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

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He marvels at the history of Islam in Europe, through a unique modern lens coated with centuries of Islamic history. 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. In fact, through Tharik’s travels, he unveils a much larger Muslim presence in countries other than just Bosnia, Kosovo and Albania, which are Muslim majority. A magical, eye-opening account of a journey into a Europe that rarely makes the news and is in danger of being erased altogether. I was excited by the theme, which is well worth exploring, but I believe the author went to the region with preconceived notions which he then tried to fit into the narrative.

It was great to read about the history of Islam in Europe and its positive contribution to eastern European life and culture. 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. While European Islam lives on, the negative attitude towards ‘Turks’ and ‘Muslims’ continues to thrive in the West, and we have seen it play out in the US, European nations and in Britain with the Brexit campaign.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. There are Ottoman-built mosques and architecture, some attributed to the Chief Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who lived in the 16th century.

Since the decline and eventual collapse of the Ottoman empire in the region, the subsequent emergence of nation states and a Christian resurgence in the 19th century, some of these Muslim communities faced increasing hostility and uncertain futures. Apart from his family, who travel with him, and a couple of Airbnb keyholders, he doesn’t talk to any women. That's because Western Europe considers Greek and Hellenic heritage as the very foundations of Western civilisation. Since then I get excited everytime I saw him being mentioned or even when I looked at photos of Suleymaniye Mosque.Pide was an unknown food in Sarajevo until after the war and is very much there for tourists like him.