This volume brings together articles on various aspects of the intellectual and social histories of Islamicate societies and of the traditions and contexts that contributed to their formation and evolution. Written by leading scholars who span three generations and who cover such diverse fields as Late Antique Studies, Islamic Studies, Classics, and Jewish Studies, the volume is a testament to the breadth and to the sustained, deep impact of the corpus of the honoree, Professor Patricia Crone. Contributors are: David Abulafia, Asad Q. Ahmed, Karen Bauer, Michael Cooperson, Hannah Cotton, David M. Eisenberg, Khaled El-Rouayheb, Matthew S. Gordon, Gerald Hawting, Judith Herrin, Robert Hoyland, Bella Tendler Krieger, Margaret Larkin, Maria Mavroudi, Christopher Melchert, Pavel Pavlovitch, David Powers, Chase Robinson, Behnam Sadeghi, Adam Silverstein, Devin Stewart, Guy Stroumsa, D. G. Tor, Kevin van Bladel, David J. Wasserstein, Chris Wickam, Joseph Witztum, F. W. Zimmermann

To deeply understand the unique contents of Islam, it is important to know how was settled Arabia, peninsula of the southwest of Asia, before the arrival of Muhammad (Mohammed). Sure enough the pre-islamic era was totally different, under all aspects, from the so called arabic-islamic civilization following it. Translated by Roberta Ridolfi

In this fascinating study, Muhsin J. al-Musawi shows how deeply Islamic heritage and culture is embedded in the tales of The Thousand and One Nights (known to many as the Arabian Nights) and how this integration invites readers to make an Islamic milieu. Conservative Islam dismisses The Thousand and One Nights as facile popular literature, and liberal views disregard the rich Islamic context of the text. Approaching the text with a fresh and unbiased eye, al-Musawi reads the tales against Islamic schools of thought and theology and recovers persuasive historical evidence to reveal the cultural and religious struggle over Islam that drives the book's narrative tension and binds its seemingly fragmented stories. Written by a number of authors over a stretch of centuries, The Thousand and One Nights depicts a burgeoning, urban Islamic culture in all its variety and complexity. As al-Musawi demonstrates, the tales document their own places and periods of production, reflecting the Islamic individual's growing exposure to a number of entertainments and temptations and their conflict with the obligations of faith. Aimed at a diverse audience, these stories follow a narrative arc that begins with corruption and ends with redemption, conforming to a paradigm that concurs with the sociological and religious concerns of Islam and the Islamic state. By emphasizing Islam in his analysis of these entertaining and instructional tales, al-Musawi not only illuminates the work's consistent equation between art and life, but he also sheds light on its underlying narrative power. His study offers a brilliant portrait of medieval Islam as well, especially its social, political, and economic institutions and its unique practices of storytelling.

This book brings together international scholars of Islamic philosophy, theology and politics to examine these current major questions: What is the place of pluralism in the Islamic founding texts? How have sacred and prophetic texts been interpreted throughout major Islamic intellectual history by the Sunnis and Shi‘a? How does contemporary Islamic thought treat religious and political diversity in modern nation states and in societies in transition? How is pluralism dealt with in modern major and minor Islamic contexts? How does modern political Islam deal with pluralism in the public sphere? And what are the major internal and external challenges to pluralism in Islamic contexts? These questions that have become of paramount relevance in religious studies especially during the last three-four decades are answered as critically highlighted in Islamic founding sources, the formative classical sources and how it has been lived and practiced in past and present Islamic majority societies and communities around the world. Case studies cover Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, and Thailand, besides various internal references to other contexts.

"Muslim responses to Christianity down the ages have been shaped by diverse factors. One of the primary stumbling blocks has been Muslim misperceptions of Christian core beliefs about the person of Jesus and the nature of God. This study includes a practical example of contextualization which should provide great insights to Christians who are trying to explain their faith to Muslims in diverse contexts." -Peter G. Riddell, Professor of Islamics; Director, Centre for Muslim-Christian Relations

This book is the result of a collaboration between two authors who share a passion and commitment for coaching. Its aim is to enthuse readers and provide guidance about the appropriate use of coaching within Islamic culture. The intention is to provide a culturally relevant coaching framework for use in Islamic context, which allows Muslims to develop in ways that are aligned with their faith and traditions. The complete coaching framework presented here is called Ershad.

“Muslim responses to Christianity down the ages have been shaped by diverse factors. One of the primary stumbling blocks has been Muslim misperceptions of Christian core beliefs about the person of Jesus and the nature of God. This study includes a practical example of contextualization which should provide great insights to Christians who are trying to explain their faith to Muslims in diverse contexts.” –Peter G. Riddell, Professor of Islamics; Director, Centre for Muslim-Christian Relations