[DOWNLOAD] "Reinterpreting Al-Walid B. Yazid." by The Journal of the American Oriental Society " eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Reinterpreting Al-Walid B. Yazid.
- Author : The Journal of the American Oriental Society
- Release Date : January 01, 2008
- Genre: Social Science,Books,Nonfiction,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 237 KB
Description
Al-Walid b. Yazid (r. 125-126/743-744) is arguably the most vilified member of the Umayyad dynasty. He had the distinction of being the last universally recognized Umayyad caliph, since none of his successors--Yazid b. al-Walid, who deposed him in 126/744, Yazid's brother and successor Ibrahim, and Marwan b. Muhammad, who sought to avenge al-Walid--gained widespread obedience. Despite the obvious flaws of his detractors and other contemporaries, it was al-Walid who became the caricature of Umayyad depravity, impiety, and licentiousness. Later Arabic sources often used al-Walid to represent the evils of his age, amplifying his faults while overlooking his contributions to the development of early Islamic thought. Modern scholars have, for the most part, been content to accept uncritically the image of al-Walid presented in the sources. A closer reading of these sources, however, reveals that behind the often salacious details of al-Walid's deviance lies a more complex and influential leader who represented both the culmination of Umayyad conceptions of religious authority and the starting point for later 'Abbasid political theory. The pages that follow offer a reevaluation of al-Walid and his influence on the formative period of Islamic thought, underscoring his importance and illustrating the pitfalls of selectively accepting caricatures of the Umayyads in later Arabic sources. To begin, an examination of the traditional view of al-Walid in the Arabic historical sources and of the manner in which their perspective has been incorporated into modern works on early Islamic history is essential. This is followed by a careful examination of al-Walid's influence on early Islamic religious doctrine that highlights the sophistication of his religious thought. Next, al-Walid's well-publicized vices must be explored and placed in their proper Umayyad context. Consequently, the impetus behind opposition to his rule must then be reconsidered. Finally, al-Walid's impact and the implications of his complicated character for modern historians will be examined.