Islamic History: A Framework for Inquiry

by R. Stephen Humphreys

This highly successful introductory text guides students through the wealth of literature and source material on social and political medieval Islamic history. Covering the Middle East and North Africa during the period AD600 to AD1500, 'Islamic History' combines bibliographic study with an inquiry into method. Discussing topics ranging from struggles for power within the early Islamic community to the life of the peasantry, this book makes essential reading for all students of Middle East history and politics.

Genres: Islam, History, Religion

416 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1991

About the author

A specialist in the history of Southwest Asia and North Africa, R. Stephen Humphreys was the 'Abd al-Aziz al-Sa'ud Professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Reviews

[AskHistorians]

A broad overview of the issues of Islamic history itself, it is exceedingly useful for his explanation of the problems Arabists and Islamicists face with utilizing early Islamic historical, literary, and legal material.