Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0060631260, Paperback)

This third edition of the acclaimed New Encyclopedia of Islam comprehensively encompasses the beliefs, practices, history, and culture of the Islamic world in a single, accessible volume. Now extensively revised and updated with over 300 new entries, The New Encyclopedia of Islam describes all aspects of the religion, from its rituals, sects, and prayers to its political movements, social institutions, and spiritual and political leaders; from the art and architecture of Islam, to its history and ethnography; from its nations and states to its languages, science, and major centers of learning.

This unique single-volume work, now consisting of over 1400 entries, has been fully revised and contains a wide range of new entries covering the contemporary Islamic scene, including a substantial entry on the Taliban, plus information on many other organizations and movements that are critical to understanding Islam's role in today's religious and political conflicts.

Previous editions have won worldwide acclaim for their research, clarity and graceful style. This new edition also contains an extensively revised chronology spanning the entire history of Islam, from its origins through developments in the Muslim world today.