This book deals with the history of the Jews in Muslim countries, and consists of four parts; the central part is the second one which is a comprehensive history of the Jews of Iraq and Iran, from the seventh to the thirteenth centuries; the first part discusses the origin of the Jews in Yathrib (al-Madina) and the references to Jews in the founding document of the Muslim umma; the third part is a history of Sicily and its Jews during the period of Muslim rule; the fourth part deals with the role played by Jews in the economic life of the Muslim countries in the early Middle Ages. The studies are based mainly on Arab writings and on documents from the Cairo Geniza.
Jews in Islamic Countries in the Middle Ages has been selected by Choice as Outstanding Academic Title (2005).
Moshe Gil, Ph.D. (1970) in Oriental Studies, University of Pennsylvania, is Professor Emeritus of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University. He has published extensively on mediaeval Jewish and Arab history. His publications in English include: Documents of the Jewish Pious Foundations from the Cairo Geniza (Brill, 1976), and A History of Palestine, 634-1099 (Cambridge University Press, 1992).
Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2004
The present volume is of importance to anyone interested in mediaeval history (Jewish and Arab); the history of a number of countries: Iraq, Iran, North Africa, Egypt, Sicily (under Islam); the history of the mediaeval economy.