The Genesis Of Literature In Islam: From The Aural To The Read( Series - The New Edinburgh Islamic Surveys )

Following a chronological line, the author begins by exploring the ways in which texts were published in the early Islamic period: official documents were written and placed in a shrine; poetry was passed on orally and aurally, through recitations, supported by rough notes to assist in the transmission. He goes on to consider the Qur'an as it became an official written document, thereby reducing the role of the Qur'anic readers who recited the text.

Further chapters consider the earliest days of Islamic religious sciences, with the systematic collection of information about the life of the Prophet and his companions, and the beginnings of 'academic teaching' and 'school literature', again with knowledge being transmitted via a combination of written texts and recitation. The court's role in the development and transmission of Arabic literature, including translations and adaptations of works from other languages is also explored, along with the influence of other cultures on knowledge transmission.