Islam captivates the world - the collapsing states in the Near and Middle East, the streams of refugees from war zones, and the bloody advance of ISIS create new headlines every day. However, reducing Islam to religion plus terrorism is one of the fundamental misconceptions of the West. Overcoming this through a more nuanced image of the Islamic world and its diverse societies is the great achievement of this book. Reinhard Schulze describes and explains Islamic history from the beginning of decolonization in the early 20th century to the dramatic situation of our times. He discusses all significant political, social, and cultural developments, not only focusing on the Near East but also addressing the regions of the Islamic periphery where millions of Muslims live.