Islam

Editor: John Alden Williams

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Edition: First Edition, 1963

Binding: paperback

Pages: 240

Size: 4.5 × 0.5 × 7 inches

Language: English

Islam, edited by John Alden Williams, examines the broad religious and cultural tradition of Islam and its historical development. Rather than approaching Islam solely as a theological subject, the volume can be understood within the wider context of the societies, cultures, intellectual traditions, and historical experiences associated with the Muslim world.

Islam emerged in seventh-century Arabia and subsequently developed into a major world civilization extending across regions of the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and beyond. Its history encompasses diverse cultures, languages, political traditions, artistic forms, philosophical schools, and intellectual movements. A work dealing with Islam therefore provides an opportunity to explore a subject that extends well beyond religious doctrine alone.

The book is particularly relevant to the study of Islamic culture and civilization. Islamic societies have made significant contributions to literature, philosophy, science, architecture, law, education, and the arts. The historical development of these traditions provides important context for understanding the diversity of the Muslim world.

As an edited volume, the work is useful for readers approaching the subject from a broader humanities perspective. It can serve as an introduction to questions surrounding religious belief, cultural identity, historical development, and Islamic intellectual traditions, making it relevant to students and general readers of comparative religion and world history.

The book also belongs to the publishing history of Washington Square Press, a publisher known for its paperback editions of literary, cultural, and general-interest works. Its publication in 1963 places this edition within the mid-twentieth-century period of expanding popular interest in accessible books dealing with world religions and cultures.

This First Edition, 1963 contains 240 pages and measures approximately 4.5 × 0.5 × 7 inches. Its compact format makes it suitable for both reading and collection, particularly for those building libraries devoted to Islamic studies, religious history, world cultures, and twentieth-century books on religion.

• Title: Islam
• Editor: John Alden Williams
• Publisher: Washington Square Press
• Edition: First Edition, 1963
• Pages: 240
• Size: 4.5 × 0.5 × 7 inches
• Language: English
• Binding: Not specified
• Subject: Islam, Islamic history, Islamic culture, religion, Muslim civilization, Islamic thought
• Format: Vintage twentieth-century edition
• Ideal for: Readers of Islamic studies, students of religious history, collectors of cultural and religious books, and libraries specializing in world civilizations

🔹 Collector’s Note

This First Edition, 1963 of Islam, edited by John Alden Williams and published by Washington Square Press, is a notable vintage edition for collectors interested in religion, world cultures, and Islamic history. With its 240-page format and compact dimensions, it represents a mid-twentieth-century publication devoted to introducing readers to the broad historical and cultural dimensions of Islam. It is particularly suitable for collections focused on Islamic studies, comparative religion, world history, and vintage non-fiction.