Islamic Period Research Articles

An Unpublished Anti-Jewish Syriac Dialogue from Turfan

Abstract This article presents the unpublished Syriac text of an anonymous anti-Jewish dialogue preserved fragmentarily in the manuscript SyrHT 94 [T II B 50 = 1682] from the Berlin Turfan-Collection. The dialogue, which combines scriptural and rational polemical arguments, is an important witness to the development of the adversus Judaeos literary tradition among Syriac Christians during the Islamic period. The text is accompanied by an English translation and a brief discussion.

Glass ornaments in the Late Islamic period: composition of glass bangles from northern Qatar

Glass ornaments in the Late Islamic period: composition of glass bangles from northern Qatar

Notes on Reduplications in Islamic Period Turkic Texts with Uyghur Script

Türkçede ikilemeler konusu Türk dilbiliminin başlangıcından bugüne dikkat çeken konulardan biri olmuş ve oldukça çok işlenmiştir. Literatürde genellikle bir dönem ya da eser merkezli ikileme çalışmalarına rastlanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada ele alınacak konunun derlemi ise alfabe temelli birkaç dönemi içine almaktadır. İslami dönem Uygur harfli metinler olarak adlandırılan bu eserler bu çalışmanın derlemini oluşturmaktadır. Karahanlı döneminden Timurlular döneminin sonuna kadar olan zaman diliminde Uygur Harfli Deh-nâme, Ebu Said Kürkânʼın Uzun Hasanʼa Gönderdiği Bitig, Mahzenüʼl-Esrârʼın Zeynüʼl-Âbidin Nüshası, Manzum Parçalar, Manzum Parçalar –I, Manzum Parçalar –II, Mesʼele Kitâbı, Miraç-nâme, Oğuz Kağan Destanı, Râhatüʼl-Kulûb, Rızvan Şah ile Ruh-Afza Hikâyesi, Seyfü’l-Mülûk ve Bedî‘ü’l-Cemâl, Sirâcüʼl-Kulûb, Tarla Satış Senetleri, Tezkire-i Evliyâ, Timür Kutluk Yarlığı, Tokluğ Temürʼe Verilen Ödüg Bidigʼi, Toktamış Han Yarlığı metinleri seçilerek 18 eserden hareketle bir derlem oluşturulmuştur. Çalışmanın derleminde içinde ikileme bulunan 1309 cümle tespit edilmiştir. Bu cümlelerin bazılarında birden fazla ikileme bulunmakta ve derlemdeki ikilemelerin tekrar edenlerle birlikte toplam sayısı 1537’ye, her biri farklı olan ikileme sayısı ise 457’e ulaşmaktadır. Tüm veriler Ek kısmında alfabetik olarak listelenmiştir. 457 ikileme verisi, kuruluş, oluşum, anlam, yapı, çekim, diziliş, köken ve tür yönünden incelenmiş ve bunlarla ilgili sonuçlar 31 maddede yorumlanmaya çalışılmıştır.

Sources of the Planetary Theories in Fahhād’s ̔Alā ̓ī zīj: Solving a Medieval Case of Intellectual Fraud

According to the anonymous 13th-century Shāmil zīj, Abu ̓l-wafā ̓ al- Būzjānī’s (10 June 940–after 25 May 997) planetary theories were adopted in Ibn al- Fahhād’s 12th-century ̔Alā ̓ī zīj without acknowledgement. This puzzling case of plagiarism, noted by the late Prof. E. S. Kennedy in 1956, is solved by means of a graphical approach, together with some astronomical analysis, in order to (A) visualize the perplexing network of the development of planetary theories in medieval Islam and (B) distinguish the types of relations existing between them. The paper describes the new strategies invented in the Islamic period to modify the available planetary theories in order to reconcile them with the observations, called istidrāk and i ̔tibār, which were different from the standard methods set forth in the Almagest. The accusations of fraud are shown to be unfounded. It is shown that Ibn al-Fahhād’s solar and lunar theories and his precessional rate of 1°/66y are taken from the Mumtaḥan tradition; his theories of Jupiter and Saturn were the results of his modifications of ̔Abd al-Raḥmān al-Khāzinī’s corresponding theories in the Mu ̔tabar zīj (1121 ce) on the basis of the results he achieved from his observations; his theory of Mars was constructed on the basis of his observations, independent of any other available theory; and his theory of Venus is taken directly and faithfully from Khāzinī.

