This book offers a unique analysis of letter-writing in the Middle
Islamic period. Writing letters was an important component of
intellectual life at that time, telling us much about the cultural
history of pre-modern Islamic society. Focusing on the notion of
the power of the pen, the author looks at the wider context of
epistolography, relating it to the power structures of Islamic
society in that period. He also attempts to identify some of the
similarities and differences between Muslim modes of letter-writing
and those of western cultures. Readers will find detailed
explanations of how letter-writing in that culture was much more
than a vehicle of artistic prose. They will also learn about the
conflict between writing and orality in Islamic society during the
pre-Modern period. The author ? evaluates the background to
letter-writing as the principal representation of state documents
and communication; ? takes a close look at the literary principles
employed in that process; ? considers the important social and
intellectual role of the secretary and how he fitted into the power
structure of Islamic society during this period; ? argues that the
voluminous collections of letters, written mainly in artistic
prose, can be classified as an epistolary genre in their own right;
? shows that Islamic letter-writing was very culture-specific One
of the strengths of this book is that it is based on a wide range
of primary Arabic sources, thus reflecting the broader
epistemological importance of letter-writing in Islamic society.
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