Charisma in the Islamic World: Theorizing Sacred Rulership in al-Qalqashandī’s Maʾāthir

What is it about?

The Weberian notion of charisma is to be reconsidered. In the context of Islam a new conceptualization is proposed, esp., focusing on the legitimization of rulership, i. .e, the Caliphate. We take up the concept of perpetual charisma, include notions like baraka, and include the role of occult sciences. As a case study one major work of a mamluk chancery clerk, al-Qalqashandi, is used. For Mamluk time we analyze the restriction of the role of the Caliph and a persistent reference to his charisma.

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