The Ghawini al-Ashwaq fi Ma’ani al-‘Ushshaq

A treatise on the concept of love in classical and medieval Arabic heritage

by Bakka' al Ibn-al-Balkhi, edited by George J Kanazi

Book cover: The Ghawini al-Ashwaq fi Ma’ani al-‘Ushshaq

Extent: 236 pages

Publisher: Harrassowitz Verlag

Subjects: Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies, Literary Studies

Series: Codices arabici antiqui

Series volume number: 9

Language: English

Hardback (Out of print)

(February 2009)

ISBN: 9783447057172

6.65 x 9.45 inches

Price: $103.00

Out of stock

During the 17th century, as people sought to keep abreast of current events, broadsheets constituted one of the most important sources of news. This edition, which now comprises 9 volumes and includes more than 3000 half-tone reproductions of broadsheets dating from 1600 to 1670, is unparalleled in its breadth and depth. It is a valuable primary resource for scholars in many fields who have an interest in Germany and/or European politics.


The Kitab Ghawani al-Ashwaq fi Ma’ani- al’Ushshaq was authored by ‘Abd al-Mun’ibn al-Bakka’, an Egyptian author who was born in Egypt, and left to Hijaz in 9801552. For six decades he lived there till his death in 10401630. During these years he wrote several books, one of them is the Kitab Ghawani- al-Ashwaq, who seems to be the first to be published from his output. The book deals with the concept of love in classical and medieval Arabic heritage. It includes much material on heavenly and profane love. It draws much on earlier books, but has is own flavor, since its author added much material from his own time and experience. The adherence to Muslim ethics is evident, and one can say that he is closer to the sufi thinking and behavior. Being written in Medina the book can be taken as a document that reflects the attitude of its people to the basic ideas concerning the concept of love and how it was reflected theoretically and in the corpus of Arabic love literature.

  • By (author) Bakka’ al Ibn-al-Balkhi
  • Edited by George J Kanazi