Description
Book SynopsisProlegomena to a History of Islamicate Manichaeism provides an annotated anthology of primary sources highlighting Manichaeism, a dualist religion emerging in Mesopotamia in the third century and which spread rapidly throughout the Roman and Sasanian empires until it was violently suppressed by both polities. It nevertheless continued to flourish - largely clandestinely - in the Near East, Central Asia, and China until it finally disappeared at the beginning of the seventeenth century. This book translates and assesses the importance of a number of Arabic, Persian, Syriac, and even Hebrew language testimonies for a better understanding of the cultural importance of what many scholars characterize as the first 'world religion'.
Trade Review'Reeves is a superb scholar who has meticulously researched the literature relevant to this project. His extensive learning is manifest throughout. Nothing like this anthology exists in English for the Islamicate testimonia on Manichaeism, and therefore it fills an extremely important gap.' Michael A. Williams, Professor of Comparative Religion and Near Eastern Languages and Civilization, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington
Table of ContentsPreface Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: Biographical Testimonia About Mani Chapter Three: Fragments of Manichaean Scripture: A Classified Collection of Islamicate Testimonia Chapter Four: Testimonia About Manichaean Teachings Chapter Five: 'Historical' Testimonia About Manichaeism and Manichaeans Chronological Roster of Sources
