The diversity of muslims in asia from the middle east to southeastern asia, from central asia to the pacific islands, the diversity in asia is striking. Turkicmuslim dynasties were established and islam offered an ideological method to break down borders between warring clans and tribes. In oil, islam and conflict, johnson provides an essential analysis of the regions tumultuous history and uncertain future. A century after the demise of prophet muhammad pbuh the, islamic empire extended from the atlantic ocean in the west to central asia in the east.
The first historybased integrated overview of islam and muslims in presentday central asia between the tenth and sixteenth centuries central asia was one of. Add in the significant reserves scattered throughout central asia and you have a volatile political cocktail that makes the region, in rob johnsons words, the new middle east. The book also explores the history of political islam in central asia and explains the concurrent roots of islamic militancy from the early disputes between salafis and traditionalists, through the period of islamic revival in the late 1980s when radical groups first emerged, and up to their growing strength today. The area was no stranger to new religions, and islam entered central asia in the 8 th century ce as part of the muslim expansion and conquest of the region. The unexpected increase in books and articles on central asia, many of them written by laypersons, has served also to add to the range of courses taught about.
Facing radical islam erlan karin 8 balance and see no interest in destabilising the region since any resulting conflict could spread to the caucasus, xinjiang, or the countries of south asia. For the layman, the history of central asia is complex. University of california press online textsa number of extremely useful books, all available in their entirety online. Islam is the most widely practiced religion in central asia. The lifestyle of such people has been determined primarily by the areas climate and geography. Islam in russia and central asia preface to first english edition his book was published in bangla national language of bangladesh in june 1976 under the title islam in the soviet union. It has been the source of several major migrations and changing patterns in history. The history of central asia concerns the history of the various peoples that have inhabited central asia. Islam began in asia in the 7th century during the lifetime of muhammad. University of california press, 9780520282155, 272pp. Ethnogenesis and stateformation in medieval and early modern eurasia and the middle. Muslims of central asia edinburgh university press books. Combining exceptional erudition with rare firsthand research, balcis book.
Galina yemelianovas muslims in central asia is a unique study which traces the history of muslims and islam in what, in the 19 th century, became russia and later sovietcontrolled central asia. List of books and articles about central asian history. Levi and ron sela draw from a vast array of historical sources to illustrate important aspects of the social, cultural, political, and economic history of islamic central asia. It reveals the critical role of its ideology based on a selective interpretation of islamic theology and history in the partys recruiting success.
The age of islam and the mongols kindle edition by christoph baumer. This set includes all four volumes of the critically acclaimed history of central asia series. The rise of militant islam in central asiapreface to paperback edition preface maps. Journal of the economic and social history of the orient, vol. The aridity of the region makes agriculture difficult and distance from the sea cut it off from much trade. A similar, equally gripping book by the same author is setting the east ablaze, about the bolsheviks plot to bring communism to india through central asia. All have muslim majorities and ancient histories but are otherwise very different. Islam in central asia is a woefully understudied and neglected field of study so books on it are scarce. Dsal, the digital south asia library a superb resource center that has put many books and images online. List of books and articles about central asian history online.
Probably the most popular book on central asia, and rightly so, this is the ultimate great game book. Jan 26, 2011 a vast region stretching roughly from the volga river to manchuria and the northern chinese borderlands, central asia has been called the pivot of history, a land where nomadic invaders and silk road traders changed the destinies of states that ringed its borders, including premodern europe, the middle east, and china. Islam and politics in central asia, past and present. First of all, there is really no country that one can identify in the area until early 1990s. Readers learn how and why asia is central to the history of islam, and vice versa, considering the impact of asia s muslims on islam. In the 8th century, islam began to penetrate the region, the desert nomads of arabia could militarily match the nomads of the steppe, and the early arab empire gained control over parts of central asia. Islam after communism reasons that the fear of a rampant radical islam that dominates both western thought and many of central asias governments should be tempered with an understanding of the politics of antiterrorism, which allows governments to justify their own authoritarian policies by casting all opposition as extremist. Central asias golden age from the arab conquest to tamerlane the silk road. Between the tenth and sixteenth centuries central asia was one of the most prestigious cultural areas of the entire muslim world, playing a pivotal role in the silk road trade.
