Podd: Abbasid History Podcast

🖋EP056 Ali Hammoud on the life and works of Rudaki (d. 941): Father of Persian Poetry

21 december 2024 | 28 min

📖EP055 Faheem Hussain on Thomas Bauer's "A Culture of Ambiguity: An Alternative History of Islam"

31 oktober 2024 | 73 min

Thomas Bauer's "A Culture of Ambiguity" stands out as one of the most important contributions to Islamic Studies in recent decades. First published in German in 2011, it wasn't until 2021 that it became available in English. Bauer's three decades of knowledge and expertise shine through in the work, which earned him the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Award in Germany. It is rare for an academic book rich in insights for specialists to also be engaging enough for general readers, yet this is exactly what Bauer has achieved. However our guest today has an essay published in the Maydan journal online journal interogating Bauer's conceptualisation of "ambiguity" and its application in the history of islamic culture.

Faheem A. Hussain is an independent researcher. He has a BA (Hons.) in Arabic and Islamic studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, a PGCE in Religious Studies from Roehampton University, and an MA in philosophy from Heythrop College, University of London. His writings can be found at https://faheemahussain.substack.com/ and https://x.com/FaheemAMHussain.

Faheem's article: https://themaydan.com/2024/08/ambiguity-as-a-master-key-critically-reading-thomas-bauers-culture-of-ambiguity/

https://x.com/FaheemAMHussain/status/1772736085627457970

Timestamps 02:11 You say in your essay: Now this does not pretend to be anything but a critical review of Bauer, interrogating his ideas of ambiguity, its coherence and implications, and despite my best efforts in civility, there’s no hiding my polemical intent. Even so, I wish to insist that this book is a product of a fine mind and generous soul, and that I have no doubt that if anyone reads the book, they will only leave more humbled, indebted as well as greatly enriched by reading it. Without a doubt, this is a book that should be read as well as kept on a shelf. Before we start why don't you give us an overview of the book and what he liked best about it.

16:23 At the heart of Bauer's work is this concept of Ambiguity. Tell us what he means by this and your reservations.

37:52 For me, my favourite parts were on the divergent readings of the Quran and the difference between the comfort of medieval scholars about that, particularly Ibn al-Jazari and the anxiety of modern Muslims. Though at first blush the late Saudi-Salafi cleric, Sheikh Ibn al-ʿUthaymin and the Pakistani activist al-Mawdudi, God be kind to their souls, might seem apart yet they share the same modern anxiety about ambiguity according to Bauer. It seems you are more on board with him on this then his other applications of ambiguity in the cultural history of Islam.

49:25 Like you, I wasn't convinced by his thoughts on the concept of foreigness in Islamic cultural history. You also take him to task on his take on homoerotica. I also feel that with current debate about gender and the like whether it makes sense to say there is a lack of ambiguity in contemporary culture. I feel if we had experts on medieval, early modern and modern Europe as Bauer is an expert on medieval Arabic whether we would have better insights on ambiguity as a concept.

01:03:52 And finally before we end tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and what are other current projects that listeners can anticipate? Works mentioned in episode: Pieter Coppens, Did Modernity End Polyvalence? Some Observations on Tolerance for Ambiguity in Sunni tafsīrhttps://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/jqs.2021.0450?role=tab Usaama al-Azami,Traditional Islam, Ideology, Immigrant Muslims, and Grievance Culture: A Review of Travelling Home: Essays on Islam in Europe by Abdal Hakim Murad https://muslimmatters.org/2021/02/05/traditional-islam-ideology-immigrant-muslims-and-grievance-culture-a-review-of-travelling-home-essays-on-islam-in-europe-by-abdal-hakim-murad/ Frank Griffel, The Formation of Post-Classical Philosophy in Islam https://www.academia.edu/47378325/The_Formation_of_Post_Classical_Philosophy_in_Islam

💧EP054 GUEST EPISDODE (8/8) The Great Valens Aqueduct of Constantinople/ Istanbul

2 oktober 2024 | 47 min

💧EP053 GUEST EPISDODE (7/8) Qanāts: Harvesting Water on the Edge of the Desert

4 september 2024 | 57 min

In this episode we discuss what is perhaps the most famous and distinctive invention of Middle Eastern and North African hydraulic engineering is the qanāt (also known as foggaras, khettāras, and aflāj): an underground tunnel dug horizontally into a hillside to harvest water from the water table.

Speakers: Majid Labbaf Khaneiki and Louise Rayne.

Majid Khaneiki is a human geographer who specializes in traditional irrigation and hydro-social cycles in rural communities. He has conducted or cooperated with more than 20 research projects on water issues in Oman, Iran, Iraq, India and Azerbaijan. He is the author of 13 books about traditional water management, water history, qanat system, and Indigenous water knowledge. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Nizwa in Oman, where he works in the field of socio-hydrology and conducts a research project on the interplay between water systems and social structures Oman’s local communities.

