At the end of the sixteenth century and the turn of the first Islamic millennium; the powerful Mughal emperor Akbar declared himself the most sacred being on earth. The holiest of all saints and above the distinctions of religion; he styled himself as the messiah reborn. Yet the Mughal emperor was not alone in doing so. In this field-changing study; A. Azfar Moin explores why Muslim sovereigns in this period began to imitate the exalted nature of Sufi saints. Uncovering a startling yet widespread phenomenon; he shows how the charismatic pull of sainthood (wilayat)―rather than the draw of religious law (sharia) or holy war (jihad)―inspired a new style of sovereignty in Islam. A work of history richly informed by the anthropology of religion and art; The Millennial Sovereign traces how royal dynastic cults and shrine-centered Sufism came together in the imperial cultures of Timurid Central Asia; Safavid Iran; and Mughal India. By juxtaposing imperial chronicles; paintings; and architecture with theories of sainthood; apocalyptic treatises; and manuals on astrology and magic; Moin uncovers a pattern of Islamic politics shaped by Sufi and millennial motifs. He shows how alchemical symbols and astrological rituals enveloped the body of the monarch; casting him as both spiritual guide and material lord. Ultimately; Moin offers a striking new perspective on the history of Islam and the religious and political developments linking South Asia and Iran in early-modern times.
#565287 in Books Columbia University Press 2011-07-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.90 x .90 x 6.00l; 1.10 #File Name: 0231148976328 pagesGreat product!
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Time for a new anniversary edition of this ALL IMPORTANT work.By Eigil MøllerRead this important book as if your life depends on it. Cause it does!Cohen uses his enormous knowledge and analytical skills in this work. Unless the US changes its course towards Russia in a fundamentally new direction; we'll "all go together; when we go" in a nuclear armageddon. The policies of Clinton/Bush II/Obama has brought us there. Learn about it in this great work. Learn about the great changes and missed opportunities in the hundred years of history since the revolution - both in the Soviet/Russia trajectory and in the US/Russia relations.It's been a 100 years since the revolution. Let's have an anniversary edition; with a new essay about the development since 2011 - and the prospects right now. Stephen F. Cohen is a master. Listen to his voice while there still is time for a change.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Refreshing and insightfulBy FerroCohen appears to understand the historical and present reality far better than the political players he writes about. He traces the political dynamic and social forces from the anti-Stalinist reformers of the 1920's through to the current Obama-Putin impasse. He brings Russia; its people and history to life with his slightly detached sarcasm and store of anecdotes. His is a lone voice in the west of today- one that authoritatively presents the other side; the reality behind the current wave of slanted media portrayals and news stories.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The Peril of Underestimating RussiaBy Michael E. Murray MDStephen Cohen understands Russia to its very core. He has been writing thoughtful commentaries for several decades. He cautions against the superficial and dismissive contempt that so many current commentors on Russia dispense today. Losing the near-abroad was one thing. Losing Ukraine and other areas that have been a part of Russia for hundreds of years is a catastrophe for the Russian people that westerners disregard at their own peril. They still have thousands of nuclear warheads and we are pushing them to the wall.
