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Minarets in the Mountains: A Journey into Muslim Europe (Bradt Travel Guides (Travel Literature)) by [Tharik Hussain]

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Tharik Hussain

Minarets in the Mountains: A Journey into Muslim Europe (Bradt Travel Guides (Travel Literature)) Kindle Edition

by Tharik Hussain (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Part of: Bradt Travel Guides (Travel Literature) (24 books)

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A magical, eye-opening account of a journey into a Europe that rarely makes the news and is in danger of being erased altogether. Another Europe. A Europe few people believe exists and many wish didn't. Muslim Europe.

Londoner Tharik Hussain sets off with his wife and young daughters around the Western Balkans, home to the largest indigenous Muslim population in Europe, and explores the regions of Eastern Europe where Islam has shaped places and people for more than half a millennium. Encountering blonde-haired, blue-eyed Muslims, visiting mystical Islamic lodges clinging to the side of mountains, and praying in mosques older than the Sistine Chapel, he paints a picture of a hidden Muslim Europe, a vibrant place with a breathtaking history, spellbinding culture and unique identity.

Minarets in The Mountains, the first English travel narrative by a Muslim writer on this subject, also explores the historical roots of European Islamophobia. Tharik and his family learn lessons about themselves and their own identity as Britons, Europeans and Muslims. Following in the footsteps of renowned Ottoman traveller Evliya Celebi, they remind us that Europe is as Muslim as it is Christian, Jewish or pagan.

Like William Dalrymple's In Xanadu, this is a vivid reimagining of a region's cultural heritage, unveiling forgotten Muslim communities, empires and their rulers; and like Kapka Kassabova's Border, it is a quest that forces us to consider what makes up our own identities, and more importantly, who decides?

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358 pages
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English
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Bradt Travel Guides
Publication date

July 15, 2021
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12574 KB
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About the Author

Tharik Hussain is affiliated as a fellow with the Centre for Religion and Heritage and is viewed widely as a specialist on Muslim heritage and culture, especially across the western hemisphere. Tharik's previous work has often served to decolonise authorised and popular religious and cultural histories and narratives. He is the creator of Europe's first Muslim heritage trails, he edited a special revival edition of the historic British Muslim journal The Islamic Review. He frequently hosts lectures and talks on Muslim heritage and history and has even helped to develop a Muslim-Jewish heritage trail with the University of Oxford and JTrails.
Tharik has also produced award-winning radio on America's earliest mosques and Muslim communities and written a chapter about encountering the indigenous Muslims of Romania in the book The Ordinary Chaos of Being Human; Travels from Many Muslim Worlds. He is the author of several travel guides for Lonely Planet, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Thailand, where again he is viewed as an expert on Muslim culture and Muslim travel.
Tharik has been named one of the UK's most inspiring British Bangladeshis and is an advisor to a number of heritage projects. His travel guide to Saudi Arabia has been shortlisted for a Travel Media Award and he has an MA in Islamic Studies and a BA(hons) in Media and Cultural Studies.
--This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0999KCFYP
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bradt Travel Guides; 1st edition (July 15, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 15, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 12574 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 358 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #915,153 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #119 in Eastern Europe Travel
- #193 in Islamic History
- #706 in Adventure Travel (Kindle Store)

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93 ratings

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Tharik Hussain

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Tharik is an author, travel writer and journalist specialising in Muslim heritage and culture.

His debut book, Minarets in the Mountains; A Journey into Muslim Europe, has been shortlisted for the 2022 Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year award and was longlisted for the 2021 Baillie Gifford Prize. It was named a Book of the Year by the New Statesman, Prospect Magazine and the Times Literary Supplement, and a Travel Book of the Year by The Washington Post and Newsweek.

Minarets in the Mountains is the first book by a travel writer to explore indigenous Muslim Europe, and the first to do so through the eyes of a Muslim writer.

Tharik is also the author of several travel guides for Lonely Planet, including Saudi Arabia (shortlisted for the 2020 Travel Media Awards), Bahrain, Thailand, London and Great Britain, and he has written about encountering Muslim cultures and heritage across the globe for various media publications. Tharik’s work often serves to counter popular religious and cultural narratives and in July 2019, he created Britain's first Muslim heritage trails, in Surrey, England; in 2017 he was named one of the UK's most inspiring British Bangladeshis and in 2016 his BBC World Service radio documentary, America's Mosques; a story of integration, won Best Religious Program at the New York Festivals World's Best Radio Programs Awards.

Tharik is a Fellow of the Centre of Religion and Heritage at the University of Groningen, an advisor to the Institute of Islamic Art Thailand and has an MA in Islamic Studies. He possesses two decades of experience in media and education, and is a leading consultant on global Muslim culture and travel.

Tharik resides in London and is represented by David Godwin at David Godwin Associates Ltd.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

93 global ratings

5 star		72%
4 star		17%
3 star		5%
2 star		3%
1 star		3%

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Xoanon

Intriguing travel narrative

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 8, 2022

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Really enjoyed this one. It’s not a part of Europe I’m familiar with, and the author’s perspective as a Muslim adds depth to his descriptions of the places he visited. Probably unreasonably, I felt a little impatient with his wife and daughters, who often wanted to go shopping or whatever and thus he was dragged away from examining some fascinating building or talking to a local – and I wanted him to go on doing that. But that’s life, you have to compromise when travelling as a family. The book has made me want to explore these countries myself, so I thank the author for that motivation.