Louise Rayne is Newcastle University Academic Track Fellow in School of History Classics and Archaeology. She has a background in both Archaeology and Geography (joint PhD), especially remote sensing. Originally working in the Middle East on water management archaeology of Syria and Iraq, she is now also working in North Africa on remote sensing of land-use change, especially traditional water management and desertification.

This episode was produced by Edmund Hayes and Jouke Heringa.

💧EP052 GUEST EPISDODE (6/8) Water and the White Monastery: Water Management at a Single Site

1 augusti 2024 | 52 min

💧EP051 GUEST EPISODE (5/8) Toilets and Waste in Andalusia

1 juli 2024 | 39 min

💧EP050 GUEST EPISODE (4/8) The City on The Tigris: Baghdad, Drinking and Water Transport

1 juni 2024 | 49 min

💧EP049 GUEST EPISODE (3/8) The Beginnings of the Bathhouse in the Middle East, from Rome to Early Islam

2 maj 2024 | 64 min

The bathhouse is an iconic feature of the medieval middle eastern city up until the present. But how did this come to be? In this episode we look into the origins of bathing culture in the Middle East by going back to the Roman, late antique and early Islamic development of bathhouses.

Speakers: Nathalie de Haan and Sadi Maréchal. Interviewer: Edmund Hayes.

Nathalie de Haan is an associate professor in ancient history at Radboud University, Department of History, Art History and Classics and RICH (Radboud Institute for Culture &History). She is the coordinator of the RICH research group The Ancient World. Her research interest include baths and bathing in the Roman world, Pompeii and Herculaneum and the history of classical archaeology in modern Italy (19th and 20th centuries).

Sadi Maréchal is senior postdoctoral researcher of the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) based at the department of Archaeology at Ghent University, part of the Historical Archaeology Research Group, the Mediterranean Archaeology Research Unit and coordinator of the Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity.

This episode was produced by Edmund Hayes and Jouke Heringa.

💧EP048 GUEST EPISODE (2/8) Mesopotamia: Taming the Euphrates

1 april 2024 | 68 min

💧EP047 GUEST EPISODE (1/8) Water History and the Pre-Modern Middle East. “Source of Life: Water Management in the Premodern Middle East” (Radboud Institute for Culture and History)

1 mars 2024 | 42 min

This episode was produced by Edmund Hayes and Jouke Heringa.

Ep1. Water History and the Pre-Modern Middle East

The cities of the medieval Middle East were some of the largest in the world, dwarfing the major cities of western Europe, for example. So how did they support large populations in relatively arid conditions? In this episode we provide an overview of the kinds of hydraulic infrastructure and social institutions that allowed pre-modern Middle Eastern cities to function.

Speakers: Maaike van Berkel and Josephine van den Bent. Interviewer: Edmund Hayes.

This episode, and this series on water history and the medieval Middle East was produced by Edmund Hayes and Jouke Heringa as part of the project, “Source of Life: Water Management in the Premodern Middle East” at Radboud University. The “Source of Life” project was funded by the Dutch NWO VICI funding scheme. Additional funding for this podcast series was supplied by the Radboud Fonds of Radboud University.

Maaike van Berkel is Professor of History at Radboud University and director of the project “Source of Life: Urban Water Management in the Premodern Middle East” funded by the Dutch NWO VICI programme.

Josephine van den Bent is a researcher on the Source of Life project at Radboud University and assistant professor of Medieval History at the University of Amsterdam.

🕸EP046 Prof. Hayrettin Yücesoy on his new book "Disenchanting the Caliphate"

18 februari 2024 | 85 min

Hayrettin Yücesoy is a historian with a specialization in the premodern Middle East. His scholarly interests revolve around the intricate realm of political thought and practice, covering themes such as political messianism, monarchy, republican practices, visions of social order throughout premodern literature, and the historiography of these subjects.

In his written works and publications, Yücesoy delves into the convergence of discourse and political practice, unraveling the polyphonic and dialogic nature of texts. His research endeavors aim to uncover unconventional and dissenting voices, which act as a counterpoint to both contemporary and premodern "master narratives." Yücesoy is interested in discourse and social position and in the language's capacity not only to articulate but also to shape life-worlds. Throughout his career, Yücesoy has contributed to scholarship through publications in English, Arabic, and Turkish. His recent research revolves around the discourses of "good governance" as a point of entry for tracing the lineage of non-theological and non-ulema-centric political discourses in Middle Eastern history.

His latest monograph, Disenchanting the Caliphate: The Secular Discipline of Power in Abbasid Political Thought from Columbia University Press is a significant contribution to the history of political thought in the Middle East. Closely reading key eighth-century texts, Yücesoy argues that the ulema’s discourse of religious governance and the political thought of lay intellectuals diverged during this foundational period, with enduring consequences. He traces how notions of good governance and reflections on prudent statecraft arose among cosmopolitan literati who envisioned governing as an art and illuminates the emergence and impact of a vibrant secular political thought tradition that spread across regions and over centuries. Disenchanting the Caliphate provides an insightful and thought-provoking reconsideration of key aspects of political discourse in the intellectual history of Muslim societies.

