To cite an old Egyptian cliché, Nasser (1918-1970) was the ‘first Egyptian to rule Egypt since Cleopatra.’ Deposing the corrupt king Farouk, abolishing the monarchy and negotiating …
‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (d. 656) was an early convert to Islam and the third successor to the Prophet Muhammad. As caliph he established the first Islamic navy, consolidated the text of …
Almost four decades after his death Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975) remains by far the most influential African American Muslim. Leader of the Nation of Islam movement for over thirty …
In this pioneering biography, Christopher Melchert examines the forefather of the fourth of the four principal Sunni schools of jurisprudence, the Hanbali. Upholding the view that …
Aisha al-Ba‘uniyya (c.1456–1517) was one of the greatest women mystics in Islamic history. A Sufi master and an Arab poet, her religious writings were extensive by any standard and …
Hasan al-Banna (1906 – 1949) was an Egyptian political reformer, best known for establishing the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organisation which today has millions of members …
Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905) is widely regarded as the founder of Islamic modernism. Egyptian jurist, religious scholar and political activist, he sought to synthesise Western and …
‘Ali ibn ‘Asakir (1105–1176) was one of the most renowned experts on Hadith and Islamic history in the medieval era. His was a tumultuous time: centuries of Shi‘i rule had not long …
SHAH ?ABBAS (1571–1629) is the most well-known king of Iran’s Safavid dynasty (1501–1722), ruling at the height of its power and prestige. When Shah ‘Abbas came to power his …
This work is a highly readable introduction to Shaykh Mufid, the leading Shi'i scholar of his time, and it examines his contributions in the fields of jurisprudence, theology, and …
