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The Muqaddimah, often translated as "Introduction" or "Prolegomenon," is the most important Islamic history of the premodern world. Written by the great fourteenth-century Arab scholar Ibn Khaldûn (d. 1406), this monumental work laid down the foundations of several fields of knowledge, including philosophy of history, sociology, ethnography, and economics. The first complete English translation, by the eminent Islamicist and interpreter of Arabic literature Franz Rosenthal, was published in three volumes in 1958 as part of the Bollingen Series and received immediate acclaim in America and abroad. A one-volume abridged version of Rosenthal's masterful translation was first published in 1969.

This new edition of the abridged version, with the addition of a key section of Rosenthal's own introduction to the three-volume edition, and with a new introduction by Bruce B. Lawrence, will reintroduce this seminal work to twenty-first-century students and scholars of Islam and of medieval and ancient history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

anthropology and sociology
This is a must read for individuals interested in sociology, anthropology, and history. The views on and observations of the different cultures and civilizations reported by the author should be both instructive and entertaining.

A perspicuous view of the world
Let's just say this is one of the most important work that has outdated time. Highly recommend and I assure you , things will not look that same after reading it.

Another wisdom book from antiquity
I like to read old wisdom books - as things change things stay the same, and you never know what useful tid bit you might pick up.

This one is interesting becasue its muslim.And you can learn a lot about fundamental muslim views of caste systems and philosophies.

Im not a scholar, so I will leave informed scholarly analysis of this book to qualified individuals.The books coverage of the development and structure of civilization is quite fascinating.

I was struck by teh obvious racism.Black people are considered as smart as animals unless theyre muslim.

I was struck by the hipocracy.THe book attacks philosophy and deductive logic because it makes a farce of the spiritual foundation of islam.But the author uses the same logic to critique astrology, divination, alchemy, written knowledge and etc.Basically providing all the arguements necessary to detroy muslim theology.He even says that Bedioun societies need to follow a prophet or holy man because of the instability of blood aliances.Who knows if the author is doing this on purpose or not.He clearly states in the begining that the differance between prophecy and sorcery is that sorcery is evil, and that Islam needs no proof becasue it is self evident.

Whatever.the book is thought provoking.worth reading if you like wisdom books.

PS: another useful insight was that Dynasties typically fall within three generations.The first generation has skills and ambition to make the power moves.The second generation imitates the first generation.The third generation is removed from the initial genius and is typically soft from too much success.THe book also observes that coarse provincial people from the periphery typically move in/take over at that point becasue theyre more agressive (eye of the tiger) and willing to break rules of society/civilization to get ahead.

In hind sight I would up my review to 3 stars.Yes only 3 stars (aside from wisdom and interesting insight - the book is packed with a lot of borish and crass nonsense).Again Im reading the book out of personal curiosity rather than as a scholar.

The best
I read the Arabic version of the book, and I must say that this is one of the greatest books ever written. What makes it even more amazing is the fact that it was written such a long time ago. Ibn Khaldoun clearly lays the foundations of the study of history. The laws that he mentions and the examples that he gives are all compelling. Everything he says is backed up by an example. In this book we see originality at its best. If you are interested in history then this book is for you. If you are interested in sociology then this book is for you. If you are interested in religion then this book is for you. If you are interested in any real kind of knowledge then this book is a must. You may disagree with the author, but you will find it very hard to reject his arguments.

great book, good price
it arrived fast, in mint condition, and it is a great book that I plan to keep. thanks ... Read more

Product Description
The Prolegomena of Ibn Khaldun are in many ways the most remarkable manifestation of Islamic philosophical thought. Not only did Ibn Khaldun sum up the accumulated knowledge and leading doctrines of his civilization, but in many fields he broke new ground and anticipated the findings of Western social scientists of the last two centuries. The passages have been grouped to illustrate Ibn Khaldun's views on

Historical Method

Geography

Economics

Public Finance

Population

Society and State

Religion and Politics

Knowledge and Society

The Theory of Being

The Theory of Knowledge

This translation is intended for students of thought, rather than specialized Arabic scholars, and for those interested in the intellectual background of the Arab world.

First published in 1950 and reprinted several times, this revision contains a new chapter and a thoroughly revised and updated bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The most original of all philosophers
Khaldum was an amazing person. Preceeding Machiavelli by 300 years he ismore profound, more knowledgable and better read than the great Italianprince.Add to this the fact that Machiavelli comes from the Renaissancewith all that that indicates while Kaldum came from a civilization that was- at the very least - morbund.How to account for such a book from such atime?He was hounded by his own time and neglected by later ages.

Ifyou do not read Khaldum your knowledge of the subject is sadly lacking. ... Read more

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This is the third, slightly revised edition of this book, after 1981 Frank Cass and 1990 Routledge. Since its first publication, Al-Azmeh’s book has established itself as the major new interpretation of Ibn Khaldûn’s work.

Ibn Khaldûn (1332 Tunis – 1406 Cairo) was a great figure of Arab-Islamic letters and of historical thought overall, is a figure on a par with Thucydides, Herder, Vico and others of similar stature.

The Middle East Journal: "Even those who disagree with Dr. Al-Azmeh's demystification of Ibn Khaldûn will have to admit that his "reinterpretation" is provocative and profound."

