The Islamic Middle East

This is an account of the origins, nature, and evolution of Islam. It explores the cultures of the Middle East in which Islam originated fourteen centuries ago and of the Arab, Persian and Turkish societies where it remains a powerful force. The author describes the rise of Islam and the Muslim empires, and shows how the evolution of Islam led to the development of Sufism and Shiism [note: reverse the inverted comma]. He examines the achievements of Islamic learning and philosophy, and seeks to reconcile Middle Eastern attitudes attitudes towards slaves and women with Islamic affirmations of egalitarianism. This synthesis of historical and anthropological perspectives provides a new understanding of Islam and of the Middle East. It is illustrated with maps and lithographs, is fully referenced and indexed, and includes a glossary and a comparative time line.

First sentence: Writing a general book about the Middle East is a daunting task, not only because of the enormous complexity of the subject, but also because of the pervasive prejudice in the West against the region and its peoples.

Year

1996

Language

English

Publisher

Blackwell Publishing Limited

Editions

1

Pages

352

ISBN

9781405101462

Data source: Wikidata