Islamic History Books
Our Islamic history books category covers a wide spectrum of periods and regions, from the lives of the Prophets and Companions to classical Muslim civilisation and more recent historical studies. These titles help readers understand how Islamic teachings were lived out across different cultures and eras, and how past events continue to shape the present.
In this section you’ll find biographies of great scholars and leaders, accounts of key battles and dynasties, works on the spread of Islam in various lands, and studies of Muslim communities in the modern world. Many of these books complement our Seerah and Biographies & Memoirs categories, allowing you to build a rich picture of the past.
Studying the Past to Understand the Present
Islamic history can be read for inspiration, context and critical reflection. Use these books to deepen your understanding of how Muslims responded to challenges, built institutions and preserved knowledge. You may also wish to pair them with titles from General Islam to connect historical events with core principles.
If you need recommendations for introductory Islamic history books or more advanced academic works, please get in touch through our Contact page or visit us at Iqra Islamic Bookshop in Laudium.
Showing 97–112 of 118 results
A history of the great Mughal rulers of India, one of the world’s greatest empires. In December 1525 Babur, the great grandson of the Mongol conqueror Tamberlaine, crossed the Indus river into the Punjab with a modest army and some cannon. At the battle of Panipat five months later he routed the mammoth army of…
“It is rare to see a publication which includes personalities from both Shia and Sunni schools of thought and which is so much needed in today’s turbulent world. This book, I believe will . . . enrich our understanding of not only the historical but the contemporary history of the Muslim.”—Ahmed J. Versi, chief editor…
“This work is excellent. It provides a thoroughly annotated and sound translation of one of the oldest biographies of the well-known thirteenth-century Sufi master Abu’l-Hasan al-Shadhili. The annotation is exhaustive and extremely useful. In general the genre has not received much attention and it is good to see a major work to which one can…
For many years the holy city of Jerusalem has been one of the main focal points for the worship of God in the Holy Land: The Prophet Solomon (AS) built his magnificient Temple there. The Prophet Jesus (AS) revived the teachings of the Prophet Moses (AS)and taught there. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led all the…
Born as a military frontier principality at the turn of the Fourteenth century, Turkey developed into the dominant force in Anatolia and the Balkans, growing to become the most powerful Islamic state after 1517 when it incorporated the old Arab lands. This distinctively Eastern culture, with all its detail and intricacies, is explored here by…
The Oxford History of Islam offers the most wide-ranging and authoritative account available of the second largest–and fastest growing–religion in the world. John L. Esposito, Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World , has gathered together sixteen leading scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, to examine the origins and historical development of Islam–its faith,…
Bestselling journalist Antony Loewenstein, author of Disaster Capitalism, uncovers this largely hidden world in an extraordinary global investigation. The book shows, in-depth and for the first time, how Palestine has become the perfect laboratory for the Israeli military-techno complex. From constant surveillance, home demolitions and indefinite incarceration, to the hi-tech devices that drive the “Start-up Nation”,…
This is the much awaited work on the virtues and excellences (fadail) of the Prophetic Household, the Ahl Al-Bayt. Selections were made from the writings of only the best and most widely respected of hadith scholars, they are: Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Imam Nasa’i, Ibn Shahin, Imam Nawawi, Hafidh Ibn Kathir, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani…
A historical work on the Ottomans, their demise and its causes and an exposition of a route to the recovery of the khalifate.
A classical Islamic graphic book brought back to life to share the universal message and history of the beginning of Islam. Immerse yourself in a glimpse of the life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from the point of the first revelation to the Prophet’s Last Sermon at Arafat. Originally published in 1970
For centuries a well-guarded secret, nestled amongst the Yemeni deserts and valleys of southern Arabia lies Tarim—a small town offering little to those pursuing worldly gains. Now a popular destination for seekers of knowledge and spirituality worldwide, it is home to an environment largely unparalleled in its preservation of the inward and outward manifestations of…
This is a vivid description of the lives and achievements of eight of the Sahabiyat (female companions) during the time of the Prophet (SAAS). Their unwavering faith, courage, sacrifice and steadfastness should be an inspiration to us all especially for young Muslimahs. Recommended for ages 11 and over.
The Self-Disclosure of God offers the most detailed presentation to date in any Western language of the basic teachings of Islam’s greatest mystical philosopher and theologian. It represents a major step forward in making available to the Western reading public the enormous riches of Islamic teachings in the fields of cosmology, mystical philosophy, theology, and…
The Silk Road, a series of ancient trade routes stretching across Central Asia to Europe, evokes exotic images of camel trains laden with bales of fine Chinese silk, spices, and perfume, of desert oases surrounded by snow-capped mountains, of bustling markets thronging with travellers buying and selling grapes, coriander, Baltic amber, and Mediterranean coral. Along…
This is a simple, concise and authentic account of the life of the Prophet Muhammad by S. M. Hasan Al-Banna. Many books have been written on this subject but this unique book is characterized by the following. – ideal for teenagers, introducing them to the Seerah of the Final Prophet – usage of Arabic terminology…
Joan Haslip was an author of historical books, often focusing on European royalty. She was born in London and educated in London, Paris and Florence. Her first book, Out of Focus, appeared in 1931; among her other notable publications are Lady Hester Stanhope (1934) and Parnell (1937). She also wrote for the London Mercury, the…
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