This is an introduction to the Qur'an for those who want to know more about it and do not know where to start. In it, Jacques Jomier takes selected passages and points out their distinctive style and language, drawing attention to the religious ideas in the Qur'an and the way in which they are expressed. He shows how the Qur'an keeps returning to certain fundamental truths or essential points of doctrine, its great themes, yet often elsewhere confines itself to suggestion and allusion. He is also deeply aware of the role of the Qur'an in the history of Islam and the life of the community, so that it is not just a holy book but also arouses the emotions Christians feel as they remember family Christmases or hear quiet organ music in a darkened church. Chapters include discussions of Mecca and the early days of Islam, the Muslim community, Adam, Abraham, the prophets, Jesus, and hymns to God the creator. Jacques Jomier is a Dominican and the author of How to Understand Islam.

"How to Understand Islam" looks at Muslim religious experience as it rises out of practices required by the law or followed out of devotion. The book examines Muslim belief, religious observance, ethics, and mystical literature. It also outlines the history of Islam from its first appearance.