The first Christians to encounter Islam were not Latin-speakers from the western Mediterranean or Greek-speakers from Constantinople but Mesopotamian Christians who spoke the Aramaic dialect of Syriac. Under Muslim rule from the seventh century onward; Syriac Christians wrote the most extensive descriptions extant of early Islam. Seldom translated and often omitted from modern historical reconstructions; this vast body of texts reveals a complicated and evolving range of religious and cultural exchanges that took place from the seventh to the ninth century.The first book-length analysis of these earliest encounters; Envisioning Islam highlights the ways these neglected texts challenge the modern scholarly narrative of early Muslim conquests; rulers; and religious practice. Examining Syriac sources including letters; theological tracts; scientific treatises; and histories; Michael Philip Penn reveals a culture of substantial interreligious interaction in which the categorical boundaries between Christianity and Islam were more ambiguous than distinct. The diversity of ancient Syriac images of Islam; he demonstrates; revolutionizes our understanding of the early Islamic world and challenges widespread cultural assumptions about the history of exclusively hostile Christian-Muslim relations.
#88219 in Books Olivia Remie Constable 2011-11-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.70 x 6.20l; 2.24 #File Name: 0812221680640 pagesMedieval Iberia Readings from Christian Muslim and Jewish Sources
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Professionally Translated Primary Source Historical DataBy BrintktThis is an excellent source of primary historical data covering medieval Iberia; with documents and poems translated by some of the best (Nirenberg; O'Callaghan; Bisson; etc.). If studying medieval Iberian history; this is a must for references unless you are fluent in Arabic; Catalan; Latin; Hebrew; Castilian; Galician-Portuguese; Portuguese; Aljamiado; and Italian. The surrender treaties contained here are very important; and when combined with the information that Dr. Brian Catlos provides in his work; "Muslims of Latin Christendom; ca. 1050– 1614"; and that of Dr. Isabel O'Connor's "The Forgotten Community - The Mudejar Aljama of Xativa; 1240-1327"; provide insight in the aftermath as to why - though not themselves entirely faultless - the Mudejar rebelled in the late thirteenth and fifteenth centuries when under Christian control. Highly recommended.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Even if you only love medieval studies a tiny bit; you need this book...By ChristinaSource. Texts. ....an absolute treasure. These are readings I will return to again and again in my historical studies.4 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A must for anyone studying the history of Islam in ...By ApologiaA must for anyone studying the history of Islamic occupation in Spain. Loaded with documentation from Latin; Hebrew; Arabic and other sources. http://youtu.be/uTiJKJArzz4?list=UUpvpku8O928I6bRiqbGvzeg
