Dr. Kevin Blankinship, BYU Utah, speaks about the life, works and legacy of the boisterous prince, ʾImr al-Qays. Was he actually a Christian? Are his recorded poems authentic? This is the first part of a twelve part series exploring classical Arabic poetry which can be utlised in college-level teaching programmes. For more on our guest, see

EP019 Dr. Kevin Blankinship on ʾImr al-Qays (501-544CE). Part 1 of 12 - Spring of Classical Arabic Poetry

We speak with  for an introduction on astrology in premodern Islamic(ate) societies. We cover origins, developments and key writers. A much overlooked topic explored with one of the leading authorities in the field. Find her work here: .

EP010 Dr. Liana Saif on Islamic(ate) Astrology✨: themes, works and practitioners

In and around 869CE, African slaves used to cultivate the salt marshes of Basra in present-day Iraq revolted against their master. Led by an ʿAlī b. Muḥammad, a charismatic messianic figure, their uprising would prove to very damaging to an already beleaguered Abbasid caliphate before being finally crushed in 883CE.  To explain the cause, details and significance of the Zanj revolt is , co-author of the "Chains of Finance" published by Oxford University Press. Timestamps 00.00 Introduction 02.09 The Zanj Revolt occurred in the salt marshes around Basra while the Caliphate was already preoccupied with their longtime Byzantine nemesis and other civil conflicts. What do we know about socio-political and economic context of the Zanj Revolt and the religio-cultural cauldron of the time? 09.55 There were prior unsuccessful revolts but the 869 revolt would prove devastating with siege and sacking of major cities. Narrate for us the contours of events. 28.07 An enigmatic leader emerges called ʿAlī b. Muḥammad who claims descent from the Prophet's household and other elements disenfranchised with the Caliphate join the revolt. What do we about this figure? 36.43 The long term consequences and analysis of events are disputed by historians some emphasising class over race, if it isn't anachronistic to use those term. The legacy of slavery is a sore point for many Muslims and Arabs today. How do you evaluate the Zanj revolt in the bigger scheme of things? 51.45 You are a co-author of "Chains of Finance" on a subject which seems a far call from medieval Iraq and Iran, that being contemporary investment management and you also translate Persian. What are other current projects our listeners can anticipate? Sponsors We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at  and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details.  We are also sponsored by Turath Publishing. Buy in time for Ramadan a limited edition of Mufti Taqi Usmani's new translation of the Quran with explanatory notes in a deluxe thermo-leather bound hard cover. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit Turath Publishing at  and use discount code POD15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact Turath Publishing for details.

EP026 Dr. Philip Grant on the Zanj Revolt 869-883CE: A Slave Uprising against the Caliphate

Despite many a tattoo of his alleged verses decorating limbs of heartbroken US college students, the actual life, works and legacy of the Sunni Hanafi jurist and Māturīdī theologian Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī have been conveniently overlooked. To provide a historical introduction to Rumi, we are joined by Muhammad Ali Mojaradi, a University of Michigan graduate, translator, editor and founder of the  project and is best known by his Twitter and Instagram handle .  Timestamps 01:28 Rumi was born in 1207CE quite likely in modern-day Afghanistan. He would been alive during the Mongol sack. Let's set some context for his life: socio-political, cultural and religious. 08:06 Rumi lived most of his life under the Persianate Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and is buried in Konya. What do we know about his life and tell us in particular about this pivotal episode of meeting Shams-e Tabrizi? 19:32 Rumi is best known for his Mathnavi but he has prose works too. Tell us about Rumi's written legacy and any genealogies of commentaries or inspired works. And importantly - as will get into more later - your recommended translation. 27:08 The Persianate was once the binding culture for the Bengal-to-Balkans complex but largely missing now from the lives of Anglophone confessional Muslims despite their immigrant backgrounds for the most part. You started a project called #RumiWasMuslim. Tell us about that and how we can improve reenculturation of the Persianate in Islamic societies? 35:32 And finally before we end with a reading and translation, tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and what are current projects that listeners can anticipate? Sponsored by&nbsp; Get 15% off with discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC Bookshop for details.    &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