In his previous monograph, Messianic Beliefs and Imperial Politics in Medieval Islam: The Abbasid Caliphate in the Early Ninth Century, Yücesoy embarks on an analytical journey to understand the interplay between ideology and practice, using the political actions of the early ninth century Abbasid caliph as a specific case study.

In an earlier monograph, The Development of Sunni Political Thought: The Formative Period (published in Arabic), Yücesoy traces the emergence of Sunni political discourse against the backdrop of socio-political and theological developments between the 8th and 10th centuries. Going through a wealth of textual sources, he illuminates how the Sunnis developed a political awareness that treaded a fine line between monarchical rule and “electoral consent” in the context of their dialogic engagement with the caliphate, sectarian formations, and lay bureaucrat-scholars.

Yücesoy's related scholarly work has also been featured in prominent journals and published volumes. The list of publications includes titles such as "Language of Empire: Politics of Arabic and Persian in the Abbasid World," "Translation as Self-Consciousness: The Abbasid Translation Movement, Ancient Sciences, and Antediluvian Wisdom (ca. 750-850)," "Ancient Imperial Heritage and Islamic Universal Historiography: Al-Dinawari’s Secular Perspective," "Political Anarchism, Dissent, and Marginal Groups in the Early Ninth Century: The Ṣufis of the Mu’tazila Revisited," and "Justification of Political Authority in Medieval Sunni Thought."

Yücesoy's current academic responsibilities encompass teaching a range of courses, including premodern political thought and practice, the history of slavery, the life of the prophet Muhammad, the history of Islamic civilization, the history of food, and premodern Islamic history. His teaching methodology, much like his research, is in harmony with a critical decolonial standpoint, intricately weaving a bottom-up, world-historical storyline to confront enduring culturalist interpretations. At the moment, he is in the process of preparing a book that will incorporate an English translation of Ibn al-Muqaffa’s work "The Epistle on the Caliph’s Companions," accompanied by a contextual biography of the author. From: https://jimes.wustl.edu/people/hayrettin-y%C3%BCcesoy https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayrettin-yucesoy-140782216

SPONSOR: We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases online and in-store.

Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout.

Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details.

https://linktr.ee/abbasidhistorypodcast

Originally published: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUlGycv5jUQ

November 30, 2023

#Caliphate #Caliph

🖋EP045 Nasim Hassani on an illustrated manuscript of al-Maqāmāt by Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥarīrī (d.1122CE)

18 februari 2024 | 36 min

Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥarīrī was an Arab poet, scholar and Seljuk government official who died in 1122CE aged 68 years old. His work al-Maqāmāt, a compilation of 50 highly-stylised comic anecdotes about the exploits of trickster Abū Zayd, received widespread renown in his time across the Muslim world and is regarded as a high point of Arabic literature.

We are pleased to be joined by Nasim Hassani in Tehran. Ms. Hasani hold a master's degree in Islamic Studies from Shahid Beheshti University,Tehran, Iran, where her dissertation was an Analysis of Mary and Jesus' Birth and Early Life in Quran and Apocrypha: James and Infancy Gospel of Thomas. She has a number of articles and translations in publication.

This is an unusual episode in that despite attempts at Zoom calls, the internet is currently too unstable in Iran, so instead I have sent audio files of my questions which she has kindly edited together for our presentation.

TIMESTAMPS: 02:29 Al-Ḥarīrī was born in Basra 1054CE. He was descended from a companion of the Prophet Muḥammad. His family was wealthy. Before we look at his work, what do we know about the author's life and socio-political context?

14:23 Before we speak about his al-Maqāmāt and this specific illustrated edition, tell us about this genre of Arabic literature.

20:00 Before we dive into this specific illustrated edition, give us an overview of al-Ḥarīrī's al-Maqāmāt.

25:55 Now tell us more about this specific illustrated edition.

31:00 And finally before we end tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and what are other current projects that listeners can anticipate?

Edited and produced by Nasim Hassani

For more on our guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasimhassani

SPONSOR: We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases online and in-store.

Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout.

Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details.

IslamicHistory #MedievalHistory #AbbasidHistory #Poetry #ArabicPoetry #Literature #WorldLiterature #Seljuk

https://linktr.ee/abbasidhistorypodcast

💒EP044 The Curious Tale of Isaac: An Egyptian Jew baptised as godson to King Edward II (d. 1327)

17 februari 2024 | 69 min

In 1319 Roger de Stangrave, a Hospitaller knight, and a Jew named Isaac arrived in England. For a ransom of 10,00 gold florins, Isaac had freed Stangrave, a stranger to him, from over 30 years of Mamluk captivity and then accompanied the knight home to be repaid. By 1322, Isaac has converted to Christianity and become Edward of St. John, with King Edward II taking him as godson.

