The life, birth and beginnings of the Fariyaq’ an alter-ego of The Arab scholar Ahmad Faris al Shidyaq The Leg Over Leg recounts the story of birth to the middle of the time of the Fariyaq the alter-ego who was the alter-ego…
The Epistle on Legal Theory is the oldest Arabic text in the field of Islamic legal theory. It is also the primary document of Islamic Jurisprudence. The author Muhammad ibn idris al-Shafi’i (d. the year 204/820) was the eponym for the Shafi’i…
The Greatness of the Arabs is a passionate defense of Arab identity –its virtues as well as its values and roots–at the time of political tension and disintegration that was written by one the foremost scholars from the early Abbasid period.…
The tale is only known to us through North African manuscripts, and it was translated to English in the very first edition. The Hundred and One Nights is a fantastic illustration of the rich heritage of well-known Arabic storytelling. Like its well-known counterpart…
Forgiveness – The most unique books of the history of classical Arabic writing, The Epistle of Forgiveness is the long response of the famous Syrian poetry and prose author Abu l’Ala Al-Ma’arri (d. 449/1057) to a letter from an obscure grammarian named…
Prayer – The most inspiring stories taken from the one of the popular Arabic books from this time of the Middle Ages The most adored and significant Arabic books from during the Middle Ages, Deliverance Follows Adversity is an anthology that contains…
Leg over + The life, birth, and early years of ‘the Fariyaq’—the alter ego of the Arab intellectual Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq The Leg Over Leg describes the life from birth until middle old age, of ‘the fariyaq an alter ego that…
Funny, bawdy and vicious Yusuf al-Shirbini’s Brains Confused is a battle between those who are “coarse” rural people against the “refined” urban populace. The first volume discusses three different rural “types”–peasant farmer, village man of religion and rural dervish. He also provides examples…
Love poems from the late nineteenth century Arabia . Arabian Romantic reveals the reality of what it was like to reside in central Arabia prior to the imposition of strict rules by the Wahhabi authority in early 20th century. Suggested…
Written in mid-seventeenth-century Egypt, Risible Rhymes is in part a short, comic disquisition on “rural” verse, mocking the pretensions and absurdities of uneducated poets from Egypt’s countryside. The interest in the countryside as a cultural, social, economic, and religious locus in its own…
Treasury – The Treasure of Virtues is an assortment of quotes as well as sermons and other teachings which are believed to be the work of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (d. 40/661) who was the son and cousin of Prophet Muhammad…
Disagreements – Al-Qadi al’Nu’man was the main lawmaker and theorist of North African Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century. This translation is available to the world for the first time English his most important study of Islamic theorizing on law ( usul…
The Expeditions is among the oldest biographies about the Prophet Muhammad to survive to the present day. The primary author Ma’mar ibn. (96-153/714-770) was a renowned expert from Basra in the southern part of Iraq who was admired for his knowledge of…
Tajrid Sayf Al-Himmah li stikhraj ma fi dhimmat dhimmah is an Arabic-only, scholarly version of a text written by ‘Uthman Ibn Ibrahim al-Nabulusi. The text is accessible as an English transcription from Library of Arabic Literature as The Sword of Ambition. Suggested…
It is regarded by the title of “one one of the most intricate and peculiar text that can be found in Arabic writing” ( Banipal Magazine), The Epistle of Forgiveness is a lengthy response by the prolific Syrian poetic and prose-writing, Abu l’Ala…
The earliest known source of a continuous first-person travel stories in ArabicThe Mission of the Volgais a groundbreaking text that is of unparalleled literary and historical significance. In the pages, we travel north on a mission of diplomatic service that takes…
The birth, life and early years of the Fariyaq, the alter-ego of the Arab intellectual Ahmad Faris al Shidyaq “Little Leg” tells the story from birth to middle old age, of ‘the fariyaq an alter ego for Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq, a…
Sufism – A’ishah al Ba’uniyyah, a native of Damascus is one of the most renowned women scholars of Islamic history. Born into a prominent household of revered scholars and Sufi followers, ‘A’ishah received an excellent religious education and learned the Quran…
Sufism – ‘A’ishah Al-Ba’uniyyah (d. 923/1517) of Damascus was one of the greatest female scholars of Islamic history. A poet, mystic, prolific and writer, ‘A’ishah wrote more writings in Arabic than any other woman prior to the turn of the century. Yet…
The Expeditions is among the oldest biographies about the Prophet Muhammad to survive to the present day. The primary writer, Ma’mar ibn (96-153/714-770) was a well-known academic from Basra in the southern part of Iraq who was admired for his expertise in…