Mohammedanism

Snouck Hurgronje, C. (Christiaan), 1857-1936Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 204K words
Chapters: 21

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Mohammedanism by C. Snouck HurgronjeAuthor: Snouck Hurgronje, C. (Christiaan), 1857-1936,Language: English, Class: BP: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Islam, Bahaism, Theosophy, Other and new beliefs, Release Date: Nov 1, 2003

Editor's review

Mohammedanism is a study of Islam written in English by the Dutch scholar Snouck Hurgronje and released as a free electronic edition by Project Gutenberg. The author was an important scholar of Islam in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who long served in the Dutch East Indies and conducted field observation; his discussion carries the academic perspective and imprint of its time. The book is short and clearly organized, covering basic Islamic beliefs, rituals, and historical development, and can serve as a primary source for understanding early Western Islamic studies. Read it with a critical eye: some formulations reflect colonial-era European positions and diverge from contemporary academic norms, so it should not be treated as a neutral introduction. It suits readers with some background in religious studies or history who can compare it with modern general histories and trace the evolution of scholarly views.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of religious studies, history, or Orientalism who need a textual sample of early Western Islamic studies
Readers interested in the history of scholarship and colonial-era knowledge production
Enthusiasts with English reading ability who want to expand topical reading with a free electronic text

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking introductory guidance on Muslim faith or religious practice
Readers expecting contemporary scholarly consensus and the latest research
Beginners liable to mistake early European scholars' formulations for objective conclusions

Reading tips

Read the table of contents first to grasp the structure, then go chapter by chapter and note statements reflecting the biases of the era for later comparison
Read alongside a contemporary general history of Islam or encyclopedia entries to correct outdated or biased passages promptly
Keep the author's identity and period in mind and use the book as material for the history of scholarship rather than an introduction to the faith

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for learning about Islam?

It can be read as a sample of early Western Islamic studies, but it is not suitable as an introductory basis. It carries a colonial-era European perspective and some statements differ from contemporary scholarship; use it alongside modern general histories and encyclopedia entries.

Who was the author, and does his background matter?

The author is the Dutch scholar Snouck Hurgronje, who served in the Dutch East Indies and conducted field observation and was an important Islamic scholar of his time. Knowing his identity and era helps judge the sources and limits of the book's positions.

Is the electronic edition complete?

This version is released by Project Gutenberg and provides the public-domain English text; the main text is suitable for general reading and citation, but it lacks modern editorial notes and an introduction, so academic use should check other authoritative editions.

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About the author

Snouck Hurgronje, C. (Christiaan), 1857-1936 Author

Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje (1857–1936) was a Dutch scholar of Islamic studies, known for his fieldwork and textual research on Islamic societies and law. Two of his works are held in this collection: Nederland en de Islâm and Mohammedanism. The former examines the relationship between the Netherlands and the Islamic world, while the latter offers a general account of Islamic belief, institutions, and historical development. His writing combines careful source criticism with institutional analysis and seeks to understand Islamic practice within its local social context rather than merely describing it from the outside; his works have therefore long been cited in colonial history, religious studies, and Islamic studies. Because public information is limited, his detailed biography and appointments are not elaborated here, and readers may grasp his research approach and style chiefly through the two works mentioned above.