Militant Islam: Mecca to Delhi

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This book by Rama Chandran chronicles the militancy Islam has given birth to and groomed over centuries of strife and conquest. Muhammad being the last prophet, Islam leaves little room for updation. Its priesthood interprets the Quranic verses according to their whims and fancies, most of the time, in an archaic manner. The resultant reality is often chaos and anarchy. Since the events of September 11, 2001, Islam has faced criticism over its scriptures and teachings being claimed to be a significant source of terrorism and terrorist ideology. India had known it for several centuries as a politico-religious phenomenon rooted in militancy. A must-read to know the essence of Islam and its history from Mecca, to the conquest of Delhi.

Rama Chandran, trained by the Thomson Foundation in London, is a reputed editor and writer based in Kochi, Kerala. With four decades of experience in journalism, he has been Chief Editor of the Janmabhumi Daily, News Editor of The Week, and Political Commentator of Malayala Manorama. He is a historian and a creative writer with a dozen books to his credit, including Red Jibad: Islamic Communism in India 1920-1950. He is a columnist in Indian and international media.

Islam, meaning 'submission (to God),' is an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad, that unequivocally states there is only one God (Allah) and that Muhammad is his last and final messenger. It is the world's second-largest religion with over 1.8 billion followers or 24.1 percent of the global population, known as Muslims. They make up a majority of the population in 49 countries. Islam believes that God has taught mankind through prophets, revealed scriptures, and natural signs. The scriptures of Islam are the Quran, believed to be the word of God, as well as the teachings and the sunnah, composed of accounts called hadith of Muhammad (c. 570-632 СЕ).

For Muslims, the Quran in Arabic is the final revelation of God. Like other Abrahamic religions, Islam also teaches that during the final judgment, the righteous will be rewarded in paradise and the evil punished in hell. Islamic practices include the Five Pillars, which are obligatory acts of worship, and the following Sharia, the Islamic law, which deals with every aspect of society, from banking, welfare, and the environment. The cities of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem are the three holiest sites in Islam.