before but I had never heard it presented with such an emphasis on context and the historical development of Islam. In Prof. Esposito's hands, familiar facts and concepts develop new significance as he shows how the pieces fit together to create the whole; I can think of no higher praise for a teacher.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dr Iqbal Hussain
- 06-01-16
Great introduction to this topic
I found this audiobook of tremendous value.The author has good grasp of the subject matter and presents it in a very interesting manner.It should be useful to anyone who wants to understand Islam both in a historical and contemporary context.Many myths about Islam are laid to rest and the fact that the three Abrahamic faiths have much in common is emphasised. Recommended listening!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- papapownall
- 08-07-19
General intro to Islam is muddled and confused
The most startling aspect of this course is that it is so short. At just over 6 hours this is a lot to cram in, particularly as the Professor tried to cover so much ground. In the first three minutes of lecture one he has already mentioned Islamic extremists, treatment of women in some Islamic societies and conflicts with the West. There is, quite frankly, no need for these diversions in what is su8pposed to be an academic introduction to Islam. This was written and recorded two years after 9/11 and it shows. It seems that Professor Esposito is keen to explain to his, predominantly American, audience what leads individuals to acts of terror and throughout he is easily side tracked from the main task here which is to provide a general introduction to the world's fastest growing and second most popular religion.
Great Courses guides to other world religions are more comprehensive. For example Professor Eckles' course on Buddhism at 24 lectures is twice the length of this. If Professor Esposito had stuck to the script and delivered a straightforward introduction to Islam without trying to explain its political significance he make have stood a chance of getting this across in around 6 hours but as it is, this comes over as being muddled and confused.
I am disappointed by this particular course and would have expected better from the Great Courses series.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dave
- 12-12-18
Wanted more!
I’ve listened to a lot of the Great Courses series on religion and history and while there is a lot on Judaism and Christianity, there’s hardly anything (comparitively) on Islam. I felt I learned a lot and really hope more lectures follow, there’s so much more to explore. I did feel the narrator’s bias just a few times which I’ve not noticed in other lectures in this series, I wish the chapter on women and Islam spoke more to what the Quran actually states rather than interpretation, though interpretation is clearly important, I wanted more from the text itself. Overall, very informative and I hope for more!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Edward Longford
- 07-08-18
Pathetically over simplification
Introduction to Judaism 12 hours
The New Testament 12 hours
Islam 6 - shows level of detail!
Uncritical retelling of the Sunni version of Islam. when dealing with the history of religion, it's fundamental principles and beliefs it should be worth noting the differences and issues with this account and the other main branches of its own faith! 2 hours in and no mention of Ali (the founder of Shia Islam). Very disappointing when compared to the introductions above. Spends more time saying Islam is not terrorism (shock horror!!!) than actually exploring and unpacking the faith, the doctrinal differences. I have become one of those people when I say "you wouldn't write something so unacidemic about ANY other religion". Defiantly not university level text
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Daniel Toye
- 13-10-18
Repetitive and apologetic
Would have liked more about what the Koran actually says! Virtually nothing on this. I think a run down of the Koran and Sharia would have laid good foundations for the political discussions later in the book.
As the lectures go on, the professor emphasises that Islam has varying strains of belief and practice but he labours the point. He seems to be trying to convince a Western reader that Islam is not that bad - assuming that the listener needs corrected on their bias and assuming that it's his job to do it.
On this mission of cross cultural bridge-building he treats lightly anything that might draw the reader to the opposite conclusion. We therefore hear nothing about beheadings and amputations. There is a passing reference only. I think he should have more faith in his audience's ability to assimilate all the conflicting information to come to a balanced point of view.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
- phil
- 25-01-21
Respectful basic overview.
