Robert Irwin's authoritative introduction to the fourth volume of The New Cambridge History of Islam offers a panoramic vision of Islamic culture from its origins to around 1800. The introductory chapter, which highlights key developments and introduces some of Islam's most famous protagonists, paves the way for an extraordinarily varied collection of essays. The themes treated include religion and law, conversion, Islam's relationship with the natural world, governance and politics, caliphs and kings, philosophy, science, medicine, language, art, architecture, literature, music and even cookery. What emerges from this rich collection, written by an international team of experts, is the diversity and dynamism of the societies which created this flourishing civilization. Volume four of The New Cambridge History of Islam serves as a thematic companion to the three preceding, politically oriented volumes, and in coverage extends across the pre-modern Islamic world.
Introduction ROBERT IRWIN; Part I. Religion and Law: 1. Islam JONATHAN BERKEY; 2. Sufism ALEXANDER KNYSH; 3. Varieties of Islam FARHAD DAFTARY; 4. Islamic law WAEL B. HALLAQ; 5. Conversion and the Ahl al-Dhimma David J. Wasserstein; 6. Muslims and the natural world Richard Bulliet; Part II. Societies, Politics and Economics: 7. Caliphs, kings and regimes Said Arjomand; 8. The city and the nomad Hugh Kennedy; 9. Rural life and economy Andrew M. Watson; 10. Demography and migration Suraiya N. Faroqhi; 11. Mechanisms of commerce Warren C. Schultz; 12. Women, gender and sexuality Manuela Marin; Part III. Arts, Literature and Learning: 13. Education Francis Robinson; 14. Philosophy Richard C. Taylor; 15. Sciences in Islamic societies Sonja Brentjes with Robert G. Morrison; 16. Occult sciences and medicine S. Nomanul Haq; 17. Literary and oral cultures Jonathan Bloom; 18a. Arabic literature Julia Bray; 18b. Persian literature Dick Davis; 18c. Turkish literature Cigdem Balim; 18d. Urdu literature Shamsur Rahman Faruqi; 19. History writing Li Guo; 20. Biographical literature Michael Cooperson; 21. Art and architecture Marcus Milwright; 22. Music Amnon Shiloah; 23. Cookery David Waines; 24. Muslim accounts of the Dar al-Harb Michael Bonner and Gottfried Hagen.
Robert Irwin is senior research associate of the History Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. His previous publications include For Lust of Knowing: The Orientalists and Their Enemies (2006), Night and Horses and the Desert: An Anthology of Classical Arabic Literature (1999) and The Arabian Nights: A Companion (1994).
