What is it about?
The article is the introduction to my thesis on narcotics in Arabic-Islamic history from 1100-1800. It explains why it is important to look into the three narcotics mentioned most in the classical Arabic sources as narcotics. Narcotics are substances which can be medicine, intoxicant and poison. Only then can we get an insight into all their qualities, how they were perceived and used. Most later works on narcotics discuss Hashish as intoxicant. But that leaves out the other aspects (i.e. medicine and poison). Furthermore there is also Opium and Henbane. Only by looking at all three of them and by looking at all their aspects do we get a complete picture.
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Why is it important?
It is important to look at narcotics in the way described above, because otherwise we will never have a complete idea of what they are and were in Arabic-Islamic history.
Perspectives
Explaining my approach to narcotics is ground laying. As a nurse and Islamic scholar I am trained in having a special view on the subject. My background in nursing and medical knowledge make certain passages stand out to me and highlight aspects which are overlooked when having a historical or literary view on them only. Making clear why these substances must be seen as narcotics, i.e. both intoxicants and medicine, opens up a whole new look at things.
Dr. Thomas Thiemann
Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Einleitung, January 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004722385_002.
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