A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations: From the Origins to the Present Day
*Starred Review* Muslims and Jews have lived side by side ever since the advent of Islam. As a result, Muslim and Jewish dimensions of spiritual, social, political, economic, and intellectual life have influenced each other in sometimes surprising ways. Although contemporary media may portray Muslim-Jewish relations from only the perspective of the Palestinian-Israeli lens, and view Muslims and Jews as monolithic, this book presents a far deeper and richer relationship between Muslims and Jews in areas that go beyond politics and religion.   The book is divided into three parts, with each part consisting of three to seven chapters. Each chapter is composed of about half a dozen essays of varying lengths. The first part focuses on the Middle Ages. The chapters thematically explore Muslim-Jewish relationships under differing political systems. The first chapter looks at the relationship during the emergence of Islam, the second in the Muslim lands, and the third in Christendom. The second part looks at Muslim-Jewish relations roughly between the sixteenth century and the demise of the Ottoman Empire (at the end of WWI). The chapters (and essays) are geographically segmented. The main focus in part 3 is the Middle East and the Palestinian-Israeli issue. Part 4 is the longest (and perhaps the most interesting) part of this reference. Titled “Transversalities,” it explores how Muslim-Jewish relations have influenced both Muslim and Jewish religious, intellectual, linguistic, and artistic endeavors. Most essays are followed by an additional related essay titled “Nota Bene,” which sharpens the focus of the original essay; and many of them are accompanied by a counterpoint from historical texts as well. There are two minor issues with this reference: a detailed table of contents is at the back of the volume (instead of the front), and a time line of events is conspicuously missing.   The essays presented here provide the general reader with a flavor of the rich Muslim-Jewish relationship since early Islam. An excellent reference for high-school students,general readers looking for more depth than current media coverage, and undergraduates looking for a starting point in their research. --Muhammed Hassanali