Soil denudation in the northwestern Negev (Israel) following the Late Byzantine – Early Islamic period

During the 5th and 6th centuries, the economic hinterland of the city of Gaza encompassed a network of settlements that supplied the city with agricultural produce. Water was collected in underground cisterns from rooftops and courtyards. While almost nothing remained of the above-ground structures since the settlements collapsed, soil erosion exposed these cisterns, which now serve as well-preserved indicators of the location and levels of the houses - that supplied the water. The study examines to what extent the land abandonment in the late Byzantine - early Islamic period resulted in denudation and soil property changes. We hypothesize that the abandonment of settlements and agriculture intensified soil erosion and amplified gully development. Approximately 140 cisterns were mapped in the study area, mainly north of the ephemeral Nahal Gerar stream. The height of the cisterns above the ground was used to calculate the denudation rate (DR) since abandonment. Findings indicate that over relatively flat terrains (1–5 %), cisterns protrude 0.5–1.2 m above the surface. Considering abandonment in the 6th or 11th century, DR was calculated as 0.35–0.85 mm/yr or 0.5–1.2 mm/yr, respectively. Over steeper slopes (10–12 %), along river banks and incised gullies, extensive bank erosion occurred, leading to the exposure of cisterns up to 2.5 m; DR = 1.8 to 2.5 mm/yr, depending on the abandonment time. The settlements' distribution and the surface topography directly correlate: in settled areas, Terrain Roughness Index (TRI) values are higher compared to other areas with the same lithology and rainfall amount. Following abandonment, decaying houses resulted in the complete disintegration of mud bricks, increasing the proportion of fine soil fractions. Cisterns acted as sedimentation basins, trapping surface-derived sediments and debris, including degraded brick material. This process influenced the mechanical composition of soils, affecting soil erosion and land degradation.

The Hajj Before Muhammad: The Early Evidence in Poetry and Hadith

Abstract Scholarly debate on the nature of the Hajj before Muhammad and radical questions of whether Mecca was a ritual site at all in pre-Islamic times are answerable from the large corpus of pre-Islamic poetry, which has been underutilised as a source for pre-Islamic history. This paper reveals the poetry to be both a reliable and valuable witness. It demonstrates that the Hajj was performed in the generation before Muhammad in substantially similar terms to subsequent Muslim practice. Some modifications and shifts are discernible, but ritual continuity emerges as a major theme. The poetry also underscores the restricted ambit of the pre-Islamic Hajj: we uncover a highly-localised ritual followed primarily by groups living near Mecca – the expansion of the Hajj into a pan-Arabian phenomenon with an intimate role in informing communal identity and political power are new in the Islamic period. This paper closes with comparison of the poetry and hadith on the Hajj, which reveals a major Muslim-era reinterpretation of the pilgrimage as an Abrahamic rite.

Reconstruction of the Practice of Siyasa Syar'iyyah During the Islamic Empire's Relevance to the Practice of Sharia Financing CWLS Retail in Indonesia

The purpose of this study is to analyze the reconstruction of Islamic sharia implementation policies during the Islamic Empire in Indonesia from the perspective of siyasah syar'iyyah and their relevance to Indonesian government policies in regulating Islamic financing instruments in Cash Waqf Linked Retail Sukuk (CWLS Retail). The statutory approach and descriptive analysis are used in this research. Sources of data were obtained from various literary materials both from books, journals and the internet, as well as other relevant sources regarding the politics of Islamic law (siyasah syar'iyyah) during the Islamic period and its relevance to the regulation of Islamic financing instruments in Indonesia, especially with regard to the application of retail sukuk cash waqf (CWLS Retail). The results of the study show that first, the political application of Islamic law during the Islamic empire in Indonesia was carried out through the politics of the king's power (ruler). Second, the application of political Islamic law has relevance to current Indonesian government policies, namely in regulating Islamic financing instruments for Cash Linked Retail Sukuk (CWLS Retail), where the Government through various Islamic policies is embodied through laws, government regulations, MUI Fatwa, and other regulations. However, implementing this policy requires 6 variables of Islamic politics (siyasah syar'iyyah) in the opinion of Ibn Khaldun, namely mutual synergy between law, government, society, economy, development and justice.

Lives of Patriarchs, Lives of Qadis: Reading the Abbasid Sources of the “History of the Patriarchs” as Islamicate Texts

Abstract This article discusses the literary representation of religious leadership in the Siyar al-bīʿa al-muqaddasa, also known as “History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria”. It suggests reading accounts on early Muslim rule within the frameworks of Islamicate literature from the Abbasid and the Fatimid periods, when the collection was created, also considering successive layers of redaction. This approach contrasts with a more conventional way of reading such texts as historical sources on Christian-Muslim relations and as witnesses of the early Islamic period. By comparing stories of patriarchs and rulers with stories about qadis and rulers, the article highlights the importance of framing early Islamicate Christian sources in relation to a broader cultural context and historical developments, without exaggerating their early dating. Finally, it proposes that there is historical meaning to be found in the display of linguistic and narrative anachronisms.

