This volume records the lives and efforts of some of the prophets preceeding the birth of Mohammad. It devotes most of its message to two towering figures--Abraham, the Friend of God, and his great-grandson, Joseph. The story is not, however simply a repetition of Biblical tales in a slightly altered form, for abar sees the ancient pre-Islamic Near East as an area in which the histories of three different peoples are acted out, occasionally meeting and intertwining. Thus ancient Iran, Israel, and Arabia serve as the ...
Read More
This volume records the lives and efforts of some of the prophets preceeding the birth of Mohammad. It devotes most of its message to two towering figures--Abraham, the Friend of God, and his great-grandson, Joseph. The story is not, however simply a repetition of Biblical tales in a slightly altered form, for abar sees the ancient pre-Islamic Near East as an area in which the histories of three different peoples are acted out, occasionally meeting and intertwining. Thus ancient Iran, Israel, and Arabia serve as the stages on which actors such as Biwarasb, the semi-legendary Iranian king, Noah and his progeny, and the otherwise unknown Arabian prophets Hud and Salih appear and act. In the pages of this volume we read of the miraculous birth and early life of Abraham, and of his struggle against his father's idolatry. God grants him sons--Ishmael from Hagar and Isaac from Sarah--and the conflicts between the two mothers, the subsequent expulsion of Hagar, and her settling in the vicinity of Mecca, all lead to the story of Abraham's being commanded to build God's sanctuary there. Abraham is tested by God, both by being commanded to sacrifice his son (and here abar shows his fairness be presenting the arguments of Muslim scholars as to whether that son was Ishmael or Isaac) and by being given commandments to follow both in personal behavior and in ritual practice. The account of Abraham is interlaced with tales of the cruel tyrant Nimrod, who tried in vain both to burn Abraham in fire and to reach the heavens to fight with God. The story of Abraham's nephew Lot and the wicked people of Sodom also appears here, with the scholars once again arguing--this time over what the exact crimes were for which the Sodomites were destroyed. Before proceeding to the story of Joseph, which is recounted in great detail, we linger over the accounts of two figures associated with ancient Arabia in Muslim tradition: the Biblical Job, who despite his trials and sufferings does not rail against God, and Shu'ayb, usually associated with the Biblical Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses. Finally we meet Joseph, whose handsome appearance, paternal preference, and subsequent boasting to his brothers lead to his being cast into a pit and ending up as a slave in Egypt. His career is traced in some detail: the attempted seduction by Potiphar's wife, his imprisonment and eventual release after becoming able to interpret dreams, and his rise to power as ruler of Egypt. The volume ends with the moving story of Joseph's reunion with his brothers, the tragi-comic story of how he reveals himself to them, and the final reunion with his aged father who is brought to Egypt to see his son's power and glory. This is proto-history told in fascinating detail, of us in different contexts, as well as of others completely unknown to Western readers.
Read Less
Add this copy of The History of Al-Tabari Vol. 2: Prophets and to cart. $26.00, good condition, Sold by Arches Bookhouse rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Portland, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by SUNY series in Near Eastern Studies.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
GOOD. Vol. II: Prophets and Patriarchs [Bibliotecha Persica] xii, 207 pp. Stanford University ex lib, with usual paraphernalia. A sound, readable copy.
Add this copy of The History of Al-Tabari Vol. 2: Prophets and to cart. $29.00, good condition, Sold by Arches Bookhouse rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Portland, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by SUNY series in Near Eastern Studies.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
GOOD. Vol. II: Prophets and Patriarchs [Bibliotecha Persica, SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies] xii, 207 pp. Hinges cracked, pen markings throughout, a sound reading copy.
Add this copy of The History of Al-Tabari Vol. 2: Prophets and to cart. $31.00, very good condition, Sold by Arches Bookhouse rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Portland, OR, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by SUNY series in Near Eastern Studies.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
VERY GOOD. 207pp. Very clean, sharp copy. 'This volume records the lives and efforts of some of the prophets preceeding the birth of Mohammad. It devotes most of its message to two towering figures--Abraham, the Friend of God, and his great-grandson, Joseph. The story is not, however simply a repetition of Biblical tales in a slightly altered form, for Tabari sees the ancient pre-Islamic Near East as an area in which the histories of three different peoples are acted out, occasionally meeting and intertwining. Thus ancient Iran, Israel, and Arabia serve as the stages on which actors such as Biwarasb, the semi-legendary Iranian king, Noah and his progeny, and the otherwise unknown Arabian prophets Hud and Salih appear and act.'.
Add this copy of History of Al-Tabari Volume II Prophets and Patriachs to cart. $32.00, good condition, Sold by 4 The World Resource Dist. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Springfield, MO, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by State University of New York Press.
Add this copy of The History of al- abar Vol. 2: Prophets and to cart. $39.22, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPrices rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Columbia, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by State University of New York Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 220 p. Contains: Unspecified. Suny Near Eastern Studies. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of The History of Al-Tabari Vol. 2: Prophets and to cart. $64.60, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by SUNY series in Near Eastern St.