I'm not a Muslim so I'm not qualified to say but I believe this course to be respectful of Islam's truth claims and culture. It appears balanced and I don't recall the lecturer making any attempt to undermine religious with skepticism. Nor does he assert them. Rather he describes what they are and on occasion how they transformed the claims of the prior polytheism. The greatest downside for me is it's a bit basic but this is also one of it's greatest strengths as an introduction.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- jason kyle
- 17-01-20
terrible!
narrator talks at 100 miles per hr. sounds more like a lecture! hated it and deleting after chapter 1.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rahila Anwar
- 01-12-19
a great read
A brilliant narrative- very factual and to the point. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I will highly recommend it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- linda
- 16-03-18
Very enlightening
I have listened to this wonderful series of lectures with such wonder it has been a revelation of a profound nature. I feel that I understand so much more. Thank you Professor Esposito
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Richard C.
- 18-06-15
Introduction with depth and without bias
I was cautious at first, given that a shallow, slanted view trends to sell better than a more nuanced look; especially given the current political climate.
I was quickly, pleasantly surprised by the quality of these lectures. Mr. Esposito provides a wonderful introduction to Islam, customs, and mainstream thought while giving historical and comparative analysis. Mr. Esposito also addresses extremism, it's relation/separation to the mainstream and gives context for verses (taken out of context) commonly used to justify extremism. Mr. Esposito them goes even further to explain how extremists are actually in violation of Islam.
Throughout, Mr. Esposito gives references and points to exact instances to support the material. Thus, he avoids the all too common trap of, "trust me, I have a title. "
I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning more about Islam, whether they were new to the topic or well versed. Mr. Esposito uses an academic approach, so if you are expecting proscletizing you will be disappointed. But, if you have a genuine curiosity, you will not be disappointed.
18 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Garrett
- 01-07-15
Disappointing
This course is actually a series of essays read aloud by the professor, with no attempt to make them into lectures. As a result, the monotonous pacing and complex sentence structure make it almost impossible to listen attentively. This is the first Great Course I've e we found to be so poorly done.
18 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Claire
- 31-03-15
Good Info, Less than I Wanted, AWFUL LECTURER
The information was good and respectful, and was presented well. I did learn stuff about Islam.
I'd been hoping for a LOT more detail, but that's largely my own fault for failing to notice that it was only a 6h course, as opposed to the 21h course I'd last purchased. Lesson learned!
But he was SO HARD to listen to! So many long random pauses! I listened to most of the course on 1.5x, and all was much improved, but there was still the occasional odd too-long pause. Even at 2x his speech patterns were distracting!
If I were to do this again, I'd look for the same lecturer's book on Audible, which looks to contain much of the same content, but is narrated by someone else.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- URI
- 03-02-15
A VERY brief introduction to the subject
A fan of the Great Courses, I usually enjoy the wealth of information I can get from a single title. This title, however, was way too short. There was only one chapter (30 min) for example, about Muhammad and I cannot tell anything about the Koran from this lecture- it's structure, message, the famous comexities and paradoxes and the like.
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Sammy Aziz
- 27-03-17
Muslim review of the course
If you could sum up Great World Religions: Islam in three words, what would they be?
Accurate, fair, best
Would you be willing to try another book from The Great Courses and John L. Esposito ? Why or why not?
Yes because its the best out there.
Any additional comments?
I found the first 2 videos to be fair and truthful. John Esposito does an excellent job of explaining the religion, the diversity of the religion and the 5 pillars. He brings in the concept of Jihad masterfully at the end of the second video.
The only complaints which were really small mistakes were around the 38 second mark in the first video in which he stated that some Muslim nations ban women from driving along with other issues. The reality is only Saudi Arabia bans women from driving which Professor Esposito is cited stating on politifact. At the 11:31 mark he states that Zakat is paid in Ramadan. Zakat is actually paid 1 year from when one meets the nisab (minimum requirement of savings to be required to pay zakat). Around 22:40 mar of the first lecture Esposito states that Islam had mainly male scholars and was patriarchal. Fine but Women Muslim Scholars vastly outnumbered Christian/Jewish women scholars which were much more patriarchal. Its very important to contextualize. We cannot compare modern day Islam to modern day Christianity/Judaism. Many modern Muslim nations are less than 60 years old and Islam is 600 years younger than Christianity. However the first 1200 years of Islam, Islam was well ahead in women rights only to be surpassed in 1970 with voting, credit card and inheritance rights. In some ways Islam still stands on the moral high ground with a marriage gift, requirements of men to provide for women, requirement of men to attend religious services but not women and more. Always contextualize!!
