Suliman Bashear
Encyclopedia
Suliman Bashear PhD
was a leading Druze Arab scholar and professor, who taught at Birzeit University
, An-Najah National University
, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
. Bashear was noted for his work on the early historiography of Islam.
village of Mghar. Bashear studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
for his BA
(1971) and MA
(1973). In 1976, he received his PhD
at the University of London
for his dissertation ‘Communism in the Arab East’, which was published both in Arabic and in English
.
He died in October 1991 following a heart attack, cutting short a promising career. In the last six years of his life, he had produced no less than fifteen published articles.
developed as a religion gradually within the historical context of Judaism
and Christianity
rather than being the revelation of a prophet
.
Bashear's historiography of early Islam considered not only the development of religious customs and beliefs, but also traced how later generations recast the past in order to meet the needs of their own era.
Like the work of Patricia Crone
, John Wansbrough
, Yehuda D. Nevo
, and other historiographers of early Islam, Bashear's research challenged what he considered to be the myth of a unified beginning Islam.
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
was a leading Druze Arab scholar and professor, who taught at Birzeit University
Birzeit University
Birzeit University is a university located in Birzeit near Ramallah, Palestinian territories. BZU is among the foremost tertiary educational institutes in the Palestinian territories and has played a significant role in the Palestinian political dialogue.- History :The institution was originally...
, An-Najah National University
An-Najah National University
An-Najah National University is a Palestinian non-governmental public university governed by a board of Trustees. It is located in Nablus, in the northern West Bank. The university has over 16,500 students and 300 professors in 19 faculties...
, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. Bashear was noted for his work on the early historiography of Islam.
Life and education
Bashear was born in the northern PalestinianPalestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
village of Mghar. Bashear studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
for his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1971) and MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1973). In 1976, he received his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
for his dissertation ‘Communism in the Arab East’, which was published both in Arabic and in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
He died in October 1991 following a heart attack, cutting short a promising career. In the last six years of his life, he had produced no less than fifteen published articles.
Thesis
Bashear made international headlines by the thesis of his work which argued that IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
developed as a religion gradually within the historical context of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
rather than being the revelation of a prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
.
Bashear's historiography of early Islam considered not only the development of religious customs and beliefs, but also traced how later generations recast the past in order to meet the needs of their own era.
Like the work of Patricia Crone
Patricia Crone
Patricia Crone, Ph.D., is a scholar, author, Orientalist, and historian of early Islamic history working at the Institute for Advanced Study. She established herself as a major challenger to the established narrative of the early history of Islam.- Career :Patricia Crone completed her...
, John Wansbrough
John Wansbrough
John Edward Wansbrough was an American historian who taught at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies . Wansbrough's emphasis was on the critique of traditional accounts of the origins of Islam...
, Yehuda D. Nevo
Yehuda D. Nevo
Yehuda D. Nevo b. 1932 was a Middle Eastern archeologist living in Israel. He died after a long battle with cancer in 1992.Nevo discovered Kufic inscriptions in the Negev desert in Israel, four hundred of which were published in Ancient Arabic Inscriptions from the Negev...
, and other historiographers of early Islam, Bashear's research challenged what he considered to be the myth of a unified beginning Islam.
Books and articles
- Communism in the Arab East: 1918–28. London: Ithaca Press, 1980.
- Muqaddimah fī at-tārīkh al-ākhar: Naḥ̣ḥwa qirāʾah jadīdah l-il-riwāyah al-Islāmiyyah [An Introduction to the other history: Towards a new reading of Islamic tradition]. Jerusalem, 1984. [Arabic]
- ‘Qurʾān 2:114 and Jerusalem’. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 52.2 (1989): 215-238.
- ‘Yemen in early Islam: An Examination of non-tribal traditions’. Arabica 36.3 (November 1989): 327-361.
- ‘Abraham’s sacrifice of his son and related issues’. Der Islam 67 (1990): 243-277.
- ‘The Title «fārūq» and its association with ʿUmar I’. Studia IslamicaStudia IslamicaStudia Islamica is an Islamic studies journal focusing on the history, religion, law, literature and language of the Muslim world, primarily south-western Asia and Mediterranean lands. According to its publisher it has published the works of well-known Orientalists such as Robert Brunschvig,...
72 (1990): 47-70. - ‘Apocalyptic and other materials on early Muslim-Byzantine wars: A Review of Arabic sources’. Journal of the Royal Asiatic SocietyJournal of the Royal Asiatic SocietyThe Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society is an academic journal which publishes articles on the history, archaeology, literature, language, religion and art of South Asia, the Middle East , Central Asia, East Asia and South-East Asia...
3rd s. 1.2 (1991): 173-207. - ‘an early Muslim fast’. Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen GesellschaftZeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen GesellschaftThe Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft is a journal of Oriental studies, published by the Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft since 1847....
141.2 (1991): 281-316. - ‘The Mission of Diḥya al-Kalbī and the situation in Syria’. Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and IslamJerusalem Studies in Arabic and IslamJerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam is a peer reviewed, international academic journal devoted to the study of classical Islam, Islamic religious thought, Arabic language and literature, the origins of Islamic institutions, and the interaction between Islam and other civilizations. The founding...
14 (1991): 84-114. - ‘Qibla musharriqa and early Muslim prayer in churches’. The Muslim World 81 (1991): 267-282.
- ‘Riding beasts on divine missions: An Examination of the ass and camel traditions’. Journal of Semitic StudiesJournal of Semitic StudiesThe Journal of Semitic Studies, in bibliographies typically abbreviated JSS, is an academic journal that was established in 1955 and has been issued twice a year ever since....
36.1 (Spring 1991): 37-75. - ‘The Images of Mecca: A Case study in Muslim iconography’. Le MuséonLe MuséonLe Muséon: Revue d’Études Orientales was one of the earliest academic journals of linguistics and oriental studies. The Belgian orientalist Charles de Harlez founded it in 1881, subsidised by the government of Belgium and the Catholic University of Leuven.-External links:*...
105 (1992): 361-377. - ‘Muslim apocalypses and the Hour: A Case-study in traditional interpretation’. Israel Oriental Studies 13 (1993): 75-99.
- ‘On the origin and development of zakāt in early Islam’. Arabica 40 (1993): 84-113.
- ‘Qunūt in tafsīr and ḥadīth literatures’. Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and IslamJerusalem Studies in Arabic and IslamJerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam is a peer reviewed, international academic journal devoted to the study of classical Islam, Islamic religious thought, Arabic language and literature, the origins of Islamic institutions, and the interaction between Islam and other civilizations. The founding...
19 (1995): 36-65. - Arabs and others in early Islam. Princeton: Darwin Press, 1997.
- Judhur al-wisayah al-Urduniyah: Dirasah fi wathaʾiq al-Arshif as-Sihyuni. Beirut: Sharikat Quds, 2001. [Arabic]
- Studies in early Islamic tradition. Collected Studies in Arabic and Islam. Jerusalem: Max Schloessinger Memorial Foundation, Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, 2004.- This collects thirteen published articles listed above, as well as the following two unpublished studies: ‘Ḥanīfiyya and the ḥajj’ and ‘Jesus in an early Muslim shahāda and related issues: A New perspective’.