"The Book of Tribulations": The Syrian Muslim Apocalyptic Tradition

The first annotated translation of the 9th-century Islamic apocalyptic work The Book of Tribulations The Book of Tribulations is the earliest complete Muslim apocalyptic text to survive, and as such has considerable value as a primary text. It is unique in its importance for Islamic history: focusing upon the central Syrian city of Hims, it gives us a picture of the personalities of the city, the tribal conflicts within, the tensions between the proto-Muslim community and the majority Christian population, and above all details about the wars with the Byzantines. Additionally, Nu`aym gives us a range of both the Umayyad and the Abbasid official propaganda, which was couched in apocalyptic and messianic terms. Key Features Includes materials for Islamic military history: internal Muslim wars, the wars against the Byzantines, and the projected warfare of the Mahdi Presents fascinating social history, detailing earthquakes, plagues and appearances of comets Alludes to the technological advances of the time: the use of water-wheels, the construction of ships and various methods of transportation Gives a unique perspective on Syrian Muslim history with an extraordinary level of detail and richness of local perspective David Cook is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University, Houston (Texas). He is the author of numerous books including Studies in Muslim Apocalyptic (2002), Contemporary Muslim Apocalyptic Literature (2005), Understanding Jihad (2005) and Martyrdom in Islam (2007).