Bahya Ibn Pakuda was born c. 1050, and lived for some time in Saragossa in Spain. His major work was written in Arabic, but it is most well-known by its Hebrew title Hovot ha-Levavot (Duties of the Heart). It enjoyed enormous popularity and was reprinted many times. In the book, Bahya investigates the motivation of Jewish practice and embarks on a philosophical inquiry into the nature of God, religion, and man. He was very much influenced by the Neoplatonism of his age, as well as by the Muslim mystics. This edition by Menahem Mansoor is the first translation of the work from the original Arabic text, and this shows a number of variations from the Hebrew version. He has added an Introduction and Notes which draw attention to the influences on Bahya's thought and to other relevant material. Translated from Arabic by Menahem Mansoor with Sara Arenson and Shoshana Dannhauser Introduction and notes by Menahem Mansoor

A digital version of this book is available here This book attempts to answer a basic need in the historical geography of the Land of Israel, its implications for scholarship in Hebrew and Aramaic linguistics, Bible studies and numerous other areas. The earliest scholars of historical geography of the Holy Land preserved a large proportion of ancient toponyms in Arabic speech right up to modern times, and as a consequence, Arabic toponyms became a major source for the identification of ancient sites. For students of Hebrew and other Semitic languages, the toponymy of the Land of Israel provides a kind of ancient 'recording' of a pre-Arab linguistic inventory; in addition, scholars of Bible and Rabbinics, Qumran studies, Samaritan studies, early Christianity and the history of Islam find it of importance frequently. However, the problem is that as yet, the use of this valuable tool is not governed by any clear-cut rules. Scholars could always find corroboration for any proposed identification by pointing to a certain Arabic place name. The present volume is an attempt to formulate rules of toponym preservation based on positive identifications, and through these rules to deal with various historical and linguistic questions. Includes Maps and Photographs

Those who know Arabic and speak it, know that it embraces a rich treasure of culture. Important foundations of this culture are proverbs, phrases and sayings. Arabs, especially from the older generation spice up their speech with parables and proverbs. This book is a collection of hundreds of these proverbs used by Israeli Arabs as well as Arabs from the rest of the world.

This is an edition of two texts by Abū ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī (d. 412/1021), one of the most important Ṣūfī authors. Al-Sulamī combined thorough knowledge of tradition (ḥadīth) with the Ṣūfī heritage. He paved the way for the gradual acceptance of Ṣūfism into the mainstream of Islamic thought, by endeavouring in much of his work to prove that Ṣūfism and Islam were mutually compatible. The texts in this edition present two important aspects of al-Sulamī’s writings. In the Jawāmi‘ adāb al-Ṣūfiyya (“A collection of Ṣūfī rules of conduct”), al-Sulamī provides us with what is apparently the first comprehensive documentation of Ṣūfī customs and practices. Most of the Jawāmi‘ consists of Ṣūfi sayings representing the views of five generations of thinkers. The subjects dealt with cover a wide range and reflect the preoccupations of Ṣūfī society. The second work is a handbook of spiritual discipline entitled ‘Uyūb al-nafs wa-mudāwātuhā (“The defects of the soul and their remedy”). As its title suggests, the ‘Uyūb deals with one of the central motifs of Ṣūfism, the constant struggle against the nafs, or the “lower soul”. The attitudes and beliefs expressed are on the whole characteristic of the early ascetics, who regarded the conduct of the Prophet as the supreme example. In both style and content, this work occupies the middle ground between the worlds of ḥadīth, adab, and ethics. The two texts contribute not only to a better appreciation of al-Sulamī’s work, but also to our understanding of a crucial phase in the history of Ṣūfism.

Le présent numéro de Perspectives , consacré aux interférences culturelles judéo-arabes, s'est proposé de rassembler des textes ayant pour thème commun les rapports entre ces deux entités que sont le monde juif et le monde arabo-musulman. Les deux termes choisis, mosaïque et arabesque, dans leur polysémie et leur ambiguïté, nous ont paru les plus adéquats pour rendre compte des relations complexes qu'entretiennent, entre elles, ces deux civilisations.

This book comprises a collection of presentations delivered at the conference, Israel, the Middle East and Islam, convened at the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on March 5-6, 2002. This volume reflects the many views and voices heard in and about the Middle East and offers a multifaceted, interdisciplinary and comprehensive look at a host of the issues experienced in the region on a daily basis. Topics range from the attitudes that exist in the Arab world, the changes brought about by the September 11 events, the new rulers of Syria and Morocco, a comparison of Islamists in Iran to those in Algeria, the economic picture of the “Mediterranean neighborhood,” and of course the Middle East peace process—which, it is believed, remains the only viable option to ensure stability in the region.