Acknowledgements
The research that led to the publication of this book was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, which organization also subsidized the production costs. The work was carried out at the University of Marburg, where my greatest debt of thanks goes to Stefan Weninger, head of the Department of Semitic Studiesâhis unreserved endorsement of the project was crucial, his trust and liberal attitude were invaluable. Gerrit Bos readily took charge of the important and difficult Hebrew supplement, whilst other colleagues contributed more subtly by sharing their knowledge or supplying material: Dimitri Gutas, Hani Hayajneh, Fabian Käs, Walter W. Müller, Vivian Nutton, Susanne Saker, Fuat Sezgin, and Michael Waltisberg. Among institutions, credit is due to the CNMS-Library at Marburg, the Institut für Geschichte der arabisch-islamischen Wissenschaften in Frankfurt, the Universiteitsbibliotheek of Leiden, the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris, the Staatsbibliothek of Berlin, the Biblioteca Apostolica of Vatican City, and the Tresoar of Leeuwarden. I am grateful to the editors of IPTS for including my work into this series; to the anonymous readers for their comments; and to Gera van Bedaf and Teddi Dols at Brill for their competence and cordiality. Any advances this book may offer are owed to the collective wisdom of people past and present, any shortcomings I should like to consider my own. Last not least, thanks to Karine, from the heart, for everything.
Oliver Kahl