# Books on Islam



## Mathetes (Jan 16, 2012)

I'd like to look more into Islam, should I need to defend the faith and dialog with Muslims. So I'm looking to see if anyone has any book recommendations in this regard. Anything is appreciated, from the beginner to the scholarly. Thanks in advance.


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## Christopher88 (Jan 16, 2012)

Breaking the Islam Code :JD Grear
(Great book for an introduction and heart felt)
Answering Islam Normal :Giesler
(Apologetic with great knowledge)

Muslims Christians and Jesus: Meder

(Heart felt)


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## Rufus (Jan 16, 2012)

The Quran . 

Also Ligonier ministires did a series called "The Dark side of Islam".


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## Mathetes (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions! I also see quite a few books by Ibn Warraq...I think he's not a Christian, but his books still look like they could be useful. Thoughts?


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## Rufus (Jan 16, 2012)

Mathetes said:


> Thanks for the suggestions! I also see quite a few books by Ibn Warraq...I think he's not a Christian, but his books still look like they could be useful. Thoughts?



Wikipedia say's Ibn Warraq is an agnostic. If I were you I'd also look into some books that give a balanced view of Islam and Islamic culture, or books that don't criticize Islam using al-Qaeda and the Taliban as a prime example, because most Muslims, while not particularly liking the West, do not support al-Qaeda either.


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## JohnGill (Jan 16, 2012)

Mathetes said:


> I'd like to look more into Islam, should I need to defend the faith and dialog with Muslims. So I'm looking to see if anyone has any book recommendations in this regard. Anything is appreciated, from the beginner to the scholarly. Thanks in advance.



The Generous Quran

The company that sells it sell other materials to help Christians evangelize Muslims. Here's his website: The Straight Way Ministry Home Page


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## Sviata Nich (Jan 16, 2012)

The Great Arab Conquest by Hugh Kennedy is a history of the rise of Islam. 

Some books by Phil Parshall:
Lifting the Veil: The World of Muslim Women 
Muslim Evangelism
Understanding Muslim Traditions and Teachings (focus's on the Hadith) 
The Cross and the Crescent 

If you want to read some novels that help (to some degree) understand Islam and Muslim culture: I'd recommend The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, Born Under a Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield, and The Swallows of Kabul (I forget the author). 

Some interesting biographies that give some insight are; I Shall Not Hate, Son of Hammas (son of one of the leaders converts to Christianity), Prisoner of Tehran, or Jumping through Fires.


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## Mathetes (Jan 16, 2012)

Sviata Nich said:


> The Great Arab Conquest by Hugh Kennedy is a history of the rise of Islam.
> 
> Some books by Phil Parshall:
> Lifting the Veil: The World of Muslim Women
> ...



Yes, thanks for this. I actually picked up "Muslim Evangelism" at my Church bookstore on Sunday but since I had never heard of the author before, I wondered if it would be worth it to follow up with his other books.


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## Covenant Joel (Jan 16, 2012)

Fresh Vision for the Muslim World is helpful, though you may find things you disagree with. Similarly, a deeper one is The Prophet and the Messiah by Moucarry.


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## Mathetes (Jan 16, 2012)

Covenant Joel said:


> Fresh Vision for the Muslim World is helpful, though you may find things you disagree with.



Like what?


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## O'GodHowGreatThouArt (Jan 16, 2012)

Dig up a few books on Islamic history as well. Most Muslims know their religious history better than most Americans know their family trees, and is a significant component in the early days of Islam.


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## Pergamum (Jan 16, 2012)

NOTE:

If you read the Qur'an, read it chronologically (you can google this to get lists). And, I would suggest reading it only after (or at the same time) as reading Ali Dashti's very excellent book, _23 Years: The life of the prophet_, which can be found on Amazon.



Amazon.com: Twenty Three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad (9781568590295): Ali Dashti, F. R. C. Bagley, F.R.C. Bagley: Books


Geisler's Answering Islam is also an excellent first book.

Also, realize that most islam, like most Christianity, is nominal and so a good book on "Folk Islam" is needed, such as: Muslims, Magic and the Kingdom of God, by Rick Love:

Amazon.com: Muslims, Magic and the Kingdom of God: Church Planting Among Folk Muslims (9780878084432): Rick Love: Books

A preview of this book can be found on googlebooks.


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## RobertPGH1981 (Jan 16, 2012)

I was going to go on a short term missions trip to Syria before it broke out in civil war. One of the requirements was to read a book titled, "Breaking the Islam Code" by J.D. Greear. It was practical and informative as it drew from a missionaries experiences. 

