★ Author Hiroyuki Ogasawara is a professor at Kyushu University‘s Graduate School of Humanities, specializing in Islamic civilization history. He holds a PhD in Literature and his research focuses on Ottoman Empire history and Turkish Republican history. His book “The Ottoman Empire” (Chuko Shinsho) won the 14th Kashiyama Junzo Award for general books. His other works include “Kemal Atatürk” and “Portraits of Ottoman Empire Heroes.”
★ The book covers 1,400 years in three chapters: from the expansion of Islam to the Ottoman Empire, and on to the modern Middle East.
★ Why study Islamic history? Three reasons: Islam has the world’s second-largest following and is projected to become the largest religion in the latter half of the 21st century; the Islamic world is a “crossroads of civilizations” that produced outstanding culture and art; its history offers lessons on how diverse ethnic groups and religions can coexist.
★ The Islamic world was not a utopia of tolerance. Domination and subjugation, discrimination and inequality existed there as well. Yet throughout its history, wisdom for accepting diversity as a premise and avoiding destructive outcomes was accumulated. This book reads the harsh realities and lessons, and the hints for coexistence.
★ From the Prophet Muhammad to the greatest conquests in history; from how the Ottoman Empire built its vast realm to the era of Suleiman the Magnificent; from the reality of “religious tolerance” to Asia‘s first constitution; from the empire’s fall in World War I to modern Arabia, Turkey, and Iran—this book systematically unravels the structure of the Islamic world.
★ Not an academic textbook, but a history for liberal education. The author, a sharp-minded scholar, answers the fundamental question: “Is religious conflict inevitable?” For business professionals who want to understand the background of Middle East news, media practitioners, and readers interested in world history and civilization studies.

Turbulent Middle East!
Is religious conflict inevitable?

Why do we need to study the history of the Islamic world?

First, Islam currently has the world‘s second-largest following, and is projected to become the world’s largest religion in the latter half of the 21st century. Without understanding how the religion they believe in was born, spread, and developed, we cannot understand the modern world.

Second, the Islamic world is a land that has woven a rich history and produced outstanding culture and art. It is one of the oldest regions where humanity has left its footprint, a “crossroads of civilizations.”

Third, the history of the Islamic world offers lessons on how diverse ethnic groups and religions can coexist. This land has been home to extremely diverse peoples and religions, and has seen numerous conflicts and disputes. Yet throughout its history, it can be said that wisdom for accepting diversity as a premise and avoiding destructive outcomes has been accumulated.

Of course, the Islamic world was not a utopia of tolerance. Domination and subjugation, discrimination and inequality existed there as well.

Reading the harsh realities and lessons, and the hints for coexistence.

Hiroyuki Ogasawara（小笠原弘幸）
Professor at the Islamic Civilization History Course, Graduate School of Humanities, Kyushu University. Born in 1974 in Kitami, Hokkaido. Graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University, Faculty of Literature, Department of History. Completed the doctoral program at the University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, with credits earned. PhD in Literature. Assumed current position in 2026. Specializes in Ottoman Empire history and Turkish Republican history. His major works include “The Ottoman Empire” (Chuko Shinsho, winner of the 14th Kashiyama Junzo Award for general books), “Kemal Atatürk” (Chuko Shinsho), “Portraits of Ottoman Empire Heroes” (Gentosha Shinsho), and “The Harem” (Shincho Sensho).

Prologue

1 How Did Islam Expand? — From a Frontier Sect to a World Empire
(The life of the Prophet Muhammad, who emerged from the currents of history / Why history‘s most significant conquest succeeded / The birth of a world empire embodying the Islamic ideal of equality among believers / The Islamic world weathered the shocks of the Crusades and Mongol invasions / Islamic society matured amid chaos)

2 The Glory and Struggles of the Ottoman Empire — The Completion of a Religious Coexistence Empire
(How the Ottomans built their vast empire / The era of Suleiman the Magnificent / The transforming empire — the reality of “decline” and “religious tolerance” / What was the Ottoman “Meiji Restoration”? — Religious equality and Asia’s first constitution / The Ottoman Empire‘s fall in World War I)

3 A Divided World — The Modernity of Arabia, Turkey, and Iran
(Turbulent Arab states / Turkey, the Middle East’s most stable regional power / Shi‘ism and Iran)