A good place to start out to obtain background knowledge on any topic is with reference materials. These include encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc. Here are examples of reference materials for Middle Eastern Studies that are contained within the Queen College Libraries Collections
Encyclopedia Judaica
Updated edition of this work on Judaism features more than 21,000 entries on Jewish life, culture, history, and religion, written by Israeli, American and European subject specialists. Available both electronically and in print. 22-volume set.
Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World
This encyclopedia looks at Islam's role in the modern world, doing so in the context of the religion's history and development over the last 13 centuries. Available both electronicaly and in print.
The Middle East, 12th Edition by 
The New Cambridge History of Islam by
The New Cambridge History of Islam is a comprehensive history of Islamic civilization, tracing its development from its beginnings in seventh-century Arabia to its wide and varied presence in the globalized world of today. 6 volume set
