In today's world, Islam is the religion of over one billion people, while the number of followers is growing at a faster rate than those of Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism, the three other major religions of the world.

In this book, the author employs elements and concepts from anthropological theory, as well as the greatest possible number of ethnographic examples, to approach the historical origins of Islamic tradition, describe the variety of practices that make the lives of Muslims "Islamic," analyze some of the concepts of Muslim thinkers that are central to contemporary Islamic discourse, and connect this discourse to the everyday life and political reality of the Islamic societies it refers to.

The book aims to present the global vision of Islamic tradition and the ways it transforms within specific local communities. Emphasis is placed on the broader region of North Africa and the Middle East.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]