Islam

Neil Faulkner reveals how the Anglo-Arab Wars of 1870-1920 helped give rise to the first modern jihad

Jihad and the British empire

An illustration showing a woman 'Arib al-Ma’muniyya, playing an instrument while four men listen. A chess board is in the foreground

‘Arib al-Ma’muniyya: the enslaved medieval woman who sang her way to wealth

Statue of Ibn Battuta at the Islamic culture center, Quanzhou, Fujian, China

Ibn Battuta: the most famous traveller of the medieval Arab world

Portrait of Saladin (1560) by Cristofano Dell Altissimo.

Why does Saladin have such an enduring reputation?

The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II reaches an accord with the Muslim sultan al-Kamil in 1229 that saw Jerusalem handed to the crusaders. This is just one instance of cooperation between east and west in the era (though the two men never actually met in person). (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

Muslim-Crusader interactions: a clash of civilisations?

A painting of 1616 depicts the Moriscos boarding ships to sail from the port of Valencia

The 17th-century expulsion of the Moriscos from Spain: what happened?

Selim I

The extraordinary life of Sultan Selim I

Thousands of Muslims gather in India in 2019 to offer Eid prayers, marking end of holy month of Ramadan

General ancient history

A brief history of Ramadan

Our composite image shows Henry II framed by an Arabic arch. Henry claimed he

King Henry II: the Muslim monarch of medieval England?

Who is the greatest leader in world history?

Who is the greatest leader in world history?

Ayatollah Khomeini

General ancient history

A brief history of Iran

Crowds protest in Tehran

Opinion: is Iran a nation at war with itself?

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, last Shah of Iran, pictured in 1967 with his third wife, Farah Diba, and their son Reza. His attempted reforms during his final years in power alienated many of his nation's people. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

The Iranian Revolution: why 1979’s uprising still shapes the Middle East

The beautiful courtyard of the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and university, founded in the 850's (Izzet Keribar/Getty Images)

General ancient history

Explore Fès, Morocco: Morocco’s spiritual capital

Islam’s struggle with modernity podcast

Islam’s struggle with modernity