In the path of Allah and the Führer

In the most intense stages of World War II, the German forces fought in distant areas, such as the North African desert and the Caucasus mountains, and faced the Allies across lands that were historically at the heart of the Islamic world and on its fringes. The Nazi officials saw Islam as a powerful political force, sharing Germany's hostility towards the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Jews. "In the name of Allah and the Führer" is the first comprehensive description of Berlin's ambitious efforts to form an alliance with the Islamic world. Based on archival research across three continents, David Mutadil explains how German officials tried to promote the Reich as a supporter of Islam. The book explores Berlin's policies and propaganda in the Islamic war arenas, and the intensive work carried out by the Nazi authorities to mobilize and recruit Muslims, providing spiritual care and ideological indoctrination to tens of thousands of Muslim conscripts who fought in the German armed forces and Nazi Schutzstaffel units. The book reveals how German troops on the ground, in North Africa, the Balkans, and the Eastern Front, engaged with diverse Muslim groups, including Muslim Roma and Jews who converted to Islam. Through a combination of careful discussion and meticulous handling of details, it highlights the profound impact of World War II on Muslims around the world and offers a new perspective on religious policies in one of the bloodiest conflicts of the twentieth century.