Popular culture in medieval Cairo
By: Boaz Shoshan.
Series: Cambridge studies in Islamic civilization
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1993
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 148
Subjects: Social history -- Medieval, 500-1500; Civilization, Islamic; Cairo (Egypt) -- Social life and customs
Description: This is the first book-length study of popular culture in Islamic society. Dr Boaz Shoshan draws together a wealth of Arabic sources to explore literature, religious celebrations, and annual festivities in medieval Cairo and addresses questions of relevance throughout the Islamic world and beyond. Dr Shoshan examines popular religion against the background of the growing influence of Sufism. In particular, he discusses the sermons of Ibn Ata Allah, a leading Cairene.

Sufi, which shed considerable light on the beliefs of ordinary Muslims. The author then analyses the importance of a biography of Muhammad, which has been attributed to Abul-Hasan al-Bakri and suppressed by the learned. He goes on to trace the origins and popular practices of the annual Nawruz festival. Finally he explores the political beliefs and economic expectations of the Cairene commoners and demonstrates the complex relationship between the culture of the Cairene.

Elite and that of the people. This book presents a stimulating discussion of a subject previously only touched upon. The author tests his theories against similar phenomena in European society and with reference to several standard authorities in anthropology and social history. Popular culture in medieval Cairo will, therefore, be of interest to students and specialists in Middle Eastern studies and also to medieval historians.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 136-142) and index.