History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain

Average customer rating:

Challenges much of what we learned in school
Medeival Spain...an unfinshed History...
Interesting anthology of stories, perspective is skewed
Reviewers Bashing is what the author was trying to remedy
A Forgotten Chapter in European History

The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain
Maria Rosa Menocal
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Western | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0316168718

Amazon.com

María Rosa Menocal's wafting, ineffably sad The Ornament of the World tells of a time and place--from 786 to 1492, in Andalucía, Spain--that is largely and unjustly overshadowed in most historical chronicles. It was a time when three cultures--Judaic, Islamic, and Christian--forged a relatively stable (though occasionally contentious) coexistence. Such was this period that there remains in Toledo a church with an "homage to Arabic writing on its walls [and] a sumptuous 14th-century synagogue built to look like Granada's Alhambra." Long gone, however, is the Córdoba library--a thousand times larger than any other in Christian Europe. Menocal's history is one of palatine cities, of philosophers, of poets whose work inspired Chaucer and Boccaccio, of weeping fountains, breezy courtyards, and a long-running tolerance "profoundly rooted in the cultivation of the complexities, charms and challenges of contradictions," which ended with the repression of Judaism and Islam the same year Columbus sailed to the New World. --H. O'Billovich

Book Description

Mar+a Rosa Menocal's wafting, ineffably sad The Ornament of the World tells of a time and place--from 786 to 1492, in Andaluc+a, Spain--that is largely and unjustly overshadowed in most historical chronicles. It was a time when three cultures--Judaic, Islamic, and Christian--forged a relatively stable (though occasionally contentious) coexistence. Such was this period that there remains in Toledo a church with an "homage to Arabic writing on its walls [and] a sumptuous 14th-century synagogue built to look like Granada's Alhambra." Long gone, however, is the C+rdoba library--a thousand times larger than any other in Christian Europe. Menocal's history is one of palatine cities, of philosophers, of poets whose work inspired Chaucer and Boccaccio, of weeping fountains, breezy courtyards, and a long-running tolerance "profoundly rooted in the cultivation of the complexities, charms and challenges of contradictions," which ended with the repression of Judaism and Islam the same year Columbus sailed to the New World. --H. O'Billovich

Customer Reviews:

Challenges much of what we learned in school .......2007-03-29

Maria Rosa Menocal opens our eyes to the rich and diverse cultures that made up what she describes as the "first class" culture of Al-Andalus in its days of glory as perhaps the most developed culture of the world in its day. The book is particularly interesting from the perspective of the level of success that tolerance achieved in a difficult age, as the subtitle suggests: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain. Far from perfect but better than most, this story of diversity management challenges much of what we learned in school both about the events of the time and about the role of "the others."
Cuban-born Menocal is a specialist in medieval culture and literature who now teaches at Yale. Her range of expertise shows in the delicate and complete treatment she gives to this historical review of a golden age. Yes, there is inevitably the military and political history that frames the narrative, but the author enriches us with the art, architecture and poetry of the people who made up the cultural constellation of the territories of Cordoba, Seville, Toledo and Granada. In one of my favorite lines of the book she speaks of the Caliph of Cordoba as, "Abd al-Rahman shared with his Arab ancestors an unembarrassed and manly love of poetry." Arabic language and Arabic books--an unbelievable estimate of there being 600,000 of them in the library of Cordoba alone--seemed to be the i-pod equivalent of with-it-ness for the young scholars and career seekers of the time, Jew and Christian as well as Muslim.
From Berber incursions to Muhammad XII's handing over of the keys to Granada to Ferdinand and Isabella (dressed in Muslim finery, we are told) in 1492, the rise and fall of this spectacular culture, is nicely documented and understandable. Notwithstanding, the author adds reflections on the diversity and identity issues that continue through Cervantes, Salman Rushdie and 9/11 that are thought provoking and challenge our understanding of what the dynamics of intergroup conflict are as well as what tolerance and integration can be even when neighbors hold certain non-negotiable values.
Menocal writes well and, indeed, in a rather pedestrian form, rather than indulging in scholarly embellishment. This makes the book an easy read for ESL users as well as those of us who want to relax and enjoy imbibing our history. I found her repeated use of the word "polity" a bit annoying. It is a short and technically correct but uncommon term that, according to my Wikipedia browse, "is often used to describe a loosely organized society such as a tribe or community, but can mean any political group including a government or empire, corporation or academy." She applies it to the cities, religious bodies and states of Al-Andalus.
A must read for those who are planning their visit to the 2008 SIETAR Global Conference in Granada, Spain in October 2008.

