World Heritage Site:
Kairouan
Publication Year:
2011
Publication Type:
Book chapter
Publication Identifier:
WHE92E5D2BC81
Summary
A groundbreaking analysis of the Ribāṭ (monastic community) and the ideal of sainthood in Kairouan and the Ifrīqiyen coast reveals how these institutions evolved from the 2nd/8th to the 4th/10th century, with significant implications for understanding Islamic spiritual practices and political dynamics during this period. The study leverages the Riyāḍ al-Nufūs, a biographical dictionary compiled by Abū Bakr al-Mālikī around 1072, which provides rare insights into the social and religious transformations of the time. This work sheds light on the interplay between saintly figures, monastic life, and broader historical events such as the Hilaliene invasion, Zīrīdo-ḥammādide rivalries, and Almoravid expansion, offering a nuanced perspective on the Islamization and Arabization of medieval North Africa.
Citation
Amri, N. (2011). Ribāṭ et idéal de sainteté à Kairouan et sur le littoral Ifrīqiyen du iie/viiie au ive/xe siècle d’après le Riyāḍ al-Nufūs d’al-Mālikī. Islamisation et Arabisation de l’Occident Musulman Médiéval (Viie-Xiie Siècle), 331–368. https://doi.org/10.4000/books.psorbonne.2525