Encyclopaedia of Islam explained

The Encyclopaedia of Islam (EI) is the standard encyclopaedia of the academic discipline of Islamic studies. It embraces articles on distinguished Muslims of every age and land, on tribes and dynasties, on the crafts and sciences, on political and religious institutions, on the geography, ethnography, flora and fauna of the various countries and on the history, topography and monuments of the major towns and cities. In its geographical and historical scope it encompasses the old Arabo-Islamic empire, the Islamic countries of Iran, Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Indonesia, the Ottoman Empire and all other Islamic countries.

It is an encyclopedia about the Islamic world, not a Muslim or an Islamic encyclopedia. Topics mostly deal with the pre-modern period, but some entries are contemporary.

Standing

EI is considered by academics to be the standard reference work in the field of Islamic studies.^[1] Each article was written by a recognized specialist on the relevant topic, but unsurprisingly for a work spanning 40 years until completion, the underlying assumptions vary radically with the age of the article.

Editions

The first edition (EI1) was modeled on the Pauly-Wissowa Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World. EI1 was created under the aegis of the International Union of Academies, and coordinated by Leiden University. It was published by Brill in four volumes plus supplement from 1913 to 1938 in English, German, and French editions.

An abridged version was published in 1953 as the Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam (SEI) and covers mainly law and religion. Excerpts of the SEI have been translated and published in Turkish, Arabic, and Urdu.

The second edition of Encyclopaedia of Islam (EI2) was begun in 1954 and completed in 2005 (several indexes to be published until 2007); it is published by the Dutch company Brill and is available in English and French. Since 1999, (EI2) has been available in electronic form, in both CD-ROM and web-accessible versions. Besides a great expansion in content, the second edition of EI differs from the first mainly in incorporating the work of scholars of Muslim and Middle Eastern background among its many hundreds of contributors:

Publication of the Third Edition of EI (EI3) started in 2007. It is available online, printed "Parts" appearing four times per year. The editorial team consists of twenty 'Sectional Editors' and five 'Executive Editors' (i.e. editors-in-chief). The Executive Editors are Gudrun Krämer (Free University, Berlin), Everett Rowson (NYU), John Nawas (Catholic University of Leuven), and Denis Matringe (EHESS, CNRS).The scope of EI3 includes comprehensive coverage of Islam in the twentieth century; expansion of geographical focus to include all areas where Islam has been or is a prominent or dominant aspect of society;attention to Muslim minorities all over the world; and full attention to social science as well as humanistic perspectives.^{[2] [3]}

1st edition, EI1

• M. Th. Houtsma et al., eds., The Encyclopædia of Islam: A Dictionary of the Geography, Ethnography and Biography of the Muhammadan Peoples, 4 vols. and Suppl., Leiden: Late E.J. Brill and London: Luzac, 1913-38.
  • Vol.1. A-D, M. Th. Houtsma, T. W. Arnold, R. Basset eds., 1913.
  • Vol.2. E-K, M. Th. Houtsma, A. J. Wensinck, T. W. Arnold eds., 1927.
  • Vol.3. L-R, M. Th. Houtsma, A. J. Wensinck, E. Levi-Provençal eds., 1934.
  • Vol.4. S-Z, M. Th. Houtsma, A. J. Wensinck, H. A. R. Gibb, eds., 1936.
    • Suppl. No.1. Ab-Djughrafiya, 1934.
    • Suppl. No.2. Djughrafiya-Kassala, 1936.
    • Suppl. No.3. Kassala-Musha'sha', 1937.
    • Suppl. No.4. Musha'sha'-Taghlib, 1937.
    • Suppl. No.5. Taghlib-Ziryab, 1938.
• M. Th. Houtsma, R. Basset et T. W. Arnold, eds., Encyclopédie de l'Islam: Dictionnaire géographique, ethnographique et biographique des peuples musulmans. Publié avec le concours des principaux orientalistes, 4 vols. avec Suppl., Leyde: Brill et Paris: Picard, 1913-1938. (French)
• M. Th. Houtsma, R. Basset und T. W. Arnold, herausgegeben von, Enzyklopaedie des Islām : geographisches, ethnographisches und biographisches Wörterbuch der muhammedanischen Völker, 5 vols., Leiden: Brill und Leipzig : O. Harrassowitz, 1913-1938. (German)
• M. Th. Houtsma et al., eds., E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 8 vols. with Supllement (vol. 9), 1991. ISBN 90-04-09796-1

SEI

• H. A. R. Gibb and J. H. Kramers eds. on behalf of the Royal Netherlands Academy, Shorter Encyclopäedia of Islam, Leiden: Brill, 1953. ISBN 90-04-00681-8

