Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes

Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes, authored by Afghan American writer Tamim Ansary, offers a narrative of global history from an Islamic viewpoint. The book presents an often underrepresented perspective in mainstream historical accounts. It is part of a broader literary movement that challenges Western-centric historiography and seeks to enrich the global historical discourse. Further, it examines the divergent narratives between Islamic civilizations and the West and emphasizes the significant role these perspectives play in shaping cross-cultural understanding and interactions. The book was published in 2009 and went on to win a 2010 Northern California Book Award.

This guide refers to the 2009 PublicAffairs Kindle edition.

Summary

In Destiny Disrupted, Tamim Ansary traces the intertwining narratives of the Islamic and Western worlds, offering a comprehensive overview of historical events and ideologies that shaped the Muslim world from its inception to the modern era. It begins by describing Ansary’s personal journey, which he uses to reveal the biases in Eurocentric narratives and explain his quest to understand Islam’s significant, yet often overlooked, influence on world history. This backdrop sets the stage for a detailed exploration of Islamic civilization’s development, its interactions with the West, and the complex dynamics within the Muslim world.