American author Alkhateeb urges readers to purchase original book on Islamic history, warns of fake versions

CHICAGO: American author Firas Alkhateeb on Monday warned readers to beware of a fake version of his book, Lost Islamic History, that misrepresented historical facts and had been circulating on the internet. He urged readers to buy the original book instead of engaging in piracy.

In a message shared on social networking platform Twitter, the author said that the fake version of his book was entirely inaccurate and Islamophobic. He urged readers to purchase the original version from the publisher or e-commerce giant Amazon.

"PSA for people now interested in my book on @ImranKhanPTI ’s recommendation: there is a free pdf claiming to be my book online that is entirely inaccurate & Islamophobic. This is NOT my book. If you want to read Lost Islamic History buy from the publisher or from Amazon, please," he wrote.

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On May 1, the Focal Person on Digital Media to Prime Minister Imran Khan, Arsalan Khalid, had shared a free version of the book on his Twitter page, urging users to download the electronic book and read it as per the recommendations of the premier.

PM Imran had also on May 1 recommended that the youth read the famous book by Firas Alkhateeb in order to engage in insightful and enlightening reading during coronavirus lockdown. In a tweet, the premier said that the book elaborates on the rich history of Islamic civilisation.

Also read: PM Imran recommends youth read ‘Lost Islamic History’ amid coronavirus lockdown

'Excellent brief history of Islamic civilisation'

“A great read for our youth during lockdown days. An excellent brief history of the driving force that made Islamic civilisation the greatest of its time and then the factors behind its decline,” the premier wrote on the social networking platform. 

Lost Islamic History by Firas Khateeb elucidates on how Islam and Muslims around the world cultivated peace, promoted universal values, and dialogue among civilisations. It aims to present historical facts that have been disregarded or downplayed by other scholars.

"Presenting 1,400 years of Islamic civilisation in a comprehensive, easy to follow manner is no small feat . . . the book is valuable not only for its insights into lesser-known aspects of Islamic history, but also as a general introduction to the subject," read a review of the book online.