Medeival Spain...an unfinshed History..........2007-01-01

Menocal's treatise on haSefarad is a breath of fresh air. Although, it is not a "historical" account per se. One can draw his or her historical conclusions about this epoch by other means which are readily available. This book speaks to the soul of humanity, therefore, transcending the dry analysis of other chronologist who write about this interesting era. If you are looking for dryness and liner accounts don't bother with this book, however, if you are looking for a great bedside read, look no further. This book is sublime and well throughout. What Menocal tries to do here is give snippets of a grand Era, that tie in to a fabric of clear and beautiful colors, which was Sefarad. The premise is simple, Medieval Spain was not a dark era as many might have us think, rather it was a place of opportunity, intellectual creativity, and poetic diversity. The idea that three monolithic faiths can live side by side with respect to intelligentsia is beyond our comprehension in our times. Yet, this was one of the glories of this period in Al-Andalus and then some. Jews thrived in Sefarad beyond anyone's modern imagination. The poetry and the rebirth of Hebrew as a living poetic language was rooted in Al-Andalus. The translation of the Greek classics, books on Mathematics, changed the direction that a then little known Europe would experience. This was achieved by this melting pot of contradicting ideas and peoples. Could this happen in America, another melting pot of ideas and peoples? Certainly not, the people of that era loved and read books, we play video games and watch TV. This is our sad history, where the Jews of America are the most under achieving people in History, where the Muslims are fighting for world recognition through inhumane beheadings and sick violence. Where Christian America is more interested in going to the mall right after Sunday services to catch up with the Jones'. We live in a parody of that Era, so reading about the wonders of that time helps anesthetize me from the humdrum of this pathetic culture.

Interesting anthology of stories, perspective is skewed.......2006-12-02

I thought my opinion might be anomalous on this page, but I see many readers agree. Maria Rosa Menorcal wears rose-colored glasses.

The author is a professor of Spanish and Portugese, not a historian. She obviously loves Iberian literature and has fallen under the poets' spells. Naturally a poet is going to glorify that which he loves, so the historian has to read poetic or literary accounts with caution. There is no evidence of incisive critical source analysis in this book, such as one finds, for instance, in recent writings of Roger Collins about medieval Spain. Menorcal passes on old stories as gospel, some of which (such as early accounts of the Muslim invasion of 711) Collins completely takes apart and reinterprets.

I also agree with other readers who lament the writing style. It's fluid, but the structure is hard to follow. Clear lines of development are not drawn. Rather, stories seem to meld into another. One comes away with impressions rather than a clear picture.

This is definitely a popularizing book, not an authoritative history. There's scarcely a footnote to be found, and the bibliography is surprisingly skimpy for a Yale professor's work. Menorcal lists not one of Collins' books.

Reviewers Bashing is what the author was trying to remedy.......2006-11-29

It's very sad to see a huge number of reviewers all they want to do is bash Muslims regardless of their accomplishment in (Al-Andalus). But with attacks on Islam and Muslims coming from all sides, it's not surprising to see this kind of bias. Yes, Arabs (Muslims) of (Al-Andalus) were not special people, but they had a special gift (Islam). These people without Islam are nothing. Like Omar Ibn AlKhatab once said: "We are people (desert Arabs) were honored with the gift of Islam, If we seek honor without it, we will fail". And it's that simple. So the golden age Muslims lived in Al-Andalus, was not due to tolerant Arabs but rather tolerant Islam.

A Forgotten Chapter in European History.......2006-10-18

Maria Rosa Menocal's ORNAMENT OF THE WORLD is a lively and highly readable account of Al-Andalus, the Spain created by Muslims. It was a world which sparkled with brilliant achievements in poetry and literature, architecture, and technology-- for instance it invented the astrolabe, one of the first instruments facilitating successful navigation. It alone kept Greek learning alive when the rest of Europe was still ignorant of the major Greek classics. Most importantly, it was an oasis of tolerance, for its Muslim leaders considered the adherents of all three Abrahamic religions to be dhimmi, or People of the Book. It was founded in 711 when Abd al Rahman, successor of the Umayyad dynasty driven from Damascus by the victorious Abbasid dynasty, established a new caliphate in Cordoba, Spain. For centuries the empire it unified on the Iberian peninsula produced great writers and scholars of all three religions. Perhaps the best known Muslim product of this culture is Ibn Hazm, author of the Ring of the Dove, a treatise on love. But it was also a golden age of Jewish learning, and an age in which Jews could rise to the highest positions in government as well-- for instance Hasdai ibn Shaprut, or Son of Isaac, grand vizier and general of Abd Al Rahman III. By the 11th Century the unified kingdom of Cordoba had broken apart into a number of competing taifa or city-states, which retained some measure of the glory of Cordoba. It was in this atmosphere that Rodrigo Diaz, known as El Cid from the Arabic Al Sayyid ("lord" or "chief"), a Christian warrior, became a general fighting for one Muslim ruler against another with armies which contained large contingents of Christians. The first groups to try to stamp out this cultural tolerance were Muslims, puritanical and uncultivated Berbers known as Almovarids or Almohads. But the real death knell came in 1492, when Ferdinand and Isabella conquered the last Muslim taifa of Granada, site of the famous Alhambra, and established a form of persecution even worse than religious bigotry, with the most ominous implications for the future of Western civilization. But that dismal turn of events is the subject for another book review.