Introduction the history of islam concerns the religion of islam and its adherents, muslims. Apr 10, 2015 quietly tucked away in the rugged region of central asia, uzbekistan is often overlooked by western policy analysts, treated as little more than an afterthought in the grand scheme of global affairs. History of central asia, history of the area from prehistoric and ancient times to the present. Muslim is an arabic word meaning one who submits to god.
Islam after communism religion and politics in central asia. Rashid is the bestinformed writer extant on these topics. The early conquests under qutayba ibn muslim 705715 were soon reversed by a combination of native uprisings and invasion by the turgesh, but the collapse of the turgesh khaganate after 738. This website is for people of various faiths who seek to understand islam and muslims. Longdistance trade in silver from muslim lands provided the impetus for the establishment of the first rus principalities, and islam arrived in the lands of rus before christianity.
The rulers of the volga bulghar state converted to islam at the turn of the tenth century, several decades before grand prince vladimir of kiev converted his. Europe or chinacentric histories have tended to see these peoples as oneatatime, more or less barbarian nomadic invaders of stable civilized societies who had to be fought, co. The first history based integrated overview of islam and muslims in presentday central asia. Also, their online book catalogue for asian history contains many useful texts.
The five republics of central asia, and their historical connection to islam. University of california press, 2007 history 241 pages. Dec 23, 2009 islamic central asia is the first englishlanguage anthology of primary documents for the study of central asian history. Very little information has appeared about the region of central asia in books and articles. The shortest route was from peshawar to kabul, across the hindu kush mountains to mazaresharif and then to tirmez and tashkent in uzbekistan, but this route was closed due to the fighting around kabul. When i first visited the buddhist cave grottos, dating from the 5th to the 14th century, at bezekilk in xinjiang province, china, i was struck by the destruction. Quietly tucked away in the rugged region of central asia, uzbekistan is often overlooked by western policy analysts, treated as little more than an afterthought in the grand scheme of global affairs. In this meticulously researched book, yemelianova offers a panoramic overview of the political, economic, cultural and religious developments in this part of central asia from the russian takeover.
The age of islam and the mongols by christoph baumer. Most specialists in asian studies tend to focus on a specific country. The evolution of islam has impacted the political, economic and military history of an enormous geographical region. References edit history of civilizations of central asia, volume 4, part 2 by c. In its historical application the term central asia designates an area that is considerably larger than the heartland of the asian continent.
Central asian and caucasian countries began to reflect on their history and identities. Central asian jadidism and local genealogies of cultural change. The epic plains and arid deserts of central asia have witnessed some of the greatest migrations, as well as many of the most transformative developments, in the history of civilization. Islam in central asia islamic studies oxford bibliographies. The russian revolution changed the face of islam in central asia, but when the ussr fell, islam emerged, relatively unscathed. Now, 10 years after they became independent nations, they have once. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Russia, central asia and the caucasus to 1917 chapter 6. Readers learn how and why asia is central to the history of islam, and vice versa, considering the impact of asias muslims on islam. The history of the region has been dramatically influenced by the lack of access to the sea and the dominance of nomadic culture. Islam after communism paperback religion and politics in central asia. Jan 02, 2019 what are some great books on history of islam and history of persian empire and central asia. Reads like a spy novel, only that it actually all happened. A history of central eurasia from the bronze age to the present lost enlightenment.
Islamic central asia home indiana university press. Islam in central asia has existed since the beginning of islamic history. Religion and politics in central asia by adeeb khalid. University of pennsylvania online book cataloguea comprehensive inventory of online books about islam. The best books on central asia and the silk road region. Abu kholdun almahmud, my dear student and a noted medical expert. Many relevant primary source texts are listed under the literature rubric and are not repeated here. Golden, central asia in world history, new oxford world history oxford university press, 2011 marianne kamp, the new woman in uzbekistan.
