The Faith of Islam

Written by a Christian missionary and scholar, this book offers a detailed account of Islamic belief and practice as understood in the late nineteenth century. Edward Sell describes the foundations of Islamic theology, the role of the Quran and Hadith, the duties of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage, as well as legal and social institutions shaped by the sharia. He also summarises different schools of thought and popular customs among Muslim communities in India and beyond. While some interpretations reflect the author’s outsider perspective and the context of colonial scholarship, the work preserves valuable information about how Islam was presented to English speaking readers of the time. It remains useful as a historical document and as a starting point for comparing earlier representations with contemporary studies. Students of religion, history, or interfaith relations will find in this volume a careful and systematic description of the faith and its community life.