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Islamic conceptions of heaven and hell began in the seventh century as an early doctrinal innovation, but by the twelfth century, they had evolved into a highly formalized ideal of perfection. In tracking this transformation, Nerina Rustomji reveals the distinct material culture and aesthetic vocabulary Muslims developed to understand heaven and hell and identifies the communities and strategies that took shape around the promise of a future world after death. She also conducts a meticulous study of texts and images and carefully connects the landscape and social dynamics of the afterworld with earthly models and expectations. By employing material culture as a method of historical inquiry, Rustomji points to the reflections, discussions, and constructions that actively influenced Muslims' picture of the afterworld, culminating in a distinct religious aesthetic.
List of contents
List of IllustrationsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. The Garden, by the Fire2. Visions of the Afterworld3. Material Culture and an Islamic Ethic4. Otherworldly Landscapes and Earthly Realities5. Humanity, by Servants6. Individualized Gardens and Expanding Fires7. Legacy of GardensEpilogueNotesGlossaryBibliographyIndex
About the author
Nerina Rustomji is assistant professor of history at St. John's University in Queens, New York. She recently received an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship and an American Council of Overseas Fellowship for work on female companionship in the Islamic afterworld.
Summary
Islamic conceptions of heaven and hell began in the seventh century as an early doctrinal innovation, but by the twelfth century, they had evolved into a highly formalized ideal of perfection. In tracking this transformation, Nerina Rustomji reveals the distinct material culture and aesthetic vocabulary Muslims developed to understand heaven and hell and identifies the communities and strategies that took shape around the promise of a future world after death. She also conducts a meticulous study of texts and images and carefully connects the landscape and social dynamics of the afterworld with earthly models and expectations. By employing material culture as a method of historical inquiry, Rustomji points to the reflections, discussions, and constructions that actively influenced Muslims' picture of the afterworld, culminating in a distinct religious aesthetic.
