Islam features widely in the media, often in its most militant versions, but few people in the non-Muslim world really understand the nature of Islam, both as ideology and religion. This short introduction offers an insight into issues such as why the greatest "Jihad" (holy war) is now against the enemies of Islam, rather than the struggle against evil, why Islam has such major divisions between movements such as the Shi'ites, the Sunnis, and the Wahhabis, and how the Shar'ia (Islamic law) has become such an important aspect of Islamic life. In addition the study investigates the ideas of "Islamic resurgence" as both an old and new concept, whether or not women can find fulfilment and equality within an Islamic framework, and the problems facing Islam in its confrontations with the modern world.