Stay ConnectedAn audio platform for the study of the pre-modern Islamic(ate) past and beyond. We interview academics, archivists and artists on their work for peers and junior students in the field. We aim to educate, inspire, perhaps infuriate, and on the way entertain a little too.
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Suitable also for general listeners with an interest in geographically diverse medieval history.
Copyright: © (c) All right reserved to S. Talha Ahsan and Abbasid History Podcast 2019.
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
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IslamicHistory #MedievalHistory #AbbasidHistory #Poetry #ArabicPoetry #Literature #WorldLiterature #SeljukIn 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.
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IslamicHistory #MedievalHistory #AbbasidHistory #jewishhistory #crusades #baptism #egyptThis is the second part of two presentations.
More on our guest: https://isabelle-imbert.com
0:50 In your previous presentation, you gave us an overview of the history of Islamic art. Give us an overview of the Islamic arts market scene: who are the main players? Where are the main auctions, and so on?
7:05 You advised in your Bayt al-Fann interview that beginners should buy what they like. At what stage can a beginner can consider himself a serious investor? Link to interview: https://www.baytalfann.com/post/the-a...
11:12 Some viewers may be concerned about buying stolen items. How can buyers protect themselves?
16:34 Where do you feel the Islamic arts market is heading and your final advice for would-be buyers?
21:00 Off-script: on affordable art investment strategies
30:55 Call for patrons!
31:25 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?
We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at https://shop.ihrc.org and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details.
Originally posted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_6fRzS5SnE
Oct 22, 2022
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
Dr. Azim Ahmed, Research Associate in British Muslim Studies at Cardiff University, discusses the late Shahab Ahmed's (no relation!) seminal work "What is Islam? The Importance of Being Islamic" leading us to identify the Anglophone as the New Persianate for the Cathay-to-California Complex.
Links: Abdul-Azim Ahmed, Mind the Gap — The Textual, The Social, and Anglophone Islam https://medium.com/@AbdulAzim/mind-the-gap-the-textual-the-social-and-anglophone-islamin-shahab-ahmeds-2015-book-what-is-1e42b79e10ac
Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Islam and the Cultural Imperative https://www.theoasisinitiative.org/islam-the-cultural-imperative
Originally published Sep 1, 2022 on https://youtu.be/MBUTbuBGtFw
Despite many a tattoo of his alleged verses decorating limbs of heartbroken US college students, the actual life, works and legacy of the Sunni Hanafi jurist and Māturīdī theologian Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī have been conveniently overlooked. To provide a historical introduction to Rumi, we are joined by Muhammad Ali Mojaradi, a University of Michigan graduate, translator, editor and founder of the persianpoetics.com project and is best known by his Twitter and Instagram handle @sharghzadeh.
Timestamps
01:28 Rumi was born in 1207CE quite likely in modern-day Afghanistan. He would been alive during the Mongol sack. Let's set some context for his life: socio-political, cultural and religious.
08:06 Rumi lived most of his life under the Persianate Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and is buried in Konya. What do we know about his life and tell us in particular about this pivotal episode of meeting Shams-e Tabrizi?
19:32 Rumi is best known for his Mathnavi but he has prose works too. Tell us about Rumi's written legacy and any genealogies of commentaries or inspired works. And importantly - as will get into more later - your recommended translation.
27:08 The Persianate was once the binding culture for the Bengal-to-Balkans complex but largely missing now from the lives of Anglophone confessional Muslims despite their immigrant backgrounds for the most part. You started a project called #RumiWasMuslim. Tell us about that and how we can improve reenculturation of the Persianate in Islamic societies?
35:32 And finally before we end with a reading and translation, tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and what are current projects that listeners can anticipate?
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Abū Manṣūr al-Māturīdī (d.944CE) was a Persian Sunni Hanafi jurist, theologian, and scriptural exegete based in Samarkand. His eponymous codification of Sunni creed became the dominant theological school for Sunni Muslims in Central Asia and later enjoyed a preeminent status as the school of choice for both the Ottoman Empire and the Mughal Empire.
Timestamps
01:40 Al-Māturīdī was born at Māturīd, a village or quarter in the neighbourhood of Samarkand during the reign of the caliph al-Mutawakkil whose main merit appears to be putting an end to the Muʿtazilite so-called Rationalist Mihna inquisition of Traditonalist Sunni voices. Outline for us the socio-political context of Al-Māturīdī 's life and what we know about his biography.
10:20 Al-Māturīdī's conclusions are remarkably similar to his peer in Baghdad Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī although the two never met. How do we go about describing Al-Māturīdī's theology and what was the intellectual context for its composition?
20:29 Al-Māturīdī has a number of works. Tell us about them as well the genealogy of later commentaries, supra-commentaries and summaries of his theology.
20:54 I want to turn before we conclude to your current work. You have taken a recent interest in the works of a figure seemingly very far removed from 9th century Samarkand, and that's the 20th century German philosopher, Edmund Husserl. Tell us more about that.
30:42 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?
For more on our guest: ramonharvey.com
His latest book: https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-transcendent-god-rational-world.html
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Our series concludes with this live session with our guest and listeners.
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Ṣafī al-Dīn al-Ḥillī was a Shʿī poet who was born in Iraq but lived much of his life in Mardin in modern day Turkey. He was an exemplar of versatility in verse for the much neglected Mamluk period of literary history.
Timestamps
01:20 Ṣafī al-Dīn al-Ḥillī was born in 1278 just over a decade after the Mongol sack of Baghdad. What do we know about his socio-political context?
08:27 War and disaster forced al-Ḥillī to leave his family and move to Mardin. What do we know about his life?
13:14 Al-Ḥillī's poetic style is described as innovative and experimental. How would you characterise his work?
19:33 Al-Ḥillī is perhaps best remembered for verses that inspired the Pan-Arab colors: "White are our deeds, black are our battles, / Green are our tents, red are our swords." How would you characterise his legacy?
25:28 Finally, let's end with a sample and translation.
This is the eleventh part of a twelve part series exploring classical Arabic poetry which can be utilised in college-level teaching programmes. For more on our guest, see kblankinship.com. Sponsored by shop.ihrc.org
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Ibn ʿArabī was an Andalusian Muslim scholar, mystic, poet, and philosopher. He is renowned among practitioners of Sufism by the names al-Shaykh al-Akbar ("the Greatest Shaykh"; from here the Akbarian school derives its name).
Timestamps 01:36 Ibn ʿArabī was born in 1165 in Andalusia whose literary history we covered in episode 35. What do we know about his socio-political context?
06:12 Ibn ʿArabī lived an iterant life and is buried in Damascus. What do we know about his life?
10:25 Ibn ʿArabī was a prolific writer. His collection of poetry is said tospan five volumes and is mostly unedited it seems. How would you characterise his literary work?
17:44 Ibn ʿArabī continues to be a decisive figure in Muslim theology. How would you characterise his literary legacy?
21:57 Finally, let's end with a sample and translation.
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