Worlds of Islam

From its inception in seventh-century Arabia, Islam has been a dynamic and evolving faith. In "Worlds of Islam," James McDougall delves into the religion's origins and its journey through various phases, from Late Antiquity to the digital age. Over a millennium, armies, missionaries, and traders spread Islam across the globe, reaching the fringes of Europe, the shores of Southeast Asia, and deep into China. By the nineteenth century, the Islamic world had become incredibly diverse, ranging from Muslim-dominated empires to countries where Muslims coexisted with others of different faiths. In the twentieth century, while Gulf monarchs emphasized dynastic authority and fundamentalists in Egypt and Pakistan focused on social morality, revolutionaries from Algeria to Indonesia sought national independence, and activists in North America and Europe strived for civil rights and social justice. As traditional empires crumbled and new global powers emerged, Muslims remained as adaptable and dynamic as the modern era itself. "Worlds of Islam" offers an authoritative and comprehensive account of how Muslims formed communities, established empires, expanded worldwide, grew to billions, and embraced modernity.