Daily Life in the Medieval Islamic World

James E. Lindsay

Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005 - History - 299 pages

From the time of its birth in Mecca in the 7th century C.E., Islam and the Islamic world rapidly expanded outward, extending to Spain and West Africa in the west, and to Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent in the east. An examination of the daily life in these Islamic regions provides insight into a civilized, powerful, and economically stable culture, where large metropolitan centers such as Damascus, Baghdad, and Cairo thrived in many areas, including intellectual and scientific inquiry. In contrast with medieval Europe, there is little common knowledge in the West of the culture and history of this vibrant world, as different from our own in terms of the political, religious, and social values it possessed, as it is similar in terms of the underlying human situation that supports such values. This book provides an intimate look into the daily life of the medieval Islamic world, and is thus an invaluable resource for students and general readers alike interested in understanding this world, so different, and yet so connected, to our own.

Chapters include discussions of: the major themes of medieval Islamic history; Arabia, the world of Islamic origins; warfare and politics; the major cities of Damascus, Baghdad, and Cairo; religious rituals and worship; and a section on curious and entertaining information. Author James E. Lindsay further provides a focused look at the daily lives of urban Muslims during this time period, and of their interactions with Jews, Christians and other Muslims. Timelines, tables (including a calendar conversion to align the Islamic lunar and the Christian solar dates, and a dynastic table highlighting the major genealogies of the ancient ruling families), a bibliography, and a glossary of important dates and technical terms are also provided to assist the reader.

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Contents

• Major Themes in Medieval Islamic History: 1
• Problems Faced by Modern Historians of Early Islamic History: 5
• The Life of Muhammad ca 570632: 8
• The Early Islamic Conquests 632750: 10
• Ethnicity: 12
• Geography and Environment: 15
• The Political Character of Medieval Islamic Societies: 16
• Fragmentation of the Caliphate and PersoIslamic Kingship: 17
• Islamic Law Sharia: 21
• Islamic Mysticism Sufism Tasawwuf: 25
• Arabia: 33
• Geography and Environment: 35
• Camels and Trade: 37
• Housing: 43
• Kinship: 45
• Warfare and Politics: 57
• Jihad: 58
• Warfare in Early Islamic History: 60
• Weapons and Tactics in Early Islamic History: 62
• Women and Warfare in Early Islamic History: 65
• Military SlaveryThe Mamluk Institution: 70
• Seljukids and Mamluks on the Eve of the Crusades: 74
• Warfare in the Era of the Crusades: 76
• Saladin Shajar AlDurr and the Mamluk Sultanate: 79
• Cities: 87
• Sources: 88
• Syria and Damascus: 90
• Iraq and Baghdad: 97
• Egypt and Cairo: 103
• Travel and Transportation: 109
• Money and Markets: 111
• Jews and Christians Ahl alKitab People of the Book: 116
• Housing: 122
• Food and Water: 128
• Ritual And Worship: 139
• ShahadaStatement of Faith: 140
• SalatPrayer: 142
• ZakatThe Giving of Alms: 149
• SawmFasting: 150
• HajjPilgrimage: 153
• Shii Pilgrimage: 160
• Other Pilgrimage: 166
• Curious and Entertaining Information: 173
• Women and Men in the Family and Society: 178
• Children and Childhood: 187
• Circumcision: 188
• Clothing and Modesty: 191
• Education: 194
• Entertainments: 199
• Death and Afterlife: 201
• Suggestions For Further Reading: 209
• Glossary: 227
• Recipes: 241
• Genealogical and Dynastic Tables: 245
• Christian and Islamic Calendars with Conversion Table: 253
• Citations: 281
• Index: 283

About the author

JAMES E. LINDSAY is Associate Professor of History at Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Daily Life in the Medieval Islamic World; Daily life through history, ISSN 1080-4749; Greenwood Press "Daily life through history" series
• Author: James E. Lindsay
• Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005
• ISBN: 0313322708, 9780313322709
• Length: 299 pages
• Subjects: History / Africa / General; History / Asia / General; History / Europe / Medieval; History / Middle East / General; Religion / Islam / History; Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural & Social