Minarets in the Mountains: A Journey Into Muslim Europe (Bradt Travel Guides (Travel Literature))

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This raises a question – not considered – as to whether Hussain’s tour is the equivalent of arriving in an Irish town, popping into its church, praising its Christian architecture and history, and drawing all your conclusions on the local area from that. It’s heartfelt to read stories of individuals who wanted to challenge Islam, learned about it and fell in love with it.

The many mentions of Sinan the architectural genius of the 16th century Ottoman really made my read more enjoyable. That's because Western Europe considers Greek and Hellenic heritage as the very foundations of Western civilisation. Novi Pazar is an Ottoman town that was established in the 15th century, the same year as Sarajevo in neighbouring Bosnia – and by same individual, Isa-Beg Ishaovic, then governor of Bosnia. He cites a Victorian archaeologist here, but later quite rightly notes that the Victorian English were prone to superiority complexes over pretty much anyone). Hussain takes us on a tour of Muslim heritage in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania.

His account of the survivors of Bosnia and Herzegovina's massacre and its impact on the country and the surrounding countries are affecting and made even more powerful with all the historical background he included for context in this book. Pide was an unknown food in Sarajevo until after the war and is very much there for tourists like him. The names of places, people, cuisines and cultural norms such as Muslim hospitality and welcoming travellers are all practiced in these areas.

Therefore, there is an important sense of both linguistic and cultural reclamation throughout the book, very much in keeping with its central narrative: that much of Europe has strong historical links with Muslim history, and this should be not only understood but actively embraced. There’s lots that can be written about the six different countries, and though the subtitle – A Journey Into Muslim Europe – and the author’s name indicates that the region’s religion is going to be the main focus, it soon becomes clear that in fact it’s going to be almost the exclusive focus - I had never met a Muslim Serb before; did they even exist? There were a few good stories that were different and not focused on architecture as well as a few random acts of kindness.It also showcases a few historical examples of the life and bravery during the times of Nazi’s, communists, and the Bosnian war from young and old who lived through those times. His descriptions about sunni, shiah and sufism was non-divisive and non-judgmental, which led to a peaceful reading (he's sunni Muslim, in case you're wondering). He also talks about ‘komšiluk’ as the name for a concept of good neighbourliness that permeates the region.

Alongside all the history you are reminded he travels with his family as there are accounts of ice creams eaten, lots of food descriptions and his young daughters setting their own agenda. If you’re planning to explore Muslim Balkans then this book is an essential and even if you’re not, this is a great introduction to Islamic history and how rich the history of Islam is and how far it reaches. Equally, the quiet conversation with Aldin towards the book’s close provided a valuable lesson about the importance of dialogue between communities; for me, it served to sum up the themes of the book concisely.Discover royal palaces, have a pint in a pub, and catch a West End show - all guided by local experts with fresh perspectives.

This made his experience of meeting people throughout his journey beautiful, and he certainly met with a lot of cheerful, kind and helpful Muslims. I hoped for a different perspective - the author was travelling as a family (with a wife, and 2 girls) and yet, all interviews with locals were exclusively with men. While there has been a desire to wipe out that Muslim heritage, including the bulldozing of mosques, rewriting history and genocide, some of the heritage described by Evliya in his book is still there in many places, which was a pleasant surprise for Tharik. Tharik has written about his travels exploring Muslim culture and heritage across the globe for many of the world’s leading media brands and is the author of several travel guides for Lonely Planet, including Saudi Arabia (shortlisted for a Travel Media Award), Bahrain and Thailand.The contributions of Muslim culture are huge, and we clamp our hands over our ears and yell "la la la la" at the top of our lungs to deny knowledge. Tharik revitalises the existence of these monuments with his mastery writing - ladened with sincerety, warmth and real connection. The Bosnian war in the 1990’s and the subsequent ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims by Serbian forces, saw the deaths of thousands of Bosnians- a truly immeasurable loss. It’s not a part of Europe I’m familiar with, and the author’s perspective as a Muslim adds depth to his descriptions of the places he visited. He added on how Europeans have been actively trying to erase the glorious history of Muslims in this region, despite the Ottomans having brought civilization to this corner of the world (and hence to the Western Europe too).