Short History of Islam

by William Montgomery Watt

An introduction to the development of Islam from its birth among the nomadic peoples of seventh-century Arabia to its present status as one of the world's great religions. The book includes a brief account of the life and teachings of Muhammad, the creation of the Arab nation, the spread of Islam to Africa, Asia and Europe, and the flowering of Arab civilization. The author also provides a balanced examination of contemporary developments such as fundamentalism, jihad and the status of women.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

156 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

William Montgomery Watt was a Scottish historian, an Emeritus Professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Watt was one of the foremost non-Muslim interpreters of Islam in the West, was an enormously influential scholar in the field of Islamic studies and a much-revered name for many Muslims all over the world." Watt's comprehensive biography of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, Muhammad at Mecca (1953) and Muhammad at Medina (1956), are considered to be classics in the field .

Watt held visiting professorships at the University of Toronto, the Collège de France, and Georgetown University, and received the American Giorgio Levi Della Vida Medal and won, as its first recipient, the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies award for outstanding scholarship.

Reviews

[Paolo Ziani]

Utilissimo per cominciare ad approfondire un mondo così antico e frammentato.

[Vittoria]

Breve proprio come dice il titolo, ma forse troppo breve. Il libro andrebbe accompagnato da altri strumenti utili alla comprensione. Se non avessi seguito un corso di storia dei paesi islamici, non avrei capito molti termini che nel testo non vengono spiegati ma dati per conoscenza già acquisita. Forse mi aspettavo di più, mi ha lasciato con troppe domande a cui dovrò trovare risposta affrontando altre letture.

[Fabio Zacà]

Ottimo Manuale per una lettura rapida ed esauriente sulla storia e le usanze dell'Islam.

[Caroline Gabel]

i was hoping for information of what the believes of islam are, this is more of a history of the development of the faith.