Law and Piety in Medieval Islam

Using an array of sources including manuals of law, fatwa collections, chronicles and obituaries, the book shows what it meant to be a good Muslim in the medieval period and how Islamic law defined holy behavior.

The Ayyubid and Mamluk periods were some of the most intellectually fecund in Islamic history. Megan H. Reid’s book, which traverses three centuries from 1170 to 1500, recovers the stories of medieval men and women who were renowned not only for their intellectual prowess but also for their devotional piety. Through these stories, the book examines trends in voluntary religious practice that have been largely overlooked in modern scholarship. This type of piety was distinguished by the pursuit of God’s favor through additional rituals, which emphasized the body as an instrument of worship and the rejection of the temptation of worldly pleasures and even society itself. Using an array of sources including manuals of law, fatwa collections, chronicles and obituaries, the book shows what it meant to be a good Muslim in the medieval period and how Islamic law defined holy behavior. In its concentration on personal piety, ritual and religious practice the book offers an intimate perspective on early Islamic society.

About the Author

Megan H. Reid is Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Southern California.

Table of Contents

·       Introduction – Devotional Piety and Islamic Law

·       1 – The Persistence of Asceticism

·       2 – “Devote Yourselves to Deeds You Can Bear”

·       3 – Charity, Food, and the Right of Refusal

·       4 – The Devil at the Fountain

·       Conclusion – Beyond Transgression, Beyondsunna

Bibliographic Information

Title: Law and Piety in Medieval Islam

Author (s): Megan H. Reid

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

 Language: English

Length: 265 Pages

ISBN: 9780511843532

Pub. Date: July 22, 2013