ABSTRACT
This chapter offers insights into Protestant perspectives on Islam. Protestant scholars examined Islamic thought extensively, often with the view of underscoring perceived similarities between Catholicism and Islam, not only to critique Catholicism but also to use as a means of reinforcing their own theological stance. This chapter discusses the Protestant idea of Islam as a political religion, their perception of the Sunni-Shi‘a schism, interactions between the Ottoman Empire and Protestants, as well as their view on Islamic religious tolerance, coercion, and conversion.