M. Th. Houtsma et al. eds., İslâm ansiklopedisi : İslâm âlemi coğrafya, etnografya ve biyografya lûgati, 13 in 15 vols., İstanbul: Maarif Matbaası, 1940-1988. (Turkish)

• يصدرها باللغة العربية أحمد الشنتناوي، إبراهيم زكي خورشيد ، عبد الحميد يونس، دائرة المعارف الإسلامية: اصدر بالألمانية والإنجليزية والفرنسية واعتمد في الترجمة العربية على الأصلين الإنجليزي والفرنسي، الطبعة ٢، القاهرة: دار الشعب، -۱۹٦۹ (Arabic)

• محمود ‌الحسن عارف، مختصر اردو دائرۀ معارف اسلامیه، لاهور:دانشگاه پنجاب، ۲۵ ج.ها،۱۹۵۹-۱۹۹۳ (Urdu)

2nd edition, EI2

• Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs et al., Encyclopædia of Islam, 2nd Edition., 12 vols. with indexes and etc., Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1960-2005
  • Vol. 1, A-B, Edited by an Editorial Committee Consisting of H.A.R. Gibb, J.H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, J. Schacht, Assisted by S.M. Stern (pp. 1-320); — B. Lewis, Ch. Pellat and J. Schacht, Assisted by C. Dumont and R.M. Savory (pp. 321-1359)., 1960. ISBN 90-04-08114-3
  • Vol. 2, C-G, Edited by B. Lewis, Ch. Pellat and J. Schacht. Assisted by J. Burton-Page, C. Dumont and V.L. Ménage., 1965. ISBN 90-04-07026-5
  • Vol. 3, H-Iram Edited by B. Lewis, V.L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat and J. Schacht, Assisted by C. Dumont, E. van Donzel and G.R. Hawting eds., 1979. ISBN 90-04-08118-6
  • Vol. 4, Iran-Kha, Edited by E. van Donzel, B. Lewis and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by C. Dumont, G.R. Hawting and M. Paterson (pp. 1-256); — C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by C. Dumont and M. Paterson (pp. 257-768); — Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema, M., 1978. ISBN 90-04-05745-5
  • Vol. 5, Khe-Mahi, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema and S. Nurit., 1986. ISBN 90-04-07819-3
  • Vol. 6, Mahk-Mid, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema and S. Nurit. With B. Lewis (pp. 1-512) and W.P. Heinrichs (pp. 513-1044)., 1991. ISBN 90-04-08112-7
  • Vol. 7, Mif-Naz, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema (pp. 1-384), P.J. Bearman (pp. 385-1058) and Mme S. Nurit, 1993. ISBN 90-04-09419-9
  • Vol. 8, Ned-Sam, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs and G. Lecomte, Assisted by P.J. Bearman and Mme S. Nurit., 1995. ISBN 90-04-09834-8
  • Vol. 9, San-Sze, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs and the late G. Lecomte, 1997. ISBN 90-04-10422-4
  • Vol. 10, Tā'-U[..], Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs, 2000. ISBN 90-04-11211-1
  • Vol. 11, V-Z, Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs, 2002. ISBN 90-04-12756-9
  • Vol. 12, Supplement, Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs, 2004. ISBN 90-04-13974-5
  • Glossary and index of terms to v. 1-9, 1999. ISBN 90-04-11635-4
  • Index of proper names v. 1-10, 2002. ISBN 90-04-12107-2
  • Index of subjects, fasc. 1, compiled by P. J. Bearman, 2005. ISBN 90-04-14361-0
  • Glossary and index of terms to v. 1-12, 2006. ISBN 90-04-15610-0
  • An Historical Atlas of Islam, William C. Brice ed., 1981. ISBN 90-04-06116-9
• E. van Donzel, Islamic desk reference: compiled from The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1994. ISBN 90-04-09738-4 (an abridged selection)

See also

• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Encyclopedia of the Qur'an
• Jewish Encyclopedia
• Pauly-Wissowa Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World

External links

• Encyclopaedia of Islam - catalog entry at Brill Publishers.
  • Sample pages
• Encyclopaedia of Islam - article in Encyclopædia Iranica.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Encyclopaedia of Islam. Brill Publishers. 2008-04-02. For the reviews, click "Reviews" (requires Javascript).
2. Web site: Encyclopaedia of Islam Three. Brill Publishers. 2008-04-02. Serial. .
3. Web site: IE3 Preview. PDF. Spring 2007. Brill Publishers. 2008-04-02.