ARABIC LITERATURE IN THE ISLAMIC PERIOD: SYI’IR AND NATSAR

Arabic literature during the Islamic period played a crucial role, serving as a central force in shaping the Muslim community. This research aims to analyze the development of Arabic literature during the Islamic period (shadr Al-Islam) in the forms of syi’ir and natsar. It employs a qualitative descriptive research method with a literature review approach. Data were sourced from journals, books, notes, and other documents related to the development of Arabic literature during the Islamic period. Data were collected through documentation techniques and analyzed using qualitative data analysis methods, including data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The research findings indicate that the development of Arabic literature during the Islamic period manifested in the forms of poetry and prose, both of which were present in two periods: the era of the Prophet and the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. The main characteristics include the use of language styles that constantly remind of Allah, containing verses of qauliyah and kauniyah. These literary works uphold the principles of amar ma’ruf nahi munkar, enjoining good and forbidding evil, marked by deep compassion and wisdom, reflecting Islamic teachings. The themes often revolve around profound love and devotion to Allah, the Prophet, parents, and dedication to struggles in the path of God. This love extends to encompass all of Allah's creations, reflecting a holistic and inclusive worldview

Sintren sebagai Media Dakwah Islam di Cirebon: Perspektif Budaya dan Agama

This research discusses the role of Sintren art in the spread of Islam in the northern coastal regions of Central and West Java during the period of Islamization. The aim is to delve into the contribution of Sintren art as a tool for Islamic preaching, with a focus on the implicit religious messages conveyed in its performances. This study employs methods of analyzing dance movements, song lyrics, and musical instruments used in Sintren performances. The results reveal that Sintren art plays a significant role in facilitating the spread of Islam, with religious messages implicit in these performance elements. The conclusion of this research is that similar to other traditional arts like wayang, Sintren art has played a role in aiding the understanding and acceptance of Islam by the people of that era and has contributed to the preservation of ancestral cultural heritage.

Sanātana Vijñāna & Warangal Fort

Telengana, the new province of India (2014) is explored from a Science Heritage perspective. It is seen she has an ‘impact crater’ of a geological period of the pre-Himalayan (Eocene) period. It has dual rings like complex craters acting as ramparts and hence the entire is the Warangal Fort. This is a case of ‘natural heritage’. Inside it is a Siva temple which is the central piece. It is a case of ‘man-made heritage’ and provides material for the Caption. Temple’s remains (demolished during the Islamic period) are studied from Science and engineering Heritage perspectives. Engrossing field study leads to interesting transpiration that yields a plethora of Hindu Sc & Tech aspects dating to c.13-14th A.D. Astronomically the temple appears to be associated with the star Betelgeuse i.e., Rigel of the Orion constellation (Vana Rājā Kalāpuruṣa Maṇḍala). The 1000-pillar temple complex -Hanamkonda (Han ūmān \ Hanūmā town) is associated possibly with the same constellation. There are three structures and the layout is alike Orion’s eastern triplet (κ-Ori – ε-Ori -&- α Orionis from S-to-N). These construe archaeo-astronomy (ancient pure science). Historically belongs to the Kakatiya (medieval) extending backward to tribal societies and pre-periods. Preliminary surface scanning of the satellite images of the Hyderabad Muslim heritage region indicates vestiges of a star\triangular shaped foundation of a possible erstwhile structure to the west by southwest of the Golconda fort. An excellent example of Vedic Sc. & Tech.

Towards an Integrated Approach to Studying the Stratified Ceramics from Dandanakan/Daş Rabat, Turkmenistan (9th–12th Centuries a.d.)

ABSTRACT This study draws on archaeological, stylistic, and technological evidence to explore ceramic and brick production of the medieval Islamic period in the southern Karakum region in Turkmenistan, home to many urban sites along the so-called Silk Roads. We focus on a 9th–12th centuries a.d. assemblage recovered from the site of Dandanakan/Daş Rabat during the first season of ToKa (Town of Karakum project) in 2019. Special emphasis is paid to characterizing the local ceramic fabrics and ceramic technologies through macroscopic examination and petrography, SEM-EDS, and FTIR analyses. Our results show that unglazed and glazed earthenware were manufactured using two local or regional clay outcrops, also employed in the brick kilns detected outside of Dandanakan’s city walls. A different clay was used for the slip of the glazed earthenware. These all had high lead-silica glazes, except for the turquoise glazes detected on both earthen- and siliceous wares.

