Having taught several introductory courses on the Middle East, the author has been aware that there are many excellent books on different parts of the Middle East but none to gives the student who had no previous interaction with the area an understanding of those basic Socio-Political and Historical developments that shape its contemporary image. This book is intended as an introduction to the Middle East for those who have made little or no previous academic study of the region. In attempting to introduce the area as a whole, it has been tried to simplify many of complicated background factors, and to present them in a manner that will be understandable to the inexpert in the area. It has been drawn many material for the text from numerous authentic sources and from author's years of experience in the Middle East as student, researcher and teacher. The book first presents the general overview of the Middle East. The beginning chapters trace the Advent of Islam, Establishment of the Islamic Republic and the Emergence of Quasi-Independent States in the Middle East. The other chapters deal with the development of Imperialism and Reforms and in the Middle East. In addition to this the book focuses on the rise and fall of the Ottoman and Safavid Empires as well as the Emergence of Modern Egypt. This book will be useful for the students, teachers and researchers of history in general and Middle Eastern Studies in particular.