The tenets of Islam cannot be grasped without a proper understanding of the Qur'an. In this important new introduction, Muhammad Haleem examines its recurrent themes--life and eternity, marriage and divorce, peace and war, and water--and for the first time sets these in the context of the Qur'an's linguistic style. Professor Haleem examines the background to the development of the surahs (chapters) and the ayahs (verses) and the construction of the Qur'an itself. He shows that popular conceptions of Islamic attitudes toward women, marriage and divorce, war and society, differ radically from the true teachings of the Qur'an. This book will be welcomed by students of Islam and comparative religion, and by all readers interested in a Qur'anic perspective when considering contemporary issues.