Servants of the Sharia: The Civil Register of the Qadis' Court Of Brava 1893-1900 (African Sources for African History, 6) [Paperback]

Alessandra Vianello (Editor), Mohamed M. Kassim (Editor), Lidwien Kapteijns (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 9004131221 | ISBN-13: 978-9004131224 | Publication Date: November 30, 2005

This volume contains the full Qadi Records of Brava (1893 – 1900). The importance of these records for those studying Southern Somalia and the Swahili coast cannot be overestimated. The register is like a daily journal of events in a typical Swahili town. The information in the records covers a wide range of issues: Slavery, the role of women and their usage of the court system in the 19th century, the role of the Ulama, trade, inheritance, et cetera. The register is signed and stamped by the Italian Commander/governor in Asmara, Eritrea where it was taken and authenticated and bears the Official Stamp of the Royal Italian Government. This volume contains both the Arabic original and a translation into English.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alessandra Vianello worked in Somalia as an independent researcher for twenty years. She has collected and studied materials about the language, culture and history of Brava, focusing particularly on the nineteenth century, and co-authored publications on Brava religious poetry, domestic architecture and urban development.

Mohamed Kassim Ph.D. teaches at Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology, Toronto, Canada. He has published on the history of the Benadir coast in the nineteenth century.

Product Details

• Paperback: 2212 pages
• Publisher: Brill Academic Publishers (November 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9004131221
• ISBN-13: 978-9004131224
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.1 x 4.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,488,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)