General Notes on the Indices
The indices consist of (1) Index of Proper Names, (2) Index of Geographical Names and Toponyms, (3) Index of Book Titles and Other Texts, (4) Index of Scriptural References, (5) Ḥadīth Index, and (6) Index of Topics and Keywords.
The Index of Proper Names is organized according to the name by which a figure is commonly known, with cross references as necessary. It includes the names of mortal figures (incl. Prophets and Biblical characters).
The Index of Geographical Names and Toponyms lists earthly places as well as (educational) institutions and other organizations. Otherworldly locations (e.g., paradise and hell) appear in the Index of Topics and Keywords.
The Index of Book Titles and Other Texts includes book titles and texts in their original language as well as manuscripts, followed by the author (wherever possible).
The Index of Scriptural References lists all references to specific Quranic verses and Biblical verses. More general discussions of topics in the Quran and the Bible appear in the Index of Topics and Keywords.
The Ḥadīth Index includes the topics related in a specific prophetic tradition, while discussions relating to the science of ḥadīth (e.g., transmission of, scholars of, literature on) appear in the Index of Topics and Keywords under “ḥadīth.”
Finally, apart from keywords and topics, the Index of Topics and Keywords includes the names of groups of people (e.g. ʿAbbasids, Muʿtazilites), angels and other “beings” (e.g., God, Dionysos, Hārūt and Mārūt, or jinn) as well as non-earthly places. When texts are mentioned in relation to such a figure, these are cited in the index by the original titles only.
The following general criteria apply to all indices. Some cross-references (“see”/“see also”) may refer to both entries in the same index or, in some cases, to entries in one of the other indices. For example, certain entries in the Index of Topics and Keywords refer to individuals in the Index of Proper Names as well as to titles of works in the Index of Book Titles and Other Texts. Page references in bold type indicate passages in which the subject of the entry was covered in more detail. The sorting rules are: the Arabic definite article “al-” (and “l-” respectively) was neglected at the beginning of names. It was also neglected when following “Ibn”, “ʿAbd” or “Abū”, or Kitāb, “b.”, ayn (ʿ) and hamza (ʾ). Letter-by-letter sorting follows the Brill standard, ignoring any spaces and punctuation.
Some more specific notes are given at the beginning of each index.
Index of Proper Names
This index includes the names of mortal figures (incl. Prophets and Biblical characters). The names of groups of people (e.g. ʿAbbasids, Muʿtazilites), angels and other “beings” (e.g., God, Dionysos, Hārūt and Mārūt, or jinn) have been listed in the Index of Topics and Keywords.
The following rules for sorting medieval Arabic names have been applied:
-
Persons whose names start with “Abū” are sorted under “Abū”
-
Persons whose names start with “ʿAbd/ʿAbdallāh” are sorted under “ʿAbd/ʿAbdallāh”
-
Persons most known by their father’s given name are sorted under “Ibn”
-
If persons are not subject to the sorting rules mentioned under 1–3 they are sorted by their given names, unless the last component of the name indicates a place or tribal name (beginning with a definite article “al-” or “l-” and ending with “i” or “y”). In the latter case sorting is on the place/tribal element.
-
Exception: if authors have referred to a person by another name element consistently or if a person is more known by another name, sorting has been done under that name. In these cases cross-references have been made.
-
Neglected in sorting:
-
“al-” and “l-” at beginning of names and following “Ibn”, “ʿAbd” or “Abū”
-
“b.” – always
-
ayn (ʿ) and hamza (ʾ) – always
-
Index of Geographical Names and Toponyms
This index lists earthly places as well as (educational) institutions and other organizations. Otherworldly locations (e.g., paradise and hell) appear in the Index of Topics and Keywords.
Individual madrasas are listed under the main entry “madrasas” and individual ribāṭs under the main entry “ribāṭs”.
Index of Book Titles and Other Texts
This index includes book titles and texts in their original language as well as manuscripts, followed by the author (wherever possible). Individual manuscripts are listed under the main entry “manuscripts”. The Quran and the Bible are included in the Index of Topics and Keywords.
Italics were used for book titles, regular font for essays, chapters in books, and manuscripts. Quotation marks have been used to indicate an essay or chapter.
“al-” and “l-” are neglected in sorting at the beginning of titles and following “Kitāb”.
Index of Scriptural References
This index includes all references to specific Quranic (with the Sura number followed by a colon and the verse number) and Biblical verses. When a discussion concerns a whole chapter rather than a specific chapter and verse, this is cited under the appropriate chapter number, followed by an en-dash.
The titles of Quranic chapters are given according to the translation of M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qurʾan, Oxford 2004.
Quran
Biblical references
Hebrew Bible
New Testament
Ḥadīth Index
The Ḥadīth Index refers to the ḥadīth by topic. Discussions related to the science of ḥadīth (e.g., transmission of, scholars of, literature on) appear in the Index of Topics and Keywords under “ḥadīth.”
Index of Topics and Keywords
Apart from topics and keywords this index includes the names of groups of people (e.g. ʿAbbasids, Muʿtazilites), angels and other “beings” (e.g., God, Dionysos, Hārūt and Mārūt, or jinn) as well as non-earthly places.
Individual tribes are listed under the entry “tribes, by tribal name” (without the first element “Banū”).