Bücher der Reihe Culture and Civilization in the Middle East

This book provides translated selections from the writings of Muhammad Ibn Othman al-Miknasi (d. 1799). The only writings by an Arab-Muslim in the pre-modern period that present a comparative perspective, his travelogues provide unique insight with in to Christendom and Islam.

Including maps, an introduction and notes and commentary by the translator, this title presents the English language translation of the important history of Islamic Spain by Ibn al-Qutiyyah, one of the earliest and significant histories of Muslim Spain.

"The Akhbar majmu'a or 'Collected Accounts / Anecdotes' is an anonymous work written sometime after the death of 'Abd al-Rahman III"--Introd.

Examining the work of Iranian scholar Nizam al-Din al-Nisaburi, this book attempts to explain the cross-fertilization of scientific and religious thought in Islamic civilization. It also examines the relationship between the metaphysics of Nisaburi's science, and statements he made in his Qur'an commentary and in other non-scientific writings.

This is the first work to offer a specific account of the social, religious and linguistic shift from a largely Arabic-speaking Muslim island in 1060 to a largely 'Latin'-speaking Christian one by around 1250.

This book examines the studies of Aristotle's Poetics and related texts in which three Medieval philosophers proposed a conception of poetic validity (beauty), and a just relation between subjects in a community (goodness).

This book considers the methods used to derive the judgements of the law from the Qur'an, demonstrating in detail the various methods used, both linguistic and otherwise, in interpreting the legal verses.

Offers an account of the development of Hanbalite jurisprudence, placing the theoretical and conceptual parameters of this tradition within the grasp of the interested reader. Studying the vibrant yet controversial interaction between Ibn Taymiyyah and the Hanbali School of law, this book assesses to what extent this relationship was a conflict.

Focuses on the Qur'anic interpretation of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058-1111), a towering figure of Sunni Islam. Divided into two parts, this book explores both al-Ghazali's hermeneutical methods and his interpretations of particular Quranic texts, and covers al-Ghazali's mystical, legal and theological concerns.

Investigates the primacy of Madinan Islam and the madhhab (school of law) of its main exponent, Malik ibn Anas. This work contains an annotated translation of "Intisar al-faqir al-salik li-tarjih madhhab al-Imam al-kabir Malik", which was written by al-Ra'i, a fifteenth-century Andalusian scholar resident in Cairo.

Qur'anic exegesis has become the battleground of political Islam and theological conflict among various Muslim schools of thought. Using comparative and contrastive methodology, this title investigates examples from the Qur'an in the light of various theological views to delineate the birth, development and growth of Qur'anic exegesis.

Develops academic understanding of space by pursuing the structural logic of the premodern Arab-Muslim city, or medina. This book determines the meaning of a wall and then uses it to analyze the space of Fez. It presents a perspective for the understanding of urban Islamic society and thought. It is for students and researchers of Islamic studies.

Shows how the frictions and disparities between the different pockets of believers scattered throughout the Eastern Islamic world in the late ninth and tenth centuries, the relations between each of these and the Abbasid political institution

During the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth, German universities were at the forefront of scholarship in Oriental studies. This book presents a detailed history of the development of Orientalism. It traces the development of the discipline as a profession. It is of interest to scholars and students of Middle East studies.

Mulla Sadra is one of the most important Islamic philosophers after Avicenna. This book examines the central doctrine of the modulation of being, and contextualizes his work within the intellectual history of philosophical traditions in the Islamic East.

Explores the history, disciplines, order and pragmatic functions of Arabic speech acts. This book offers an understanding of Arabic rhetoric and employs examples from modern standard Arabic. It also provides a glossary of over 448 rhetorical expressions listed in English with their translations.

A unique description and analysis of folklore in the United Arab Emirates, including folk customs and beliefs, traditional arts and crafts, folk dances, folk narratives and proverbs.

Exploring representations of the West by Arab intellectuals over a two-century period, this title is meant for those interested in Islam, the Middle East, and nationalism. It looks at Arab responses to Western culture and values in modern Arab literature by examining attitudes expressed through works of fiction written by Arab authors.

This title explains Qur'an translational problems and provides a thorough account of the unique syntactic, semantic, phonetic, prosodic, pragmatic and rhetorical features of the Qur'an.

Assuming no previous knowledge of the subject, this book provides a balanced overview of Arab literature, from 'high' literature to popular folk literature, covering the classical and modern periods.

The Middle East is the birthplace of Christianity and the home to a number of Eastern Churches with millions of followers. This book provides a comprehensive survey of the various denominations in the modern Middle East. It is of interest to a wide variety of scholars and students studying theology, history and politics.

Examines the contrasting interpretations of Islam and the Qur'an by Averroes and Al-Ghazali, as a way of helping us untangle various impasses affecting each Abrahamic faith. This book shows that Averroes was rather more religious and Al-Ghazali more philosophical than they are usually portrayed.

This is an analytical examination of Ibn Khaldun's epistemology, centred on Chapter Six of the Muqaddima.

Examines the development and role of Muslim fortresses in the Levant at the time of the Crusaders and the Mongol invasion. Exploring the unification of Egypt with a large part of Syria and its effect on the balance of power in the region, this book gives a historical overview of the resulting military strategies and construction of fortresses.

Attempts to explain Ibn 'Arabi's view of time and its role in the process of creating the cosmos and its relation with the Creator. By comparing this original view with theories of physics and cosmology, this book constructs a different cosmological model that may deepen and extend our understanding of the world.