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How did Islam arise from the obscurity of seventh century Arabia to the headlines of twenty first century media? Why, having started as a monotheistic religion in the Near East, just as the Judeo-Christian West did, are Muslim and Western societies so often at opposite ends of the bargaining table? In this Very Short Introduction, Adam J. Silverstein covers the rise and spread of Islam from the seventh to the twenty first century, charting the evolution of what was originally a small, localised community of believers into an international religion with over a billion adherents. Silverstein analyzes the role that Islamic history plays in both religious and political contexts, looking at the controversies surrounding its study and the significance that it holds — for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.