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UmHisham

A fresh perspective of the Balkans

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 27, 2022

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I read this book in preparation to travel Bosnia and Croatia. I attended a class at the local university and most all the literature on the Balkans in the course was through the lens of western writers and seemed biased against the Ottomans. This book considered the significant contributions and impact of Ottomans. As we seek understanding and to broaden perspectives for global travels, this book is valuable. Very enjoyable and easy to read.

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T. Siddiqi

Thanks for taking us on this journey with you Tharik!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 27, 2022

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Loved this book. Have read much on the Ottoman and Turkish history but for one reason or other ignored the Balkans…On a random recommendation picked this book up and just absolutely loved it. Refreshed memories of listening to U2’s Miss Sarajevo with an old friend. Thanks Tharik Hussain.

2 people found this helpful

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Alyssa Ratkewitch

Highly reccomend!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 1, 2021

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Fascinated read!

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Flamur Vehapi, Author

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 26, 2021

This book is for everyone, even for those like myself who grew up in the Balkans. I learned so much from the author's journey and observations.

The book perfectly captures in time the rich cultural heritage of the region, the oft-forgotten Muslim communities living there for centuries, as well as the natural beauty of the Balkans.

I highly recommend the book because it is not just for those planning to travel there but also for those wanting to learn more about that historic part of the world full of beautiful sites, traditions, and people.

One person found this helpful

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Robin Fitz

Interesting, very personal journey

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 28, 2021

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I found this interesting as someone who first visited the Balkans in the 1980s before the wars, and very much enjoyed Sarajevo as a city and a community. I remember the slim minarets, which surprised me, and the turbes dotted throughout the city. So it was fascinating to read the journey of a British Muslim, wishing to find out more about Europe's own indigenous, almost unknown, Islamic countries and communities.

Also interesting to read about how much the conflicts of the early 1990s have torn apart and remodelled these communities. The book is written in an unaffected and personal style, as the author journeys with his young family. I liked the straightforward writing, and his insights, including his personal feelings about the various strands of Islamic practice. Recommended to anyone interested in this part of Europe or in contemporary Islam.

6 people found this helpful

carmi_c

Do not recommend

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 16, 2022

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I bought this book as passionate about geopolitics, balkans and ethic contamination. This volume even if claim to get some like it , it is something totally different. It is ok when describes the Islam sites in the balkans , quite interesting but the more you read it and the more you detect the inaccuracy of the historical report : eg when talks about the pact of alambra, reporting that the Catholics king threatened the Jews of death them if not converting. So they escaped and the great Ottoman Empire was the only one in history permitting the co-live with Muslims. This is totally wrong, even a Wikipedia check , or a basic history knowledge will not prove it. What is really concerning if that to report this is a history teacher. There is a shaming of other religions- episode of of st James- which is quite embarrassing considering there is barely a mention of the “cons” of islam. This book was not supposed to be celebration of a religion in specific and to shame other historical population while making the ovation of the Ottoman Empire. If the author wishes to criticize historical events like Albanian dictatorship- Christian reconquista- must be equal and talk about the dark site of the ottoman empire not celebrate it from the very first moment. I felt at end of the volume like manipulate in the info I have acquired and able to understand the mistakes just because I got a bit of historical knowledge . What about the rest of the readers?

One person found this helpful

Debbie

Interesting read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 11, 2021

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I love to read about different cultures and found this book really enlightening. The author wrote about he and his families journey and as a non Muslim I found it eye opening and very educational. I would definitely recommend reading this book.

5 people found this helpful

Jamil Harris

A TRULY BEAUTIFUL INSIGHT AND SURPRISE!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 4, 2021

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Honestly speaking,
I like to think I know a little about Islam and Muslim history, but even for me the idea of Muslim European countries and an indigenous Muslim European identity didn't occur to me until I read Minarets in the Mountains. Like many people on here, I'm looking at Europe's cultural heritage very differently now. This really ought to be compulsory reading for all!

5 people found this helpful

Zaneeb Imtiaz

An enthralling and excellent read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

An enthralling read which kept me engaged throughout as the two main themes are based on my own passion for travelling and interest in learning about Muslim history/heritage.

“Minarets in the Mountains” is a travelogue by Tharik Hussain where he sets off on a road trip with his wife and daughters around the Western Balkans, home to the largest indigenous Muslim population in Europe.

As readers, we are taken on a journey through the three Muslim-majority countries – Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo – and three neighbouring countries with rich Muslim heritage and communities – Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro.

The author uses the Seyahatname (book of travels) by the famous Ottoman Turkish traveller, Evliya Çelebi from the 16th century, as a guide and companion for his trip. The book explores the homeland and living legacy of Islam in Europe, and the shared heritage of Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Whilst reading, I was able to relate and connect to a number of places the author visited and described as I have also travelled there, which made me feel nostalgic in a grateful way! The book has left me wanting to travel and explore more of the Balkans such as Albania and Macedonia. Although I am still not convinced about Serbia despite the author opening my eyes to the Muslim history and community which still exists out there.

I wish the book included more photographs of the places the author visited as they would have complemented the descriptions, and provided a richer reading experience. When I mentioned this part of my feedback to the author, his response was interesting. He said that part of him also wishes there were more photos but as a writer, he wanted to leave things to the imagination which is a much more powerful and pleasant experience, especially in an age of over stimulation of images! I think he made a valid and excellent point! ☺️

Overall, an excellent book and I definitely recommend it!

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