The New Encyclopedia of Islam.

• Position: Books In Brief

Galsse, Cyril. The New Encyclopedia of Islam. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2001. Hardcover, $89.95.

This 534-page encyclopedia has detailed entries that explain the significance of religious terms from the exoteric (finding meaning in religious forms such as literal interpretation) and esoteric (trying to understand the underlying meaning of the form, which cannot be mistaken with the form itself) perspectives. The entries thus assume an added dimension beyond the information that entries normally give. This feature gives more depth to the encyclopedia and makes for exciting reading.

The work also includes four...