The Golden Age of the Moor (Journal of African Civilizations, Vol 11, Fall 1991)

Average customer rating:

great timing
An interesting book. A start maybe, but not a conclusion
Golden Pages of the Moor
Moor Maur Moore Muur and More Knowledge
Historically incorrect revisionism

The Golden Age of the Moor (Journal of African Civilizations, Vol 11, Fall 1991)

Manufacturer: Transaction Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

North Africa | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1560005815

Customer Reviews:

great timing.......2007-07-07

I received this item very fast, faster than i expected with the packaging in excellent condition.

An interesting book. A start maybe, but not a conclusion.......2007-07-05

The book makes an interesting read, Van Sertima has challenged for years the concept put forward by some that Africans (or more specifically Black Africans) have contributed little to world civilization. In this book he presents the case of the Moors and their influence on Europe.

While some parts are interesting and in some cases can be quite an eye opener they should by no means be seen as a be all and end all to African studies. One major problem I feel with the book is that while Van Sertima is trying to present Africas contibution to the world he is seeing it through an entirely Western perspective.

First of all, the Moors (i.e. the people of North West Africa) though some are of dark complexion and some black most of them are not. Unlike for example colonial American history the eithical outlook of the people did not revolve around race but rather faith or tribe. Often historians project modern concepts of race and society on hisorical people who simply had no concept of it.

Van Sertima is not unique in this nor are western historians take Nassar for example in Egypt who placed on his flag the embem of Salahuddin calling him a 'great Arab leader' (even though he was a Kurd who lead an army that almost certainly consisted of mostly Turks, secondly Kurds and then Arabs)

Another issue with the book is it is based upon almost entirely Euopean sources. True, many of them are translated Arabic books but that can hardly substitute from the original. There are some that would see this as a minor or even unimportant issue (many of the most Islamaphobic books printed today are by 'experts' who dont speak a word of Arabic) but imagine someone writing a book on say French history or the history of the Russian church but could speak not a word of French or Russian!

As a result, Van Sertima is left with a book that often contradicts itself and often has errors resulting from miss-translations or transliterations.

The book is an iteresting read but Andalusia for example, was hardly a Black African colony. It was a land that included native Spaniards, Arabs, Jews, Slavs (in fairly large numbers) Persians, Black Africans etc. People that Europeans may have refered to as 'Moors' does not mean that they were Black as the term refered to North Africans in general.

The book includes an exellent biblography for further reading though almost all, books by western authors.

Golden Pages of the Moor.......2006-08-11

Golden Age of the Moor is destined to become a classic if it isn't already that. If I could give it ten stars, I'd give it twenty. Teeming with boldly told truths and irrefutable facts about what was perhaps the most pivotal time period in the history of African and Western cultures, focusing on one of the greatest empires ever, this book is not merely a great read; it is full scale reeducation. Zooming in on the Moorish occupation of Spain between the 8th and 15th centuries, this book offers readers an inspiring revisitation of that period. Here is an awesome compilation of well presented scholarly essays representing an all-star ensemble of front line scholars and progressive thinkers, complied and edited by the J. A. Rogers of this generation, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima. And speaking of Rogers, Golden Age of the Moor mirrors Rogers, as it too, displays many rare illustrations and photographs depicting historical Moors as the highly civilized and enlightened people they were. And this book boldly identifies Moors as an African phenotype.

It's really exciting to vicariously participate in the collaborative work of these great minds as they converge scholarship on this one important subject; the Moors. One can only imagine the force of energy and unity involved to make this timely project the outstanding resource success it is. It's shameful that so Many people are dumbfounded about this history, thus, I feel awkward saying, this is one of the best books on the subject.

I've read some harsh criticisms about this work and it is nothing but sour grapes. When truth, especially that which has been hidden for a very long time, boldly emerges; some people who have profited by its absence, either emotionally, spiritually, economically or whatever, are certain to anger, and through that anger; they will call the truth teller a liar. Such is the case with the emergence of this book. Moorish history has for too long been pushed out of the big picture and it deserves its proper place on the historical canvas. We applaud those who dare to interpret and report history with integrity to let the chips fall where they may. On that note, I recommend the Euvolution Of Sacred Muur Science By Noble Timothy El as a complementary resource to this book.

My only criticism (and perhaps it's not really that) is that, as some of the contributors here present the research supporting Moorish identity, they seem to almost defend their positions in doing so. While I do understand the reason for this, I insist that truth needs no explanation or defense. Everybody who knows, knows the Moors were Africans. You need not engage, dignify or invite polemics on that topic. History speaks louder than words. Cased closed!

Mr. Van Sertima! Thank you, Sir.

