Publisher's Synopsis
George Makdisi has brought together six of the most distinguished scholars in the field to explore the religion and culture of medieval Islam. This is an original and stimulating exchange. Makdisi's introductory essay focuses on the interaction between religion and culture in classical Islam and Christendom, Merlin Swartz analyses the homilies of Ibn al-Jawazi, Irfan Shahid considers the implications of the Arabic character of the Koran, George Saliba assesses Ash'arite thought in astrology and astronomy, Roger Arnaldez reflects on the religious cultures of medieval Islam, and Mahmoud Ayoub draws together the common historic threads of Muslim-Jewish and Muslim-Christian popular worship. W. Montgomery Watt concludes the volume by addressing the question of the future of Islam, posing a parallel with the Judaic reaction to Hellenistic culture.
