The Spiritual Background of Early Islam : Studies in Ancient Arab Concepts

In a series of essays devoted to key terms and ideas in Islam, Bravmann argues on the basis of pre-Islamic and early Islamic texts for an Arabian background to the rise of the religion. In pursuing a through philological examination of the evidence, Bravmann finds core values and ideas of Islam deeply embedded in ancient Arab linguistic expression. His work continues to provide a critical element in the debates about the emergence of Islam and cannot be ignored by anyone trying to assess the complex historiographical problems that surround the issue. Biographical note M. M. Bravmann (1909-77) worked at the Columbia University Library and taught at Dropsie College, New York University and Columbia University. A prolific Semitic philologist Bravmann has been called the last in a scholarly line through Delitzsch, Nöldeke, Barth and Brockelmann. Reviews '...a must for the library of every Arabist and Islamologist.' S.D. Goitein, JAOS, 1974. 'This work is to be most thoroughly recommended.' W. Montgomery Watt, Bull. of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 1973. '...un riche champ d'investigations à la sociologie religieuse.' Jean-Pierre Charnay, Archives de Sociologie des Religions. '...l'érudition philologique redoutable de M.M. Bravmann.' O. Carré, Revue des sciences philosophiques et théologiques, 1976. 'Bravmann's careful philological studies provide helpful data...' A.T. Welch, Orientalistische Literaturzeitung, 1978. Preface 7 Introduction (Andrew Rippin) 9 I. The Spiritual Background of Early Islam and the History of its Principal Concepts 17 A) "Murūwah and Dīn" 17 B) 'Islām 23 C) ,Imān 42 D) Ad-Dunyā wal-Bu'd>ad-Dunyā wal-'āhirah (ad-Dunyā wad Dīn) 48 II. Heroic Motives in Early Arabic Literature 55 A) The Concept of 'A mr and the Drive to Manly Activities 55 B) Aims and Values of Man's Activity 79 III. Sunnah and Related Concepts 139 A) Sunnah and Sīrah 139 B) The Concrete ("Material") Character of Sunnah (maḍai-i-s-Sunnaiu min ... ) 155 C) The Verb sanna in the Meaning "to assign, to determine" 167 D) The Hereditary Character of Sunnah (sunnatu man maḍā, sunnatun min ba'dī) 175 E) The Responsibility of the Originator of the Sunnah for All Later Acts 180 F) Testimonies for the Early Existence of "the Sunnah oj the Prophet" 184 G) Pre-Islamic Sunnah re-created by the Prophet 191 H) 'Ilm and Ra'y 193 I) Iǧtihād 204 J) Iǧmā' 210 IV. The Ancient Arab Background of the Qur'ānic Concept al-ǧizyatu 'an yadin 215 V. Bay'ah "homage" : a Proto-Arab (South-Semitic) Concept 229 VI. The Original Meaning of Arabic Wazir 236 VII. Allāh's Liberty to Punish or to Forgive. 243 VIII "The Surplus of Property": an Early Arab Social Concept 245 IX. The Return of the Hero: an Early Arab Motif 270 X. Life after Death in Early Arab Conception 304 XI. The Hunger of the Bedouin 312 XII. Equality of Birth of Husband and Wife (kafā'ah), an early arab principle 317 XIII The State Archives in the Early Islamic Era 327 XIV. The Community's Participation in the Punishment of Crime in Early Arab Society 331 Index of Arabic Terms 351 By M.m. Bravmann ; With And Introduction By Andrew Rippin. Previously Published In 1972. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.