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There is a growing list of books on Islam and the Middle East.¹ Dr. George Braswell’s work² on the subject is of special value. For several years, he taught a course on Missions to Muslims at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

In the twelve chapters of his book, the author provides details about the origins of Islam, Muhammad's life and teachings, the spread of this monotheistic religion, the empires that advanced Islam's cause worldwide, the status of the Muslim world today, and the future of the relationship between the West and Islamic nations.

This book's unique features provide readers with the necessary information to become acquainted with Islam without overwhelming them with too many details. It quotes at length from the Qur’an and the Hadith, and it includes several charts dealing with Authority and Tradition in Islam, the Ninety-Nine Names of Allah, the Historical Development of the Sects of Islam, the Islamic Prayer, and Islam's Heartland.

Unlike many books on this subject that evade certain sensitive topics, Dr. Braswell is very concerned about Christian-Muslim relations both in the West and in the Household of Islam.

In chapter 11, he comments on "The Encounter Between Islam and Christianity,"

“Christianity needs to engage Islam about such topics as theocracy, the relationship of religion and government, the nature of religious pluralism in a society, and the provision of religious liberty and freedom of choice in religion. The way Islam answers these topics influences the missionary nature of Christianity, the sending of missionaries across cultures, the continuing relationship of Christianity and Islam, the freedom of individuals to choose their religion, and the protection provided citizens of a nation.

“Christianity in its encounter with Islam must raise the issue of religious liberty. On one hand the Qur'an states, "Let there be no compulsion in religion." (2:256) On the other hand it asserts, "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter, he will be among the ranks of the lost." (3:85)

“Within Islam, can Christianity stand alongside Islam and be granted the freedom of expression? Can a Muslim have the right to change his religion? and is an apostate punishable by death?”

There are statements in the book that require clarification. For example, this reference to India on page 35 is rather vague and misses the real subject:

“The recent history of India has seen partitions of lands resulting in an Islamic state and also much internal conflict within India.”

In fact, it was the leadership of India’s Muslims who requested the British to partition India in 1947, creating Pakistan as an Islamic state. The country consisted of two parts: the western section was populated by Punjabis, and 1000 miles to the east, the eastern section was inhabited mostly by Bengalis. Two decades later, the Bengalis revolted against the hegemony of West Pakistan and formed the Republic of Bangladesh.

On page 40, "the oil embargo against the West" is dated as having occurred "In the l960s." It happened during the Yom Kippur War of October 1973.

In the fifth chapter on Islamic Devotion, the transliterated Shahada³ Confession is rendered: "Ilaha Illa Allah. Muhammad rasul Allah." The Arabic particle "La” (No) is missing, making the confession meaningless.

When explaining the beginning of the Crusades (1099) on page 256, there is a reference to a "Turkish emir [who] took control of Jerusalem under the aegis of the Ottoman Empire" and "placed difficulties upon the Christian pilgrims."

The Emir who made it hard for the pilgrims belonged to the Seljuk Turks. The Ottoman Turks did not emerge on the horizon of history until around 1280, and their impact on the Middle East began in the early years of the 16th century.

These corrections are not to detract from the value of Professor Braswell's book. It is enriched by several features, such as a 10-page glossary of Arabic and Islamic terms. Any serious student of Islam will be enriched by studying this book.

¹ This is an update to a blog post from May 5, 2023, and I reviewed Braswell’s book in the Calvin Theological Journal, Volume 32, No. 1, April 1997.

² Islam: Its Prophet, Peoples, Politics and Power, by George W. Braswell, Jr., Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996. Pp. xii + 338.

³ Shahada is the declaration of faith in Islam. It is composed of two parts: “La ilaha illa-allah” (There is no god except Allah) and “Muhammad rasul Allah” (Muhammad is the messenger of Allah). Shahada is written in Arabic as “أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا رسول الله” By saying the Shahada, a person enters Islam, and denying any part of it makes the person a non-Muslim. (This endnote is from an online Islamic source.)