The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History (Bollingen Series (General))

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.

Spotlight Reviews
Another wisdom book from antiquity (2008-11-24)
Customer Review : 2
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 struct 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 adn 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 know proof becasue it is self evident.

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

The best (2008-03-30)
Customer Review : 5
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 (2007-03-24)
Customer Review : 5
it arrived fast, in mint condition, and it is a great book that I plan to keep. thanks

A Must Read (2006-09-10)
Customer Review : 5
This book is of true worth to anyone interested in sociology, history , art and religion. It offers a unique medeival perspective on many fields of knowledge. It is well-written and highly organized which makes it highly accessible and apprehendible. Ibn Khaldoun was a great Islamic scholar in the Middle Ages. He uses al Muqqadimah to offer a variety of explanations to social phenomena and historical events. The conclusions he draws are of a high philoshpical value, well-reasoned, and most of which could be efficaciously applied to the modern world. At many instances you will be amazed how this man, who lived centuries ago, knew so much about the modern world we live in. The chapters discussing poetry and magic are especially interesting. This is by no means one of the greates books ever written.

The first work of historiography ever written. (2005-07-08)
Customer Review : 5
The first work of historiography ever written. ibn Khaldûn is the sanest kind of Aristotelian, a Sufi, and a very unique rationalist in that for him, men and djinn coexist. His theory of history is fascinating, and greatly informs my view of the 21st century. For him, the human world is divided into wild people, and civilized people; for him, the Bedouin and the medieval urban Muslim are the two polar extremes. The city people generate wealth, culture, technology, and reason. They lose their moral fiber through decadent living, and become fat, weak, lazy, and sinful. Meanwhile, the wild people are hungry, wiry and pious. They are closer to God because they do not have the distractions the city people do. Eventually, the wild people sack the cities. Their genetic stock fortifies the indolent urban gene pool, their piety reinvigorates the religious life of the city, and their austerity reforms the city. On the other hand, the town people teach reason, science, technology and culture to the wild people, and get them to be less savage and cruel. After a few generations, the invaders and the urbans are indistinguishable from each other, and a new crop of wild people come and sack the cities. This is the cycle of history. Very compelling.