Islamic World

The many followers of Islam are spread around the globe from traditional lands in the Middle East and parts of Africa to metropolitan European cities. This extremely varied group of people nevertheless shares a distinct and rich style of arts, architecture, poetry, epic literature, painting, and philosophy. This book follows the intriguing history of Islamic arts and literature through the ages from the Umayyad Dynasty to the modern Islamic world.

Given that Islam predominates in over thirty countries around the world, the history of the Islamic world requires a broad perspective. This in-depth look at the history of the religion and culture of Islam and the Muslim people covers the extreme breadth of the topic while still maintaining a detailed focus on the key people and events of the long and fascinating history of the Islamic World.

Islam is the second most followed religion on Earth, with more than one billion practicing Muslims around the globe. However, few Westerners fully understand the beliefs of the religion nor the cultural practices that accompany it. This book explores Islam from the prophet Mohammad to the Five Pillars of Islam, which includes the most important rituals of the faith, including fasting at Ramadan, and hajj, the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.