HIDDEN HISTORY - Joram van Klaveren

30 Untold Stories of Islam in the West

Islam and the West are often seen as opposites. But is that really true?

"Hidden History" uncovers a fascinating and largely forgotten chapter of our past. Through 30 remarkable stories, it reveals how deeply rooted Islam has been in the Western world — long before countries like the Netherlands or the United States even existed.

With sharp insights and compelling anecdotes, Hidden History brings to life the intertwi...

Islam exists in global history with its richly variegated cultural and social realities. When these specific cultural contexts are marginalized, Islam is reduced to an ahistorical religion without the ability to contribute to humanity. This limited understanding of Islam has been a contributing factor in many of the violent conflicts in the present day.

Reflecting on Islam in Indonesia, the world’s third largest democracy, supporting the largest Muslim population, Ahmad Syafii Maarif argues...

Ibn Taymiyya’s Thought: Corpus, Reception, and Legacy explores the work, influence, and lasting impact of one of the most controversial and prolific figures in Islamic intellectual history: Taqī l-Dīn Aḥmad Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328). Adopting a clear and rigorous approach, this book traces the keystrands of Ibn Taymiyya’s thought and shows how his writings have been interpreted, transformed, challenged, and reappropriated over time. It sheds light on the tensions between tradition an...

An examination of the rise of Islam, the life of Muhammad, and the Islamic principles of faith. Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair describe the golden age of the Abbasids, the Mongol invasions, and the great Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires that emerged in their wake.

How Muslims in Indonesia consider their religious practices, politics and culture as Islamic is described in this volume. By examining the various ways Bima Muslims constitute their Islamic identities and agencies through rituals and festivals, this book argues that religious practice is still vigorous in present Bima. It explores the reproduction of religious meanings among various local Muslims and the differences between social groups. Islam is represented as divided between the traditiona...