Medieval Islamic Political Thought

Patricia Crone author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Edinburgh University Press

Published:28th Jan '04

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Medieval Islamic Political Thought cover

WINNER of the British-Kuwait Friendship Society Prize 2004This book aims to present general readers and specialists alike with a broad survey of Islamic political thought in the six centuries from the rise of Islam to the Mongol invasions. Based on a wide variety of sources, some of a type not previously considered in works on political thought, it seeks to bring out the enormous scope and high level of historical (and, in some cases, contemporary) interest of medieval Muslim thinking on this subject.The author aims to make Islamic political thought easier for modern readers to understand by relating it to the contexts in which it was formulated, analysing it in terms familiar to the reader, and, where possible, comparing it with medieval European and modern thought.Guiding the reader through this complex history on a tour of one of the great civilizations of the pre-modern world, the book brings out the fascinating nature of medieval Islamic political thought, both in its own right and as the background to political thinking in the Muslim world today.Some basic familiarity with Islamic history and culture would be an advantage, but no specialist knowledge is presupposed.Key Features:* Written by one of the most renowned scholars in the field* All concepts have been glossed and all persons, events and historical developments have been identified or summarised, both on first encounter and in the index (where the number of the page containing the gloss will be emboldened)* Specialists are addressed in the footnotes; non-specialists are free to skip these and read an uncluttered text.

'Patrica Crone's wide-ranging study is a substantial achievement, as it succeeds in clarifying the political thought of six centuries ... Written in a lively and unpretentious style, this is an excellent introduction to the subject which deserves to be widely read outside academic circles. -- Abeer Al-Abbasi, University of Leeds * British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies *
A volume that is bound both to set a standard and to cause some controversy… Crone's contribution ought to achieve iconic status as a volume of broad scope and, based on her outstanding scholarly reputation will set a standard for all such subsequent works. * Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations *
This rich and wide-ranging book … is stimulating and provocative … Crone’s lucid style aims to make a complex, ostensibly alien, tradition intelligible to the general reader as well as to the Islamic specialist. * Times Literary Supplement *
The book is a masterpiece on the history of the tension existing between religion and politics. -- Peter von Sivers
The book combines erudition with analytical brilliance. The author knows how to make sense of things, highlight them, and put them in perspective. Readers should come away with a satisfying depth of understanding of the full range of medieval Islamic political thought. -- Professor Michael Cook, Princeton University
The author, a distinguished Islamic scholar, cuts through a welter of misconceptions. -- Robert Lebling
Students today... will benefit greatly from this welcome study of early Islamic political thought. -- Ronald J. Stansbury
Patricia Crone gracefully covers the first six centuries of Islamic political thought. -- Zouhair Ghazzal

  • Winner of British-Kuwait Friendship Society Book Prize 2005

ISBN: 9780748618705

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 914g

472 pages