I gave this 4 stars because it is in my opinion one of the best videos on Islam out there today that I know of. Common Ground Institute & Services is planning to release similar videos by Muslim scholars for the public. I would recommend the following scholars on You Tube for further knowledge on Islam:
-Hamza Yusuf
-Yasir Qadhi
-Omer Suleiman
-Tariq Ramadan
-Abdul Hakim Murad
Thank you
Sami Aziz
Muslim Chaplain for Wesleyan University
Hartford Seminary Masters in Muslim-Christian Relations
17 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Juan
- 10-02-15
Good Material... But...
The class is interesting, and it touches various topics of interest such as the role of women within Islam, or the future of the Islam. BUT, I was hoping for a deeper explanation of the doctrine itself.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- SAMA
- 03-12-13
As a Muslim, this is fairly accurate
As a Muslim, I wanted to understand how Islam is being presented to non-Muslims in an academic way. This is fairly accurate on the fundamentals, but there were several points I would have wanted to correct the professor at, especially in the second half of the course.
35 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- T. Brehm
- 07-03-17
A few hours of why 'No true Muslim' is a terrorist
I wanted a history or theology 'course', not 9 hours of poorly justified harangues about the nature of 'true' Islam, where minorities doing really bad stuff are called extremists, and minorities doing good (by Western standards) are held up as examples of how good Islam is as a religion.
The entire series of lectures is rife with similar logic issues, from the early claim that Islam is an Abrahamic religion because it co-opted some of the tenets and history (rather than grew out of an existing Judaic tradition) to the later claim that almost all conceptions of negative aspects of Islam aren't really part of Islam because there's a group of practitioners who doesn't follow that aspect.
I didn't go in looking for an Islam bashing session, or reasons to hate Islam, but I was hoping for a more honest approach. This definitely wasn't one. It is 100% from the perspective that Islam is a wonderful religion, and any problems it has integrating with the modern world are due to the world, or minor subgroups barely worthy of any discussion or consideration except to talk about how they are polluting the 'true' meaning of Islam.
Admittedly this is a very short overview course, and there's not enough time to cover everything. The lecture on the 5 pillars was interesting, but wasn't tied to much historical context.
The discussion of the hijab was a particularly good discussion, although in the end felt a little unconvincing. Certainly there are freer societies where women choose to wear a headscarf as a means of expressing religious identity and opting out of an appearance driven culture. Tying that 1 to 1 in with the treatment of women in conservative dominated societies is a false comparison that does more harm that good to the Islamic cause.
At the end of the day, anything as nebulous and porous as religion needs to be considered from the point of view of the preponderance of its practitioners, and trying to define the 'true' version of a religion is rather meaningless, especially when going on about it comes at the expense of time that could be spent discussion the actual history or theologies of various sub groups.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Adam
- 14-07-14
Beginning to Understand
Would you consider the audio edition of Great World Religions: Islam to be better than the print version?
Not applicable.
Who was your favorite character and why?
No characters. It's a lecture series.
Have you listened to any of Professor John L. Esposito’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I haven't but he was engaging.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Not possible.
Any additional comments?
I have a Christian background and didn't understand this third member of the Abrahamic tradition. There is a lot of information and you will begin to understand not only the divergence from Judaism and Christianity but the split between Sunni and Shia. I recommend it with caution because you will know that you understand more but also that a mountain of information is still out there.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Alexander
- 14-04-17
Maybe I wanted too much
I got this course so I could understand more about Islamic cultures today. The ideas that people and thought leaders accept are what drives the creation of a certain kind of culture. The professor never seemed to focus in on how Islamic ideas and practices give rise to the kind of cultures we see today. For example, how does institutionalizing the Pillars of Islam in a society affect the relationship of government and citizen or how the idea of freedom is conceptualized in an Islamic world view. I found it very difficult to use the information in this course to compare to my current thoughts in this area.
1 person found this helpful