


Paperback
Published: 13th April 1999
ISBN: 9780521669931
Number Of Pages: 352
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).
'This sumptuously illustrated volume, whose writers include well-known specialists such as Patricia Crone and Robert Irwin, has much to recommend it: a high level of text; copious, well-reproduced illustrations that are generally enhanced by clear and informative explanations and commentaries; and a splendid and comprehensive bibliography ... together with a useful glossary and list of rulers.' Asian Affairs 'Quality photographs and reproductions of works of art on nearly every page make the volume extremely attractive and render the reading enjoyable ... This book answers the requirements of the uninitiated general public, as well as of students of Islamic and Asian civilisation.' Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam ' ... reliable sources of information, and beautifully produced.' International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church
Foreword | |
Preface | |
Introduction | |
The rise of Islam in the world | |
The emergence of the Islamic world system, 1000-1500 | |
The Islamic world system in the age of European expansion | |
The Islamic world in the era of Western domination, 1800 to the present | |
The economy in Muslim societies | |
The ordering of Muslim societies | |
Knowledge, its transmission and the making of Muslim societies | |
Artistic expressions of Muslim societies | |
Conclusion | |
Rulers of the Islamic World | |
Glossary | |
Bibliography | |
Picture acknowledgements | |
Index | |
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780521669931
ISBN-10: 0521669936
Series: Cambridge Illustrated Histories
Audience:
Tertiary; University or College
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 352
Published: 13th April 1999
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: GB
Dimensions (cm): 25.3 x 20.3
x 2.5
Weight (kg): 1.17