Background sources provide brief overviews of historical people, places, and events. They also refer you to key articles and books for additional research.
The major reference resource in the field of Islam. "Islam" is broadly defined to include Islamic culture, history, geography, literature, politics, etc.... Entries are in English, but subject terms are in transliterated Arabic.
The first cohesive and discreet reference work which covers the Jews of Muslim lands particularly in the late medieval, early modern and modern periods.