Smith takes us back to Islam's founding lineage, revealing its inspiration in Greek philosophy and its common roots with both Judaism and Christianity. With so much in common, most of all the precept of one all-powerful God, how has Islam come to inspire fear and bewilderment in the West? Join Huston Smith as he makes accessible this difficult subject, including:

• The prophet Mohammed's founding of Islam in the seventh century, his flight to Medina, and final battle to bring one God to the tribes of the Mideast
• The Koran: its sacred law mentions mercy 192 times, and vengeance only 17 times, yet is perceived as a tool for violence far beyond Islamic borders
• Women under Islam: the surprising truth about the rights of women as described in the Koran, and much more

Distilled from Huston Smith's monumental work Religions of the World audio seminar, and complete with a new, updated introduction, Understanding Islam brings a voice of understanding to this most challenging of the wisdom traditions.

Note: Excerpted from the full-length audio course Religions of the World.