Behind the clamorous headlines of militant and political Islam lies a more serene and cultivated form of traditional Islam, now increasingly under threat from both Islamic fundamentalists and modern secularists. Michon skillfully unveils this lesser-known dimension of the world's second largest religion. Beautifully illustrated throughout, INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL ISLAM is divided into four parts: the traditional Islamic city and its holistic vision of life, which seeks to cater for the body, soul and spirit; the religious message of Islamic art - particularly in calligraphy and psalmody; music and spirituality; and the way of Sufism, the inward or mystical dimension of Islam.