This atlas covers the whole Muslim world, not just the Middle East. In addition to extensive, beautiful, and dynamic maps, it includes reference tools such as a valuable chronology. Peter Sluglett, a distinguished historian of the modern Middle East, now at the National University of Singapore, is the author of the text, while Andrew Currie is responsible for the cartographic design.
The atlas is based on 46 color maps, including several double-page spreads and two global maps on the front and back endpapers. While most of the maps deal with political history from the seventh century C.E. to 1914, there are also useful examples that cover pilgrimage centers; medieval trade routes and commodities; and Islamic revival, reform, and resistance to colonialism.
The chronological and geographical allocation of maps is excellent. Maps 1 through 31 amply cover the period from the sixth through the sixteenth century. The eighteenth century is somewhat skimpily discussed, but there is once again full coverage for the modern era to 1914. Unlike many similar works, there is considerable and fully justified attention paid to Islamic political history in sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Central Asia (including Russia). There are eight maps for the Maghreb and the Iberian Peninsula, an area often slighted in historical atlases. While there is only a one-page spread on the diffusion of Islam in West Africa ca. 1000–ca. 1500 (Map15), there is more on West Africa in later times. The Arabian Peninsula, a region frequently crowded off the page, appears here frequently.
Although the chronology extends to 2014, map coverage ends just before World War I, except for the map on page 74 and the back endpaper map. The reasons given for this unusual choice are that “it becomes no longer possible to map historical events in Asia and Africa” in terms of a unified Islamic history owing to differences created by European imperial power, the divergence of national patterns in majority-Muslim countries away from global Islamic trends, and the increasing salience of non-religious institutions and causes. (74)
The chronology facilitates comparisons in side-by-side listings on two-page spreads with columns of important dates for the central Islamic lands; Africa and Iberia; Anatolia and the Balkans; Russia, Central Asia, Iran, and India; the Indian Ocean area, Southeast Asia, and China; and the non-Muslim world. A brief glossary is followed by a substantial bibliography and several indices. A host of distinguished advisers assisted in the preparation of the book, which tends to follow C. E. Bosworth's The New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological and Genealogical Manual.
The usefulness of the maps is enhanced by an attractive and careful use of color and dynamic symbols designed to show changes over time. Sluglett and Currie deal with the dilemma facing all historical mapmakers—the difficult choice between depiction of the historical situation at one particular time versus the showing of changes in a longer historical era—by opting to depict in great detail changes through a long period of time. This means that the beautifully constructed maps repay close attention from specialists but are of less utility for readers needing a quick and simple introduction to historical changes. Abundant cross-references in the atlas suggest to the reader other maps dealing with similar regions or topics. Unfortunately, the atlas maps cannot be easily reproduced for use in the classroom or in a public lecture.
Controversial historical issues are handled well and represent the consensus found in recent scholarship. One example is the discussion of the malleability of Muslim identity in the period 632–661 (17). The Sunni view of early history predominates, but there is ample coverage of Shiʿi states in later times. Discussion associated with Map 38 acknowledges that the earlier view of general Ottoman decline in the eighteenth century is no longer tenable. Both the forced removal of millions of Muslims from the Balkans in the early twentieth century and the Armenian Genocide are recognized (66–67).
Recent years have witnessed a growing flood of reference works and general studies on the history of Islam. Encyclopedias, textbooks, monographs, and on-line resources dealing with this topic have proliferated. Among the multitude of these resources this new Atlas of Islamic History stands out. It should be in all major libraries and in the personal collection of scholars and others wishing to acquire a deep knowledge of Islamic history and geography.
