The following lists have been compiled by the Middle East Fellowship. It can be used on other websites or within other published materials as long as Middle East Fellowship is credited and a link is included to our homepage.
There are many ways to get your hands on these materials. You may want to see if your local library has an interlibrary loan program, which would allow you to check out any of the following books even if they are out of print and not on your own library's shelves. Many of these books are still in print and available for purchase on Amazon.com, Alibris.com, and at other book retailers.
If you have any trouble locating a copy of one of the resources listed below, please contact info@middleeastfellowship.org for assistance.
History of the Arab Peoples
by Albert Hourani, ISBN: 0446393924 (Purchase this Book)
The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom
by Sandra Mackey, ISBN: 0393324176 (Purchase this Book)
Crusades Through Arab Eyes
by Amin Maalouf, ISBN: 0805208984 (Purchase this Book)
The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East
by Avraham Sela, ASIN: 0826410537 (Purchase this Book)
The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation
by Sandra Mackey, ISBN: 0452275636 (Purchase this Book)
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
by Azar Nafsi, ISBN: 081297106X (Purchase this Book)', '
The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation
by Sandra Mackey, ISBN: 0452275636 (Purchase this Book)
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
by Azar Nafsi, ISBN: 081297106X (Purchase this Book)
All the Shah''s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror
by Stephen Kinzer, ISBN: 0471265179 (Purchase this Book)
Close up: Iranian Cinema, Past, Present and Future
by Hamid Dabashi, ISBN: 1859843328 (Purchase this Book)
The New Iranian Cinema: Politics, Representation and Identity
Edited by Richard Tapper, ISBN: 186064804 (Purchase this Book)
From the book description: "Iranian cinema is today widely recognized not merely as a distinctive national cinema, but as one of the most innovative in the world. This international stature both fascinates Western observers and appears paradoxical in line with perceptions of Iran as anti-modern. The largely Iranian contributors to this book look in depth at how Iranian cinema became a true ''world cinema''. From a range of perspectives, they explore cinema''s development in post Revolution Iran and its place in Iranian culture."
The Shi''is of Iraq
by Yitzhak Nakash, ISBN: 0691115753 (Purchase this Book)
Though this book is intensely academic and not meant for the casual reader, its focus is an important one. Almost all major studies of Shi''ism in the West have centered around Iran, but Mr. Nakash traces the history of the Shi''is in Iraq, who bear some differences from their Iranian brethern and certainly developed religiously, politically and socially in a different context. Iraq is also the area hosting most of Shi''is major holy sites. Again, the book is a bit dense and not an easy read.
The Shi''is of Iraq
by Yitzhak Nakash, ISBN: 0691115753 (Purchase this Book)
Though this book is intensely academic and not meant for the casual reader, its focus is an important one. Almost all major studies of Shi''ism in the West have centered around Iran, but Mr. Nakash traces the history of the Shi''is in Iraq, who bear some differences from their Iranian brethern and certainly developed religiously, politically and socially in a different context. Iraq is also the area hosting most of Shi''is major holy sites. Again, the book is a bit dense and not an easy read.
The Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein
by Sandra Mackey, ISBN: 0393324281 (Purchase this Book)
Inventing Iraq: The Failure of Nation Building and a History Denied
by Toby Dodge, ISBN: 0231131666 (Purchase this Book)
Salam Pax: The Clandestine Diary of an Ordinary Iraqi
by Salam Pax, ISBN: 0802140440 (Purchase this Book)
The Iraq War Reader
Edited by Micah L. Sifry and Christopher Cerf, ISBN: 0743253477 (Purchase this Book)
The Iraq War Reader contains over 600 pages of documents, op-ed pieces, letters, articles and public statements relating to George W. Bush''s war against Iraq. Regardless of your political position concerning the invasion and subsequent occupation (or "liberation") of Iraq, this book will serve as an invaluable resource. Contains articles and statements by: Fouad Ajami, Noam Chomsky, George W. Bush, Al Gore, Arianna Huffington, Edward Said, Condolezza Rice, Saddam Hussein, Thomas Friedman, Richard Butler and more. Essential for researchers and students interested in studying the build-up to the invasion of Iraq through a myriad of perspectives.
by Mark Tessler, ISBN: 0253358485 (Purchase this Book)
In this 761 page history (with an additional 100 pages of notes), Mark Tessler offers one of the most comprehensive introductions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict available in print. Extremely balanced and meticulously detailed, Tessler's book is also highly readable. The 761 pages may seem daunting, but for those who are committed to learning more about the history and context of the current political conflict, this one of the clearest and most articulate accounts available.
