A History of the Islamic World (Illustrated Histories (Hippocrene Books (Firm))) (Hardcover)

Hill and Awde have written then with somewhat of a bias, which is admitted early in the text. This is both a history and a celebration of Islamic culture; whereas often history of non-Western societies is an add-on to the overall 'march of history' narratives popular in school texts and other books, this book treats Islamic history as a history in its own right. The history overlaps with the Western culture, and this is explored in good detail (particularly the Spanish Islamic period, and Eastern European/southern Russian-Asian lands), but the culture also ties in significantly with the African, Indian, and Chinese cultures in many ways.

Hill and Awde develop the text chronologically in three major divisions: The Rise of Islam, the Age of Three Great Muslim Empires, and Islam in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries. In the Rise of Islam, the authors begin with a brief biographical sketch of the prophet Muhammad, the four Caliphs, and the development of both the Quran and various practices and cultural identities. The rapid early expansion of Islam coincided with the so-called Dark Ages of Europe; while there was a general decline in intellectual and social society in Europe following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, and the contraction of the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire, Muslim societies were in fact flourishing, with great centres of art, science, literature, philosophy and more growing throughout the Muslim world - some of these cradles of intellectual fervour helped fuel the later European Renaissance. This period saw the rise of rulers such as the Umayyads, the Abbasids, and individuals such as Saladin.

In the Age of Three Great Muslim Empires, the authors explore the Ottoman, the Safavids and Shi'ism in Persia, and the Mughals in India. These three empires were to have lasting effects on world affairs economically and politically, with divisions in current affairs and nation-states dating from these particular empires.

In the third section on the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries, the authors look at the nation-state phenomenon and how it has impacted the way Islam is practiced as well as the way that it is perceived beyond the Muslim world. Crucial to the understanding of current affairs is the understanding of the inter-Islamic relations, and what challenges face the future.

One wonderful feature of this text is the side-bar boxes that are frequently used to highlight particular aspects of the culture, particular places, events or people without interrupting the general narrative flow. These boxes include discussion of Islamic art and calligraphy, various architectural creations, religious/theological concepts, and particular events. There are a lot of pictures, line-art graphics (calligraphy and such), and maps, which help to locate and add visual substance to the text.

This is written in an engaging style that should be generally readable by those with high school education forward; it is not heavy with footnotes or other scholarly additions - a section on suggested readings would be nice. There is included in the appendices a glossary of Islamic terms, a glossary of key figures and dynasties, a timeline listing of key dates, and a general index for the book.