Abstract

This thesis examines discourses around duʿāʾ in the disciplines of ḥadīth, Islamic Law, and Sufism during the thirteenth to fifteenth century Egypt. I argue that duʿāʾ shaped Muslim daily life and solidified a community of prayer. Invocations generated a discursive tradition and social organization that allows us to document the experience of this praying public. Prayer was at the heart of daily life, and its significance to Muslim devotion made it the subject of commentaries that analysed its language and its embodiment. Works of ḥadīth archived the plethora of duʿāʾ’s material. Its various manifestations warranted a thorough legal investigation in fiqh texts. The practice of duʿāʾ was detailed in the Sufi texts and the lives of Sufi masters. By looking at the conversation that unfolded across all three intellectual traditions, this thesis attempts to explain how people communicated with the Divine.

School

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department

Arab & Islamic Civilizations Department

Degree Name

MA in Arabic Studies

Graduation Date

Fall 9-8-2022

Submission Date

8-30-2022

First Advisor

Ahmad Khan

Committee Member 1

Amina El Bendary

Committee Member 2

Richard McGregor

Extent

157 p.

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

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