The essay on Islam starts with the description of the political and religious life of the Arabian Peninsula before Prophet Muhammad, and the situation in Byzantium and Persia at that historical period, the dissemination of Christianity and Christian ideas into Arabia. The author passes to the doctrine of Muhammad and his activity in Mecca and Medina, the dissemination Islam after his death – under four righteous caliphs. Special chapters of the book are on Islamic mysticism, Moslem dogmas, and contemporary state of Moslem peoples. Particularly, B. writes on the events of the second half of the nineteenth century, coming to the conclusion on the rapprochement of the European culture and the Islamic world, the struggle against European assaults of Islam and against the fans of the medieval features of Moslem life; he makes accent at the modernist trends and gives a special description of the Baba movement, characterizing his followers as religious reformers. Besides, the author analyzes another new religious movement in India – Ahmadiyya, comparing it with the Baba movement. Speaking about the Russian Moslems in the nineteenth century, B. gives a characteristic to the Wäisi movement – he interprets its followers as Moslem Old Believers – opposite to Modernist Moslems. The part on the contemporary Islam is finished with the words of famous Dutch specialist in Islam Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje (1857-1936), who was sure in possibility of convergence of Islam and contemporary culture. The author notes that – in spite of numerous points of Moslem doctrine which can not be accustomed to the conclusions of science and with social progress – Islam will be able to adapt to the new situation and will not try to subjugate all the state and social life.
The book consists of the introduction, seven chapters, and bibliography.