Dr. Dragan Potočnik has been closely associated with the Orient and Islam for many years. He has encountered diverse representations and images of oriental lands on numerous journeys, which he skillfully transforms into stories that capture the lost time of this part of the world. He teaches history as an associate professor at the Department of History at the Faculty of Arts in Maribor, but he always prefers to gather personal experience and knowledge live. The content of this book consists of an explanation of the origin and great period of expansion of Islam, the flourishing of Islamic civilization, subsequent colonization and the emergence of states in the area under consideration. At the same time, Potočnik highlights the exceptional contributions of Islam to the treasury of world art and science and explains the tradition of Islamic civilization in the fields of philosophy, literature, natural sciences and medicine. He discusses Persian civilization with rich language, which he treats in a distinctly holistic and systematic manner, while at the same time his writing is permeated with the romantic spirit of Persian lyricism.

The extensive material in the scientific monograph Representations and Images of Islam and the Orient will be presented in four books:
– Historical Overview of Islamic Civilization
– Culture and Art of the Islamic World
– Islam and the Western World
– Responses to the Challenges of Islam.

The purpose of the tetralogy is primarily to contribute to a better understanding of Islam, with which a great deal of fear and mistrust, based on ignorance, is still (or even increasingly) associated. In the first of four books on the Orient, the path is paved to understanding the mighty Eastern civilization, to the secrets of these ancient cultures and lands. Potočnik reveals science and art built on humanistic ideals and tolerance. "Travel experiences have taught me how important understanding, respect, and acceptance of mutual differences are for peaceful coexistence. Only in this way can prejudice, intolerance, and non-acceptance be resisted."

Dr. Dragan Potočnik has been closely associated with the Orient and Islam for many years. He has come to know the diverse ideas and images of oriental lands on numerous paths, which he skillfully transforms into stories that capture the lost and current time of this part of the world. He is an associate professor at the Department of History at the Faculty of Philosophy in Maribor, and prefers to gather personal experience and science in person. The first part of the tetralogy provides an explanation of the emergence and great period of expansion of Islam, the flourishing of Islamic civilization, subsequent colonization and the emergence of states in the area under consideration. The author highlights the exceptional contributions of Islam to the treasury of world art and science and explains the tradition of Islamic civilization in the fields of philosophy, literature, natural sciences and medicine. He discusses Persian civilization, which he treats in a distinctly holistic and systematic manner. The work is distinguished by its interesting and rich linguistic structure, while its writing is permeated by the romantic spirit of Persian lyricism.