The Encyclopaedia of Islam (EI) is the standard encyclopaedia of the academic discipline of Islamic studies. It embraces articles on distinguished Muslims of every age and land, on tribes and dynasties, on the crafts and sciences, on political and religious institutions, on the geography, ethnography, flora and fauna of the various countries and on the history, topography and monuments of the major towns and cities. In its geographical and historical scope it encompasses the old Arabo-Islamic empire, the Islamic countries of Iran, Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Indonesia, the Ottoman Empire and all other Islamic countries.
It is an encyclopedia about the Islamic world, not a Muslim or an Islamic encyclopedia. Topics mostly deal with the pre-modern period, but some entries are contemporary.
EI is considered by academics to be the standard reference work in the field of Islamic studies.[1] Each article was written by a recognized specialist on the relevant topic, but unsurprisingly for a work spanning 40 years until completion, the underlying assumptions vary radically with the age of the article.
An abridged version was published in 1953 as the Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam (SEI) and covers mainly law and religion. Excerpts of the SEI have been translated and published in Turkish, Arabic, and Urdu.
The second edition of Encyclopaedia of Islam (EI2) was begun in 1954 and completed in 2005 (several indexes to be published until 2007); it is published by the Dutch company Brill and is available in English and French. Since 1999, (EI2) has been available in electronic form, in both CD-ROM and web-accessible versions. Besides a great expansion in content, the second edition of EI differs from the first mainly in incorporating the work of scholars of Muslim and Middle Eastern background among its many hundreds of contributors:
Publication of the Third Edition of EI (EI3) started in 2007. It is available online, printed "Parts" appearing four times per year. The editorial team consists of twenty 'Sectional Editors' and five 'Executive Editors' (i.e. editors-in-chief). The Executive Editors are Gudrun Krämer (Free University, Berlin), Everett Rowson (NYU), John Nawas (Catholic University of Leuven), and Denis Matringe (EHESS, CNRS).
The scope of EI3 includes comprehensive coverage of Islam in the twentieth century; expansion of geographical focus to include all areas where Islam has been or is a prominent or dominant aspect of society;attention to Muslim minorities all over the world; and full attention to social science as well as humanistic perspectives.[2][3]
1st edition, EI1
M. Th. Houtsma et al., eds., The Encyclopædia of Islam: A Dictionary of the Geography, Ethnography and Biography of the Muhammadan Peoples, 4 vols. and Suppl., Leiden: Late E.J. Brill and London: Luzac, 1913-38.
Vol.1. A-D, M. Th. Houtsma, T. W. Arnold, R. Basset eds., 1913.
Vol.2. E-K, M. Th. Houtsma, A. J. Wensinck, T. W. Arnold eds., 1927.
Vol.3. L-R, M. Th. Houtsma, A. J. Wensinck, E. Levi-Provençal eds., 1934.
Vol.4. S-Z, M. Th. Houtsma, A. J. Wensinck, H. A. R. Gibb, eds., 1936.
Suppl. No.1. Ab-Djughrafiya, 1934.
Suppl. No.2. Djughrafiya-Kassala, 1936.
Suppl. No.3. Kassala-Musha'sha', 1937.
Suppl. No.4. Musha'sha'-Taghlib, 1937.
Suppl. No.5. Taghlib-Ziryab, 1938.
M. Th. Houtsma, R. Basset et T. W. Arnold, eds., Encyclopédie de l'Islam: Dictionnaire géographique, ethnographique et biographique des peuples musulmans. Publié avec le concours des principaux orientalistes, 4 vols. avec Suppl., Leyde: Brill et Paris: Picard, 1913-1938. (French)
M. Th. Houtsma, R. Basset und T. W. Arnold, herausgegeben von, Enzyklopaedie des Isl?m : geographisches, ethnographisches und biographisches Wörterbuch der muhammedanischen Völker, 5 vols., Leiden: Brill und Leipzig : O. Harrassowitz, 1913-1938. (German)
M. Th. Houtsma et al., eds., E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 8 vols. with Supllement (vol. 9), 1991. ISBN 90-04-09796-1
SEI
H. A. R. Gibb and J. H. Kramers eds. on behalf of the Royal Netherlands Academy, Shorter Encyclopäedia of Islam, Leiden: Brill, 1953. ISBN 90-04-00681-8
M. Th. Houtsma et al. eds., ?slâm ansiklopedisi : ?slâm âlemi co?rafya, etnografya ve biyografya lûgati, 13 in 15 vols., ?stanbul: Maarif Matbaas?, 1940-1988. (Turkish)
Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs et al., Encyclopædia of Islam, 2nd Edition., 12 vols. with indexes and etc., Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1960-2005
Vol. 1, A-B, Edited by an Editorial Committee Consisting of H.A.R. Gibb, J.H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, J. Schacht, Assisted by S.M. Stern (pp. 1-320); ? B. Lewis, Ch. Pellat and J. Schacht, Assisted by C. Dumont and R.M. Savory (pp. 321-1359)., 1960. ISBN 90-04-08114-3
Vol. 2, C-G, Edited by B. Lewis, Ch. Pellat and J. Schacht. Assisted by J. Burton-Page, C. Dumont and V.L. Ménage., 1965. ISBN 90-04-07026-5
Vol. 3, H-Iram Edited by B. Lewis, V.L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat and J. Schacht, Assisted by C. Dumont, E. van Donzel and G.R. Hawting eds., 1979. ISBN 90-04-08118-6
Vol. 4, Iran-Kha, Edited by E. van Donzel, B. Lewis and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by C. Dumont, G.R. Hawting and M. Paterson (pp. 1-256); ? C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by C. Dumont and M. Paterson (pp. 257-768); ? Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema, M., 1978. ISBN 90-04-05745-5
Vol. 5, Khe-Mahi, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema and S. Nurit., 1986. ISBN 90-04-07819-3
Vol. 6, Mahk-Mid, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema and S. Nurit. With B. Lewis (pp. 1-512) and W.P. Heinrichs (pp. 513-1044)., 1991. ISBN 90-04-08112-7
Vol. 7, Mif-Naz, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs and Ch. Pellat, Assisted by F.Th. Dijkema (pp. 1-384), P.J. Bearman (pp. 385-1058) and Mme S. Nurit, 1993. ISBN 90-04-09419-9
Vol. 8, Ned-Sam, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs and G. Lecomte, Assisted by P.J. Bearman and Mme S. Nurit., 1995. ISBN 90-04-09834-8
Vol. 9, San-Sze, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs and the late G. Lecomte, 1997. ISBN 90-04-10422-4
Vol. 10, T?'-U[..], Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs, 2000. ISBN 90-04-11211-1
Vol. 11, V-Z, Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs, 2002. ISBN 90-04-12756-9
Vol. 12, Supplement, Edited by P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs, 2004. ISBN 90-04-13974-5
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