State and Rural Society in Medieval Islam

Book excerpt: This book deals with the evolution of Islamic state and society from the 10th to the 14th centuries, focusing on the history of the Arab society under the iqṭā‘ (allocated tax revenue) system. The book offers a well documented study of the system with its use of hitherto unpublished Arabic manuscripts. The introductory chapter deals with the historical origins of the iqṭā‘ system, while chapters that follow discuss the history of the system in Iraq, Syria and Egypt, including systematic studies on the rural life and peasantry in Egypt. State and Rural Society in Medieval Islam is the first thorough, book-length study to show how this system may explain various historical phenomena in medieval Islam. The iqṭā‘ system now can be seen as a system with a comprehensive life of its own.