History of the Development of Philosophy and Science in the Greek and Islamic Era

This research examines the historical development of the philosophy of education and science during the Greek and Islamic periods, two historical epochs that significantly influenced the evolution of thought and the conception of science. In classical Greek times, philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle contributed profound thoughts regarding education and science. The primary focus was on exploring the fundamental concepts of education, character formation, and the development of scientific thought. A shift in intellectual focus occurred during the Islamic Golden Age, where Greek knowledge was inherited and enriched by Muslim scholars such as Ibn Sina and Ibn Khaldun. Islamic thought played a crucial role in integrating philosophy, education, and science, with the application of scientific methods, rationality, and ethics as integral parts of the educational approach. This research employs a historical analysis method to trace the development of ideas and major contributions of figures in both periods. The results of the study highlight the evolution of education and science concepts from classical Greece to the Islamic era, indicating a transfer of intellectual ideas and values that laid the foundation for the development of modern science and education. It is hoped that a profound understanding of the history of the development of the philosophy of education and science in both periods can provide critical insights into the roots of thought and values that form the basis for contemporary science and education.

Peran Dalem Lenggana Bangkelung Bagi Kesultanan Mataram: Kajian Naskah Kuno dan Tradisi Lisan

This study explains the role of Dalem Lenggana as a religious spreader of Islam as well as a blacksmith of the Mataram Sultanate, which originates from folklore, Dutch reports, and ancient manuscripts. The ancient manuscripts are the Sukawening Garut Manuscript and the Pegon manuscript which have been transliterated by K. F. Holle and published in his report. The two manuscripts tell of Dalem Lenggana's work which is set in the early Islamic period, to be precise, during the Mataram Sultanate. The name Dalem Lenggana has many versions of the name, but both texts refer to the figure Dalem Lenggana in Bangkelung, Galuh. the existence of Dalem Lenggana existed in the period 1645 AD – 1704 AD. He was appointed leader of the Bangkelung region after successfully making Guntur Geni guns (Cannons). Given the importance of Dalem Lenggana's role in the past, this is the background for the author to discuss it. This research method uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive type. Data collection techniques are carried out through observation, interviews, and document studies. In this study, the authors used primary and secondary data sources. The results showed that the Dalem Lenggana figure had an important role in the past both as a spreader of Islam, a blacksmith in the Mataram Sultanate and as a leader in the Bangkelung region of Galuh.

Ottoman Turkey the Sorrowful Period of Islam's Political Journey

Background. Talking about Islam cannot be separated from the long history of the struggle of Muslims in the world. Purpose. History is strong evidence that a civilization can be seen to exist and the fragrance of its name. Method. According to the literature, history is an event or event that really happened in the past, science, knowledge, lesson stories about events or events that have really happened. Results. Since Islam was born until now, there have been many dynamics of civilization that can be learned as lessons and encouragement for the people afterwards. Conclusion. From this history, Muslims are increasingly aware that their predecessors left a scientific and civilizational legacy that can be emulated for the people after them in the future

مکی عہد میں خواتین کی تہذیبی و عائلی سرگرمیاں اوران کے عصری اطلاقات

With the advent of Islam, the reforms at cultural, social, economic, educational, medical, political, domestic and militant levels were introduced and simultaneously implemented. According to these reforms, women were given the right to participate in all social, cultural, educational, medical and domestic activities. In all spheres of life, Islam allows, both men and women to participate actively within their gender limits. Tolerance in social interaction, mutual assistance and other social behaviors of Muslim women in early period of Meccan era, are enriched exemplary source for Muslim women of modern age. During the Meccan era, women were active in the economic field like the first lady of Islam Ḥaḍrat Khadīja who used to do business activities and she spent a major portion of his wealth in promoting Islam. Contemporary Muslim women may participate in the economic field according to their feminine limits. Islam encourages them. Other activities among Muslim women of early period of Islam are adornment, telling stories to each other, visiting each other’s home, sewing, embroidering and nursing. In this research paper, cultural and domestic accomplishments of women in the Meccan era have been briefly analyzed and their contemporary applications are also highlighted.

