Samuel Marinus Zwemer

“ The following list of books is intended as a guide for those who desire to make a thorough study of Islam and the Moslem problem from a missionary standpoint. It consists of a working library for those who are trying to fit themselves to deal with Moslems personally and to understand the Moslem mind so as to be able to meet them on their own ground, and in the apostolic sense, to become Moslems to Moslems that we may win them for Christ. The immense literature on the subject of Islam in the various languages of Europe and the Orient is perplexing to the beginner. ”

“ In fact, the marked unrest of all Moslem peoples and the reform movements in Islam itself have stimulated literary production. It would require an expert in every department of Islam to guide the student through this labyrinth of literature. Experts, therefore, will doubtless find much to correct and more to suggest in the list given. It is based on practical experience in a busy missionary's life. An omnivorous reader in the field of Islam soon finds that Bacon's words are true: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested ”

“ Most of those published in India contain numerous typographical errors and are badly printed. A polyglot version, however, is published at Delhi in Arabic, Persian and L^rdu, interlinear, which is most useful. ”