Close Relationships: Incest and Inbreeding in Classical Arabic Literature (Library of Middle East History)

Close relationships have great importance for humans because they are essential for meaningful existence. In contemporary society, individualism and loneliness grow, resulting in a longing for social connectedness and close relationships. Car communities offer sociality in automobile organizations, through ride sharing, and in car clubs, automobile professions, car events, as well as, indirectly, through Internet sites or car media. All of these have in common that they bring together people interested in automobile culture, creating a sense of belonging out of shared norms, interests, and beliefs. A car community also affirms social norms and inspires identity construction with a focus on the automobile. With the exception of car and ride sharing, a car community is a significant barrier to transport change, as any restriction of the car will be perceived as a threat to personal identities and feelings of social belonging. Lobby groups organizing resistance against transport governance seem to systematically exploit these interrelationships. "Close Relationships is Geert Jan van Gelder's groundbreaking and comprehensive study of the diverse facts and opinions found in pre-modern Arabic texts - both literary and non-literary - concerning incest and inbreeding resulting from repeated close-kin marriage. The pre-Islamic Bedouin Arabs knew about the dangers of human inbreeding, yet by the time the Prophet Muhammed is said to have warned "Marry strangers, then you will not produce stunted offspring!" marrying one's father's brother's daughter had traditionally been the preferred choice in order to keep wealth and marriage in the same family. The Qur'an laid down the basic rules of marriage impediments, which, uniquely, include not only blood-relationships but also milk-relationships i.e. being suckled by the same woman. Later generations of jurists and exegetes elaborated and discussed these rules; some of them tried to justify and explain the prohibitions, mostly in ethical and social rather than in biological terms. Incest is shown to be a motif found in lampoons, anecdotes, jokes, stories, legends, creation stories (Adam and Eve's children), dream interpretation, and polemics with other religions or ethnic groups. In particular, the Zoroastrian Persians, who allegedly recommended next-of-kin marriage in pre-Islamic times, were attacked. Van Gelder acknowledges that while it is dangerous to make general assertions about the difference between "Western" and Arab or Middle Eastern customs and attitudes, he argues that the theme of incest, so prominent at least in European literature since the Greek myths, is somewhat marginal in Arabic literature. Many of the relevant passages have been translated into English specially for this richly documented book that will be of interest not only to philologists and students of Arabic literature or Islamic culture but also to the general reader interested in the history of incest and inbreeding and attitudes towards these closely related concepts."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Close Relationships is Geert Jan van Gelder's groundbreaking and comprehensive study of the diverse facts and opinions found in pre-modern Arabic texts - both literary and non-literary - concerning incest and inbreeding resulting from repeated close-kin marriage. The pre-Islamic Bedouin Arabs knew about the dangers of human inbreeding, yet by the time the Prophet Muhammad is said to have warned 'Marry strangers, then you will not produce stunted offspring!' marrying one's father's brother's daughter had traditionally been the preferred choice in order to keep wealth and marriage in the same family. The Qur'an laid down the basic rules of marriage impediments, which, uniquely, include not only blood-relationships but also milk-relationships i.e. being suckled by the same woman. Later generations of jurists and exegetes elaborated and discussed these rules; some of them tried to justify and explain the prohibitions, mostly in ethical and social rather than in biological terms.Incest is shown to be a motif found in lampoons, anecdotes, jokes, stories, legends, creation stories (Adam and Eve's children), dream interpretation, and polemics with other religions or ethnic groups. In particular, the Zoroastrian Persians, who allegedly recommended next-of-kin marriage in pre-Islamic times, were attacked. Van Gelder acknowledges that while it is dangerous to make general assertions about the difference between 'Western' and Arab or Middle Eastern customs and attitudes, he argues that the theme of incest, so prominent at least in European literature since the Greek myths, is somewhat marginal in Arabic literature. Many of the relevant passages have been translated into English specially for this richly documented book that will be of interest not only to philologists and students of Arabic literature or Islamic culture but also to the general reader interested in the history of incest and inbreeding and attitudes towards these closely related concepts. Close Relationships Is Geert Jan Van Gelder's Comprehensive Study Of The Diverse Facts And Opinions Found In Pre-modern Arabic Texts - Both Literary And Non-literary - Concerning Incest And Inbreeding Resulting From Repeated Close-kin Marriage. Incest Is Shown To Be A Motif Found In Lampoons, Anecdotes, Jokes, Stories, Legends, Creation Stories (adam And Eve's Children), Dream Interpretation, And Polemics With Other Religions Or Ethnic Groups. In Particular, The Zoroastrian Persians, Who Allegedly Recommended Next-of-kin Marriage In Pre-islamic Times, Were Attacked. Van Gelder Acknowledges That While It Is Dangerous To Make General Assertions About The Difference Between 'western' And Arab Or Middle Eastern Customs And Attitudes, He Argues That The Theme Of Incest, So Prominent At Least In European Literature Since The Greek Myths, Is Somewhat Marginal In Arabic Literature. Many Of The Relevant Passages Have Been Translated Into English Specially For This Richly Documented Book That Will Be Of Interest Not Only To Philologists And Students Of Arabic Literature Or Islamic Culture But Also To The General Reader Interested In The History Of Incest And Inbreeding And Attitudes Towards These Closely Related Concepts.--jacket. Stunted Nobility -- Magian Marriages -- Islamic Incest Regulations -- Incest In Legend And Literature. Geert Jan Van Gelder. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [237]-267) And Index. Close Relationships is Geert Jan van Gelder's groundbreaking and comprehensive study of the diverse facts and opinions concerning incest and close-kin marriage found in literary and non-literary pre-modern Arabic texts. The pre-Islamic Arabs knew about the dangers of inbreeding; the Qur'an formulates the basic principles of marriage impediments in Islam, which were elaborated by generations of jurists. Incest is a motif found in lampoons, anecdotes, stories, legends, dream interpretation, and polemics with other religions, in particular the Zoroastrians, who in pre-Islamic times allegedly recommended next-of-kin marriage. Many of the relevant passages are presented as English translations in this richly documented book. This is a groundbreaking and comprehensive study of the diverse facts and opinions concerning incest and close-kin marriage found in literary and non-literary pre-modern Arabic texts. Incest is a motif found in lampoons, anecdotes, stories, legends, dream interpretation, and polemics with other religions, in particular the Zoroastrians, who in pre-Islamic times allegedly recommended next-of-kin marriage. Many of the relevant passages are presented as English translations in this richly documented book that will be of interest to philologists and students of Arabic literature or Islamic culture.