Here is a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Islam-Code-Understanding-Questions/dp/0736926380/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326767973&sr=8-1


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## scottmaciver (Jan 17, 2012)

Here's a good book written by a former Muslim:
Your Questions Answered: A Reply to Muslim Friends - Reformation Heritage Books

Also here's the link to his own website, World of Hope Ministries:
Christian Literature Catalogue


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## FenderPriest (Jan 17, 2012)

I'd take a look at this small book: The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence by Thabiti Anyabwile (written by a former Muslim who's now a pastor).

Also, take a look at these books: WTSBooks search "Islam".


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## GulfCoast Presbyterian (Jan 17, 2012)

Although its not out yet, James White is writing a book due out this year. His debates with muslims may be of some benefit, as well. See aomin.org.


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## AThornquist (Jan 17, 2012)

GulfCoast Presbyterian said:


> Although its not out yet, James White is writing a book due out this year. His debates with muslims may be of some benefit, as well. See aomin.org.



White has become quite a scholar of Islam over the last few years; I'm excited for his new book. For his apologetics class, he required _Understanding the Koran_ by Mateen Elass.


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## louis_jp (Jan 17, 2012)

I've had this book on my list, because it sounds good, although I haven't read it and so can't personally vouch for it:

http://www.amazon.com/Christ-Islam-Christianity-Neal-Robinson/dp/0791405583


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## Rufus (Jan 17, 2012)

O'GodHowGreatThouArt said:


> Dig up a few books on Islamic history as well. Most Muslims know their religious history better than most Americans know their family trees, and is a significant component in the early days of Islam.



Most Muslims know more, despite being misguided in many aspects, about Christianity than most confessing "Christians".


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## Covenant Joel (Jan 17, 2012)

Mathetes said:


> Covenant Joel said:
> 
> 
> > Fresh Vision for the Muslim World is helpful, though you may find things you disagree with.
> ...



It's been a little while since I read it, but he takes a fairly transformationalist view of the Christ and culture question, and he applies that to work with Muslims. You may completely agree with that, or you may disagree. But the work is definitely worth reading closely, as it will give a lot of helpful background info as well as challenge you to think about how to work with Muslims.

Review here: http://joelws.com/2010/12/fresh-vision-for-the-muslim-world-by-mike-kuhn/
Review of the Moucarry book here: http://joelws.com/2010/06/the-prophet-and-the-messiah-by-chawkat-moucarry/


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## JohnGill (Jan 17, 2012)

You could also download the debate Dr. Greg Bahnsen had with a muslim from cmfnow.com. I would also download his Practical Apologetics series. It provides quite a bit of information for the apologetic encounter.


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## jwithnell (Jan 17, 2012)

Caner, Emir Fethi, and Ergun Mehmet Caner. Unveiling Islam. Grand Rapids, Mich: Kregel Publications, 2002.
and
McDowell, Bruce A., and Anees Zaka. Muslims and Christians at the Table. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishers, 1999.

The first is particularly interesting because the authors converted from Islam to Christianity. It should not be confused with similarly entitled works on Muslim women.


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## AThornquist (Jan 17, 2012)

jwithnell said:


> Caner, Emir Fethi, and Ergun Mehmet Caner. Unveiling Islam. Grand Rapids, Mich: Kregel Publications, 2002.http://www.puritanboard.com/f34/books-islam-72247/
> and
> McDowell, Bruce A., and Anees Zaka. Muslims and Christians at the Table. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishers, 1999.
> 
> The first is particularly interesting because the authors converted from Islam to Christianity. It should not be confused with similarly entitled works on Muslim women.




The first book, by the Caners, makes fundamental mistakes in reference to Islam. And further, I would _never,_
*EVER* want to mention to a Muslim that I read a book from the Caners regarding Islam. They are a stench in the nostrils of Muslims today because of their lies about their personal histories in Islam and their falsified credentials to debate Muslims.

Here's a link to Ergun Caner's timeline, revealing the nature of his lies over the years and why many Muslims mock Christianity because of him. http://babyloniansquirrel.blogspot.com/2010/05/caner-file.html


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## JML (Jan 17, 2012)

on Caner. Wouldn't read anything of his.


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## GulfCoast Presbyterian (Jan 17, 2012)

A search of James White's site will totally destroy any credibility anyone would ever assign to the Caner brothers, especially Ergun.


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## Mathetes (Jan 17, 2012)

Yeah, I knew from the get-go that I wanted nothing to do with Caner's books. I may not know Islam, but I know dishonesty when I see it.


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