Daphna Ephrat is Assistant Professor in the Department of History, Philosophy, and Judaism at the Open University of Israel, and teaches undergraduate courses in the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew and Tel-Aviv Universities. She is the coauthor, with Nehemia Levtzion and Daniella Talmon-Heller, of An Introduction to Islamic Religion.

"The nuanced but careful way in which this book uses biographical sources allows a great advance in our understanding of social history during the time covered." — Roy P. Mottahedeh, Harvard University"Ephrat's arguments that madrasas were not particularly important in the formation and solidarity of legal systems, that social networks and shared values were more important for that, and that there is no evidence that madrasas trained bureaucrats or had an established curriculum are revisionist and will be controversial (in the best sense)." — Michael G. Morony, University of California at Los Angeles

• AcknowledgmentsA Note in the Transliteration, Periodization, and DatesList of AbbreviationsList of IllustrationsMaps Introduction The Framework of InquiryInstitutionalization and Social ChangeThe 'Ulama' and the Problem of Self-PresentationA Note on the Sources 1. The City The Coming of the TurksThe Appearance of the Madrasa 2. Formation The Baghdadi 'Ulama' and Worldwide Scholarly NetworksFrom Journey to Schools 3. Learning Travel and Worldwide Scholarly ConnectionsPatterns and Frameworks of Study 4. Forms of Social Affiliation The HalqaThe Madhhab 5. Mechanisims of Inclusion and Exclusion MembershipEntry to the Ranks of the'Ulama'Founding a School: Career OptionsCareer PatternsAccession to Teaching Positions 6. Place and Role in the Public Sphere The Religious Elite and the Ruling AuthoritiesThe Madhahib as Social Solidarity GroupsPious and Charismatic Leaders Conclusion Appendices Appendix A: Scholarly Families of 11th-Century BaghdadAppendix B: Professors in the Madrasas of Baghdad (459/1066-559/1163)Appendix C: Qadis and Khatibs of Baghdad (409/1018-549/1154) NotesBibliographyIndex of Proper NamesGeneral Index