This book is a wide-ranging and general introduction to Islamic civilisation from its origins to the present day. Writing in clear and non-technical language, Professor Savory's contributors seek answers to broad and important questions: how did a single civilisation develop in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural region; how did Islamic internationalism come to be translated into powerful nationalist movements in modern times; how has the West been affected by its continuing contact with Islam; what factors have threatened Islamic civilisation in modern times, and is there a future for it at all....