Image and Reality of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
by Norman G. Finkelstein, ISBN: 1859844421 (Purchase this Book)
I Saw Ramallah
by Mourid Barghouti, ISBN: 1400032660 (Purchase this book)
Blood Brothers
by Father Elias Chacour, ISBN: 0800793218 (Purchase this Book)
We Belong to the Land: The Story of a Palestinian-Israeli Who Lives for Peace and Reconciliation
by Father Elias Chacour, ISBN: 0268019630 (Purchase this Book)
A Captiviting bestseller that anaylsis the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the perspective of Father Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Christian.
The Yellow Wind
by David Grossman, ISBN: 0312420986 (Purchase this Book)
Bethlehem Besieged: Stories of Desperation and Hope from the Holy Land
by Mitri Raheb, ISBN: 0800636538 (Purchase this Book)
from the book description: "Raheb's powerful collection of compelling personal stories--stories of desperation and hope in the midst of lethal conflict--brings the Palestinian/Israeli conflict up close and personal. Raheb's lifelong commitment to his people has kept him in the legendary birthplace of Christianity, even as it has become a flashpoint in the world's most volatile and hate-filled conflict."
Palestine
by Joe Sacco, ISBN: 156097432X Purchase this Book
Joe Sacco, a graphic artist and journalist, presents one of the most compelling and personal introductions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his graphic novel Palestine. The story revolves around Mr. Sacco's own journey to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Though this is not a great introduction to the history of the conflict, it is a perfect introduction to the personal realities of the occupation. Sacco "interviews" many Israelis and Palestinians and gains insights from each. Highly recommended.
This Side of Peace
by Hanan Ashrawi, ISBN: 068482342X (Purchase this Book)
from the book jacket: "As the spokesperson for the Palestinians and the Occupied Territories, Hanan Mikhail Ashrawi has become the most recognized and most articulate voice of the struggle. The world turns to her to make sense of the often conflicting attempts at peace in the Middle East as much for her clarity and vision as for her action and experience. In this revealing, candid, and important account, Hanan Ashrawi tells of her struggles as a Christian Arab in a Muslim, male-dominated world, torn between motherhood and a causel as a Palestinian in Israeli-held territory; and as pivotal peacemaker in the most monumental negotiations of our lifetime."
Arafat: From Defender to Dictator
by Said K. Aburish, ISBN: 1582340498 (Purchase this Book)
Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths
by Karen Armstrong, ISBN: 0345391683 (Purchase this Book)
Anxious for Armageddon
by Donald E. Wagner, ISBN: 0836136519 (Purchase this Book)
From the book jacket: "A unique resource, Anxious for Armageddon both offers the fascinating account of Donald E. Wagner's personal involvement with the Middle East and calls Western Christians to work with Middle East Christians in healing the pain of Jews and Palestinians. Wagner grippingly tells of his early involvement with streams of Christianity that treat Israel's possession of the Holy Land as fulfillment of a divine plan that will result in the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon. And he shows how he came to see that any truly Christian response to Middle East tensions must include just treatment of Palestinians brutally mistreated to make Israel a home for the Jews-who were themselves reeling from the Holocaust." Highly recommended.
The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount
by Gershom Gorenberg, ISBN: 0195152050 (Purchase this Book)
A very frightening description by a leading Israeli journalist of Jewish, Islamic and Christian beliefs about the endtimes and the history of attempts by Christian and Jewish apocalyptic extremists to destroy the Dome of the Rock, the sacred Muslim shrine, in order to "force God" to bring his kingdom to Earth and to lay the ground work for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. Gorenburg argues that these extremists, though a fringe element, pose too big a threat to ignore.
Drinking the Sea at Gaza: Days and Nights in a Land Under Siege
by Amira Hass, ISBN: 0805057404 (Purchase this Book)
From the book description: "In 1993, amira hass, a young Israeli reporter, drove to Gaza to cover a story-and stayed, the first journalist to live in the grim Palestinian enclave so feared and despised by most Israelis that, in the local idiom, "Go to Gaza" is another way to say "Go to hell." Now, in a work of calm power and painful clarity, Hass reflects on what she has seen in Gaza's gutted streets and destitute refugee camps. Drinking the Sea at Gaza maps the zones of ordinary Palestinian life. From her friends, Hass learns the secrets of slipping across sealed borders and stealing through night streets emptied by curfews. She shares Gaza's early euphoria over the peace process and its subsequent despair as hope gives way to unrelenting hardship. But even as Hass charts the griefs and humiliations of the Palestinians, she offers a remarkable portrait of a people not brutalized but eloquent, spiritually resilient, bleakly funny, and morally courageous."