مصادر شریعت کی تفہیم جدید : علامہ اقبال کے افکار کا مطالعہ

Human life is composed of stability and fluidity. Allah has made stability and change an essential part of this system of the universe. Therefore, the best life and the best system will be the one in which these two elements are present. A system which is not fundamentally stable and does not subtly accept change can never be amenable and permanent to human beings like if the universe were always the same color, the weather always the same, the day always the same. If there is day or night, this universe will become dull because the beauty of this universe is due to the changes and changes within it in view of this code, if we look at the Islamic system, we can see a clear difference between the early period of Islam and today's period, that is, the first four centuries were based on the same principle that in each period, the basic sources of sharīʿah were based on the circumstances. It used to be read in perspective, but then the Ummah became stagnant and the research done centuries ago was considered as the final word, due to which apparently sharīʿah and Islamic law started to look far behind the speed of time. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal was among those who realized this disturbing situation, so he emphasized on the modern understanding of the sources of Sharīʿah so that the Ummah could move out of decline and move towards the path of prosperity. In this paper, we will present a research review of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal's thoughts of a modern understanding of the sources of Sharīʿah.

A Story of Old Anatolian Turkish: Ayniddīn’s Dāsitān-ı Hatun Mesnevi [06 Mil Yz A 3881/6

Dastān-ı Hatun Masnavī is a significant ḥikāya written in verse, which is a part of Turkish literature from the Islamic period. The story revolves around a poor and devout woman who resides in Mecca, left to raise her son after her husband’s passing. One day, during a fit of anger, the child hurls bread at his mother, inadvertently causing her right eye to go blind. The woman harbors resentment towards her son for an extended period, but towards the end of the story, he is spared from a potentially fatal punishment through the intercession of Hasan and Hüseyin. A miraculous event unfolds when the Prophet Muhammad adorns his turban—the child is miraculously restored to full health. Furthermore, when the Prophet tenderly wipes the woman’s face, she regains her previous well-being. This tale underscores the paramount importance of a parent’s toil and devotion, as well as the boundless love and compassion of a mother. It conveys its moral lesson by showcasing a miracle attributed to the Prophet, making it a religious and didactic masnavi. The composition consists of 135 couplets and is composed in simple, fluid, and easily comprehensible Turkish. In this scholarly examination, the transcription, intralingual translation, and indexing of Dastān-ı Hatun Masnavī, housed in the manuscript collection of the Ankara National Library under the reference number 06 Mil Yz A 3881/6, are meticulously carried out. The story is scrutinized from both literary and linguistic perspectives to shed light on its intricate features.

Shattered glass of Beirut: collaboration between the Archaeological Museum (American University of Beirut) and international partners following the 2020 port explosion

The Archaeological Museum at the American University of Beirut (AUB) lies approximately 3 km west of the main port of Beirut, the site of the massive explosion that sent a catastrophic shockwave through the city on 4 August 2020. A display case containing Classical and early Islamic period glass vessels was smashed against the museum’s stone floor, shattering 72 vessels into thousands of shards. This paper overviews how the Archaeological Museum (AM) responded to the situation with international partners to document, collect, identify, study, conserve and restore the broken pieces, and how this process of recovery would ultimately imbue the vessels with new historical resonance. In particular, the paper presents a collaborative project with the British Museum (BM) that developed from broader international-AM efforts. The partnership had three objectives: (i) to reconstruct eight of the shattered vessels in conservation laboratories at the BM; (ii) to provide training for a museum professional from the AM as part of the restoration programme in London; and (iii) to conduct scientific analyses of the broken shards before conservation. A fourth objective was realized August–October 2022, when the reconstructed vessels were featured in a single-room exhibition at the BM titled Shattered Glass of Beirut, jointly developed by AM and BM curators, in which the vessels helped tell a broader story about the port explosion and its effects on the people of Lebanon.

Limits of Empire: The Jazīran North before the Tenth Century

This article traces the history of the northern Jazīra in the early Islamic period, from the beginning of Umayyad rule until the 870s. It reviews the material and written evidence for this territory, using as case studies the main cities of Āmid, Mayyāfāriqīn, and Arzan. It argues that there is little evidence for a systematic integration of the Jazīran north into the imperial fabric before the (re-)establishment of caliphal authority over this region at the end of the ninth century, a process that culminated in the creation of the provincial subdivision of Diyār Bakr around the mid-tenth century. The paper suggests that the history of the Jazīran north in the early Islamic period should be studied with reference to its Armenian connection: the entire region had strong historical ties to Armenia that carried over at least partially into the Islamic period. Approaching the north from a Jazīran as well as Armenian perspective thus improves our understanding of the complex and understudied history of this region before the tenth century.