Rise of Islam

Matthew S. Gordon studies the socio-political history of the early Islamic Near East. His book, The Breaking of a Thousand Swords: A History of the Turkish Military of Samarra (SUNY Press) appeared in 2001. A primer, entitled Understanding Islam (Duncan Baird Publishers/Oxford University Press), was published in 2002.

• Acknowledgements Preface Timeline Historical Overview The Arab-Islamic Conquests The Umayyad Caliphate Cities in the Early Abbasid Period Religious Practice, Law and Spirituality The Islamic World in the Early Tenth Century Biographies Glossary Bibliography Primary Documents

"Add this book to the list of good introductions to the origins of Islam for upper-level high school social science or first-year college humanities courses. What sets this text apart from many others is its focus on the socioeconomic, political, and cultural milieu in which a new religious movement was born and has thrived; its discussion of the origins of Islamic law, spirituality and theology, mysticism, philosophy, and culture; and an appendix of individual page-length biographies of important figures. Also included is a helpful glossary ofterms, a photo essay, selections from primary sources, and an annotated bibliography....Matthew S. Gordon's discussion of the sociocultural origins and authority of the Qur'an is very good. He also highlights an area of Islamic studies often ignored in general introduction, the role of urbanization in the development of Islamic civilization worldwide....[thhis is a very useful and informative general introduction." - The Historian