Moor Maur Moore Muur and More Knowledge.......2006-02-05

Superior book that's all I can say, nothing but the facts any detractors are just hating. Like Malcolm said "History is a just reward for all research" and thats what Ivan Van Sertima presents in one of his best works on Moor culture. I would recommend this book along with "The Huevolution of Sacred Muur Science Past and Present" by Noble Timothy Myers-EL (2005)

Historically incorrect revisionism.......2006-02-02

Since when does one have to be historically incorrect in order to be politically correct? I bought this book in order to get some good history on the Maghrib area, the Imazighren peoples generally do not have much written history except that which is in Arabic (Ibn Battuta, Ibn Khaldun, etc) or by the French colonizers. I have travelled throughout Morroco and am very much interested in the Sahrawi cause.

Ivan Sertima is no help in sorting out that history because his knowledge of the area seems like it came from armchair readings. The Introduction sets out on the first page to explain an African dynasty in Spain. But Van Sertima doesn't have any name other than which the Romans gave him "Batrikus". Now these are the same Romans who had no knowledge of the trans-Atlantic world, no Arabic science, and no way of knowing what the hell they were talking about! So much for the alleged facts of Batrikus and his Spanish dynasty.

But that is not all. Van Sertima is not clear about what name to give these Batrikus people...so we can just call them "Van Sertima batrikanii" or whatever. In the next paragraph Van Sertima tells us that "They settled in that part of the country between their place of the landing in the west, and the country of the Franks in the east." But there were no Franks in Spain!!! The Franks were in Gaul. The Visigiths were in Spain, but they didn't get there until later. They did not convert to Christianity until King Recared in 589 CE. In Gaul, the Frankish King Clovis had already converted in 486 CE. But Van Sertima says that the Romans arrived 157 years later. Later? Later than what year? Van Sertima does not answer this because you can't put exact dates on mythological characters, right?

Then Van Sertima fabricates a story about a certain Taharka from Ethiopia and/or Egypt and calls the Roman city Tarraco (in Spain) his geographical namesake. Again, there is no proof so he calls on a XVIth century Christian imperialist pseudo-historian Florian de Ocampo to justify this legend! Imagine that! It's like calling on Hitler to give accurate information about Jewish history. Talk about "asenine ignorance" (Van Sertima, 9) In the next paragraph, Van Sertima is sure that Napoleon "L'Afrique commence aux Pyrenees," but agin the origin of this saying is still in dispute. You can be sure it was not a racist comment though, it was entirely imperialist. Next: the origin of the word 'maures' is still in dispute, but Sertima thinks it has too do with skin color since that is all he seems to be able to see. In fact the Sahrawis are, and have always been, mixed with a full range of beautiful skin shades from dark to very light. Color only matters if you care...good history really matters to a good historian. I am astonished that Van Sertima uses the term "berber" since it is so imperialist. The real name of these peoples is Imazighren, pl. for Amazigh ("Free men"). But this is coming from a man who believes that Fez and Marrakesh are port cities (4), but they are land-locked!!! Unless Van Sertima knows about a port in the middle of the desert.

My charges are not against the idea of raising consciousness about African contributions to civilization, that record stands for itself. What I am against is the bungling of dates, geography, and the poor reasoning skills Van Sertima displays. Yet I do think the work on the whole is valuable if it helps raise consciousness. The essays by Carew, Reynolds, and especially Chinyelu are really great, but Pimienta-Bey is a little extreme. Don't take Van Sertima's word for it, study widely in the field and cultivate open-mindedness and diversity not propaganda. After all, Van Sertima doesn't even think Diop is always correct.

Average customer rating:

Another excellent work by Mr Ramadan
Hard thinking man arrives at refreshing vision
Citizen Muslim
Must Read for Western Muslims
Great Book

Western Muslims and the Future of Islam
Tariq Ramadan
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 019517111X

Book Description

In a Western world suddenly acutely interested in Islam, one question has been repeatedly heard above the din: where are the Muslim reformers? With this ambitious volume, Tariq Ramadan firmly establishes himself as one of Europe's leading thinkers and one of Islam's most innovative and important voices. As the number of Muslims living in the West grows, the question of what it means to be a Western Muslim becomes increasingly important to the futures of both Islam and the West. While the media are focused on radical Islam, Ramadan claims, a silent revolution is sweeping Islamic communities in the West, as Muslims actively seek ways to live in harmony with their faith within a Western context. French, English, German, and American Muslims--women as well as men--are reshaping their religion into one that is faithful to the principles of Islam, dressed in European and American cultures, and definitively rooted in Western societies. Ramadan's goal is to create an independent Western Islam, anchored not in the traditions of Islamic countries but in the cultural reality of the West. He begins by offering a fresh reading of Islamic sources, interpreting them for a Western context and demonstrating how a new understanding of universal Islamic principles can open the door to integration into Western societies. He then shows how these principles can be put to practical use. Ramadan contends that Muslims can-indeed must-be faithful to their principles while participating fully in the civic life of Western secular societies. Grounded in scholarship and bold in its aims, Western Muslims and the Future of Islam offers a striking vision of a new Muslim Identity, one which rejects once and for all the idea that Islam must be defined in opposition to the West.