What motivated Isaac to ransom a stranger for such an exorbitant cost and leave his native Egypt and end up baptised in England which at the time had expelled all Jews with the decree of Edward I in 1290 (father of Edward II) until it was formally overturned under Oliver Cromwell in 1656?

With the backdrop of the Crusades and European antisemitism, to share with us today his investigation of this curious tale is Dr. Rory MacLellan. Dr MacLellan completed his PhD in Medieval History 2019 at St. Andrews and is currently a cataloguer and manuscript researcher at the British Library. He specialises in medieval religious history, especially the crusades and the military-religious orders. His first book, ‘Donations to the Knights Hospitaller in Britain and Ireland’, 1291-1400, is published by Routledge.

TIMESTAMPS: 02:20 The first records of Jews in England start with William the Conqueror although one can speculate there may have been Jews prior during the Roman occupation. What many viewers may not know is that Jews were officially expelled from England by Edward I in 1290 until it was formally overturned under Oliver Cromwell in 1657. 15:37 The reign of Edward II (1284-1327) coincides with the titular caliphates of Al-Hakim I (1262 - 1302) and Al-Mustakfi I (1302-1340) and the de facto rule of a number of Mamluk sultans starting with Qalawun (1279-1290) and ending with the second reign Nasir ad-Din Muhammad (1299-1309). What was the socio-political context of Edward's reign domestically and abroad, and what was he like as a person? 20:41 He was also cucked by a Frenchman. His wife Isabella shacked up with a Roger Mortimer and declared war on her husband. What happened there? 24:27 And give us also an overview of the Crusades and how that forms the backdrop to our story. 28:43 Before we look at Isaac and his journey to England, tell us first about Stangrave and how he ended up as a prisoner of war. 30:35 Enter Isaac. What do we do know about him? 39:08 And tell us more about the Domus Conversorum: a London hospital for baptised Jews and their relatives. 44:05 Your essay is a really good example of a critical reading of the sources. Tell us what you think really happened and why. 51:30 Comparison of Jewish life in Mamluk Egypt and Christian England 1:00:08 You have also looked at how the so-called 'alt right' can manipulate medieval history for their political agenda. Tell us your views about that.

For more on our guest: https://twitter.com/RFMacLellan https://bl.academia.edu/RoryMacLellan

SPONSOR: We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases online and in-store.

Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout.

Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details.

IslamicHistory #MedievalHistory #AbbasidHistory #jewishhistory #crusades #baptism #egypt

https://linktr.ee/abbasidhistorypodcast

💰EP043 Dr. Isabelle Imbert on a Beginner's Guide to Investing in Islamic Arts

17 februari 2024 | 37 min

🕌EP042 Dr. Isabelle Imbert on a Very Brief Introduction to Studying the History of Islamic Arts

17 februari 2024 | 50 min

Works of Islamic arts mesmerise their viewers, be it calligraphy, vases or mausoleums, but knowledge of their developments continues to be weak for the general enthusiast.

To give an introductory survey on how to delve deeper into the fascinating ocean of Islamic arts is Dr. Isaballe Imbert.

Dr. Imbert completed her PhD in 2015 at Sorbonne in Persian and Indian Flower Paintings in the 16th to 18th century. She is an Islamic Art specialist with over 10 years’ experience working with the best clients and institutions in the industry. She is known as a researcher, teacher, writer, art market expert and speaker, as well as host of the newly formed ‘ART Informant’ podcast. For more on her work, see: https://isabelle-imbert.com

This presentation will be the first of two parts with Dr. Imbert. The second will be a beginner's guide to investing in the Islamic arts market.

1:42 Islamic arts, we can say, starts in the 7th century with the advent of Islam in Arabia. How do we divide up time and geography thereafter, and do tell us about sources we can consult for them?

9:42 As this is the Abbasid History Podcast, why don't we focus on the long Abbasid era from 750 to 1517 even if the latter times will be referred to by other dynasties or regions? Tell us about some of the main areas of arts in this period.

18:50 You have a particular interest on Islamic art in India. Tell us about the development of that.

28:00 Between 2008 to 2010, you were dedicated to the study of a 14th century Qur’an produced in Gwalior, India, and now kept in the Aga Khan Museum. Tell us about that.

37:25 And finally, before we end tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and tell us what to anticipate in your second presentation with us: A beginner's Guide to Investing in Islamic Arts.

39:50 Audience questions from Instagram

We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details.