🎈EP040 Muhammad Ali Mojaradi (@sharghzadeh) on Rumi (d. 1273CE): Life, Works and Legacy of a Muslim Poet (#RumiWasMuslim)

Abū Manṣūr al-Māturīdī (d.944CE) was a Persian Sunni Hanafi jurist, theologian, and scriptural exegete based in Samarkand. His eponymous codification of Sunni creed became the dominant theological school for Sunni Muslims in Central Asia and later enjoyed a preeminent status as the school of choice for both the Ottoman Empire and the Mughal Empire. Timestamps 01:40 Al-Māturīdī was born at Māturīd, a village or quarter in the neighbourhood of Samarkand during the reign of the caliph al-Mutawakkil whose main merit appears to be putting an end to the Muʿtazilite so-called Rationalist Mihna inquisition of Traditonalist Sunni voices. Outline for us the socio-political context of Al-Māturīdī 's life and what we know about his biography. 10:20 Al-Māturīdī's conclusions are remarkably similar to his peer in Baghdad Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī although the two never met. How do we go about describing Al-Māturīdī's theology and what was the intellectual context for its composition? 20:29 Al-Māturīdī has a number of works. Tell us about them as well the genealogy of later commentaries, supra-commentaries and summaries of his theology.&nbsp; 20:54 I want to turn before we conclude to your current work. You have taken a recent interest in the works of a figure seemingly very far removed from 9th century Samarkand, and that's the 20th century German philosopher, Edmund Husserl. Tell us more about that. 30:42 And finally before we end tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and what are other current projects that listeners can anticipate? For more on our guest:  His latest book:  Sponsored by&nbsp; Get 15% off with discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC Bookshop for details.

🏔 EP039 Dr. Ramon Harvey on Abū Manṣūr al-Māturīdī (d.944CE): Life, works and legacy of the seminal Sunni theologian

Works of Islamic arts mesmerise their viewers, be it calligraphy, vases or mausoleums, but knowledge of their developments continues to be weak for the general enthusiast.&nbsp; To give an introductory survey on how to delve deeper into the fascinating ocean of Islamic arts is Dr. Isaballe Imbert. Dr. Imbert completed her PhD in 2015 at Sorbonne in Persian and Indian Flower Paintings in the 16th to 18th century. She is an Islamic Art specialist with over 10 years’ experience working with the best clients and institutions in the industry. She is known as a researcher, teacher, writer, art market expert and speaker, as well as host of the newly formed ‘ART Informant’ podcast. For more on her work, see:  This presentation will be the first of two parts with Dr. Imbert. The second will be a beginner's guide to investing in the Islamic arts market. 1:42 Islamic arts, we can say, starts in the 7th century with the advent of Islam in Arabia. How do we divide up time and geography thereafter, and do tell us about sources we can consult for them? 9:42 As this is the Abbasid History Podcast, why don't we focus on the long Abbasid era from 750 to 1517 even if the latter times will be referred to by other dynasties or regions? Tell us about some of the main areas of arts in this period. 18:50 You have a particular interest on Islamic art in India. Tell us about the development of that. 28:00 Between 2008 to 2010, you were dedicated to the study of a 14th century Qur’an produced in Gwalior, India, and now kept in the Aga Khan Museum. Tell us about that. 37:25 And finally, before we end tell us where listeners can turn next to learn more about today's topic and tell us what to anticipate in your second presentation with us: A beginner's Guide to Investing in Islamic Arts. 39:50 Audience questions from Instagram We are sponsored by IHRC bookshop. Listeners get a 15% discount on all purchases. Visit IHRC bookshop at  and use discount code AHP15 at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Contact IHRC bookshop for details. &nbsp; Originally published:  Oct 20, 2022  &nbsp;

🕌EP042 Dr. Isabelle Imbert on a Very Brief Introduction to Studying the History of Islamic Arts

