Religious and spiritual life of the Jews of Medina / / by Haggai Mazuz.

• Superior document: Brill Reference Library of Judaism, Volume 38
• VerfasserIn: Mazuz, Haggai, 1980-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands : : Brill,, 2014.; ©2014
• Year of Publication: 2014
• Language: English
• Series: Brill reference library of Judaism ; Volume 38.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (147 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

In The Religious and Spiritual Life of the Jews of Medina Haggai Mazuz offers an account of the halakhic character of the Jewish community of Medina in the seventh century CE. Making use of a unique methodology of comparison between Islamic and Jewish sources, Mazuz convincingly argues that the Jews of Medina were Talmudic-Rabbinic Jews in almost every respect. Their sages believed in using homiletic interpretation of the Scriptures, as did the sages of the Talmud. On many halakhic issues, their observations were identical to those of the Talmudic sages. In addition, they held Rabbinic beliefs, sayings and motifs derived from the Midrashic literature.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- 1. Religious and Social Leadership -- 2. Law and Custom -- 3. Religious Beliefs -- 4. External Characteristics -- Conclusion -- Appendix 1: Possible Reasons for Presenting Early Islam as an Anti-Rabbinic Movement -- Appendix 2: Reference to the People of Wādī al-Qurā in Ginzberg’s Geonic Responsa -- Appendix 3: Reference to the People of Wādī al-Qurā in Harkavy’s Geonica Responsa -- Appendix 4: Benjamin of Tudela on the Jewish Presence in Northern Arabia -- Bibliography -- Citation Index -- Subject Index.