Breaking Ranks: Refusing to Serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
by Ronit Chacham, ISBN: 1590510992 (Purchase this Book)
From the book jacket: "In a series of moving and provocative conversations, nine members of the Israeli Defense Force tell why they disobeyed their commanders' orders to serve in the West Bank and Gaza. The 'refuseniks' describe their risky moral decision against the background of what is perhaps the most volatile conflict in the world today: the Israeli-Palestinian struggle."
Reporting from Ramallah: an Israeli Journalist in an Occupied Land
by Amira Hass, ISBN: 1584350199 (Purchase this Book)
from the book description: "More than any other journalist, Amira Hass has intimate knowledge of the experience of both Israelis and Palestinians. The daughter of concentration camp survivors, Hass has chosen to live in a Palestinian town to provide a firsthand description of what daily life is like for the population, in particular, how the Israeli army behaves and the effects of the army's presence. Writing for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz and other journals, Hass presents unsettling truths: As the Israeli government measures its success in Palestinian deaths, many Palestinians can chart their victory only in terms of the fear they can inspire. "The game is now who is more afraid, and who is less afraid of dying," Hass writes."
The Question of Palestine
by Edward Said, ISBN: 0679739882 (Purchase this Book)
Healing Israel/Palestine: A Path to Peace and Reconciliation
by Michael Lerner, ISBN: 1556434847(Purchase this Book)
A very balanced account of the underlying problems within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a Jewish perspective; advocating a "pro-Israel, pro-Palestine" approach. Rabbi Michael Lerner is the founder of Tikkun.
Faith and the Intifada: Palestinian Christian Voices
by Naim Ateek, ISBN: 0883448084 (Purchase this Book)
Blessed Are the Peacemakers: a Palestinian Christian in the Occupied West Bank
Audeh G Rantisi, Ralph K Beebe, ISBN: 0310525918 (Purchase this Book)
Jerusalem: What Makes for Peace. A Palestinian Christian Contribution to Peacemaking
by Naim Ateek, Cedar Duaybis, Marla Schrader, ISBN: 1901764001 (Purchase this Book)
The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East
by Naomi Shihab Nye, ISBN: 0689851723 Purchase this Book
Reading level: Ages 4-8,
From the book description: "In this stirring anthology of sixty poems from the Middle East, honored anthologist Naomi Shihab Nye welcomes us to this lush, vivid world and beckons us to explore. Eloquent pieces from Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Iraq, and elsewhere open windows into the hearts and souls of people we usually meet only on the nightly news. What we see when we look through these windows is the love of family, friends, and for the Earth, the daily occurrences of life that touch us forever, the longing for a sense of place. What we learn is that beneath the veil of stereotypes, our human connections are stronger than our cultural differences."', '
The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East
by Naomi Shihab Nye, ISBN: 0689851723 Purchase this Book
Reading level: Ages 4-8,
From the book description: "In this stirring anthology of sixty poems from the Middle East, honored anthologist Naomi Shihab Nye welcomes us to this lush, vivid world and beckons us to explore. Eloquent pieces from Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Iraq, and elsewhere open windows into the hearts and souls of people we usually meet only on the nightly news. What we see when we look through these windows is the love of family, friends, and for the Earth, the daily occurrences of life that touch us forever, the longing for a sense of place. What we learn is that beneath the veil of stereotypes, our human connections are stronger than our cultural differences."
Sami and the Time of the Troubles
by Florence Parry Heide, Judith Heide Gilliland, ISBN: 0395720850 (Purchase this Book)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
A beautifully illustrated story about Sami, a young Lebanese living in war-torn Beirut. Without depicting any violent scenes or material inappropriate for children, the book manages to offer a compelling look at the world through Sami''s perspective, capturing his fears, his concerns and his hopes for the future.
