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In the Vicinity of the Righteous
ZiyÄra and the Veneration of Muslim Saints in Late Medieval Egypt
Series: - Islamic History and Civilization, Volume: 22
Author:
This first in-depth scholarly study of the institution of ziyÄra (visiting tombs), and its central role in the cult of Muslim saints in late medieval Egypt (1200-1500 A.D.), makes an original contribution to the social history of religion. It explores the range of meanings that saints held for the contemporary imagination through richly textured descriptions and analysis of the great cemetery of al-QarÄfa, the rituals of the ziyÄra, and the entertaining stories told to pious visitors about the saints. It thus provides a vivid sense of this vital expression of Muslim spirituality. Through an examination of legal debates surrounding ziyÄra, the dichotomous view of 'high' versus 'popular' religion is effectively challenged in favor of a more fluid model of cultural discourse.
Christopher S. Taylor, Ph.D. (1989) in Near Eastern Studies, Princeton, is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Middle East Studies Program at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey.
'...a welcome addition to a badly underexamined phenomenon.'
Brannon Wheeler, Religious Studies Review, 1999.
'â¦I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in the fascinating field of Muslim saint worship, both in the past and in the present.'
Nico Kaptein, Biblioteca Orientalis, 1999.
'⦠Taylor was able to extract from his material a highly interesting, often intriguing portrait of this subjectâ¦'
Paul E. Walker, Mamlâk Studies Review, 2000.
'â¦an important contribution to the study of medieval Muslim religious practice.'
Adam Sabra, Al-Abbath, 1999.
'This interesting and well-written book is an important contribution to the social and religious history of Egypt in the Mamluk periodâ¦this is a fine and significant book, which greatly increases our understanding of teh complicated and rich nature of religious life under the Mamluk in Egypt.'
Reuven Amitai, Journal of American Oriental Society, 2000.
Brannon Wheeler, Religious Studies Review, 1999.
'â¦I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in the fascinating field of Muslim saint worship, both in the past and in the present.'
Nico Kaptein, Biblioteca Orientalis, 1999.
'⦠Taylor was able to extract from his material a highly interesting, often intriguing portrait of this subjectâ¦'
Paul E. Walker, Mamlâk Studies Review, 2000.
'â¦an important contribution to the study of medieval Muslim religious practice.'
Adam Sabra, Al-Abbath, 1999.
'This interesting and well-written book is an important contribution to the social and religious history of Egypt in the Mamluk periodâ¦this is a fine and significant book, which greatly increases our understanding of teh complicated and rich nature of religious life under the Mamluk in Egypt.'
Reuven Amitai, Journal of American Oriental Society, 2000.
Written in a remakably accessible and engaging style, this book is valuable for specialists, comparativists, and general readers interested in Muslim piety, saint veneration, and medieval social, cultural, and religious history.