After reviewing knowledge of Iron Age Iran; the authors look in detail at the highly developed social institutions of the Achaemenid Empire; most notably at state administration; agrarian relations; monetary systems; slavery and trade. A wide-ranging discussion of that culture covers such topics as the religion of the Ancient Iranians; ethnic and cultural contacts with the Achaemenid Empire; and superstitious and scientific practices in the ancient Near East during the sixth to the fourth centuries B.C.
#535458 in Books Cambridge University Press 2003-06-16 2003-06-26Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.98 x .47 x 5.98l; .65 #File Name: 0521536022200 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy SamGood3 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A Thorough ExaminationBy Prudence DearMichael Cook; in exploring the topic of (commanding right and) forbidding wrong in Islam approaches it in a very thorough manner; unfortunately; along the way; he discusses so many thinkers; scholars; and individuals that one has difficulty making sense of the actual concepts being outlined. Additionally; while his use of examples often adds to the overall understanding of the concept; it just as often hinders it; weighing down the prose with anecdotes instead of theory. As to the theory; he presents a detailed look at the concept of forbidding wrong in Islam with all its history; nuances; and implications. I found the last few chapters the most interesting. In them; Cook compared and contrasted this practice in the Islamic tradition with similar ones found in other monotheistic and philosophic traditions in both pre- and post-Islamic time frames. In doing so; he reveals similarities between the "irreconcilable" cultures of the East and West which significantly informed my reading of the subject. By placing the theory in a solidly European context; Cook also placed a previously foreign theory on the plane of the familiar; effectively shattering the popular concept of the "irreconcilable" differences and conflicts between the Islamic world and the mainly Judeo-Christian Western world. It was a fascinating read for anyone interested in expanding their sphere of knowledge and becoming a well-rounded individual.
