Studies on the civilization of Islam / by Hamilton A. R. Gibb; edited by Stanford J. Shaw and William R. Polk.

First published in 1962. This edition first published in 2010 by Routledge.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Part I. Medieval Islamic History. 1. An Interpretation of Islamic History --- 2. The Evolution of Government in Early Islam --- 3. Arab-Byzantine Relations under the Umayyad Caliphate --- 4. The Social Significance of the Shuubiya --- 5. The Armies of Saladin --- 6. The Achievement of Saladin --- 7. Tarikh ---- Part II. Islamic Institutions, Philosophy and Religion. 8. Some Considerations on the Sunni Theory of the Caliphate --- 9. Al-Mawardi's Theory of the Caliphate --- 10. The Islamic Background of Ibn Khaldun's Political Theory --- 11. The Structure of Religious Thought in Islam --- 12. Khawatir 61-Adab al-Arabi (Reflections on Arabic Literature) ---- Part III. Contemporary Intellectual Currents. 13. Studies in Contemporary Arabic Literature --- 14. The Reaction in the Middle East Against Western Culture --- 15. Problems of Modern Middle Eastern History.

Originally published in 1962, this book presents important studies on the history, literature and religion of the Islamic peoples as well as an appraisal of contemporary intellectual currents in the Middle East. Part I interprets the basic political and cultural development in medieval Islam, set in the context of its growth from a religious movement in the Arabian peninsula to an imperial structure extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the borders of China. Part II includes studies of Islamic institutions, philosophy and religion. The close relationship of Islam to Western traditions through the Biblical and Greek heritages is emphasized and the factors which have moulded unique and distinctive institutions are considered. -- Publisher description.