Customer Reviews:

Another excellent work by Mr Ramadan.......2007-05-31

Thanks again to Mr. Ramadan for keeping the door and the dialoge open on a very pressing and important issue for many of us "Western" Muslims. As a new Muslim woman from Latin America living in the USA I find each day many of the issues presented by Mr Ramadan, thanks to his inside, I am able to better undertand my role in this society while living and embracing the "true" Islamic identity and tradition. Thanks also for the great lessons learned with "In the Footsteps of the Prophet". Thanks for the loving and unsugared portrait of the Prophet you presented in this excellent book , it did touch my heart.

Hard thinking man arrives at refreshing vision.......2007-05-15

Ramadan is a serious thinker, devoted to making a difference. He takes both his faith and his Western homeland seriously, and this for him is a single commitment to God and his neighbors. His concern is the quality of life in the future world order. And his vision for the potential contributions of Western Muslims is refreshing.

Where many Muslims assume that the practices of other cultures are ungodly unless proven otherwise, Ramadan turns such logic around. Like Imam Malik, he argues that all customs (urf) or institutions which "seek the good" (istislah) are valid, and should not be rejected unless they specifically violate a moral prohibition of the Quran and Sunna. In that case the challenge to Western Muslims is like that faced by the first Muslims in mainly non-Islamic Mecca, or by the biblical Joseph in Egypt - how to inspire better human relations, and improve care for society's needs.

Ramadan sees a special responsibility falling on Muslims in the West. Working within Western institutions yet maintaining real ties to the non-Western world, these believers have a chance to serve as a voice of conscience. In a world order of profound inequality, many Western Muslims have both the hope and the opportunity to make a difference. And to grasp that opportunity they must act as full-citizens, taking responsibility for building better institutions in cooperation with non-Muslims of goodwill. As Ramadan explores the possibilities for economic, political and cultural life, the future seems ever more interesting.

Citizen Muslim.......2006-09-27

Islamic philosopher Tariq Ramadan asks a fundamental question. Is it possible for a devout Muslim living here to also be a responsible and loyal American? As a member of what Ramadan calls the Other, I find it disturbing it even needs to be asked. It isn't trivial and Ramadan doesn't ask it on behalf of Muslims. He asks it of Muslims because they ask it of themselves. We have people living among us who are unsure of the answer, millions of them apparently, some of them second and third generation Americans. More than a few have concluded the answer is no. Their devotion to Islam supersedes and is incompatible with any duty to their adopted country. The question cuts to the heart of what Americans have been asking since 9/11. What on earth are these people so angry about and what in heavens name does it have to do with us? In attempting to answer Ramadan directs his comments to those Muslims living in the West for whom religion is at the center of daily life, Muslims who are struggling with a very real identity crisis. Ramadan isn't proposing an interfaith dialogue, though he thinks one is important. He is proposing an intra-faith dialogue. He wants to reopen a debate that has been closed for a thousand years.
At issue is the long held Islamic view of a world divided into two parts, dar al-Islam and dar al-harb, the abode of submission and the abode of war. This view didn't originate in the Koran or with the Prophet. It was developed later by Islamic scholars to offer a code of conduct for Muslims living in or traveling through areas not subject to Islamic rule, places where any exercise of an alien religion was usually restricted and often prohibited. Muslims in these conditions were called not to compromise their faith, to remain apart, at all costs to avoid assimilating. Sometime around the 10th century it became pretty much accepted dogma throughout Islam. It still is. It is a view that has been noted with alarm by modern Western commentators. It is at the root of the attitude among many Muslims to reject as un-Islamic all things Western. Ramadan argues that the doctrine can and should be revised in light of changed circumstance. It is no longer an appropriate view of Europe or of North America because in the modern West the Muslim is free to practice his religion.
Ramadan draws an all-important distinction between faith and culture. Islam requires Muslims to dress modestly but exactly how that applies in different societies is open to interpretation. There is also a difference between what is required by law and what is permitted. That alcohol may be legal does not force one to drink. There may be occasions when civil law presses an individual to violate his conscience, to participate say in an unjust war, but those occasions are rare and there are ways for Muslims to deal with them short of outright rejection of the offending legal system. Islam has adapted to differing cultures before. Indonesians are very different from Pakistanis and they can both be authentically Islamic.
This all seems obvious to us, the Other. That it does not seem obvious to so many Muslims is incomprehensible. Americans are accustomed to immigrants. We expect them to become naturalized, take their citizenship seriously, participate fully in our society, make it their own, even take on leadership roles. Ramadan wants his fellow Muslims to do that too, and he believes they will. He certainly believes they can, and without compromising their religion.

Must Read for Western Muslims.......2005-09-22

It is a must read for muslims living in western countries. The book deals with the issues of BELONGING(specially immigrant muslims), EXTREMELY IMPORTANT concept of Darul Harb and Darul Islam and a thorough discussion of what is required of a muslim living/working/studying in non-muslim lands in general.