Day of Ahmed''s Secret
by Florence H. Parry , Ted Lewin, ISBN: 0688140238 (Purchase this Book)
Reading level: Ages 6-9
From Publisher''s Weekly: In this admirable introduction to life in an alien culture, readers are whisked to the busy streets of Cairo--where young Ahmed is making his daily rounds on a donkey cart, delivering large canisters of butane gas. The city is presented through his eyes, and text and illustration work together in harmony to produce a sense of place so vivid that readers can almost hear the cry of vendors in the crowded marketplace and feel the heat rising from the streets. On this particular day, Ahmed carries a secret with him (he has learned to write his name in Arabic), one children will enjoy trying to guess. The authors have produced fluid prose, and Lewin''s sensitive, luminous watercolors hint at the mystery and timelessness of this exotic city.
Sitti''s Secrets
by Naomi Shihab Nye, Nancy Carpenter, ISBN: 0689817061 (Purchase this Book)
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
From the book jacket: "Mona''s grandmother, her Sitti, lives in a small Palestinian village on the other side of the earth. Once, Mona went to visit her. They couldn''t speak each other''s language, so they made up their own. They learned about each other''s worlds, and they discovered each other''s secrets. Then it was time for Mona to go back home, back to the other side of the earth. But even though there were millions of miles and millions of people between them, they remained true neighbors forever."
Thura''s Diary
by Thira al-Windawi, ISBN: 0670058866 (Purchase this Book)
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
From the book description: "Nineteen-year-old Thura al-Windawi kept a diary during the conflict in Iraq, saying that it was her way of "controlling the chaos." The diary, which documents the days leading up to the bombings, the war itself, and the lawless aftermath, puts a personal face on life in Baghdad. As Thura describes her life... she shows readers the many small details that illuminate the reality of war for Iraqi families, and especially for Iraqi children."
Habibi
by Naomi Shihab Nye, ISBN: 0689825234 (Purchase this Book)
Reading level: Ages 9-12
From the book description: "The day after Liyana got her first real kiss, her life changed forever. Not because of the kiss, but because it was the day her father announced that the family was moving from St. Louis all the way to Palestine. Though her father grew up there, Liyana knows very little about her family''s Arab heritage. Her grandmother and the rest of her relatives who live in the West Bank are strangers, and speak a language she can''t understand. It isn''t until she meets Omer that her homesickness fades. But Omer is Jewish, and their friendship is silently forbidden in this land. How can they make their families understand? And how can Liyana ever learn to call this place home?"
Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak
by Deborah Ellis, ISBN: 0888995547 (Purchase this Book)
Reading Level: Young Adult
From the book description: "Ellis turns her attention to the young people of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After visiting the region to conduct interviews, she presents their stories here in their own words. Twelve-year-old Nora, eleven-year-old Mohammad, and many others speak directly about their lives - which prove to be both ordinary and extraordinary: They argue with their siblings. They hate spinach. They have wishes for the future. Yet they have also seen their homes destroyed and families killed, and live amidst constant upheaval and violence. This simple, telling book allows young readers everywhere to see that the children caught in this conflict are just like them - but living far more difficult and dangerous lives. Without taking sides, it presents an unblinking portrait of children victimized by the endless struggle around them."
Who are the Christians of the Middle East?
by Betty Jane Bailey, J. Martin Bailey, ISBN: 0802810209 (Purchase this Book)
I am a Palestinian Christian
by Mitri Raheb, ISBN: 080062663X (Purchase this Book)
Bethlehem 2000
by Mitri Raheb, ISBN: 3930378213 (Purchase this Book)
Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation
by Naim Ateek, ISBN: 088344545X (Purchase this Book)
Christian Versus Muslim in Modern Egypt: The Century-Long Struggle for Coptic Equality
by S.S. Hasan, ISBN: 0195138686 (Purchase this Book)
The title of this book is partly deceiving. Although Hasan does delve into the issue of Islamic persecution of Copts in Egypt, the focus of the book is primarily the "Sunday School Movement" a Coptic revival in which many reforms were enacted by the Egyptian Coptic church which were a reaction partially to the Islamicization of Egyptian society and the entrance of the protestant church into Egypt. A good introduction to the modern day Coptic church.