Originally published: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjV5xiaTECg

Oct 20, 2022

https://linktr.ee/abbasidhistorypodcast

💡EP041 Dr. Abdul Azim Ahmed on Shahab Ahmed's "What is Islam? The Importance of being Islamic"

31 januari 2024 | 81 min

🎈EP040 Muhammad Ali Mojaradi (@sharghzadeh) on Rumi (d. 1273CE): Life, Works and Legacy of a Muslim Poet (#RumiWasMuslim)

1 april 2022 | 41 min

🏔 EP039 Dr. Ramon Harvey on Abū Manṣūr al-Māturīdī (d.944CE): Life, works and legacy of the seminal Sunni theologian

11 mars 2022 | 38 min

🧊EP038 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on Twitter Space (Monday 27th December 2021). Part 12 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

5 januari 2022 | 98 min

🗻EP037 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on Ṣafī al-Dīn al-Ḥillī (1278-1349 CE): Poetry in the Mamluk era. Part 11 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

18 december 2021 | 28 min

🟥EP036 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on Ibn ʿArabī (1165-1240 CE): The Red Sulphur sings. Part 10 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

4 december 2021 | 25 min

🥀EP035 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on Ibn Zaydūn (1003-1071 CE): Love, Longing and Lost - an introduction to Andalusian poetry. Part 9 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

27 november 2021 | 25 min

⚔EP034 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on Abū Firās al-Ḥamdānī: the Prince, the Prisoner, the Poet. Part 8 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

13 november 2021 | 26 min

✒EP033 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on al-Mutanabī (c.915-965CE): 'the Shakespeare of the Arabs.' Part 7 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

6 november 2021 | 35 min

😷EP032 Prof. Peter Adamson on the life, work and legacy of Abū Bakr al-Rāzī (d.925CE): Physician, Philosopher, Provacateur

21 augusti 2021 | 27 min

Abū Bakr Muḥammad ibn Zakariyyāʾ al-Rāzī (865–925 CE), also known by his Latinized name Rhazes, was one of the greatest figures in the history of medicine in the Islamic tradition, and one of its most controversial philosophers. While we have ample surviving evidence for his medical thought, his philosophical ideas mostly have to be pieced together on the basis of reports found in other authors, who are often hostile to him.

To discuss with us the life, work and legacy of al-Rāzī is Prof. Peter Adamson. Prof. Adamson is professor of philosophy in late antiquity and in the Islamic world at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich as well as professor of ancient and medieval philosophy at King's College London. Aside from articles, monographs, and edited books, he is known for hosting the weekly podcast "History of Philosophy without any gaps". Timestamps

02.10: Al-Rāzī was born in the city of Rayy near modern-day Tehran before moving to Baghdad to practise medicine. What do we know about his life?

06:13: The metaphysical doctrine of Razi derives from the theory of the "five eternals", according to which the world is produced out of an interaction between God and four other eternal principles. Tell us more about this.

11.40: He has been accused of heresy by Muslims for denying prophecy, or perhaps he was misunderstood?

20.10: There is a statue of al-Rāzī donated by the Islamic Republic of Iran outside the United Nations Office at Vienna. How can his philosophical heritage still be relevant to us today?

24.15: And finally before we end tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and what are other current projects that listeners can anticipate? Sponsors We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details. We are also sponsored by Turath Publishing. Buy now An Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari by Mustafa al-Azami. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit Turath Publishing at Turath.co.uk and use discount code POD15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact Turath Publishing for details.

EP031 Dr. Antonia Bosanquet on Ibn al-Qayyim (d.1350CE) and Dhimma governance

15 augusti 2021 | 28 min

The laws of Dhimma, or governance of non-Muslim minorities in a Muslim polity, can arouse difficult feelings amongst both Muslims and non-Muslims especially at sites of tension and conflict between them around the globe.

To discuss with us today a medieval legal work on these rulings is Dr. Antonia Bosanquet, author of Minding their Place: Space and Religious Hierarchy in Ibn al-Qayyim’s Aḥkām ahl al-dhimma published by Brill in 2021. She is currently a researcher at the University of Hamburg and a part-time farmer.

Timestamps 02.25: Before we look at Ibn al-Qayyim on Dhimma governance. Let's first ask ourselves what is Dhimma governance? Our modern sensibilities as residents of secular nation states find discrimination based on religious backgrounds offensive, although arguably that's precisely what some European countries do today...

07.23: Before we look at Ibn al-Qayyim's work, tell us about the life and career of the author. He was born in Damascus 1292CE...

13.05: You argue that Ibn al-Qayyim's book should be seen as more of a personal interpretation of what ought to be done rather than reflective of actual practice on the ground...

19.00: Turning to the present, the most recent attempt after almost a century and half to apply Dhimma rulings was by ISIS in their failed state. Ibn al-Qayyim today is best regarded for his works on personal spiritual reform. The call for Shariah in the modern Muslim world is often seen synonymous as a call for justice against corruption, but can make non-Muslim minorities feel uncomfortable. Can medieval Dhimma rulings still find a place to critique today's world of imagined communities and fictions of nationalism?

24.30: And finally before we end, tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic, and what are other current projects that listeners can anticipate? Sponsors We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details. We are also sponsored by Turath Publishing. Buy now An Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari by Mustafa al-Azami. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit Turath Publishing at Turath.co.uk and use discount code POD15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact Turath Publishing for details.

