Customer Reviews

Pocket Timeline of Islamic Civilizations

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Prior to 9/11, what most Americans new about Islamic history and culture was derived from old movies and a bit of the crusader era from out-of-date highschool history books. But all that has changed now with the attacks of militant Islamic political factions against American targets and our military involvement in such nations as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. "Pocket Timeline of Islamic Civilization" is a 32-page, color illustrated, hard cover compendium of information compiled by Nicholas Badcott (Arab World Education Officer, the British Museum, London, England) that provides an informed and informative overview of the history and accomplishments of Islam including the Umayyads, Bbbasids, Fatimids, Seljugs, Zengids, Ayyubids, Mamluks, Ilkhands, Ottomans, Timurids, Safavids, and Mughals. Enhanced with a twelve-page pull-out timeline format, and featuring a bibliography and website list, the "Pocket Timeline of Islamic Civilization" is very handy and highly recommended resource for anyone seeking an concise overview of Islamic history from its earliest days down to the modern era.

The first two-thirds (32 pages) of this booklet [8vo in size] very briefly identifies the highlights of Islam throughout the Middle East, since the time of Mohammad to the end of the Muslim caliphate of Ottoman Turkey in 1924. The last third is a continuous oblong, 1-page sheet (with 12 accordion-folded, high-quality pages) showing the history of Islam in a long timeline-style chart. This timeline chart can be easily removed from the book for display on a wall. Many colorful Islamic objects (coins, buildings, vases, etc.) are shown in both portions. Obviously, for this short booklet, not much `deep' analysis can be presented. Both portions of this book are color-coded into the various Islamic `dynasties': the Umayyads, the Abbasods, the etc. But how each dynasty developed is not explicitly stated in the timeline. The timeline notes that "The Umayyds kill Husayn, son of Ali and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at Karbala, Iraq", but it fails to note the significance of this: the development of the `split' between the Sunni and the Shia sects of Islam. Sadly, the timeline really doesn't explain much, more `factoidish' in nature. The creation of Israel and the Palestinian `issue' is ignored. It will do until a more educational, and useful, wall-timeline chart is produced.