Aṣnāf dar ʻaṣr-i ʻAbbāsī

This historical study provides a comprehensive analysis of professional guilds (aṣnāf) within the Islamic world during the Abbasid Caliphate. Written by Ṣabāḥ Ibrāhīm Saʻīd al-Shaykhalī and translated by Hādī ʻĀlam Zādah, the text explores the socio-economic conditions that facilitated the rise of organised labour, including developments in agriculture and urban commerce. The author investigates the internal organisation of these guilds, detailing the hierarchy of ranks from apprentice to master, as well as the specific rituals and customs that bound members together. Significant attention is given to the relationship between the guilds and the state, specifically the regulatory role of the Muḥtasib, and the spiritual connections between craft organisations, Sufism, and the Futuwwah tradition. This edition by Dānishgāh-i Tihrān includes revisions and additions, offering valuable insights into the economic history and social structure of the medieval Islamic era.