A clear and complete introduction to the world of Islam: the history, beliefs, practices and laws of this ancient religion, with particular focus on the contemporary Muslim world, and on Islam in Australia.

This title discusses early Islamic exploration of Australia and the surrounding regions, and examines the impact those explorers had on history.

"This third edition of Ira M. Lapidus's classic A History of Islamic Societies has been substantially revised to incorporate the insights of new scholarship and updated to include historical developments in the first decade of the twenty-first century. Lapidus's history explores the beginnings and transformations of Islamic civilizations in the Middle East and details Islam's worldwide diffusion to Africa, Spain, Turkey and the Balkans, Central, South and Southeast Asia, and North America, situating Islamic societies within their global, political, and economic contexts. It accounts for the impact of European imperialism on Islamic societies and traces the development of the modern national state system and the simultaneous Islamic revival from the early nineteenth century to the present. This book is essential for readers seeking to understand Muslim peoples."--Publisher information.

From the Malay pearl divers of Broome to the Afghan camel drivers of the interior, Muslims have lived and worked in Australia for more than three centuries. This comprehensive account reveals the life stories of the Muslim pioneers and their descendants as they formed bonds with the indigenous people of Australia. Interviews with more than 50 contemporary Indigenous Muslims convey the spiritual journeys and personal perspectives of this incredible population.

Why did a nice middle class Australian Muslim boy want to become a soldier for Islam? Irfan Yusuf tells his story of growing up Muslim in the suburbs.

The book focusses on the historical emergence and contemporary challenges of Muslim community organizations and their struggle for recognition as ordinary voices in multiethnic and multi-religious civil societies of Western democracies. It offers a range of different perspectives on how Muslim communities position themselves and navigate the social and political landscape shaped by, on the one hand, normalization of ethno-religious diversity and, on the other, ongoing misrecognition and essentialisation of Muslims in the West. The contributions from internationally acclaimed scholars as well as emerging researchers from Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland and Australia shine new light on both country-specific similarities and divergences.