Islam 101: History, Beliefs, and Practices

The BBC called him “the world’s leading authority on contemporary Islam,” and the Saudi Gazette lauded him as “perhaps the most influential living authority on contemporary Muslim societies.” Now, you are invited to take Akbar Ahmed as your personal professor as you journey into the Islamic world. In these 12 captivating audio lectures, you'll explore the life of the Prophet of Islam as well as the Quran's five pillars, which govern the beliefs and behavior of Muslims everywhere. You’ll also find out how the incredible legacies of the great Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires still influence the Arab world, Iran, and South Asia while exploring Islam in other parts of the world. Additionally, you will examine in detail the Muslim struggle to preserve tradition in an age of globalization and ethnic and religious strife. Professor Ahmed explores all these issues with insight and sympathy, penetrating beyond stereotypes to the realities of Islamic life. Offering a message of hope and reconciliation between the Western and Islamic worlds, he leverages the power of dialogue to build bridges across ethnic, religious, and cultural divides. This is the thoughtful, comprehensive, extraordinarily well-taught course on Islam you’ve always wanted. Material in this program was adapted from four books by Dr. Ahmed, including Islam Today: A Short Introduction to the Muslim World (1999) and Discovering Islam (2002). This course is part of the Learn25 collection.