He mentions the CORE characteristics that makes muslim ummah, THE BEST NATION i.e. Telling Mankind the real purpose of life and conveying the message of the prophets. When muslims live amongst non-muslims they automatically are calling non-muslims to Islam by the way they act, they work or do any thing else whether they actually call people to Islam or not.

Tariq Ramadhan gives the western muslims confidence and encourages them to stop being isolationist and engage fully in the society around them to make the situation better for themselves as a community and also to fulfill their obligation of transmitting the message of the prophets to their fellow citizens. Even if these concepts are not new to you as a muslim, it is a must to read and reflect upon what brother Tariq says. Our reading, reflecting and then actually DOING DAWAH can make a difference of us entering HELL or entering PARADISE in the hereafter. No matter how bad the situation becomes for muslims and how bad the non-muslims treat muslims, muslims can NEVER EVER forget their obligation to save themselves and the non-muslims from Hellfire and Tariq makes an excellent case for that.

You would for sure like reading this book. I don't agree with each and everything in the book but I pray for him for writing about the core issues we face as muslims. And don't even once look at the price, reading this book is far better then eating at your favorite restaurant.

As the issues indicate the book is primarily for muslims but would help non-muslims too specially the ones interested to find out about muslims in the west in particular and Islam in general. If you are a non-muslim then I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND "What Everyone Should Know About Islam and Muslims" by Suzanne Haneef apart from reading the FINAL REVELATION to mankind, THE HOLY QURAN.

Great Book.......2004-01-12

I believe this is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It was the first time a scholar elaborates on what it really means to be both Western and Muslim. He tackles just about every issue facing Muslims in the West - and while obvously not everyone will agree with him - he is the first one to really discuss these issues as far as I know.

Muslims and the State in Britain, France, and Germany (Cambridge Studies in Social Theory, Religion and Politics)

Average customer rating:

Muslims and the State in Britain, France, and Germany (Cambridge Studies in Social Theory, Religion and Politics)
Joel S. Fetzer , and J. Christopher Soper
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0521535395

Book Description

European governments must struggle with assimilating Muslim newcomers into their countries, with so many more now living in Western Europe. Britain, France, and Germany have dealt with the related problems differently. This book explains why their policies differ and proposes ways of ensuring the successful incorporation of practicing Muslims into liberal democracies. Resolving their issues has become all the more urgent in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

The Islamic Challenge: Politics and Religion in Western Europe

Average customer rating:

Important "translation"

The Islamic Challenge: Politics and Religion in Western Europe
Jytte Klausen
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Church & State | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0199289921

Book Description

The voices in this book belong to legislators, local officials, doctors and engineers, educators and intellectuals, lawyers and social workers, owners of small businesses, translators, and community activists. They are also all Muslims, who have decided to become engaged in political and civic organizations. And for that reason, they constantly have to explain themselves, mostly in order to say who they are not. They are not fundamentalists, not terrorists, and most do not support the introduction of Islamic religious law in Europe - especially not its application to Christians. This book is about who these people are, and what they want. This book is based on three hundred interviews with European Muslim leaders from six European countries: Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, and Germany. The question of Islam in Europe is not a matter of global war and peace but raises difficult questions about the positions of Christianity and Islam in public life, and about European identities. There is not one Muslim position on how Islam should develop in Europe but many views, and most Muslims are rather looking for ways to build institutions that will allow European Muslims to practice their religion in a way that is compatible with social integration.

Customer Reviews:

Important "translation" .......2006-01-09

Europe is facing a quickly growing muslim minority. How democracy and this minority will cope is a question with historical and worldwide implications. But the responsibility for that is not yet widely acknowledged. And until now, the book market wasn't a help that often.

How many books and articles have been written about muslims and their building political elites in europe on the basis of historical or political speculation? I think, too many. For a long time I longed for one that was a) based on sound political sciences instead of wishful thinking (pro or contra Islam) and b) helpful in practical questions.
Jytte Klausen (from the Center for European Studies, Brandeis University, Boston) did it! Herself from Danish origin, she did the nearest thing: not just reading and surmising, but traveling time and again to the different European countries, staying for some time in the larger ones, speaking with competent muslims and non-muslims alike (in mosques and families as well as in universities and parliaments) and flanking all that with empirical questionaires and interviews.

In reading, you learn about the emergence of the new "muslim elite" in Europe, chances as well as hindrances and dangers - and all that in a comprehensive and comparative perspective, which has apparently grown and won through the workplaces in the US and different European countries.

And the fifth Amazon-star goes for style. The book is not just sound and interesting, but also good to read - you kind of join the travels and interviews, and you enjoy it. A must-read for people who see the european and global demographic and democratic challenges!

