Studies in Early Islamic History (Studies in Late Antiquity and Early Islam, No. 4)

These essays, plus an important contribution to the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Islam, by one of the foremost scholars and a leading historian of early Islamic times, have now been collected and republished for the benefit of a wider audience. The nine studies here reprinted deal with several important themes: the first Civil War and the social and political tensions underlying it, early Islamic historiography, the early Arab conquests, relations between Muslims and non-Muslims during the period, and the mihna ("inquisition") in early 'Abbasid times. To all of these themes, Hinds brought not only a philologist's expertise and a historian's appreciation for the methodological problems that arise in dealing with ancient texts, but also the skills to distill from complex material coherent historical reconstructions. An Introduction by G.R. Hawting, also a specialist in early Islamic history, places Hinds' work in perspective and indicates paths to future research.