Al Masaq: Islam and the Medieval Mediterranean, volume 33, number 3 (2 September 2021).

CONTENTS INCLUDE

From Amida to Famagusta via Cairo: The Syrian Scribe Yūsuf ibn Sbā in His Eastern Mediterranean Context c. 1350–1360 
Alice Croq

This article is based on the analysis of two manuscripts in the Arabic language produced by the West Syrian scribe Yūsuf ibn Sbā of Amida/Diyarbakır, in 1352 in Cairo and in 1358 in Famagusta, respectively. The former is one of the earliest complete and dated manuscripts written in Garshuni (Arabic in Syriac characters), whereas the latter is written in a fine, Arabic hand. By following Yūsuf across the eastern Mediterranean, this article seeks to explain his journey and scribal practices in light of contemporary cultural and socio-economic trends. Retrospectively, it also aims to demonstrate how Yūsuf’s case can shed light on the history of Syriac Christians living outside their historical homeland. It thus investigates the various ways they dealt with a challenging multi-cultural context, and how the latter influenced several aspects of their habits and practices. 

The Modern Historiography of Byzantine and Islamic Philosophy: A Comparison
Maria Mavroudi

The article examines parallel developments in the study of Byzantine and medieval Islamic philosophy and identifies trends in modern Western thought that led to similar assessments. Debates on “faith and reason” and secularism as a social and political ideal have exerted major influence on both fields of study. However, Islamic philosophy has been granted a role in shaping modern Western philosophy, while Byzantine philosophy has not. The article argues that the concurrent examination of Byzantine and Islamic philosophy can help elucidate the modern concerns that drive the assessment of both and improve our understanding of their history and interaction during the medieval period.