Conflict and Coexistence: Archbishop Rodrigo and the Muslims and Jews of Medieval Spain (History, Languages, and Cultures of the Spanish and Portuguese Worlds)

Average customer rating:

Conflict and Coexistence: Archbishop Rodrigo and the Muslims and Jews of Medieval Spain (History, Languages, and Cultures of the Spanish and Portuguese Worlds)
Lucy K Pick
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Western | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0472113879

Book Description

"An outstanding contribution not only to Spanish but to European history at large. Pick's book is the first to clarify the unity of purpose that drove Archbishop Rodrigo, a major figure not only as a historian and controversialist, but as a churchman whose military campaigns advanced the conquest of Muslim Spain and shifted the whole balance of power in the Iberian peninsula."
---J. N. Hillgarth, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto

"By focusing on the diversified activities of the talented mid-thirteenth-century archbishop of Toledo, Lucy Pick brilliantly illuminates the complex relations between the Christian conquerors of Spain and the conquered Muslim and Jewish populations. Students of medieval Spain, of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, of medieval Muslims and Islam, and of medieval Jews and Judaism will benefit from this excellent study."
---Robert Chazan, New York University.

In Conflict and Coexistence, Lucy Pick sets out to explain how Christians, Muslims, and Jews lived alongside one another in medieval Spain. By examining the life and works of Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada, the Archbishop of Toledo (1209-47), Pick explains that the perceived threat of the non-Christian presence was managed through the subordination of Muslims and Jews.

Rodrigo stood at the center of a transformative period of history in the Iberian peninsula. During his long and varied career as archbishop, he acted as scholar, warrior, builder, and political leader. The wave of victories he helped initiate were instrumental in turning back the tide of Muslim attacks on Christian Spain and restarting the process of Christian territorial conquest. However, Toledo was still a multiethnic city in which Christians lived side by side with Jews and Muslims. As archbishop, he was faced with the considerable challenge of maintaining peace and prosperity in a city where religious passions and intolerance were a constant threat to stability.

This work seeks to examine Rodrigo's relations with the Muslims and Jews of his community both as he idealized them on paper and as he worked through them in real life. Though Rodrigo wrote an anti-Jewish polemic, and set out to conquer Muslim-held lands, he also used scholarly patronage and literary creation to combat internal and external, Christian and non-Christian threats alike. His intended and actual consequences of these varied techniques were to allow Christians, Muslims, and Jews to live together under Christian authority. Rodrigo was bound by practical necessity to find a means of accommodating these groups that was both effective and theologically satisfactory. Throughout this influential work, Pick examines the various aspects of Rodrigo's life and career that led to his policies and the consequences that his work and beliefs brought about in medieval Spain.

This book will be of interest to anyone who studies the history, religion, and literature of medieval Spain, to those interested in the transmission of learning from the Muslim to the Christian world, and to those who study intellectual life and development in medieval Europe.

Average customer rating:

Women in Islam
Excellent
Apologetics extreme

Women in Islam: The Western Experience
Anne Sofie Roald
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Sociology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0415248965

Book Description

The position of women in Islam is the subject of ongoing debates in both the Muslim world and the West. Women in Islam investigates this debate and illustrates the ways in which Islamic perceptions of women and gender relations tend to undergo significant change in Western Muslim communities. Roald shows how this cultural encounter gives rise to fresh interpretations of Islamic texts, promoting new Islamic understandings in relation to issues of gender.

Customer Reviews:

Women in Islam.......2006-06-25

Although the premise of this book is quite interesting, the semantics of the book are complex. There is more discussion of theology than of the practical implications of Islam on Muslim women living in the West, thus detracting from the overall thesis of the book. That said, there are interesting tidbits that can be gleaned from the overall content, but most readers will find it to be rather monotonous.

Excellent.......2005-05-30

This book is sooo extremely informative. It explores issues relating to Muslim women from many different Islamic perspectives (non-Muslims seem to be shocked that there is actually more than one Islamic perspective!!!). Roald, a convert to Islam, critically examines specific issues from the eyes of the most important and relevant players in contemporary Islamic discourse, from Eastern and Western Muslim feminists, to the typical mainstream Muslim writers (in the West and in the Arab world), to the Wahhabi/Salafi literalists. She is honest and insightful, and she includes personal experiences and anecdotes gathered from interviewees. She also gives well cited hadeeth evidence and Quranic verse to explain where many of her subjects' views originate. She ties modern Islamic rhetoric on women's issues to the convergence of Western cultural encounters with Islam/Muslims due to colonialism and globalization, together with basic Islamic sources of knowledge (Quran and hadeeth), and with culturalized Islam in the Arab context. This book is a MUST READ for people who want to take a critical and well-informed look at the "Women in Islam" issue.

