This is the second edition of the thoughtful and concise account of all aspects of Islam. Following an appraisal of the study of Islam, Gerhard Endress guides the reader through key elements: religion (including the Revelation and the development of doctrine); the legal system; social and economic aspects of medieval life; the historical development of each of the main regions of the Islamic world (the Arabian peninsula; Syria and Palestine; Iraq; Spain; North Africa; Egypt; Iran; Anatolia); the principal trends and political and cultural events from the rise of Islam to the present; the development of Arabic, Persian and Turkish languages; names and titles; and the Muslim calendar. Written in clear and accessible language, this edition includes a fully updated bibliography as well as corrections and updated text and should be an essential introduction to Islamic history and culture.