This study deals with the development of Arabic linguistics as a distinct Islamic science. The period covered ranges from the founding father of Arabic grammar, Sībawayh, up through the classical era focusing on the grammarian al-Mubarrad (d. 285 AH/898 AD). The reader is introduced to the environment in which Arabic grammar evolved. Subsequently, al-Mubarrad's position vis-a-vis Sībawayh and other contemporary grammarians is analyzed in depth and, finally, his decisive role in the development of Arabic linguistics is discussed. Those interested in the intellectual history of early...

This book deals with patronate and patronage (walā') of early and classical Islam. Though Webster's Third has the term "mawla," the concept remains very difficult to come to grips with. Fourteen contributions by renowned scholars analyze the social and cultural phenomenon of walā' from various angles. As a whole, the book conveys what we presently know about patronate and patronage during the first four centuries of Islam. Inasmuch as the contributors have used different methods - from a close rereading of primary sources to the application of social theory and...

The civilization that the Abbasids helped to create carried forth the torch of knowledge lit by ancient Greece, Rome, Byzantium and Persia. Adding many of their own unique contributions, the Abbasid dynasty left an indelible mark on the history of humankind. This current selection presents new research into the classical Arabic texts that sheds light on significant historical, political, cultural and religious aspects of the Abbasid era.