It contains a lot of brief, yet informative articles about different aspects of islam. This book has now been translated in english by dr. In terms of contemporary political boundaries, it comprises the newly independent post. Their history is so dismal that communism for them was a time of relative prosperity. Oct 01, 2016 he explains that prior to the 8th century, islam had established itself in central asia through a combination of iranian book and turkish sword.
Islamic central asia is the first englishlanguage anthology of primary documents for the study of central asian history. Levi and ron sela draw from a vast array of historical sources to illustrate important aspects of the social, cultural, political, and. The age of islam and the mongols is christoph baumers third volume of his four bk series on the history of central asia. Muslims of central asia edinburgh university press. As with the previous two volumes it is a big coffee table sized book with lots of beautiful pictures from central asia and a poordelicate paper wrapcover over the gorgeous leather cover. Two of the natural vegetation zones of central asia have played a prominent part in history. When i first visited the buddhist cave grottos, dating from the 5th to the 14th century, at bezekilk in xinjiang province, china, i was struck by the destruction wreaked on them by those whose religion proscribes figurative images of sentient beings. Central asia is one of the most landlocked regions on earth. Central asia is a modern geographical designation covering an area of considerable political, ethnic, and linguistic diversity, but marked by a distinctive cultural synthesis rooted in the meeting of the civilization of inner asia with that of the middle east and the islamic world. A history of islam in central asia javad haghnavaz1, saiedjamaledden alerasoul2 1, 2department of islamic thoughts faculty, jolfa branch, islamic azad university, jolfa, iran i. Still, the payoff is in the presentation of the history of the central asian countries and their peoples, and even islam.
A very good historical overview of the development of islam in central asia. The age of islam and the mongols, christoph baumer ib tauris, august 2016 second, he ties them all into a coherent narrative. As with the previous two volumes it is a big coffee table sized book with lots of beautiful pictures from central asia and a poordelicate paper wrapcover over. Geographically, central asia comprising modern kazakhstan, kyrgyzstan, tajikistan, turkmenistan, and uzbekistan may be divided into three zones. This sumptuously illustrated history of one of the most compelling and mysterious regions on earth is a unique travelogue. The spread of islam outside of the arabian peninsula and into other parts of the continent can be linked to the extensive trade routes connecting west asia to china. Islam in central asia all parts the religion of islam. Jackson school publications in international studies university of washington press, 2008.
Islam in central asia and the caucasus since the fall of the soviet union. Most specialists in asian studies tend to focus on. This volume explores the changing place of islam in contemporary central asia. The internet sourcebook on islam helpful, reliable textual materials and sources, conveniently presented. Were it not for the awkwardness of the term, it would be. Discover librarianselected research resources on central asian history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals. Islam after communism religion and politics in central. When benazir bhutto was elected as prime minister in 1993, she was keen to open a route to central asia. A vast region stretching roughly from the volga river to manchuria and the northern chinese borderlands, central asia has been called the pivot of history, a land where nomadic invaders and silk road traders changed the destinies of states that ringed its borders, including premodern europe, the middle east, and china.
By utilizing social movement theory, the book analyses political islam in central asia in general, and the phenomenon of hizb uttahrir in particular. An introduction to the history of the turkic peoples. Islam is the second largest religion in the world after christianity, with about 1. How alerte heritage protects the cultural heritage of central asia april 17, 2020 the cultural heritage of central asia is in serious danger due to the relative poverty of the population, the high levels of corruption, and the radical rewriting of history that. Being muslim in central asia practices, politics, and identities brill. In 651652 ce, muslims conquered the area known as khorasan, a vast territory that now spans northeastern iran, southern turkmenistan, and northern afghanistan. Yet, despite cultural differences, the religion of islam forms a common thread across asia. Surveys of central asian history, and of the history of islam in central asia, produced as background for studies of contemporary central asia including some. List of books and articles about islam in asia online. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the history of central asia. Rashids book, now with a new introduction by the author examining some of the. The hanafi school of thought of sunnism is the most popular, with shiism of imami and ismaili denominations predominating in the pamir plateau and the western tian shan mountains almost exclusively ismailis, while boasting to a large minority population in the.
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