Living under the Samanid dyansty in modern-day Tajikistan, Rudaki is considered the first of the great classical Islamic Persian poets and the father of Tajik literature. Despite being a celebrated, patronised court poet, he would fall into poverty near the end of his life dying blind and alone. To discuss with us today the life, works and legacy of Rudaki is Ali Hammoud. Ali Hammoud is a PhD candidate at Western Sydney University. He is broadly interested in Shīʿīsm and Islamicate intellectual history. Q1. Rudaki was born around 858CE and died around 941CE at around 83 years old. He lived under the Samanid dynasty who at their height ruled much &nbsp;of modern day central Asia under the auspices of the Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad. Tell us about the cultural context in which he was born. Q2. We know little about his life. We know we he was patronised by the Samaind vizier Abū al-Faḍl al-Balʿamī. What else can we say with certainty about his life? &nbsp;&nbsp; Q3. Rudaki was as much a musician and singer as he was a poet. How is his work characterised. Q4. If people want to learn more about Persian literature in general, where would you recommend they start? What translations would you recommend of Rudaki? Q5 Finally before we end, give us a sample of Rudaki's work.&nbsp; Ali Hammoud:   &nbsp;

🖋EP056 Ali Hammoud on the life and works of Rudaki (d. 941): Father of Persian Poetry

Born under the Samanid dyansty and living through the rule of the Ghaznavid dynasty in Tus located north Iran, Ferdowsi is author of the epic Shahnameh (“The Book of Kings”) of 50,000 lines taking 30 years to compose. The work is of central importance in Persian heritage. Q1. Ferdowsi was born in 940CE and died around 1019CE at around 80 years old. He lived under the Ghaznavid dynasty who at their height ruled territory spanning modern day Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tell us about the cultural context in which he was born. Q2. Ferdowsi was born into a family of dehqan landowners. He has an elegy to an adult son inserted into the Shahnameh. He is characterised as both a Shia Muslim but also a deist. What else do we know about his life? Q3. Ferdowsi began work on the Shahnameh around 977 and received patronage from sultan Mahmud of the Ghaznavid dynasty. Give us an overview of the Shahnameh and how readers in translation should approach it. There are also many beautifully illustrated editions too. Tell us about those too. Q4. If people want to learn more about Ferdowsi and his Shahnameh, what resources and translations would you recommend. Q5 Finally before we end, give us a sample of the Shahnameh in the original Persian and translation. Ali Hammoud:   &nbsp;

🖊️EP057 Ali Hammoud on the life and works of Ferdowsi (d.1019CE): author of the epic Shahnameh

Originally recorded 21 August 2019 via Zencastr. Produced by Talha Ahsan. 00.00 Introduction and biography 01.45  02.25  03.30 A survey of Arabic commentaries 04.20 Why look at paediatrics? 05.25 On the five aphorisms of paediatrics  06.55 Commentators disputing classifications within paediatrics 07.55 On the importance of Galen to the Arabic commentators  09.23 On how Galen can elucidate Hippocratic paediatrics 11.10 On translators as trained philologists as well as medics 12.39 Arabic commentators disputing Galen 14.45 Arabic commentators rejecting Galen 16.06 Gendered division of theoretical and practical medicine? 18.50 Resemblance to scriptural commentaries? 20.04 Arabic commentaries as historical sources of lost Greek commentaries 21.30 On learning Greek, Hebrew and Syriac as an Arabist     23.13 Introductory texts to medieval Islamic sciences Medieval Islamic MedicinePeter E. Pormann + Emilie Savage-Smith (Edinburgh University Press 2007) Islamic Science and the Making of the European RenaissanceGeorge Salibas (MIT Press 2007) 24.25 On studying a PhD for a topic not of your choosing 29.00 Forthcoming projects and on going from Manchester to New York Mighty Have Fallen by Ruth Dinosaur (c) Dr. Emily Selove (2019)  You can follow Dr. van Dalen on Twitter  &nbsp;

EP007 Dr. Elaine van Dalen on Arabic commentaries on Hippocratic paediatrics

Originally recorded 26th March 2019 at SOAS Radio studio. Produced by Talha Ahsan. Pre-order Prof. Kennedy's translation of Al-Baladhuri's History of the Arab Invasions: The Conquest and Administration of Empire on

EP001 Prof. Hugh Kennedy on general Abbasid historical studies (pilot series)

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