The Arab Christian: a History in the Middle East
by Kenneth Cragg, ISBN: 0664221823 (Purchase this Book)
The Call of the Minaret
by Kenneth Cragg, ISBN: 1851682104 (Purchase this Book)
From the Holy Mountain: A Journey Among the Christians of the Middle East
by William Dalrymple, ISBN: 0805061770 (Purchase this Book)
Living Stones Pilgrimage: With the Christians of the Holy Land
by Alison Hilliard, et al., ISBN: 0304704660 (Purchase this Book)
From the card catalog description: "The Holy Land has always had a magnetic attraction for Christians. Every year, hundreds of thousands tread the crowded streets of Jerusalem, or walk by the quiet waters of Galilee. There are hundreds of guidebooks designed for pilgrims and other visitors. The encounter with the stones which Jesus saw and touched has been, for many, a powerful spiritual experience. But the Christian presence is not just history. There are living, worshipping Christian communities in the Holy Land today. This unique guidebook is designed to help you encounter those communities, and to walk, talk and pray with contemporary Christians in Israel, the Palestinian and Occupied Territories: the ''living stones'' of the book''s title."
The Historic Role of the Christian Arabs of Palestine
Steven Runciman, ISBN: 0582780063 (Purchase this Book)
Palace Walk
by Naguib Mahfouz, ISBN: 0385264666 (Purchase this Book)
Palace Walk is part one of Naguib Mahfouz'' most revered trilogy. Mahfouz was the first Arabic author to win the nobel prize in literature and his novels plunge into the fiery depths of modern Egyptian culture. His ''Cairo Trilogy,'' which begins with Palace Walk, follows an Egyptian family through several generations.
The Journey of Ibn Fattouma
by Naguib Mahfouz, ISBN: 0385423349 (Purchase this Book)
The Days: His Autobiography in Three Parts
by Taha Hussein, et al., ISBN: 9774246357 (Purchase this Book)
Taha Hussein is one of great masters of modern Egyptian fiction. The Days is his three part memoir which recounts his education as a child, his college years and his years spent in France. Hussein was blinded at an early age but managed to climb the ladder in Egyptian society to become one of Egypt''s most formidable novelists.
The Secret Life of Saeed
by Emile Habibi, ISBN: 1566564158 (Purchase this Book)
Cities of Salt
by Abdel Rahman Munif, ISBN: 039475526X (Purchase this Book)
Prairies of Fever
by Ibrahim Nasr Allah, et al., ISBN: 1566561035 (Purchase this Book)
Beirut Nightmares
by Ghada Samman, ISBN: 070438065X (Purchase this Book)
from the book jacket: "Beirut Nightmares is set at the height of the Lebanese Civil War. The narrator, trapped in her flat for two weeks by street battles and sniper fire, writes a series of vignettes peopled by an extraordinary cast of characters, some drawn from the amazing waking world and others living only in the sleeping minds of those suffering in the conflict." Probably Samman''s best work, much superior to Beirut ''75, another one of her better known novels. If possible, read in conjunction with a history of the 1982 Lebanese Civil War to get a fuller appreciation of the events she describes.
The Essential Rumi
by Rumi, ISBN: 078580871X (Purchase this Book)
The Gift: Poems by Hafiz, the Great Sufi Master
by Hafiz, ISBN: 0140195815 (Purchase this Book)
Unfortunately, It Was Paradise: Selected Poems
by Mahmoud Darwish, ISBN: 0520237544 (Purchase this Book)
The Pages of Day and Night
by Adonis [Ali Ahmed Said], ISBN: 0810160811 (Purchase this Book)
Woman at Point Zero
by Nawal el-Saadawi, ISBN: 0862321107 (Purchase this Book)
Memoirs from the Women''s Prison
by Nawal el-Sadawi, ISBN: 0520088883 (Purchase this Book)
Seasons of Migration to the North
by Tayeb Salih, ISBN: 0435900668 (Purchase this Book)
Out of Place: A Memoir
by Edward Said, ISBN: 0679730672 (Purchase this Book)
Men in the Sun and other Palestinian Stories
by Ghassan Kanafani, ISBN: 0894108573 (Purchase this Book)
Palestine''s Children: Returning to Haifa and Other Stories
by Ghassan Kanafani, ISBN: 0894108905 (Purchase this Book)
Memory for Forgetfulness: August, Beirut, 1982
by Mahmoud Darwish, ISBN: 0520087682 (Purchase this Book)
The Palestinian poet Darwish offers a disturbing but beautiful account of the 1982 bombing of Beirut, a tragic moment in history when many Palestinian and Lebanese civilians lost their lives in the Israeli forces onslaught. The title "Memory for Forgetfulness" is partly a reference to the authors own hopes that, by "rembering" the events of 1982 through writing about it, that he will be able to "forget it," to put it aside, to free himself from the haunting memory of war and death. Memory for forgetfulness reads like a poem and it''s a very difficult read, which will frustrate any reader whose looking for a simple or straightforward rendition of the events in Beirut. It is definitely better to have a general knowledge of the events in 1982 before reading this, since the author makes many allusions to events that he does not explain (his Arabic readers will probably get his references, but his Western readers may not).