EP030 Dr. Stephennie Mulder on Imām al-Shāfiʿī (d.820CE), an afterlife: the story of his mausoleum in Cairo and the role of arts and crafts as a source in Islamic(ate) history

19 juli 2021 | 31 min

"This blessed cenotaph was made for the Imam (al-Shāfʿī)…by ʿUbayd the carpenter, known as Ibn Maʿālai, in the months of the year five hundred seventy-four. May God have mercy on him; may he [also] have mercy on those who are merciful toward him, those who call for mercy upon him, and upon all who worked with him—the woodworkers and carvers—and all the believers."

Thus reads the inscription on the teak cenotaph at the grave of Imām al-Shafiʿī. For at least ten centuries, in a city replete with holy sites, the mausoleum of Imam al-Shafiʿī (d. AD 820) has been perhaps the most beloved and popular of Cairene shrines.

To discuss the mausoleum of Imām al-Shāfiʿī and the role of arts and crafts as a source in Islamic(ate) historiography is Dr. Stephennie Mulder. Dr. Mulder is Associate Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the recipient of the Hamilton Book Award Grand Prize, the Syrian Studies Association Award, and Iran’s World Prize for Book of the Year for her book The Shrines of the ‘Alids in Medieval Syria: Sunnis, Shi’s and the Architecture of Coexistence (Edinburgh, 2014). The book was also selected as an ALA Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title.

Timestamps

02.32

The mausoleum was originally built by Saladin in 1180CE before a renovation by his successor, al-Malik al-Kāmil only 30 years later in 1211. Not much of Saladin's original building survives. Why don't you first give a physical description of the site?

04.30

At first blush, one would assume Saladin's intentions in building this mausoleum was an assertion of Sunni triumph over two centuries of Fatimid Shia-Ismaili rule but you argue that the construction of the mausoleum was actually part of a bitter intra-Sunni factional infighting between the Shāfiʿī-Ashʿarites and the Ḥanbalis.

10.12

Typically students of Islamic history rely on written chronicles for a narrative of events. How can a study of buildings and crafts contribute to a critical reading of these sources?

16.51

Turning to the present, you work on the conservation of antiquities and cultural heritage sites endangered by war and illegal trafficking. Tell us more about your work in this field and a call to action for our listeners.

22.41

And finally before we end tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and what are other current projects that listeners can anticipate?

Sponsors We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details. We are also sponsored by Turath Publishing. Buy now An Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari by Mustafa al-Azami. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit Turath Publishing at Turath.co.uk and use discount code POD15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact Turath Publishing for details.

🎟EP029 Dr. Hannah Erlwein from Kalamopod on a brief history of Kalām (philosophy of religion within the Islamic ecumene)

3 juli 2021 | 28 min

Literally meaning "speech, word, utterance" among other things, Kalām or philosophy of religion within the Islamic ecumene has divided Muslim believers about it scope, methods and even its validity in itself.

To give us a brief history of Kalām is the presenter of a new podcast devoted to explaining Kalām to the uninitiated, Dr. Hannah Erlwein.

Dr. Erlwein completed her PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies on Arguments for the Existence of God in Classical Islamic Thought which is now published and she is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Das Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte or Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin.

Timestamps

01.45

The term Kalām appears in the formative Abbasid period of early Islamic doctrine. What is the socio-political and intellectual-cultural context of its birth and development?

07.13

The practitioner of Kalām is known as a mutakallim. Tell us about some notable figures in the tradition.

11.43

The Islamic scholastic tradition across different school has a culture of texts, commentaries, supra-commentaries and summaries. This is helpful to trace genealogies of thought. Tell us about the contents of the earliest extant Kalām works and subsequent texts.

15.30

What do you feel is the enduring legacy of medieval Kalām for our world today and where should listeners turn to next for more information?

19.27

You currently host Kalamopod, a new podcast dedicated to the history of Kalām. Before you tell us more about that and other current projects that listeners can anticipate, tell us about your book Arguments for the Existence of God in Classical Islamic Thought.

Sponsors We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details. We are also sponsored by Turath Publishing. Buy now An Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari by Mustafa al-Azami. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit Turath Publishing at Turath.co.uk and use discount code POD15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact Turath Publishing for details.

EP028 Dr. Jonathan Brown on the life, works and legacy of hadith scholar al-Bukhārī (810-870CE)

28 juni 2021 | 64 min

Considered by Sunni Muslims as the second most authentic book after the Quran, Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl al-Bukhārī's collection of the Prophet's sayings and traditions, or ḥadīth, holds an esteemed station in Sunni scholasticism.

To discuss with me the life, works and legacy of al-Bukhari is Dr. Jonathan Brown. Dr. Brown is the Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. His PhD title and first book was "The Canonization of al-Bukhari and Muslim: the Formation and Function of the Sunni Hadith Canon".

