The picture of Islam as a violent, backward, and insular tradition should be
laid to rest, says Karen Armstrong, bestselling author of Muhammad and A History
of God. Delving deep into Islamic history, Armstrong sketches the arc of a story
that begins with the stirring of revelation in an Arab businessman named
Muhammad. His concern with the poor who were being left behind in the blush of
his society's new prosperity sets the tone for the tale of a culture that values
community as a manifestation of God. Muhammad's ideas catch fire, quickly
blossoming into a political empire. As the empire expands and the once fractured
Arabs