Starting with an interpretation of Ibn Khaldûn's narration of history in the context of classical Arabic historical writing, the author's interpretation then moves on to a meticulous reconstruction of Ibn Khaldûn's conception of history. The book then goes on to sketch the content and structure of Ibn Khaldûn's most celebrated work, the Muqaddima. The book ends with "bibliographic orientations" for the help of the reader. ... Read more

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Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) was a tremendously influential and important Muslim thinker. Sociologists, anthropologists, and historians study his great work on the philosophy of history, treating hisMuqaddimah as a timeless philosophical accomplishment. Rejecting portrayals of this intellectual as a modern mind lost to obscure medieval thinking, Allen Fromherz demonstrates how historical context and personal motivations shaped Khaldun's ideas on tribalism, identity, religion, and history. He displays the rich and complex nature of Khaldun's memoirs, written during a politically tumultuous and religiously contentious time.

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The first complete English translation of the introduction to a history of the world by the 14th-century Islamic scholar and statesman Ibn Khaldûn. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ibn Khaldon :An ultimate genius
Al Muqdma is an absolutely important book which is vital for sociologists , historians, and may be any one to read.It changes one's view to the world around and makes him look upon current events and history in a more organized and comprehensiveperspective.

I did not read the English version of the Muqdma , but I read the Arabic one and I found it absolutely wonderful.Ilearned a lot from that valuable book about the nature of rulers , civilizations , and common people.I got an idea about the reasons why civilizations go up and why do they eventually fall in the end.I also discovered a lot about Arabic poetry and got really close to its history and nature.Apart from that the Muqdma introduced me to other issues as magic ,Greek philosphy and alchemy.Above all my knowledge about my great religion, the Islamic religion was deepened. I recommend Al Muqdma to any knowledge loving intelluctual. ... Read more

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Ibn Khaldun has been the first philosopher and sociologist of history in the Muslim world and probably the first in all the Western and Mediterranean Middle Ages. His methodology analysis and the novelty of his interpretations of the development of human society, the rise and fall of the states, the role of history in human knowledge represent a provoking outlook till today. The essays collected in this volume offer a wide range of insights in his sociological, philosophical, economical, civilisational thought. Ibn Khaldun stands out as a very modern thinker and the confrontation of his thought with contemporary issues is a common feature of the volume. He is not original however as a forerunner of Marx or Montesquieu or Vico, but as a possible source of fresh reflections on the destiny of political man, the future of civilisation and particularly the self-awareness of Arab and Islamic people. ... Read more

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This is an analytical examination of Ibn Khaldun's epistemology, centred on Chapter Six of the Muqaddima. In this chapter, entitled 'The Book of Knowledge' (Kitab al'Ilm), Ibn Khaldun sketched his general ideas about knowledge and science and its relationship with human social organisation and the establishment of a civilisation. ... Read more

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14th-century Arab historian Ibn Khaldun founded a special science to deal with the problem of history and culture based on the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle and their Muslim followers. This work examines the philosophic foundation and principles of Ibn Khaldun's new science of culture, to show that an adequate understanding of his contribution to the study of the various aspects of human society requires an understanding of his all-comprehensive approach to sociology. ... Read more

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On the life of °Umar, d. 720, II, Caliph of Islam. ... Read more

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This book deals with Ibn Khaldun's ilm al-umran (science of social organization) which seems to generate different and conflicting views. To investigate the reason(s) behind such wide disagreements, this study examined some 300 written works that dealt briefly or extensively with Ibn Khaldun's ideas. The study found that many of these sources asserted that Ibn Khaldun's ilm al-umran enabled him to become the forerunner of one or more of the social sciences. However little has been mentioned about the nature of this science. Thus, the purpose of this study is to present the different views as to why and how the Arab-Muslim Ibn Khaldun is given the credit of being the "first", "the father", and "the one" who laid down the foundation of social sciences. This study concludes that the prime reason for this unsettled issue is the different interpretations of the subject matter of al-umran. To enhance our conclusion, Ibn Khaldun's major ideas are presented in some detail. Moreover, for the first time, this study applies the rigorous criteria of modern science to Ibn Khaldun's ilm (science).This leads us to the next step, examination and verification of the claims that Ibn Khaldun's main ideas anticipated some modern social thought. This study emphasizes the fact that Ibn Khaldun belongs to the fourteenth century; and, hence, some of his generalizations are not applicable today. However, this should not prevent one from selecting those segments of his work that currently appear relevant and that can be compared with "modern" thought. In this case, neither are Ibn Khaldun's ideas exaggerated nor are modern writings belittled. ... Read more

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This work deals with the history of North Africa in the Middle Ages. It examines the formation of a society increasingly influenced by Arabic, as well as Islamic, culture after the Arab conquests of the 7th and early 8th centuries which gradually brought the Roman Christian civilisation of the region to an end. The subject and the theme derive to a large extent from the work of Ibn Khaldun at the end of the 14th century, whose indentification of the native Berbers as a subject of historical enquiry defined the place, the period, and the population to be studied. The collection is divided into two halves, the first dealing with the formation of an Islamic state system, the second with that of an Islamic society in which Arabism played an increasing part. Both look forward to the religious and political developments of the early modern period. ... Read more

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Ibn Khaldåun, 1332-1406; history and criticism. ... Read more