In just over a hundred years--from the death of Muhammad in 632 to the beginning of the Abbasid Caliphate in 750--the followers of the Prophet swept across the whole of the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. Their armies threatened states as far afield as the Franks in Western Europe and the Tang Empire in China. The conquered territory was larger than the Roman Empire at its greatest expansion, and it was claimed for the Arabs in roughly half the time. How this collection of Arabian tribes was able to engulf so many empires, states, and armies in such a short period of time is a question that has perplexed historians for centuries. Most recent popular accounts have been based almost solely on the early Muslim sources, which were composed centuries later for the purpose of demonstrating that God had chosen the Arabs as his vehicle for spreading Islam throughout the world. In this ground-breaking new history, distinguished Middle East expert Robert G. Hoyland assimilates not only the rich biographical and geographical information of the early Muslim sources but also the many non-Arabic sources, contemporaneous or near-contemporaneous with the conquests. The story of the conquests traditionally begins with the revelation of Islam to Muhammad. In God's Path, however, begins with a broad picture of the Late Antique world prior to the Prophet's arrival, a world dominated by the two superpowers of Byzantium and Sasanian Persia, "the two eyes of the world." In between these empires, in western (Saudi) Arabia, emerged a distinct Arab identity, which helped weld its members into a formidable fighting force. The Arabs are the principal actors in this drama yet, as Hoyland shows, the peoples along the edges of Byzantium and Persia--the Khazars, Bulgars, Avars, and Turks--also played important roles in the remaking of the old world order. The new faith propagated by Muhammad and his successors made it possible for many of the conquered peoples to join the Arabs in creating the first Islamic Empire. Well-paced and accessible, In God's Path presents a pioneering new narrative of one the great transformational periods in all of history.

About the Author
Robert G. Hoyland is Professor of Late Antique and Early Islamic Middle Eastern History at New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World and Professor of Islamic History at the University of Oxford. He is also the author of Arabia and the Arabs.

Reviews
Hoyland's approach is both consistent and innovative. * Georg Leube, Plekos *
In Gods Path provides a thorough, persuasive and timely overview of this century of transformations in the history of the Middle East for specialists and non-specialists alike. * Harry Munt, History Today *
Written in plain English, thereby enabling the general reader to become familiar with this significant era of Muslim history, and with numerous maps and black and white illustrations, this book is an informative and enjoyable read for anyone interested in Islam. * Methodist Recorder, Simon Ross Valentine *
[A] splendid new history of the Arab conquests... Few are better qualified to write a history of the Arab conquests [than Robert Hoyland]... His book will surely serve as the definitive account of the Arab conquests for many years to come. * Literary Review, Tom Holland *
Concise and clear, In God's Path is a recommended introduction to historical events about which everyone today wants to know. * Times Literary Supplement, Peter Webb *
[A] useful guide to even the layman of how to understand what is now taking place in the Middle East, and perhaps what response there should be to it. Hoyland is one of the most prominent and able scholars of Islam, able to write in an interesting and accessible way for lay people ... [An] excellent work ... * Anthony McRoy, Third Way *
Fascinating * Northen Echo, Steve Craggs *
A fresh look at the Arab conquests and the creation of an Islamic empire in the 100 year after the death of Muhammad * The Tablet *



Book Information
ISBN 9780199916368
Author Robert G. Hoyland
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 603g
Dimensions(mm) 241mm * 162mm * 27mm