The PolymathThis award-winning historical novel deals with the stormy life of the outstanding Arab philosopher Ibn Khaldun, using historical sources, and particularly material from the writer's works, to construct the personal and intellectual universe of a fourteenth-century genius. The dominant concern of the novel--the uneasy relationship between intellectuals and political power, between scholars and authority--addresses our times through the transparent veil of history. In the first part of the novel, we are introduced to the mind of Ibn Khaldun as he dictates his work to his scribe and interlocutor. The second part delves into the heart of the man and his retrieval of a measure of happiness and affection in a remarriage, after the drowning of his first wife and their children at sea. Finally we see Ibn Khaldun as a man of action, trying to minimize the imminent horrors of invading armies and averting the sack of Damascus by Tamerlane, only to spend his last years lonely and destitute, having been fired from his post as qadi, his wife having gone to Morocco, and his attempts at saving the political situation having come to nil. "The elusive simplicity and fluency of style manage to entertain and instruct at once. We learn as we read about Ibn Khaldun: his insights into history and historiography, his views of the rise and fall of civilizations, the principles of his sociological thinking, along with intimate aspects of his life, including his tragic losses and his attitude toward women. We also learn of his response to the major crisis of his time, the Tatar invasion of the Mashriq. In short, Ibn Khaldun, the distant and formidable figure, is humanized--thanks to this novel."--Naguib Mahfouz Medal Award Committee |
Contents
Preface 35 | 3 |
Seven Nights of Dictation | 17 |
Between Falling in Love and Operating | 81 |
The Journey to Timur Lang the Scourge of the Century | 147 |
Conclusion | 217 |
Glossary | 229 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abd al-Rahman Abu Inan al-Andalus al-Din ibn al-Hihi al-Jubani al-Nasiri al-Zahir amirs appointed Arabic army asked atabeg Barquq Baybars blessed Burhan al-Din burnous Cairo caliph Citadel commander Damascus dawadar death decided dynasty Egypt eyes face feel Fustat gesture God's group solidarity hadith Hammu Hanbali hand ibn al-Khatib Ibn al-Nu'man Ibn Battuta Ibn Juzayy Ibn Khaldun Ibn Muflih involved Islam Khan kind leave living look Lord Maghrib Maliki Maliki judge Mamluk managed Marini sultan Master mercy mind Mintash Mongol Muhammad Muslim never night Once Palace pilgrimage plague political prayed prayer question Qur'an Rahman religious scholars replied ruler servant Sha'ban Shafi'i shaykh situation staring started stay Sudun Sufi sultan Sultan Abu SULTAN BARQUQ Syria Tatar tell things thought throne Timur Timur Lang told tyrant Umm al-Banin Umm al-Batul viceroy waiting Wali al-Din wife writing Yalbugha Yashbak