Routledge Library Editions: Language & Literature of the Middle East – serie

Ardā Wirāz Nāmag or the Book of the Righteous Wirāz is an outstanding example of Iranian apocalyptic literature. It is in the Middle Persian (Pahlavi) language and was written probably during the later period of the Sasanian dynasty (AD 226-650). The Zoroastrian priests chose a man called Wirāz, the most righteous among them, to go to the spiritual realm to discover the truth of the religion. This book, first published in 1986, contains the observations of Wirāz’ divine journey and his description of heaven and hell. The basic MS. is K20 (Royal Library of Copenhagen) which is carefully compared with other MSS. The MS. is printed in facsimile, followed by transliteration and transcription following the MS. closely line by line. A full translation is given, and a commentary is included together with a glossary, bibliography and index.

Ardā Wirāz Nāmag or the Book of the Righteous Wirāz is an outstanding example of Iranian apocalyptic literature. It is in the Middle Persian (Pahlavi) language and was written probably during the later period of the Sasanian dynasty (AD 226-650). The Zoroastrian priests chose a man called Wirāz, the most righteous among them, to go to the spiritual realm to discover the truth of the religion. This book, first published in 1986, contains the observations of Wirāz’ divine journey and his description of heaven and hell. The basic MS. is K20 (Royal Library of Copenhagen) which is carefully compared with other MSS. The MS. is printed in facsimile, followed by transliteration and transcription following the MS. closely line by line. A full translation is given, and a commentary is included together with a glossary, bibliography and index.

This nine volume set provides an overview of many aspects of Middle Eastern language and literature. These books range from discussions of the Arabic language and its publications, to translations of some of the region’s most important early works, to a survey of folk tales and modern literature.

This bibliography, first published in 1979, is a guide to serials and periodicals in Arabic, English, French and other European languages published in the Arab countries or in the Western hemisphere. Arab serials and periodicals are considered primary sources of information on subject matters related to the Arab world. Lack of comprehensive bibliographies of Arab serials in the English language has hindered the work of librarians and Middle East specialists who need to identify a large number of such publications published in and about the Arab world. This bibliography is a research tool designed specifically to fill that gap.

This bibliography, first published in 1979, is a guide to serials and periodicals in Arabic, English, French and other European languages published in the Arab countries or in the Western hemisphere. Arab serials and periodicals are considered primary sources of information on subject matters related to the Arab world. Lack of comprehensive bibliographies of Arab serials in the English language has hindered the work of librarians and Middle East specialists who need to identify a large number of such publications published in and about the Arab world. This bibliography is a research tool designed specifically to fill that gap.

The chief argument of this book, first published in 1990, is that Ibn al-Haytham's On the Configuration of the World is a non-technical expose of basic astronomical teachings: it was written in particular for those whose main interests were in the areas of philosophy and natural science and who, accordingly, had an interest in relating the mathematical devices employed by professional astronomers to the heavenly bodies mentioned in the philosophical literature. However, the primary reason for this publication is not the advancement of this thesis, but rather the presentation of the medieval texts themselves, normally so inaccessible to scholars and students alike.

The chief argument of this book, first published in 1990, is that Ibn al-Haytham's On the Configuration of the World is a non-technical expose of basic astronomical teachings: it was written in particular for those whose main interests were in the areas of philosophy and natural science and who, accordingly, had an interest in relating the mathematical devices employed by professional astronomers to the heavenly bodies mentioned in the philosophical literature. However, the primary reason for this publication is not the advancement of this thesis, but rather the presentation of the medieval texts themselves, normally so inaccessible to scholars and students alike.

With some 7000 entries in each language, this dictionary, first published in 1986, gives clear and comprehensive coverage of all vocabulary areas connected with defence, for military personnel and for anyone who is directly or indirectly involved in military technology. Areas covered extend throughout the sphere of the armed forces of the world, including arms and armaments, land-based weapons and equipment, aircraft, warships and submarines, as well as communications and training and terms in everyday use in the field.

With some 7000 entries in each language, this dictionary, first published in 1986, gives clear and comprehensive coverage of all vocabulary areas connected with defence, for military personnel and for anyone who is directly or indirectly involved in military technology. Areas covered extend throughout the sphere of the armed forces of the world, including arms and armaments, land-based weapons and equipment, aircraft, warships and submarines, as well as communications and training and terms in everyday use in the field.

This book, first published in 1970, provides a description of the standard Arabic language used today as the universal means of written communication throughout the Arab world and in formal spoken communication (vernaculars differ both from each other and from the standard language). The principal emphasis is on syntax and morphology of which there exists no comprehensive account. Phonology and lexicon are treated briefly and there is a chapter on the script.

This book, first published in 1970, provides a description of the standard Arabic language used today as the universal means of written communication throughout the Arab world and in formal spoken communication (vernaculars differ both from each other and from the standard language). The principal emphasis is on syntax and morphology of which there exists no comprehensive account. Phonology and lexicon are treated briefly and there is a chapter on the script.

The importance and richness of the Arabic linguistic tradition, largely neglected by Western literature, is amply demonstrated by this book, first published in 1990. Written by three experts in the field, it provides us with a comprehensive survey of the historical constitution and theoretical structure of the Arabic linguistic tradition from its beginnings in the eighth century to its mature state around the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Besides grammar, the book covers such fields as rhetoric, grammatical semantics, and methodological issues, and pays particular attention to the most representative works of the classical period. It also has the unique benefit of containing the historical background.

The importance and richness of the Arabic linguistic tradition, largely neglected by Western literature, is amply demonstrated by this book, first published in 1990. Written by three experts in the field, it provides us with a comprehensive survey of the historical constitution and theoretical structure of the Arabic linguistic tradition from its beginnings in the eighth century to its mature state around the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Besides grammar, the book covers such fields as rhetoric, grammatical semantics, and methodological issues, and pays particular attention to the most representative works of the classical period. It also has the unique benefit of containing the historical background.

For centuries Iran hosted numerous travellers and visitors of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. Many of these travellers left behind documents in which they recorded their observations during their residence in Iran, and these embody a vast range of firsthand information about the land and its people at different periods of time. This book, first published in 1990, takes as its subjects the nature and history of Iranian folk narrative scholarship. The contributions of travellers are given their due recognition as important source documents.

For centuries Iran hosted numerous travellers and visitors of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. Many of these travellers left behind documents in which they recorded their observations during their residence in Iran, and these embody a vast range of firsthand information about the land and its people at different periods of time. This book, first published in 1990, takes as its subjects the nature and history of Iranian folk narrative scholarship. The contributions of travellers are given their due recognition as important source documents.

Enormous political and social changes brought about by modernization have naturally found expression in the literatures of the Near and Middle East. The contributors to this book, first published in 1991, trace the development of modern literary sensibility, in Turkish, Arabic, Persian and modern Hebrew. It is argued that the period can be divided into three broad phases – the age of translation after 1850, when formerly self-sufficient elites throughout the region began to reach out to the West for new ideas and stylistic models; the surge of romantic nationalism after the First World War and the decline of imperialism; and the modern period after 1950, a time of growing self-awareness and self-definition among writers against an often violent background of inter- and intra-state conflict. The product of different nations, races and traditions, there are nevertheless constant themes in the literatures of this period – the colonial heritage, nationalism, justice, poverty and wealth, migration from country to city, confrontation between self and other, and between East and West, collapse and rebirth.