From the first Arab-Islamic Empire of the mid-seventh century to the Ottomans, the last great Muslim empire, the story of the Middle East has been the story of the rise and fall of universal empires and, no less important, of imperialist dreams. So argues Efraim Karsh in this highly provocative book. Rejecting the conventional Western interpretation of Middle Eastern history as an offshoot of global power politics, Karsh contends that the region's experience is the culmination of long-existing indigenous trends, passions and patterns of behaviour, and that foremost among these is Islam's millenarian imperial tradition. The author explores the history of Islam's imperialism and the persistence of the Ottoman imperialist dream that outlasted World War I to haunt Islamic and Middle Eastern politics to the present day. September 11 can be seen as simply the latest expression of this dream, and such attacks have little to do with U.S. international behaviour or policy in the Middle East, says Karsh. The House of Islam's war for world mastery is traditional, indeed venerable, and it is a quest that is far from over.
About the Author
Efraim Karsh is professor of Middle East and Mediterranean Studies, King's College, University of London. He has published extensively and often served as a consultant on Middle Eastern affairs, Soviet foreign policy and European neutrality. His books include "Palestine Betrayed", "Empires of the Sand: The Struggle for Mastery in the Middle East, 1789-1923" and "Saddam Hussein: A Political Biography".
Reviews
"Efraim Karsh's thesis is disclosed in the book's arresting title. From its beginnings, he argues, Islam was a creed that made no separation between temporal and religious power. Mohammed never thought of ruling solely in men's hearts: he ruled in Medina. He set out to conquer the Arab world, and he laid down a justification for all conquest everywhere... I like Karsh's robust refusal to accept Muslim history as a sob story against us in the West. His narrative helps explain the rage and the sheer hopelessness of so much Muslim engagement with modern politics" – Charles Moore, The Telegraph
"Anyone interested in the debate about the place of Islam in the modern world should read this book. ...Karsh offers a new approach. He rejects the condescending approach of the apologists and the hateful passion of the Islamophobes. Instead he presents Islam as a rival for Western civilization in what is, after all, a contest for shaping the future of mankind. Karsh does not hide whose side he is on in this contest. Muslim readers would respect him because, while he designates Islam as an adversary, he respects them. Being disliked for the right reasons is better than being liked for the wrong ones... What does Islam want? Karsh poses the question and answers it unambiguously" – Amir Taheri, The Sunday Telegraph
"[This book] turns on its head conventional wisdom that the Arab world is a perpetual victim – whether of Western foreign policy, or of its own incompetence" – Miriam Shaviv, Jewish Chronicle
"[Karsh] has produced an impeccable history of how the Muslim mainstream has behaved towards its neighbours... [including] masterpieces of concise historical writing... The chapters on the Ottomans and Iran... are masterpieces of concise historical writing... I could not recommend this magnificent effort of reportage and analysis more highly. It ought to be not only on our shelves, but also on our desks and bedside tables. Efraim Karsh, Professor of Mediterranean Studies at King's College London, is well on his way toward claiming the crown of a new generation of scholars of Islam and I wish him luck. We need him. In Muslim lands, his book ought to be translated into every local language and distributed free of charge. Alas, it will be banned" – Hazhir Teimourian, Literary Review
"If Islamic history features on your to-do list, then you couldn't hope for a more up-to-date teacher than Efraim Karsh, who offers a new approach to the place of Islam in today's world, and a fresh look at the Crusades, with Islamic 'Imperialism: A History'" – The Sunday Telegraph
