{"title":"John Tolan","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the comprehensive works of \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Tolan\u003c\/strong\u003e, a distinguished scholar whose writings delve deep into historical and religious narratives. Known for his meticulous research and engaging prose, Tolan's books explore the complex interactions between different cultures and religions throughout history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWithin this collection, you will find \u003cem\u003eFaces of Muhammad\u003c\/em\u003e, a compelling examination of how the Prophet Muhammad has been perceived across various European cultures over the centuries. Tolan's insightful analysis provides readers with a nuanced understanding of the intersections between Islamic and European histories, offering a rich tapestry of insights and perspectives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis category is perfect for enthusiasts of \u003cstrong\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Military\u003c\/strong\u003e contexts, as Tolan's expertise sheds light on the intricate dynamics that have shaped our world today. Whether you are a history buff or simply curious about the past, John Tolan's works promise to educate and captivate.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"faces-of-muhammad-by-john-tolan-9780691167060","title":"Faces of Muhammad","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeretic and impostor or reformer and statesman? The contradictory Western visions of Muhammad.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn European culture, Muhammad has been vilified as a heretic, an impostor, and a pagan idol. But these aren't the only images of the Prophet of Islam that emerge from Western history. Commentators have also portrayed Muhammad as a visionary reformer and an inspirational leader, statesman, and lawgiver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eFaces of Muhammad\u003c\/em\u003e, John Tolan provides a comprehensive history of these changing, complex, and contradictory visions. Starting from the earliest calls to the faithful to join the Crusades against the \"Saracens,\" he traces the evolution of Western conceptions of Muhammad through the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and up to the present day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFaces of Muhammad\u003c\/em\u003e reveals a lengthy tradition of positive portrayals of Muhammad that many will find surprising. To Reformation polemicists, the spread of Islam attested to the corruption of the established Church, prompting them to depict Muhammad as a champion of reform. In revolutionary England, writers on both sides of the conflict drew parallels between Muhammad and Oliver Cromwell, asking whether the prophet was a rebel against legitimate authority or the bringer of a new and just order. Voltaire first saw Muhammad as an archetypal religious fanatic but later claimed him as an enemy of superstition. To Napoleon, he was simply a role model: a brilliant general, orator, and leader.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book shows that Muhammad wears so many faces in the West because he has always acted as a mirror for its writers, their portrayals revealing more about their own concerns than the historical realities of the founder of Islam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"NewSouth Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46849098318060,"sku":"9780691167060","price":141.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1657743482434.jpg?v=1759017141"},{"product_id":"islam-by-john-tolan-9780691263533","title":"Islam","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA concise new narrative history of Islam that draws on the transformative insights of recent research to emphasise the diversity and dynamism of the tradition\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eToday's Muslim world is in upheaval: legalists and mystics engage in intense debates, radical groups invoke Sharia, Muslim immigrants in the West face prejudice and discrimination, and Muslim feminists advocate new interpretations of the Koran. At the same time, Islam is mischaracterised as unitary and unchanging by people ranging from right-wing Western politicians claiming that Islam is incompatible with democracy to conservative Muslims dreaming of returning to the golden age of the prophet. Against this contentious backdrop, this book provides an essential and timely new history of the religion in all its astonishing richness and diversity as it has been practiced by Muslims around the world, from seventh-century Mecca to today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost popular histories of Islam continue to repeat conventional pietistic accounts. In contrast, John Tolan draws on decades of new historical research that has transformed knowledge of the origins and development of the Muslim faith. He shows how the youngest of the three great monotheisms arose in close contact with Jewish, Christian, and other religious traditions in a mixture of cultures, including Arab, Greek, Persian, and Turkish; how Islam spread across an enormous territory encompassing hundreds of languages and cultures; how Muslims have forged widely different beliefs and practices over fourteen centuries; and how Islamic history provides crucial context for understanding contemporary debates in the Muslim world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt a time when much talk about Islam is filled with misunderstanding, stereotypes, and bias, this book provides a fresh and lucid portrait of the continuous and ongoing transformations of a religion of tremendous variety and complexity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47288525914348,"sku":"9780691263533","price":59.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2622473482434.jpg?v=1770560348"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/john-tolan.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}