Apologetics extreme.......2003-03-29

The author spent most of the book examening hadiths and explaining the authentication of them. Although this presents how Muslims deal with their literature, I would have liked to have seen some of the contemporary literature of the 8th-9th centuries (this is when early Islamic literature was exploding). To understand why this literature suddenly became so massive, I would recommend books by Patricia Crone, Ibn Warraq and Joseph Schaht. Possibly the best book to start would be "The Quest for the Historical Muhammad" by Ibn Warraq and start with chapters 1&2. The material in these books also introduces the reader to the world of hadith and how they are mainly polemic in nature (hostile to a specific group or groups of people).
If anyone thinks that to study the Qur'an as a human document is wrong, then you should consider that most of the Qur'an is from the Talmud, Midrash and other Jewish tales that were floating around at the time. Also, many of the people that Arabs interacted with in the 7th-8th centuries never mentioned a sacred book that these people had.
One last thing. To clear up an issue, Ishmaelites lived only in northern Arabia, not southern; and there were no Jews in Medina in the 7th century.

Muslims in the West: Redefining the Separation of Church & State

Average customer rating:

He specifies what he does not like
The MOST profound study of Muslims in the West available!
The best study of this subject available in ENGLISH!
An original and welcome contribution to Islamic Studies

Muslims in the West: Redefining the Separation of Church & State
Sami Awad Aldeeb Abu-Sahlieh
Manufacturer: Shangri-La Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0971468338

Book Description

A compelling study examining the social dilemmas concerning Muslims living in the west following the events of September 11, this work is dedicated to handling the delicate situation brought about by the presence of 15 to 20 million Muslims in western countries. Included are discussions of the practice of arranged marriage and its effects on immigration law, the representation of Muslim women in western populations, and the situation concerning Iraqi relations. With chapters covering minority populations, food prohibitions, and family law, the cultural and religious practices of Muslims are seen in the context of life in the west.

Customer Reviews:

He specifies what he does not like.......2005-02-27

It is difficult nowadays to get an objective, nuanced opinion on Islam, neither flattering nor biased against it. If I were to recommend a way to try and achieve that, I would suggest to read several good books on the matter, including this one among them: I like it because the author is extremely specific, i.e., he goes down to the detail and critizies what he does not like in muslim behaviour or thought. In that way, even if one does not agree with him on all (or part of )what he says, it is to be praised that he gives a fairly opportunity to answer back. Besides, it is very complete (but only as far as Switzerland is concerned) and reasonibly readable book (without being light).

Other books that I would recommend to read would be the following: A) ASSESSMENTS OF ISLAM: 1) The best, impartial, wise: "Islam. History, present, future" by Hans Küng (written in German, already available in Spanish, English translation coming in 2007); 2) Moderate Islam at its best: "The Great Theft : Wrestling Islam from the Extremists" by Khaled M. Abou El Fadl; and 3) Autobiography of a courageous woman: "Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She is a controversial thinker with a very interesting life. B) HISTORY: 4) General: "The Venture of Islam", by Marshall G. S. Hodgson (nowadays a classic included in any bibliography on Islam); 5) Turks: "The Turks in World History" by Carter Vaughn Findley; 6) Political theory: "God's Rule : Government and Islam" by Patricia Crone; and 7) Jihad: "Understanding Jihad" by David Cook (it also seems interesting although I have not read it yet: "Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice" by Michael Bonner).

The MOST profound study of Muslims in the West available!.......2003-01-12

I offer many praises to Dr. Sami Aldeeb Abu-Salieh for writing this book and Dr. Sheldon Gosline for translating it into English. They have provided us with the first clear picture of Muslims in the West. Although much of the research is specific to Islam in Europe and Switzerland in particular, the conclusions are universal to all western nations. Dr. Aldeeb spent a lifetime studying this subject and his knowledge is totally evident. The translation into English of the original French and Arabic text was a massive task. It was undertaken with great care. If you are at all interested in the subject of Islam you must see this work!

The best study of this subject available in ENGLISH!.......2002-12-05

This work is an outstanding compilation of Islamic and western law concerning all aspects of life. It is a subject that touches all of us since the tragic events of Sept. 11th.

An original and welcome contribution to Islamic Studies.......2002-10-10

Translated into English by Sheldon Lee Gosline, Muslims In The West: Redefining The Separation Of Church And State is accessibly written by Sami A. Aldeeb Abu-Sahlieh (Director of Islamic Law, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, Lausanne) who drew upon his more than twenty years of personal and professional experience to examine the cultural, social, and political interactions of Muslims in Switzerland. Individual chapters address everything from conflicts of religion and the right to worship, to issues involving religious cemeteries and burial grounds. A very thoughtful and insightful work offering principles and wisdom that can be generalized to the Western world as a whole, Muslims In The West is an original and welcome contribution to Islamic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Images of the Other, Europe and the Muslim World Before 1700: Cairo Papers, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Cairo Papers in Social Science)

Average customer rating:

Images of the Other, Europe and the Muslim World Before 1700: Cairo Papers, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Cairo Papers in Social Science)
Blanks
Manufacturer: American University in Cairo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9774243889

Book Description

Includes essays on Muslim perceptions of the West and Western impressions of the Muslim world in the Middle Ages, as well as a section on Arabs and Byzantines.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books