Middle East & IslamSince the beginning of human civilization, the Middle East has been a region of vital importance and the blending of cultures, languages and ideas. In the 7th century with the rise of Islam, the region saw the spread of a new faith that would forever influence the path of history and of world thought.
From its ancient roots to the golden age of Islam, from the era of colonialism to the emergence of modern nation states, the Middle East and its rich civilizations continue to inspire as well as to present new challenges to the world community. As with any other area of interest of this scale, it is virtually impossible to condense enough resources to cover every topic adequately. It is also undesirable, even despite frequent crossover, to conflate the Middle East with Islam, as neither is a direct indication of the other. Nonetheless, for purposes of immediate organization, we have chosen to combine these themes for the time being. So you will find materials on everything from medieval Islam to Arab history to Persia to Ottoman subjects below. In the future, as we hopefully grow, these diverse subjects will receive their own respective pages. |