The Modern Muslim World
Reform, colonialism and the contemporary period
The nineteenth and twentieth centuries confronted Muslim societies with European imperial power, the collapse of the Ottoman caliphate, and the task of building nation-states from its remnants. Responses ranged from state-led modernisation to intellectual reform movements seeking to recover what reformers regarded as an authentic and rational Islam, and to armed resistance against occupation.
This collection gathers the encyclopaedia's modern coverage: general accounts of modern Islamic history and the fall of the Ottoman Empire; reformist thinkers including Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, Muhammad Abduh, and Allama Iqbal; the modernising statesman Muhammad Ali Pasha and the resistance leader Omar al-Mukhtar; contemporary institutional developments in Islamic banking, finance, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation; Muslim communities in Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia; and regional articles on Egypt, Iran, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In This Collection
Modern Islamic History (1800-2024)
A comprehensive overview of Islamic history from 1800 to 2024, covering the decline of traditional Islamic empires, colonial period, independence movements, est…
Fall of the Ottoman Empire
Comprehensive history of the decline and dissolution of the Ottoman Empire from the 19th century through World War I to the establishment of the Turkish Republi…
Jamal al-Din al-Afghani: The Revolutionary Pan-Islamist
Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1838-1897 CE) was a revolutionary Islamic thinker and Pan-Islamist who advocated for Islamic unity, anti-colonialism, and reform. His i…
Muhammad Abduh: Pioneer of Islamic Modernism
Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905 CE) was an Egyptian Islamic scholar and reformer who pioneered Islamic modernism. As Grand Mufti of Egypt, he reconciled Islamic teach…
Allama Iqbal: The Poet-Philosopher of the East
Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938 CE) was a poet-philosopher and political leader considered the spiritual father of Pakistan. His poetry, philosophical works, a…
Muhammad Ali Pasha - Founder of Modern Egypt
Muhammad Ali Pasha (1769-1849 CE) transformed Egypt into a regional power through military, economic, and administrative reforms. Founder of modern Egypt, he es…
Omar al-Mukhtar: The Lion of the Desert
Omar al-Mukhtar (1858-1931) was a Libyan resistance leader who fought Italian colonization for over twenty years. Known as the 'Lion of the Desert,' he became a…
Ali Khamenei
Comprehensive history of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989, his role in shaping the Islamic Republic, and his influence on Iranian and r…
Islamic Banking and Financial Systems: Evolution and Principles
Islamic banking represents a comprehensive approach to finance based on Sharia principles, emphasizing ethical finance, risk-sharing, and asset-backed transacti…
Growth of Islamic Finance
A comprehensive overview of the development and expansion of Islamic finance from its modern origins in the 1960s to its current global presence as a multi-tril…
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
A comprehensive overview of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the world's second-largest intergovernmental organization representing 57 Muslim-majority c…
Islamic Education in the Modern Era
A comprehensive overview of Islamic education from the 19th century to the present, covering traditional institutions, modern reforms, integration with secular …
Islam in Europe
Islam has been part of European history since the eighth century through three main pathways: the civilization of Al-Andalus in Iberia, the Arab and Norman peri…
Islam in North America - Historical and Contemporary Overview
A comprehensive overview of Islam's presence in North America, from early Muslim slaves and immigrants to the diverse Muslim communities of today, including ind…
Islam in Southeast Asia
Islam reached Southeast Asia through Indian Ocean trade from the thirteenth century, spreading via Muslim merchants, Sufi teachers, and converting rulers. Today…
Nyai Ahmad Dahlan: Founder of Aisyiyah and Pioneer of Indonesian Women's Education
Nyai Ahmad Dahlan (born Siti Walidah, 1872-1946) was an Indonesian Islamic reformer who founded Aisyiyah, the women's wing of Muhammadiyah, pioneering girls' ed…
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Islamic Heritage in the Balkans
Explore the rich Islamic history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from Ottoman conquest to the unique Bosniak Muslim identity, architectural masterpieces, and the res…
Egypt: From Pharaonic Civilization to Modern Islamic State
Egypt's transformation from Pharaonic civilization through Islamic conquest to become a center of Islamic learning and modern Arab leadership, with Al-Azhar's e…
Iran (Persia): From Ancient Empire to Islamic Republic
A comprehensive exploration of Iran's transformation from the ancient Sassanian Empire through Islamic conquest to the modern Islamic Republic, examining its un…
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan: Reformer, Educator, and Architect of Muslim Modernity in India
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (1817–1898) was an Indian Muslim reformer, jurist, educator, and author who founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875…
Ali Musliyar: Religious Leader of the Malabar Rebellion
Ali Musliyar (c. 1861–1922) was an Islamic religious leader in the Malabar district of southern India who served as imam of the Tirurangadi mosque from 1907 and…
Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji: Military Leader of the Malabar Rebellion
Variyankunnath Kunjahammad Haji (c. 1875–1922) was the military leader of the Malabar Rebellion of 1921–1922 in southern India. He established a short-lived par…