Towards Islamic Literacy: A Guide to Approaching Islamic Studies for All - Paperback

by Maurice Hines (Author)

In an age when information on virtually any subject is at our fingertips, many people remain ignorant or confused about religious and spiritual matters, particularly regarding Islam. This confusion is the result of a lack of understanding of the function of religion and its sources, limited access to those sources, an inability to evaluate the information acquired through various channels, and a lack of insight as to what to do with that information upon receiving it. Similar challenges have been addressed in contexts of higher learning through the process of information literacy, an interdisciplinary set of skills that allow the individual to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information."​​​​​​​

Towards Islamic Literacy offers a simplified, non-denominational approach to the study of Islam and Muslims, grounded in sound Islamic studies scholarship and best practices from learning theory and information literacy. Divided into three parts, the book first argues for the study of religion in general and Islam in particular. It then examines classical and contemporary efforts to define and promote Islamic literacy in the Muslim world and the United States. Introducing concepts such as religious literacy, information literacy, AI literacy, and learning principles, the second part culminates with a working definition of Islamic literacy. The final section proposes a practical Islamic literacy model organized around four guiding questions: What to study? Why study? Where to study? And how to study?