Daniella Talmon-Heller | Ben Gurion University of the Negev (original) (raw)
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Papers by Daniella Talmon-Heller
Focusing on the construction of sanctity and its manifestations in individual devotions, formal c... more Focusing on the construction of sanctity and its manifestations in individual devotions, formal ceremonies and communal rites, this book offers a fresh perspective on religious culture in the medieval Middle East. It investigates Islamic thinking about and practice in sacred places and times through the detailed research of two contested case-studies: the shrine(s) in honour of the head of al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAli, and the (arguably) holy month of Rajab. The narrative spans the formative period of Islam until the late Mamluk period, attuned to changing political contexts and sectarian affiliations, and to the input of the social sciences and the study of religion. The juxtaposition of sacred place and time reveals that the two expanses were regarded as complementary venues for similar religious devotions, and imagined by a common vocabulary.
Sacred Place and Sacred Time in the Medieval Islamic Middle East
Following the conquest of Ascalon by the Crusaders in 1153, al-Husayn's head was transferred ... more Following the conquest of Ascalon by the Crusaders in 1153, al-Husayn's head was transferred to Cairo and interred by the tombs of the Fatimid imam-caliphs. Its shrine became a major sacred venue for the celebration of Shi`i festivals and Fatimid official ceremonies. It is argued that the commemorative rites performed there - such as al-ʿAshura, ʿId Ghadir Khumm - were imbued with particular Shi`i-Isma`ili symbolism and meaning.
Focusing on the construction of sanctity and its manifestations in individual devotions, formal c... more Focusing on the construction of sanctity and its manifestations in individual devotions, formal ceremonies and communal rites, this book offers a fresh perspective on religious culture in the medieval Middle East. It investigates Islamic thinking about and practice in sacred places and times through the detailed research of two contested case-studies: the shrine(s) in honour of the head of al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAli, and the (arguably) holy month of Rajab. The narrative spans the formative period of Islam until the late Mamluk period, attuned to changing political contexts and sectarian affiliations, and to the input of the social sciences and the study of religion. The juxtaposition of sacred place and time reveals that the two expanses were regarded as complementary venues for similar religious devotions, and imagined by a common vocabulary.
Sacred Place and Sacred Time in the Medieval Islamic Middle East
Following the conquest of Ascalon by the Crusaders in 1153, al-Husayn's head was transferred ... more Following the conquest of Ascalon by the Crusaders in 1153, al-Husayn's head was transferred to Cairo and interred by the tombs of the Fatimid imam-caliphs. Its shrine became a major sacred venue for the celebration of Shi`i festivals and Fatimid official ceremonies. It is argued that the commemorative rites performed there - such as al-ʿAshura, ʿId Ghadir Khumm - were imbued with particular Shi`i-Isma`ili symbolism and meaning.