Islam

Beginning in the world of late antiquity and the pre-Islamic period, the book takes the reader through Islam's formative era and early development in the Arabian Peninsula, the rise and decline of major Muslim dynasties and finally into its place in the modern world. Lavishly illustrated and written in an accessible style, Islam: An Illustrated Journey tells the story of Islam, a faith that is today practised by more than a billion people and is the fastest growing religion in the world. The book contains a multitude of images, graphics, maps and charts, features many of the masterpieces of art, architecture and literature produced by Muslims along with an easy-to-use glossary and a detailed bibliography that will appeal to both general audiences and enthusiasts of Islamic societies and cultures and world civilizations. AUTHORS: Farhad Daftary is co-director and head of the Department of Academic Research and Publications at the Institute of Ismaili Studies. An authority in Shi'i studies, with special reference to its Ismaili tradition, Dr. Daftary has published and lectured widely in the fiels of Islamic studies. Zulfikar Hirji is an Anthropologist and Social Historian of Muslim Societies and Cultures. He is currently Associate Professor of Anthropology at York University, Toronto.