Islam in Britain, 1558-1685 - Softcover

Matar, Nabil

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521048974 ISBN 13: 9780521048972

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2008

Synopsis

This book examines the impact of Islam on Britain between 1558 and 1685. Professor Matar provides a perspective on the transformation of British thought and society by demonstrating how influential Islam was in the formation of early modern British culture. Christian-Muslim interaction was not, as is often thought, primarily adversarial; rather, there was extensive cultural, intellectual and missionary engagement with Islam in Britain. The author documents conversion both to and from Islam, and surveys reactions to these conversions. He examines the impact of the Qur'an and Sufism, not to mention coffee, on British culture, and cites extensive interaction of Britons with Islam through travel, in London coffee houses, in church, among converts to and from Islam, in sermons and in plays. Finally, he focuses on the theological portrait of Muslims in conversionist and eschatological writings.

About this title

Review:

'The origins of both British attitudes to Islam are charted in Nabil Matar's brilliant and gripping study, an astonishing compendium of groundbreaking research whose very title is a measure of quite how original and surprising this book is ... but it is also warmly and wittily written and, unusually for a heavyweight academic book, enormously readable and accessible. It is certainly the most surprising book I have read for many months. William Dalrymple, The Sunday Times

' ... a treasure trove of a book ... this will appeal not only to scholars, but also to those who like their history to consist primarily of facts and evidence, and only secondarily of theories.' Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph

'I recommend you beg, borrow or steal a copy of this book, not just for yourself to read, but to send to anyone whose anti-Turkish prejudices overcome their intelligence.' David Carter, Cyprus Today

Book Description:

This book examines the impact of Islam on early modern Britain. Christian-Muslim interaction was not, as is often assumed, primarily adversarial; rather, there was extensive cultural, intellectual and missionary engagement with Islam, which can be seen in London coffee houses, among converts to and from Islam, in sermons and in plays.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0521048974
• ISBN 13: 9780521048972
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240