Synopses & Reviews
Islamic peoples account for one fifth of the world's population and yet there is widespread misunderstanding in the West of what Islam really is. Francis Robinson and his team set out to address this, revealing the complex and sometimes contrary nature of Muslim culture. As well as taking on the issues uppermost in everyone's minds, such as the role of religious and political fundamentalism, they demonstrate the importance of commerce; literacy and learning; Islamic art; the effects of immigration, exodus, and conquest; and the roots of current crises in the Middle East, Bosnia, and the Gulf. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the interaction between Islam and the West, from the first Latin translations of the Quran to the fatwa on Salman Rushdie. This elegant book deliberately sets out to dismantle the Western impression of Islam as a monolithic world and replace it with a balanced view, from current issues of fundamentalism to its dynamic culture and art. Francis Robinson is the editor of two outstanding reference works: Atlas of the Islamic World Since 1500 (Cambridge, 1982) and The Cambridge Encyclopedia of India (1989).
Synopsis
Written by a team of leading specialists on Islamic history, this book discusses, with sumptuous illustrations, many aspects of Muslim culture. Includes studies on religion, politics, commerce, education, art and the interaction between Islam and the West, as well as the development of the Islamic world from the seventh century to the present day. Clear, informative, with commentaries and a glossary.
Synopsis
With the help of sumptuous illustration, insight, and expertise, this book reveals the complex, rich, and sometimes contrary nature of Islam. As well as addressing the current issues of religious and political fundamentalism, it looks at commerce, culture, demographics, and relations between Islam and the West.
Synopsis
Islamic peoples account for one fifth of the world's population and yet there is widespread misunderstanding in the West of what Islam really is. Francis Robinson and his team set out to address this, revealing the complex and sometimes contrary nature of Muslim culture. As well as taking on the issues uppermost in everyone's minds, such as the role of religious and political fundamentalism, they demonstrate the importance of commerce; literacy and learning; Islamic art; the effects of immigration, exodus, and conquest; and the roots of current crises in the Middle East, Bosnia, and the Gulf. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the interaction between Islam and the West, from the first Latin translations of the Quran to the fatwa on Salman Rushdie. This elegant book deliberately sets out to dismantle the Western impression of Islam as a monolithic world and replace it with a balanced view, from current issues of fundamentalism to its dynamic culture and art. Francis Robinson is the editor of two outstanding reference works: Atlas of the Islamic World Since 1500 (Cambridge, 1982) and The Cambridge Encyclopedia of India (1989).
Table of Contents
Foreword Ira M Lapidus; Preface; Introduction Francis Robinson; Part I: 1. The rise of Islam in the world Patricia Crone; 2. The emergence of the Islamic world system, 1000 1500 Robert Irwin; 3. The Islamic world system in the age of European expansion Steven Dale; 4. The Islamic world in the era of Western domination, 1800 to the present Sarah Ansari; Part II: 5. The economy in Muslim societies K. N. Chaudhuri; 6. The ordering of Muslim societies Basim Musallam; 7. Knowledge, its transmission and the making of Muslim societies Francis Robinson; 8. Artistic expressions of Muslim societies Stephen Vernoit; Conclusion Francis Robinson; Rulers of the Islamic World; Glossary; Bibliography; Picture acknowledgements; Index.