This book is exclusively about Islam and Ottoman history in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Written very well and contemporary that feels like a journey more than a historical book (that is beautifully highlights the forgotten European Islamic heritage that coexisted in Europe for centuries). Following in the footsteps of renowned Ottoman traveller Evliya Celebi, they remind us that Europe is as Muslim as it is Christian, Jewish or pagan.

These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The book has made me want to explore these countries myself, so I thank the author for that motivation.I’m a Bosnian Muslim from Sarajevo, now living in the UK, and I found this book a frustrating and irritating read. Damn, the Islamophobia was deep”, said Saleh [a tourist from Manchester], no longer sounding surprised. This is one of my favorite non-fiction reads from last month, as Hussain's account makes for a riveting read, especially if you're familiar with the countries he visited. I also enjoyed Tharik’s trip up into the mountains with his friend Idar; having worked in a secondary school myself, I loved the contrast between the caretaker’s persona in the UK and his greeting Tharik in Albania “like a Sicilian don in a smart striped shirt and white cotton trousers”.

And, truthfully, there were some interesting places visited with vivid descriptions and the occasional photograph.The final anecdote that stood out for me was the ‘accidental’ tour guide Haris, who more than compensated for the initial disappointment of his having been a last-minute replacement; proof that everyone has a story to tell, and there are always hidden depths to be discovered. As Tharik highlights, Islam and Muslims have a historic and long-standing connection with Europe but their contribution to the Western world is ignored or overlooked by historical narratives and present discourse.

There are plenty of humorous cultural references as well: Pokemon Go, The Gilmore Girls, Game of Thrones … but my personal favourite was the hat tip to Castle Greyskull (really showing his age there).The real joy was seeing my children and wife come back seeing Muslims just like us, who have always been here in Europe and who were not converts or recent migrants. The same chat also includes two stories of the imam’s experience with radicalised locals, one of whom declared that all Muslims should unite to kill all the non-Muslims. I wondered as we drove through the spectacular mountain countryside close to the Uvac Special Nature Reserve. That's because Western Europe considers Greek and Hellenic heritage as the very foundations of Western civilisation.

Tharik’s literary companion for his journey, is the Ottoman traveller Evliya Çelebi, who wrote his own travel account while visiting the Balkans in the 17th century. Through travel’s most talented storytellers, you’ll face adversity along the Congo’s raging River Lulua, make new friends aboard Iraq’s night train, and embark on life-changing pilgrimages from India to Saudi Arabia. Londoner Tharik Hussain sets off with his wife and young daughters around the Western Balkans, home to the largest indigenous Muslim population in Europe, and explores the regions of Eastern Europe where Islam has shaped places and people for more than half a millennium.

Relating his encounter with an indigenous Muslim of Romania in the minaret of a mosque in the coastal town of Constanta, Tharik's chapter reminds readers that Romania, like many parts of modern day Europe has a hidden and long Muslim heritage; one often lying in plain sight. The imam chat briefly touches on honour killings (or an honour maiming in this case), but it’s made to sound like an anti-Muslim phenomenon; the example is of a non-Muslim father shooting his daughter for wanting to marry a Muslim. 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.