Timestamps 02.25 Al-Bukhari was born 810CE in present day Uzbekistan almost 60 years after the Abbasid revolution and just after the passing of the fabled caliph Hārūn al-Rashīd and the start of the Fourth Fitna civil war between his two sons, al-Amīn and al-Ma`mūn. What do we know about his socio-political and cultural context and what impact would it have on his formation as a scholar? 15.53 Al-Bukhari travelled extensively to collect ḥadīth including to the Levant and Egypt and died in 870CE in his country of birth. Give our listeners an overview of his life before we look at his works and legacy. 27.10 Al-Bukhari is best known for his Ṣaḥīḥ collection. Before we look at that in detail, described to us his other works. 35.31 There has been continued doubts cast on how authentic are the traditions recorded in al-Bukharī's work. What are broader consideration and premises that should be borne in mind when trying to reconcile these views and where should listeners go next to learn more about al-Bukhari and his works? 01.02.13 You are the author of "Misquoting Muhammad: The Challenges and Choices of Interpreting the Prophet’s Legacy", "Slavery and Islam" and other works. What are other current projects that listeners can anticipate?

Sponsors We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details. We are also sponsored by Turath Publishing. Buy now An Introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari by Mustafa al-Azami. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit Turath Publishing at Turath.co.uk and use discount code POD15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact Turath Publishing for details. ErrataAl-Ismāʿīlī died 371/981 and it was Abū Sufyān who asked the Prophet to marry Umm Ḥabībaḧ.

EP027 Dr. Aaron Tugendhaft on philosopher al-Fārābī (d. 951CE), ISIS and Iconoclasm

17 april 2021 | 25 min

In February 2015, the former Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) released a video showing their destruction of Mesopotamian antiquities at the museum of Mosul. Although perhaps ironic that images are used to show the destruction of images, a video intended to shock can be turned against its makers when analysed thoughtfully. Our guest this episode, Dr. Aaron Tugendhaft, argues in his latest book "The Idols of ISIS: From Assyria to the Internet" that iconoclasm at heart is a political manifesto a matter understood by Abbasid philosopher Abū Naṣr al-Farābī (d.951CE). Dr. Tugendhaft received his PhD from the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University in 2012 and also holds degrees in Art History and Social Thought from the University of Chicago. In 2013, he received the Jonas Greenfield Prize for Younger Semitists from the American Oriental Society. He currently teaches at Bard College Berlin. Timestamps

00.00 Introduction

02.40 Abū Naṣr al-Farābī (ca. 870–950) thought deeply about the relation between images and politics. He adapted the insights of ancient political philosophers—especially Plato and Aristotle—to make sense of prophetic religion. How do his political treatises shed light on Abraham's iconoclasm that ISIS claimed to uphold? 06.30 Where ISIS spoke of the need to cleanse the world of idols, their critics refer to a moral and legal imperative to protect cultural heritage. How do we see Al-Farābī's thesis play out in our contemporary context?

10.20 You also mention in your book how once archaeologists commonly removed so-called late levels—that is, medieval and modern Islamic remains—without recording them to get to the ancient layers underneath eliding the Islamic Middle East as though only the West beholds antiquity’s beauty today. What is called the "secular" can also have their idols, right? 13.30 Your book ends creatively employing al-Farābī's thoughts on images and politics in the age of video games. How would the philosopher have advised Trump? 22.55 Your book "The Idols of ISIS: From Assyria to the Internet" is published by University of Chicago Press. What are other current projects that listeners can anticipate? Dr. Tugendhaft, Thank you for being a guest on the Abbasid History Podcast!

EP026 Dr. Philip Grant on the Zanj Revolt 869-883CE: A Slave Uprising against the Caliphate

12 april 2021 | 57 min

In and around 869CE, African slaves used to cultivate the salt marshes of Basra in present-day Iraq revolted against their master. Led by an ʿAlī b. Muḥammad, a charismatic messianic figure, their uprising would prove to very damaging to an already beleaguered Abbasid caliphate before being finally crushed in 883CE. To explain the cause, details and significance of the Zanj revolt is Dr. Philip Grant, co-author of the "Chains of Finance" published by Oxford University Press.

Timestamps

00.00 Introduction

02.09 The Zanj Revolt occurred in the salt marshes around Basra while the Caliphate was already preoccupied with their longtime Byzantine nemesis and other civil conflicts. What do we know about socio-political and economic context of the Zanj Revolt and the religio-cultural cauldron of the time?

09.55 There were prior unsuccessful revolts but the 869 revolt would prove devastating with siege and sacking of major cities. Narrate for us the contours of events.

28.07 An enigmatic leader emerges called ʿAlī b. Muḥammad who claims descent from the Prophet's household and other elements disenfranchised with the Caliphate join the revolt. What do we about this figure?

36.43 The long term consequences and analysis of events are disputed by historians some emphasising class over race, if it isn't anachronistic to use those term. The legacy of slavery is a sore point for many Muslims and Arabs today. How do you evaluate the Zanj revolt in the bigger scheme of things?

51.45 You are a co-author of "Chains of Finance" on a subject which seems a far call from medieval Iraq and Iran, that being contemporary investment management and you also translate Persian. What are other current projects our listeners can anticipate?

