Justin Marozzi's 'Islamic Empires' Examines 15 Cities Shaping Islamic Civilization

Justin Marozzi's book 'Islamic Empires: Fifteen Cities that Define a Civilization' offers a corrective to modern perceptions of the Arab world by tracing Islamic culture from the seventh century to the twenty-first. The study highlights 15 cities chronologically: Mecca, Damascus, Baghdad, Córdoba, Jerusalem, Cairo, Fez, Samarkand, Constantinople, Kabul, Isfahan, Tripoli, Beirut, Dubai, and Doha. Marozzi contrasts contemporary urban experiences, such as Baghdad's gunfire and Doha's luxury, with historical pinnacles like ninth-century Abbasid libraries. The narrative weaves through prophets, scholars, and merchants, noting periods of tolerance among Jews, Christians, and Muslims, alongside violent episodes like Timur's massacres in Damascus and Isfahan. A cyclical pattern emerges in the accounts, linking tolerance to cultural highs and intolerance to declines. While focusing on these cities, the book omits regions like Indonesia and Pakistan, relying on personal experience. Published in the Winter 2019 issue of ArtReview Asia, it provides an overview of Islamic civilization's rises and falls, suggesting potential for renewal today.