Islam: Religion, History and Civilization
by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, ISBN: 0060507144 (Purchase this Book)
From the book description: The world''s leading Islamicist offers a concise introduction to this rich and diverse tradition of 1.2 billion adherents. In this informative and clear introduction to the world of Islam, Seyyed Hossein Nasr explores the following topics in depth: What Is Islam?; The Doctrines and Beliefs of Islam; Islamic Practices and Institutions; The History of Islam; Schools of Islamic Thought; Islam in the Contemporary World; Islam and Other Religions; and The Spiritual and Religions Significance of Islam.', '
Islam: Religion, History and Civilization
by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, ISBN: 0060507144 (Purchase this Book)
From the book description: The world''s leading Islamicist offers a concise introduction to this rich and diverse tradition of 1.2 billion adherents. In this informative and clear introduction to the world of Islam, Seyyed Hossein Nasr explores the following topics in depth: What Is Islam?; The Doctrines and Beliefs of Islam; Islamic Practices and Institutions; The History of Islam; Schools of Islamic Thought; Islam in the Contemporary World; Islam and Other Religions; and The Spiritual and Religions Significance of Islam.
Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate
by Leila Ahmed, ISBN: 0300055838 (Purchase this Book)
From the book synopsis: This book offers a history of the Islamic discourse on women and gender, locating the current debate within its historical framework. It is comprehensive, ranging from the ancient world to the present day, and considering the relationship of Middle Eastern women to education, culture, imperialism, social change, modernization, and feminism. Addressing central questions including the veiling of women, Leila Ahmed explores the various premises of Islamicist positions on women, including how the core Islamic heritage formulated issues of gender, how it altered in terms of the concepts and societies that Islam captured, and how Islamic discourse was affected by exposure to Western societies.
Islam: a Short History
by Karen Armstrong, ISBN: 081296618X (Purchase this Book)
From the book description: "No religion in the modern world is as feared and misunderstood as Islam. It haunts the popular imagination as an extreme faith that promotes terrorism, authoritarian government, female oppression, and civil war. In a vital revision of this narrow view of Islam and a distillation of years of thinking and writing about the subject, Karen Armstrong''s short history demonstrates that the world''s fastest-growing faith is a much more complex phenomenon than its modern fundamentalist strain might suggest."
The Place of Tolerance in Islam
by Khaled Abou El Fadl, ISBN: 0807002291 (Purchase this Book)
From the book description: "We suddenly find ourselves with very little knowledge of a religion and culture that continues to have an enormous impact on our world. Through a close reading of the Qur''an, Khaled Abou El Fadl shows that injunctions to violence against nonbelievers stem from misreadings. Even jihad, or so-called holy war, has no basis in Qur''anic text or Muslim theology, but instead was an outgrowth of social and political conflict."
Non-violent Soldier of Islam: Badshah Khan, a Man to Match His Mountains
by Eknath Easwaran, ISBN: 1888314001 (Purchase this Book)
From the book desciption: "The triumphant story of Badshah Khan, nonviolent Muslim freedom fighter inspired by the example of Mahatma Gandhi. Khan raised the world''s first nonviolent army from the fierce Pathans of North India during India''s struggle for independence from Britain. His extraordinary life proves that nonviolence can be followed by those who have a tradition of violence, that it can work effectively against ruthless repression, and that it has a natural place in Islam."
Nonviolence and Peace Building in Islam: Theory and Practice
by Muhammad Abu-Nimer, ISBN: 0813025958 (Purchase this Book)
From the book description: "Written by a Muslim scholar, lecturer, and trainer in conflict resolution, this book examines the largely unexplored theme of nonviolence and peace building in Islamic religion, tradition, and culture. After comprehensively reviewing the existing studies on this topic, Abu-Nimer presents solid evidence for the existence of principles and values in the Qur''an, Hadith, and Islamic tradition that support the application of nonviolence and peace building strategies in resolving disputes."
Islam and Nonviolence
by Chaiwat Satha-Anand, Glenn D. Paige, Sarah Gilliatt, ASIN: 1880309068 (Purchase this Book)