EP025 Dr. Ahab Bdaiwi on Shaykh al-Mufīd (c.948-1022): Life, Works and Legacy of a Seminal Shia Scholar

4 april 2021 | 32 min

To discuss with us the life, works and legacy of Shaykh al-Mufīd is Dr. Ahab Bdaiwi. Dr. Bdaiwi completed his PhD at Exeter on Islamic intellectual history and is currently the Cook-Crone Research Bye-Fellow in Ancient and Medieval History at the university of Cambridge.

Timestamps

00.00 Introduction

01.50 Shaykh al-Mufid was born in Baghdad around 948CE during the Shia Buyid dynasty's de facto control of the Abbasid caliphate and fifty years before the so-called 'Sunni Revival' with the reign of al-Qādir billāh in 991CE. Tell us about the socio-political and intellectual context of his life.

09.00 Shaykh al-Mufīd had a tumultuous life being exiled from Baghdad three times. He is also known as Ibn al-Muʿallim, son of the teacher, owing to his father's occupation. He dies in Ramadan 1022CE and is buried beside the sixth Shia imam Mūsā al-Kāẓim. What do we know about the life and career of Shaykh al-Mufīd?

15.16 Shaykh al-Mufīd has nearly 200 works attributed to him although only 10 survive. He was known to debate opponents and left a lasting legacy upon Islamic jurisprudence. What do we know about these works?

26.53 Shaykh al-Mufīd's land of birth continues to experience tumult between those who regard themselves as heirs to the conflicts of his time. He is commemorated annually on 9th September in Iran's official calendar. How do you evaluate Shaykh al-Mufīd's lasting legacy?

30.11 You are a co-editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Shiʿi Islam with Prof. Sajjad Rizvi. What are any other current projects listeners can anticipate?

EP024 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on al-Ḥallāj (c.858-922 CE): Life, works and poetic legacy of a martyred mystic. Part 6 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

27 mars 2021 | 23 min

EP023 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on Abū Tammām (c.807-850 CE): Life, works and legacy of an anthologist. Part 5 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

14 mars 2021 | 25 min

EP022 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on Abū al-ʿAtāhiyyaḧ (748-828 CE): Life, works and legacy of an ascetic poet. Part 4 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

6 februari 2021 | 21 min

EP021 Abū Nuwās (c.756- c.814 CE). Part 3 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

30 januari 2021 | 25 min

EP020 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on al-Farazdaq (c.641-c.730CE). Part 2 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

16 januari 2021 | 26 min

EP019 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on ʾImr al-Qays (501-544CE). Part 1 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

2 januari 2021 | 28 min

EP018 Dr. Christian Sahner on Christianity under the Caliphate

5 december 2020 | 26 min

EP017 Dr. Laury Silvers on her Abbasid crime fiction quartet The Sufi Mysteries

7 november 2020 | 32 min

EP016 Dr.Yasir Qadhi on the life, works and legacy of Jahm b. Ṣafwān (d. 746CE)

10 oktober 2020 | 28 min

EP015 Dr. Sohaib Saeed on Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 1210): life, work and legacy as exegesist

18 september 2020 | 37 min

EP014 Dr. Salman Younas on Abū Ḥanīfa (d. 767CE): Life, Works and Legacy

15 augusti 2020 | 54 min

EP013 Dr. Khalil Andani on a brief history of Ismailism

15 juli 2020 | 37 min

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15 juni 2020 | 43 min

EP011 Dr. Rachel Schine on Race and Blackness in a medieval popular epic, Sirat Delhemma (C.11/12th CE)

17 maj 2020 | 34 min

EP010 Dr. Liana Saif on Islamic(ate) Astrology✨: themes, works and practitioners

23 april 2020 | 39 min

EP009 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on the life and works of poet-philosopher 'heretic' Abū al-ʿAlāʾ al-Maʿarrī (d. 1058)

29 mars 2020 | 33 min

EP008: Dr Yakoob Ahmed on the Ottoman takeover of the Caliphate 1517

1 februari 2020 | 28 min

EP007 Dr. Elaine van Dalen on Arabic commentaries on Hippocratic paediatrics

3 september 2019 | 33 min

EP006 Dr. Emily Selove on Ḥikāyat Abī l-Qāsim (summer 2019)

18 augusti 2019 | 43 min

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3 juli 2019 | 67 min

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16 juni 2019 | 39 min

EP003 Dr. Alex Strick on learning Arabic (pilot series)

16 juni 2019 | 50 min

EP002 Dr. Anees Lodhi on Hijrah (pilot series)

16 juni 2019 | 40 min

EP001 Prof. Hugh Kennedy on general Abbasid historical studies (pilot series)

14 juni 2019 | 40 min

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8 maj 2019 | 0 min

Abbasid History Podcast

20 april 2019 | min

Abbasid History Podcast

An audio platform for the study of the pre-modern Islamic(ate) past and beyond.

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